do dogs still remember people after months??

[hori]

hi all, looking on here for quite sometime to find out all I can learn. This is my first post and my question is..... I work away for 6 weeks and have 6 weeks off, I was wondering if a puppy would forget me (like who is this guy?) for being gone 6 weeks when I come back. What about when the dog matures would he remember me when ever I come home? this is quite important to me as i dont want to be the stranger everytime I come home and have any aggresion or fear from the dog if he thinks I`m a stranger. All replies will be greatly appreciated.

[shybird]

I believe they remember. If you have a great relationship with your dog when you are home, it will be ecstatic when you return. I get to visit my former fosters once in a while and they remember me. My dogs go crazy when any of the kids come home to visit even if they haven't been home in months.

[trish603a]

Yes they do remember, it might take a minute or two but they do. My husband was in a mobile unit in the Air force for 10 years and would be gone for months (4-6) at a time. Each time he returned my dog would be cautious around him for about 2-10 minutes then would absolutely go crazy when she realized her "daddy" was home! This was her life from the time she was 8 weeks old, so I think your puppy will be fine.

[moondog]

If you said you were gone 6 weeks, home 1 day, gone 6 weeks......then I think your dog might think of you differently. But you'll have 6 long weeks to spend with him after each trip, so I don't think you'll have a problem. Make sure you spend plenty of one-on-one time with him.

If you show up in the middle of the night when you return, he'll likely think you're the boogeyman until he hears your voice and sees you, so don't surprise the little guy!

[SABELLESMOM]

Dogs remember people they have met once in their lives! At dog shows, they see "friends" with or without their dogs and fully itend to "visit" with them enticing me to come, too. "Look Mom! We met her 3 shows ago, remember? I liked her! She wore a red hat last time. I wonder why she didin't wear it today... Let's go, Mom. Hurry."

They remember their parents, siblings, other dogs...and PEOPLE from the beginning of their existance. You should have seen them remembering their place of infancy, and their breeders. Literally jumping for joy! Licking their Mum and Dad's faces, and playing.

Mine remember places, and routes to those places...they begin to whine happily and dance about when nearing a place of joy. We had 3 locations that we do Agility, summer, early spring (well drained field), and in cold winter (barn). They still know the routes, even if I take different ones, from time to time.

Mine have NEVER thought the boogyman was coming, tho a puppy? Well, he doesn't always rely on his memory card, as an adult will.

But YES! He will remember you. And he will find it a joyous reunion, I'm sure

[Xena's Daddy]

I have never been away from my dog for more than a week at a time.....and then, only a handful of times throughout her life. So I can't really answer your question. But I can tell you that the most excited & happy I've ever seen her were after returning from those vacations/business trips. You'd think she was gonna' blow a gasket!!

As far as remembering people goes, my dog remembered everyone she ever met. She even knew their names......flawlessly!! And some of them were people that she would only see once in a while, but every time, without fail, she knew her 'friends'.

I would imagine she's likely to bond with your wife a bit while you're gone, so you may have to take second chair when you do return. But I seriously doubt you'll have any aggression or fear issues.....providing of course the dog is of sound temperament.

Good luck,
MK

[cleaningchick]

My husband and I adopted a 6 year old male Rott from a family that had kids and felt they couldn't give him the attention he deserved. We had him for about 18 months when we discovered he had osteosarcoma.
He was always a handfull with strangers and even though we worked on alot of agression issues it still took him a few minutes to let a stranger pet him, he would growl and bark.
I called the previous owner to let them know that Dozer had cancer and that it wouldn't be much longer and he was going to have to be put to sleep because he was in alot of pain. :(
The previous owner said he wanted to come and say good bye to him.:(
Chris came to our door and Dozer did his usual, he went to see who it was and let chris right in and attacked him with kisses!!
Needless to say we both cried. So yes they do remember. :)

[Shane]

Yep. We barely saw my husband for five years. The longest he was away was one year straight. The dogs were ecstatic to see him.

I do, however, wonder about their sense of time. The reaction really wasn't that much different than when he came home from work. That's one of the reasons dogs are great!

My dogs also showed recognition of relatives we only saw once every few years for short periods of time.

[Alistair]

I was close with my parent's Collie and then I went travelling for 13 months. When I returned he took a moment and then figured out I was back and did his excited dance!

