Do Dogs Think about What They’re Doing?

When your dog gives you that look before stealing a sock (you know the one), or your parrot starts dancing when music plays, it’s hard not to wonder: do they know what they’re doing? Are animals just reacting, or is there something more going on in their minds?

That question sits at the heart of one of the oldest debates in science: what role does consciousness play in behaviour? And you know what we have to do when we encounter this sort of question, right?

Instinct, Habit, and Beyond

Many animal behaviours are automatic. Birds build nests. Spiders spin webs. Dogs chase balls. These are often called instincts—wired-in behaviours that don’t require thought.

Even learned behaviours can become automatic. A dog might sit when you say “sit” without really “thinking” about it. That’s classical training, or what behaviorists like B.F. Skinner called operant conditioning — we do a lot of this in dog training.

But automatic doesn’t mean mindless.

Consciousness Lets Behaviour Adapt

Where things get interesting is when animals do something new — something not dictated by instinct or habit.

Think of a crow bending a piece of wire into a hook to reach food. Or a dog figuring out a new way around a locked gate. These aren’t just reflexes. They require problem-solving, flexibility, and often a bit of trial and error. In other words, they suggest awareness — a kind of mental space where the animal can weigh options and make a choice.

Consciousness, in this sense, isn’t about deep philosophical thinking. It’s about being aware of what’s happening, reflecting on it — even briefly — and acting in a way that fits the situation.

Social Creatures, Social Minds

Some of the strongest hints that animals are conscious come from how they interact with others.

Dogs are masters at reading human emotion. Elephants comfort one another. Apes deceive.

These behaviours suggest more than simple stimulus-response — they hint at a sense of self, and maybe even an understanding of others' feelings and intentions.

Some animals even pass the “mirror test” — they recognize themselves in a mirror, which many scientists see as a sign of self-awareness.

Feeling Their Feelings

Beyond behaviour, there’s emotion. Anyone who’s lived with a dog, a horse, or even a rat knows animals feel things. They play, they mourn, they get bored, they love. These emotional experiences likely involve at least some inner awareness — what we might call consciousness.

A Spectrum, Not a Switch

Scientists today tend to think of consciousness as a spectrum. It’s not all or nothing. A lizard might experience the world differently than a dog. A dog differently than a dolphin. But that doesn’t mean any of them are unconscious — it just means their experience is different from ours.

Why It Matters

Understanding consciousness in animals changes how we train, treat, and relate to them. If animals are capable of making conscious choices — if they feel, think, and reflect even a little — it invites us to approach them with more empathy and respect.

What we do with dogs is not just about training behaviour — it’s about honouring who they are.