Signs That Dogs Remember Each Other
Taking your dog for a walk where they may occasionally run into another dog probably wont cause them to remember that certain dog. Unless they stopped and sniffed that dog for a good minute, they will probably think they are meeting that dog for the first time when they run into them again.
Now, if you have two dogs that have hung out in the park together, bringing them back together after a few months apart should prove that they do remember one another, even if they dont remember everything they did together.
Your dog may exhibit signs such as sniffing the other dog. They will start to sniff them as an easy way for them to access memories of their furry friend. Dogs have much better noses than humans, so when they sniff another dog and realize they have a familiar and friendly scent, they will react much better to that dog.
Along with that, you may see your dog start jumping and acting all sorts of crazy. This is because they have realized this dog is not a stranger. They are a friendly presence. If the other dog barks or makes any noise, your own dog will more than likely raise their ears up because they are trying to distinguish where they have heard that noise before.
On top of all of this, if your dog is happy to see their old friend, they will wag their tail to no end to show that they are so very happy to be reunited.
Some cues that your dog remembers another dog are:
Other signs to watch for include:
Being a dog can be mighty-hard, since they mostly depend on their noses to help them lead the way. This can make it difficult to remember certain things in their lives.
A lot of people wonder about the history behind dogs being friends with each other and they certainly wonder about how they are able to remember their doggy pals that they have not seen in days, months, or even years.
There have been studies that show dogs sometimes forget events that occurred just two minutes ago, which really makes one wonder how they are able to remember anything at all. This leads us back to their powerful noses. They may not remember specific events, but they will smell a place, a dog or a human and will be able to remember the feelings they associated with that particular interaction.
A dogs memory has been the center of many studies over the years and studies have shown that they can remember their old friends, but to them, they have no idea that it has been long at all since they last saw their friend. These studies have been done in recent years, as the study of memory in humans has taken off.
The Science of Dogs Remembering Each Other
Since studies are still ongoing in regards to a pups ability to remember things, not everything is known about how they are able to remember. Dogs are easy-going, happy creatures of habit. You can train a dog to sit, stay or roll over. They remember these things because of repetition and it just becomes a part of them.
When they see a friend that they have not interacted with in quite some time, they may not react right away. This is because they will need to assess the situation and gather intel from different factors. They will need to sniff them and if they recognize them in a good way, they will start acting like they did the last time they saw them.
Dogs brains are just wired differently, so they do not remember someone by just seeing them. They have to process the situation first before anything else.
Part of being in a “pack,” or a family, is being able to recognize other family members as your kin. You can think of this as an inbuilt mechanism of DNA. For example, a mother needs to be able to recognize her wolf pup, and a pup needs to know which wolf is his mother. It’s a pure survival instinct that keeps the cycle of life going.
To better understand if dogs remember their siblings, let’s first take a look at dogs historically. One thing that scientists know for sure is that dogs descended from wolves. Possibly somewhere around 20,000–40,000 years ago, humans domesticated these animals. They then evolved into domesticated dogs. The “how” is still up for debate, but it irreversibly changed the future friendship of man and dog.1
This question was first posed by a study at The University of Belfast in Ireland – a very thorough project that involved a number of dog litters.
A cloth with the scent of the original puppy was placed in front of its mother alongside cloths from other 2-year-old pups. Seventy-eight percent of the time, the mother sniffed her own offspring’s cloth the longest. Then, they switched and had the now 2-year old “puppy” try to do the same with the mother’s scent. Seventy-six percent of the dogs were able to identify their mother’s scent, even after a long separation.
Though inbreeding is never encouraged because of the risk of genetic abnormalities, it can happen naturally if a dog is in heat and their only option is a family member.5 But this doesn’t imply that a dog doesn’t recognize their kin. There is no taboo in the dog kingdom. Anyone who has been around a dog in heat knows that there really is no stopping that mating instinct.
Dogs experience a form of mourning when another dog in the household dies
When you add a new furry member to your family, it can be a tremendously exciting time. But even if your pooch is well-adjusted and happy, it’s easy to wonder whether they miss their mom, or their brothers and sisters. Do dogs remember their siblings? Would your pooch recognize his brothers or sisters on the street?
The truth is, no one really knows, at least, not for sure. But many researchers, dog experts, and owners have theories that they do – depending on certain circumstances.
To better understand if dogs remember their siblings, let’s first take a look at dogs historically. One thing that scientists know for sure is that dogs descended from wolves. Possibly somewhere around 20,000–40,000 years ago, humans domesticated these animals. They then evolved into domesticated dogs. The “how” is still up for debate, but it irreversibly changed the future friendship of man and dog.1
Wolves are known for their incredibly complex social structure that’s built around the extended family, or pack.2 Just like humans, wolves have a head of their canine family, and this leader must be obeyed in order to keep the family safe.
Part of being in a “pack,” or a family, is being able to recognize other family members as your kin. You can think of this as an inbuilt mechanism of DNA. For example, a mother needs to be able to recognize her wolf pup, and a pup needs to know which wolf is his mother. It’s a pure survival instinct that keeps the cycle of life going.
But some people would argue that domestic dogs have become so far removed from their ancient ancestor that they’ve lost their “pack” instinct, having no need for such recognition of family.
This question was first posed by a study at The University of Belfast in Ireland – a very thorough project that involved a number of dog litters.
The first set of tests began when the puppies were just a few weeks old. First, researchers tested whether a puppy could distinguish between its real mother and a dog of the same age and breed placed in the same enclosure. What did they discover?