Unfortuately he had to be put down last year, at the tender age of 14... : o (

I suspect recognition after a period of time is mostly to do with smell. In humans it is supposed to be the strongest memory jogger, if so it can only be moreso with dogs, having somthing like 1 million times more smell receptors.

[Xena's Daddy]

Originally Posted by Shane

I do, however, wonder about their sense of time. The reaction really wasn't that much different than when he came home from work. That's one of the reasons dogs are great!

See now, that's funny.....I know that's the consensus; that dogs have no sense of time. But I have to say, mine sure seemed to. When I came home from work she would do her little Rottie dance, with her stump wagging, her rear end wriggling, and a few circles as well. Always very excited to see me!!

But if I was home already, then ran out to the store, even for an hour or two, she might not even get up from the couch upon my re-arrival.
And after those times we spent a week apart, she was noticably much more excited to see me!!It was her same dance, but much more energetic & always lasted at least twice as long!

So, I can't help but to feel that some dogs may actually have some kind of a sense of time.

Just my thoughts,
MK

[fostermom]

I've gotten to revisit with several of my fosters...and am not convinced they remembered me. But these were dogs that I had (at most) for two months, one for only two weeks. They were coming out of high stress shelter scenario's and their stay with me was just a short transition to their forever homes. I do not make a fuss over my fosters, they are expected to "work" for attention, and I really don't want them to bond tightly to me as I think that makes it harder on them when they move on. They were cordial, but definitely NOT doing a happy dance when I saw them again.
On the other hand....When growing up we had a cocker mix that was not overly friendly with strangers...when Taffy was about 10, my brother left for Vietnam...he spent two tours there..and when he came home, Taffy, who was quite geriatric by then, ABSOLUTELY remembered him.
Several years ago, I took in a 12 week old kitten from the farm where I boarded my horse. A couple of months later I also took in her sister. About four months after that, mommy cat came to live with me (so at least six months had elapsed since Xena had seen her mother and four months since Gabby had seen her). As soon as I brought the mother cat in, her "babies" ran to her, and everyone started "chirping"....soft little greeting noises. It was really quite moving to see how happy they were to see each other again, and they spent the rest of the day following her about as if they were still small babies. I've never seen that behavior again, although several other (unrelated) cats have been subsequently added to the household.

So I think animals for the most part DO remember important people/animals in their lives...I would expect your dog to remember you.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by fostermom

Several years ago, I took in a 12 week old kitten from the farm where I boarded my horse. A couple of months later I also took in her sister. About four months after that, mommy cat came to live with me (so at least six months had elapsed since Xena had seen her mother and four months since Gabby had seen her). As soon as I brought the mother cat in, her "babies" ran to her, and everyone started "chirping"....soft little greeting noises. It was really quite moving to see how happy they were to see each other again, and they spent the rest of the day following her about as if they were still small babies. I've never seen that behavior again, although several other (unrelated) cats have been subsequently added to the household.

So I think animals for the most part DO remember important people/animals in their lives...I would expect your dog to remember you.

Ha, that's so good! My cats met their mum again when they were probably about 5 or 6 months old (I got them at 8 weeks)... It was as if they had never seen each other and a fight might well have ensued if she had come too close!

[SABELLESMOM]

Originally Posted by Shane

I do, however, wonder about their sense of time.

Time? They know exactly when someone should be home. My neighbors tell me is when windows are open, they howl briefly...KNOWING what time it is! Of course they've been known to do something similar when they want dinner.

Yes. They are enthusiastic on a daily basis as well as long term. Isn't it wonderful? I must say, however, DH was in ICU for 6 weeks. His girl Sable was distressed. She carried his pillow with her. Though careful, what a happy reunion!

[Shane]

lol...Good point, Sabellesmom! They know exactly when dinner is due, kids get home from school, time for the walk, and so on. :)

[Lola B Marie]

My mom visits NY once a year in the summer. Although we see her in florida several times, Lola does not. Every summer, Lola goes wild when she sees mom. She spins, does extensive bowing, brings favorite toys and drops them at her feet. Mom is 94 and Lola is very careful not to push her or paw her. She actually stops and waits for mom to get to a seat before she goes into the room to ask for petting and that is done by gently resting her head in mom's lap. All this she remembers from year to year. I don't think your dog will be anything but loving when she or he sees you after an absence.