What kind of memories do dogs have?

Lots of people go on about how rescue dogs are "grateful" to their owners for having adopted them. I'm not sure that dogs can be grateful in the way we understand it. But I always wonder about their memories and how they work. Say a dog has grown up and lived somewhere horrible for two years - will he/she only have an instinctive fear response (or similar) to that place or do you think dogs actually think: "Thank God I'm out of that place, I'm so much happier now."?

I don't know, so this is just what I think, don't take it to heart. I think they have memories, but because dogs 'live in the moment,' they don't actively think about their past, whether good or bad. I think they adapt to whatever their new environment is and learn to settle in and enjoy their life as it is, rather than remember the past. I was actually just thinking about that last night, about how dogs are given to rescue centres, go to new homes and love their new owners and seem to just forget about their old ones, even though their old ones might not have been bad. Seems weird, but they're not people.

x

I like to think so. I hope Alfie thinks "wow I love my new home so much better than my last" - but probably not

Rupertsbooks wrote:I find this website very useful. Hope the link helps:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/taxonomy/term/122

Let us know what happens.

Interesting, but what does it have to do with your original question?

I think dogs do have memories of certain events, I guess somethings would stay with them be it either a very happy or very sad situation. Sometimes when Rocky is sleeping it seems that he is having a very bad dream which would come from his memory, he makes very weird little whimpering noises and has a little bark and growl.

I'm not so sure they have memories but more they can relate to things if that makes sense Xx

Some people say "dogs live in the moment, not the past" but Logan remembers everything tbh. He knows certain roads etc when driving because he gets excited when he's going somewhere good. He has doggy friends and enemies. So I def think they have some sort of memory anyway

Densil certainly remembers all the houses where cats live on his walks!

I think dogs do have memories. When we first had our last dog, who was a 1 yr old rescue, she used to bark and run to the door when a doorbell rang on the tv, but we didn't have a doorbell. The first time I put on the electric flame effect fire she went and laid in front of it and then looked confused because there was no heat coming from it.

I think they must have memories (on some level) but how that compares to ours, I have no idea!!

Caryll wrote:

Rupertsbooks wrote:I find this website very useful. Hope the link helps:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/taxonomy/term/122

Let us know what happens.

Interesting, but what does it have to do with your original question?

bump.

I don't understand what this link has to do with your topic?

MatLogan wrote:Some people say "dogs live in the moment, not the past" but Logan remembers everything tbh. He knows certain roads etc when driving because he gets excited when he's going somewhere good.

Yeah Alfies the same, he knows exactly where he's going

Lily remembers stuff from when I got her so by the same principle she must remember stuff from before then. She remembers if a dog has had a go at her and she sees it again, she remembers routes of walks, and she remembers people. I am not sure 'remember' is the right word as I think its more instinctive.

Sometines she does something really weird that freaks me out. We can pass someone and she will watch them go by and continue to watch them when they have passed, clearly uncomfortable with them. On another occasion she will spot someone int he distance and does her happy dance until they get close and then greets them like long lost friends. I don't know why she does it.

As for being grateful, not sure whether they know what that is. Lily was a rescue but clearly had not been abused but I know that she likes me. I rescued 2 dogs together many years ago who were skin and bone when I got them, such a pitiful sight. One of them in particular was the most loving dog I had ever met and not sure whether he had always been like that or perhaps he made the association between meeting me and the abuse stopping. But he was the closest thing to a grateful dog I have ever met - still not sure you would use the term grateful though.

I have a rescue dog, I think they generally live in the moment. I did have to train her out of some bad habits she had due to being scared and abused as a puppy so I guess they do have memories to some extent. When I take my girl to work she knows where she's going and doesn't get off me for about a hour when we're back home and acts as if she's like thank god I didn't have to stay there! I think they definitely know they're in a better place, whether they show they're greatful or not I don't know but she definitely knows she's been rescued they do have memories of bad places or bad experiences they've had as if a dog was beaten in a home where people smoked for example, they can get triggered by people smoking in their new home which leads to bad behavior ect, a girl in the kennels will wet herself whenever you go to stroke her as she used to be beaten even though we give her the best love and she's been with us since last year so she clearly remembers, some dogs are scared of certain genders if they've had bad experiences with them too; so I'd say yes to having memories of the past for sure.

id like to think they have memories.

although actually what about their puppy toilet training or more so for tricks and learning our words.

As far as im aware you cant train a goldfish with their 3 second memory.

I think regarding the rescue they wont think the words thank hell im safe.....but will feel a sense of relaxed as oppose to the previous pain.

I think all animals will remember what was before when they finally feel safe

Caryll: I posted that link on the wrong thread. I've not quite worked out how to delete it!

I did wonder - got me totally confused! (Not difficult!).

I'd like to think they have memories, one of my good friends used to walk with us quite a bit when Zeus was younger, he doesn't come round much because of work commitments etc, but whenever we walk past his house, Zeus will stop and look at the house, he won't want to budge because he thinks my mate will come out. Baring in mind, my mate lives about 10 minutes away from me but he specifically remembers the house.

I think dogs deffo have memories, some dogs are scared of certain things and they remember those things, as in the link in this thread above,about digging, dogs bury bones and find them again later on and so on. I also believe that their memory is only short term and after about 6 months they forget their past. But i suppose we will never know the true extent of what they can and cant remember.

Our 2 definitely remember stuff but the lifespan of memory I don't know.
Why do they both go into a sulk when they see me pack a suitcase ? (several days away)
Why do they sulk when I put on shiurt and trousers (at least a day away)
How do they remember where all the cats live

Dempsey remembers that his best friend in all the world (a tiny, 10 year old bichon) smells good enough to whine over!

I think they can definitely associate things. Like on a Saturday morning I get my walking shoes and bag out the wardrobe and Roxy gets super excited because it means either a walk or school. They associate certain roads too that get them excited.

I think a lot of the time a dog's memory is association-based - either scent or sight. So if they see or scent something they like/dislike/are scared of they 'remember' it.

I really hope that dogs don't remember their past when its not a nice one.

I think dogs do live for the moment but they definately remember things and I agree with what Caryll said above.

Off to hug and pester my sleeping dogs

Troy will always remember where he last saw a cat or whatever animal or where is last found a discarded piece of bread on the floor LOL

I know because when we walk past the same area he will always look where the cat was, as he must think it lives there or something.

I have always wondered, do they remember dreams? Dreams are very weird for humans and cover a whole spectrum of crazy things which we can distinguish from reality but can dogs?

What if your dog had a dream that you kicked it. Would it then 'remember' this but not be able to distinguish it from reality?

Gee wrote:
What if your dog had a dream that you kicked it. Would it then 'remember' this but not be able to distinguish it from reality?

I don't think so. A well looked after dog would have no 'reason' to dream that you've been nasty to him so I doubt that would happen. I've known a dog suddenly wake up from a dream & snap at a human, but it's swiftly over & seems to be forgotten very rapidly.

Oh I'm not worried in that respect, I treat Troy just fine! We sometimes dream about lot's of weird and wonderful things that have no relation to real life!