If Nico shows other unusual signs—difficulty navigating, abnormal eye movements, disorientation, sudden behavioral changes, or episodes unrelated to reflections—those details deserve veterinary attention.
The glass behavior alone cannot diagnose anything.
During Ordinary Life, Nico Navigates Normally
He walks around objects.
Finds his bowls.
Tracks people moving through the hallway.
Moves through familiar spaces without repeatedly colliding with things.
That makes the reflection-specific nature of the problem even more striking.
For most of his day, visual information appears manageable.
Then one particular visual situation traps him in a loop.
Staff Watch the Seconds Before the Lunge
Nico usually gives warning.
His pace slows.
His mouth closes.
His head rises.
His weight shifts forward.
His stare becomes fixed.
Those signals occur before the bark and before his muzzle reaches the glass.
Recognizing them makes it possible to prevent the most intense part of the sequence.
Breaking Visual Contact Helps
When Nico can turn away before lunging, the episode often ends more quickly.
That is very different from physically dragging him away after he has already reached full intensity.
The goal is not confrontation.
It is disengagement.
Seeing the reflection does not have to end in an attack.
One Brief Encounter Ends Differently
Nico notices the image.
He freezes.
His ears rise.
He takes one step forward.
The reflected dog does the same.
Nico's body becomes tense.
Then he turns his head.
For several seconds, he looks toward the floor.
When he looks back, the glass is covered.
There is no attack.
No retreat.
No second approach.
For Nico, an unfinished loop is progress.
But the Old Pattern Returns Another Day
A reflective section is unexpectedly visible.
Nico catches movement.
He spins toward it.
Within seconds, he reaches the glass.
Bark.
Growl.
Snap.
His muzzle nearly touches the surface.
Then he recoils.
Nico runs several yards away.
He stops.
Looks back.
Everyone watching knows what may happen next.
Nico turns around.