What do dogs remember
What do dogs remember
People always say that dogs live in the now, I’m certain this is true. I have also heard that they have no sense of time. When you’re gone for 5 minutes, or 5 hours, it’s all the same to them. This also seems to be true.
But how about their memory in general?
I know for a fact that Torrey and Roxy remember places we have been, and return to. This past week when we stayed at the rendezvous site, they remembered everything about the area. We have our own little camp spot there that we have stayed at for the past 5 years. It’s fixed up, and kinda decorated, and they know it is another “home” spot. Same for our spot in Quartzsite, and when we go to our spot in Teton park.
I also wonder what goes through their mind. We can be a quarter mile away from any given place, and they just KNOW where we are going.
We are back in Al’s moms driveway for a little while, and that is another spot they know. They like the grass here, and the park that is half a block away.
It’s not running wild and free, but they like it just the same.
I wish I could just love every place like they do. Dogs are so easy going, and carefree.
I did find this cool thing to photograph at the park last night. There is an enormous tree stump. 4 feet tall, and probably that much a round. There was this hole in the stump, and what looks like another tree growing inside.
Roxy came and sat on my lap after they had played for a bit. I thought I would try to take our photo with my DSLR.
Talk about shooting blind, LOL.
Your dogs are so cute, great shots. Have a happy day!
I think JOY is a constant for them when the see or hear to go to a place or person that has been good to them. Roxy is in total happyland here on your lap!!!! HAHAHAHAHHAHA that look on her face says it all: “I’M HAPPY!”
That photo with the sunrays shining through the trees, Mary….what a stunning shot, and the dogs…you have captured at least YOUR memory of this day, pondering this wonderful question. Anita
Roxy’s happy spot is on my lap for sure. That and being in the sun.
I actually think dogs have a very good sense of time. They definitely know if you forget their dinner. Within a few minutes of missing the regular time, mine start poking around the kitchen, waiting or trying to give the hint I forgot. They also have a good sense of when we return from work.
It’s gets close to dinner time here and Roxy starts whining, Torrey starts staring at me. They aren’t subtle in the least. LOL
If that’s shooting blind, then you could take award-winning pictures with your eyes closed all the time! That’s a great shot of you two. And I love the pic of the tree stump, what an unusual and beautiful thing. You’re right – you just never know where you’ll find interest and beauty. I do think Daisy has some small concept of time because if I go out for less than an hour, she’s less excited when I return than if I’m out over an hour (then she goes crazy!). Also, she hesitates to come out of her crate if I’m only gone a short time, I guess she thinks I’m only stopping in and will leave again. So I think there’s some concept of how long she’s been in her little nook. :)
Well, I still think I’ll keep my eyes open when I photograph, LOL. These guys are generally WAY more excited after an extended time alone.
That’s some interesting food for thought on dogs memory. Now that you mentioned those things and I pondered them in my head …. I think their smell sense I’ve heard has something to do with it. But if your getting close to a spot they’ve been before and know its coming up that would mean something in sight, or sound looks familiar and is a memory. They say Elephants never forget. I just read how these little goats we have recently never forget the smell of their herd buddies even if separated for over a year.
I love the last photo, it’s a great perspective :o)You should see my pictures I took that way… they are not even worth a joke-post :o( the photo of the stump is amazin, it’s like the stump would protect the new life what grows there…
Love that last shot! Amazing.
I know their sense of smell triggers their memory.
Thanks for your comment, it was indeed a poppy bud.
I think our dogs do have longer and more extensive memories than what most people claim. I know Haley remembers places and people after long periods of time, and I think mostly those memories are triggered by scent. Interesting article and great photos!
I like the uniqueness of that last photo. Interesting composition.
Ellie was the same, after two years of being away from Calgary, I took her to her favourite dog park, basically the park she grew up in, and she immediately knew exactly where to go and sit to get her treat! :)
Love the photos of the tree within the tree well and the self-portrait of you and Roxy! Fabulous!
Dogs are amazing in what they remember.
Our little friend Cody had seen us for two years but new us immediately as soon as we called him. He ran inside the MH and remembered exactly where we kept the treats:) He gets very depressed when we leave:( Poor thing!
We’ll think of Torrey as we revisit this gorgoeus area:)
LOL, these two are like that with our travel friends. They know what their MH looks like, and they know there are treats there.
that last shot is so cute. my mother-in-law used to tell us her little dog would get so excited once they turned off onto the road to our place. whether it was the smells that triggered it, or the sound of gravel under the car tires, or… she knew she was going to visit us. :)
You didn’t do half bad with that selfie. LOL
I do think we could all take a page from a dog’s book and try to live more in the ‘now’. I think we would be so much happier.
Love all these photos! I would say they absolutely remember places! When I take Beau for walks along Lake Washington he knows exactly where all the public shore spots are that he’s been swimming at before, even when they’re ‘hidden’ and if I don’t let him go swimming at one he gets up (from laying down in protest) and basically runs to the next one.
With their incredible sense of smell, they can identify familiar places, things and people that we could only imagine doing.
I love that stump photo! I muse on the dogs memories all the time… They also clearly remember places we haven’t visited in years. They remember where a squirrel, cat or bird sat or crossed months ago. I have read studies recently that dogs memories are indeed better than previously believed. What enamors me is the way they seem to remember things- in feelings. I suppose I remember things that way too but I am very bad at remembering only the good as it seems the dogs do.
Not bad shooting blind! I think we dogs have memories, but they are different from human memories. We remember things by smell mostly.
You did very well for shooting blind! I believe dogs have great memories too. Our beagle Kobi used to spend time with our elderly neighbors, and when they both eventually passed away, he still wanted to go to their house every time we walked by.
I wish I could love every season like the dogs do….but I just can’t love winter like they do!
I think like us, dogs make their strongest memories that tie in with something strong emotionally – good or bad, and that their senses like smell reinforce their memory. The Labrador here has excellent memory of anyone who has ever given her food ;-)
Such beautiful shots Mary. Always love the play of sun and shadows on a sunny day. I especially love the 4th one down. Sigh.
Regarding dogs and memory, I used to board a Lab twice a year at my home. Do you know that she always knew she was coming here as soon as her mom turned onto my street. Every single time. I was always blown away by that.
I see this with our neighbor’s beagle. He was found by Animal Control, so no one knew his history. But when he’d get loose from their boy, if I went out and called him, he came right to me. Four years later, he still comes right to me when I call him. We’ve all surmised that his prior owner must have looked and / or sounded like me. He’s a good dog and well loved, but he loves it when I give him attention.
Nancy