My Dorky Dog
Photo comparison of good eye to blind eye
This is my dorky dog that I call “Dork.” Imagine that. He’s a dork. When I go to bed, or am lying down watching TV in my bedroom, Dork likes to sit in front of the mirror and watch me via the reflection. It’s actually rather amazing because he is what’s called a “lethal white” Aussie. Born completely deaf and blind in one eye. His distant vision is not that great. Hmmm… Now that I think about it, I wonder if it is clearer because the image of me is actually only a foot away when looking at my reflection. Whereas if looking directly at me, I’m about 5 or 6 feet away. Thoughts?
It’s funny, too, because he really is watching me. Since he’s deaf, I have trained him with hand signals and touch commands both. His “come” command obviously had to be a hand signal since he’s at a distance. So when I give him his signal to come via the reflection in the mirror, his head perks up, he then looks directly at me, and hops up on the bed. He’s such a good boy.
Sorry, the image is not that great. I took it with my phone and had to use a flash. Room was too dark.
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I don’t see him as dorky at all, he looks to be loyal and attentive, the very traits I miss in my dog……whom I miss dearly. You are blessed to have “Dorky”.
I am very blessed. His name is out of love and fun. Primarily when he was a pup and clumsy as all pups are, he was constantly running into furniture and anything else in HIS way. He would bounce off of it then look at it like, “where’d that come from.” Then trot along his merry ol’ way.
He looks so sweet. Not to take away anything from ‘tea cup pups’ but they’re just not my cup of tea.Give me a large gentle beast any day.
I’m not a toy dog or small dog fan. There are a few I wouldn’t mind having, but I’m a large dog person, too. Have always owned large dogs. Smallest I ever had was an English Bulldog.
What a handsome guy! So much to hug! Interesting, his watching of you via the mirror. I’ve heard a lot of explanations for various dog behaviors, but nothing that would explain this. Vision-related seems logical, though.
Yeah. It just snapped today. Previously I had been thinking about total actual distance. Meaning the distance from his eyes, to the mirror, then add the distance from the mirror to me. And that would be farther than looking directly at me. Then it occurred to me just when posting this that since the mirror is a reflection of me, then it’s like I’m right there so he only has to look a foot away to see me. So it is probably clearer to him.
Awww…what a handsome fellow! And all dogs are dorky. At least every dog I’ve ever had!
LOL.. yes, they all are in their own unique way.
Animals do seemingly silly things for totally legitimate reasons sometimes. In their minds at least. Cute dog!
Thanks! He’s my special little guy.
When it comes to mirrors and cameras; one must focus on the image and not the mirror. Dorky is a mystery though. Maybe there is something about being close to the TV, or getting to see both images. My wife and I gave up TV and sometimes we won’t watch it for a year or more. We have a tuxedo cat named Jack and when he was younger (and maybe still) he thought the TV was a door into another ‘room’. We didn’t have the TV on enough for Jack to incorporate it into the static environment. Animals have a different perspective on many things, but it is easy to see a ‘human motivation’ even when it isn’t there. Phillip
I doubt in this case it has anything to do with the TV. He’s stone deaf so can’t hear it. And at that angle, he can’t see the screen – which he’s never really paid attention to the TV screen at all. I did catch him watching it for a few moments the other night when he was lying on my bed. But that’s it. He’s a weirdo. But MY weirdo and I love him.
Well, I just got down on my hands and knees and looked into the mirror on the door. I used one eye and tilted the mirror up slightly as your mirror looks a little tilted. What Dorky sees in the mirror is really a mystery. Besides you he sees himself in a bit of a side perspective. He might think that he has a ‘friend’ with him? If his vision is really bad the dog in the mirror may not be identifiable as himself. I presume that dogs can recognize their own image in a mirror; many animals can’t. The only birds that can recognize themselves are magpies. Maybe he is sitting in front of the mirror with his very good and well behaved friend and they are watching you? Maybe it is just what it looks like; that he is watching you for the sign to get on the bed. Phillip
It’s hard to say, but it still makes me smile and chuckle every time he does it. The very first time he ever saw himself was funny. He sat straight in front of it and stared at himself for a long time.
Aww! I love him! I think your theory is correct.
He’s a sweetie! And a dork.
Love this!