Signs a Dog Remembers Their Past
Now that weve established that dogs are capable of remembering their past and retaining that memory for years, lets look at some of the top signs that your dog is maybe having a flashback of their life before you.
In order to do so, we must acknowledge just what incredible creatures our furry friends are. Not only can they sense our emotions and tune in to how we are feeling, but they can also pick up on the inner-workings of other dogs. It seems we learn more about dogs and the canine mind every single day, something we certainly arent complaining about!
A groundbreaking study conducted in Budapest, Hungary uncovered that dogs are excellent observers who can actually mimic human behaviors and actions just by seeing them.
They learn through experience and can both remember and reenact actions by their human companions. This also leads us to our next point – that dogs have associative memories. They will remember a person, place, or experience based on specific associations they have with them.
When looking to your dog for a sign they are having a blast from the past, pay close attention to their behavior and how they are interacting with a person or in a certain environment. Chances are you know your dogs behavioral traits by now, so if they are acting a little strange or even crazy, they very well may be remembering something from the past.
For example, dogs often have a hard time with men wearing hats. Where does this stem from? Many dog owners believe (and rightfully so) that their dog had a bad experience in the past with someone who wore a hat, leading them to have a strong negative association with any man who wears a hat.
Here are some signs your dog remembers their past:
These are other signs your dog remembers their past:
You know your rescue dog had a life before you walked into the shelter, but how much of that time do they actually remember? Would your dog recognize their old owners or where they used to live? Can they recall specific experiences whether they were good or bad? For some rescues, forgetting a painful past might be a good thing, but is that even possible? Here’s a closer look at how your dog’s memory works and what scientists think they can remember about their past.
When you teach your dog the cue for “roll over,” they use their semantic memory to connect your words with the action you want them to perform. As long as you occasionally reinforce that memory, your dog should hold on to that knowledge their entire life. It’s the reason why when you adopt a rescue dog, one of the first things you should do is determine where they are with training. New owners are encouraged to randomly call out different cues to see if the dog responds.
A crucial aspect of episodic memory is that memories are made without conscious effort. It’s the difference between memorizing a math equation because you know it’ll be on the test and being able to think back and remember where you were when you were studying, what the room looked like, and what color pen you were using. Those memories aren’t going to help you on the test, but your brain remembers them anyway without you telling it to. Because we can’t explicitly ask our dogs to describe their memories, there’s no concrete way to know if they remember experiences like we do. Most scientists say no, but that doesn’t mean they can’t recall things from their past. There’s one more aspect of memory to explore.
The question of whether or not rescue dogs can remember their pasts has to do with the power of their memory. We all know dogs have decent memories—how else would they know what to do when you say “sit” or what it means when you get out their leash? The act of remembering, however, is more complicated than we realize. There are different aspects of memory, and the way in which dogs remember is still unclear.
With a dog’s ability to use episodic memory still a big question mark, that brings us to the type of memory dogs use most—associative memory. Associations are emotional connections made to specific stimuli, and they can be either positive or negative. An example of a positive association is how a dog associates fun and excitement with the dog park. They (most likely) don’t remember that day last week when they chased a terrier for a full 30 minutes and then rolled in a mud puddle, but they remember how they felt at the time and associate those emotions to the location.
How To Help Abused Dogs, Abused Puppies & Mistreated Senior Dogs
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It may sound like a cliche, but the best way to help mistreated dogs or abused puppies is to simply be there for them and love them. There is no reset button when it comes to the emotional scars that your dog, puppy or new pet may be showing. Healing those scars on an emotional level will take much longer than physical. Some of them may never heal. There are plenty of rescue dogs or puppies who have suffered abuse that never manage to move on past their trauma. They will grow and feel loved by their new, safe home, but tiny ticks or fears may follow them forever.
The best way to help a dog who has been previously abused is to be patient with every new endeavor you present to your pup. If you notice them doing something they shouldn’t, try to avoid shouting or using an aggressive tone. Speaking in a calming voice and remaining calm through body language will assure your dog that you are not a threat. If you are bringing your dog to a new park or introducing them to another dog or friend, do so slowly. Gradually introduce them to new surroundings or situations so that you do not run the risk of overwhelming them or frightening them more.
Also, most importantly, set up a “safe space” for your dog at home. If they have somewhere to go (under the bed, their own room) they will feel more safe and secure than always feeling like a prisoner in your home or having no space that is truly theirs. Some dogs do remember abuse due to associating surroundings, smells or behaviors with their troubled past. So, look for signs that a dog has been abused and be very cognizant of how your canine responds to certain surroundings or stimuli.
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It’s clear that the answer to the question of “how long do dogs remember their abusers” can mean a lot of walks, talks, attention, love and care. Dogs don’t tend to remember like we humans do. While we can see a face or hear a name and use our memory recall to decipher where we met that person or heard that quote, a dog’s brain works entirely differently. In fact, it might not even be long term or short term memory that is the factor behind whether or not they can remember an abuser or even a non-abuser. It could all come down to scent recollection. Ever wonder why the best way to introduce yourself to a dog is by allowing them to smell you? They attribute a scent to the individual. Scent plays a big part in a dog’s ability to identify a person and might actually be the way, if any, that a dog could remember those who have abused them in the past. Unfortunately, lots of research still needs to be done on this issue and many researchers are working to find ways to answer that question.
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