Taking care of a dog is a big job. It requires plenty of time, dedication, and commitment to make sure your pet has a happy and healthy life. However, all the work is well worth it. Our dogs tend to repay us with love, affection, and companionship. Dogs don’t hold grudges and their loyalty never wanes. What more could you ask for?
We love the idea of our dogs missing us while we are away because we sure do miss them! But how well do they really remember us when we’re not around? Many dogs give us a clue as to how their memory works. However, most people wonder whether a dog’s memory works like our own. How long is a dog’s memory, anyway? This is an interesting topic that we’re excited to delve into here.
Can We Tell How Long a Dog’s Memory Is?
There are minimal studies that have been done to determine how a dog remembers, let alone the length of memory that they have. According to Hill’s Pet, a 2014 study indicates that a dog’s memory lasts no longer than 2 minutes. However, after a 2016 study, Smithsonian Magazine stated that our canine family members may in fact have complex memory capacity.
It seems that dogs possess episodic memory, which is a type of memory that was thought that only humans possessed. This type of memory enables us to recall things in the past based on experiences. For example, when your friend tells you that they are going on vacation, you will remember the episode and have the ability to inquire about the vacation later.
This means dogs may be able to remember important episodes that happen in their life and use those memories to make decisions in the future. Unfortunately, there is no consensus as to how long a dog’s memory is — basically, nobody knows. It seems that dogs do have both short- and long-term memory in some form. Personal experience may tell you that your dog creates memories that last for a lifetime.
The Difference Between Memories and Repetition
A dog’s repetitive behavior can easily be mistaken for memories, so it is important to know the difference between the two. Repetition occurs when a dog is trained to do a certain thing, intentional or not. Feeding your dog at the same time each day will train them to know when they should head to their food bowl to wait for a meal. This has nothing to do with memory, though.
Memory occurs when something happened in the past that is recalled. For example, suppose that you took your dog to a certain park a year ago that your dog really enjoyed. Now, when you return, they are extremely excited as soon as they see and smell the place.
Final Thoughts
Dogs seem to have decent memories, but it isn’t clear just how long their memories last. Some research indicates that they can remember things for years, at least somewhat like how humans can. Until more studies are done, though, we will just have to live with the fact that we don’t know much about a dog’s memories!
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