topic Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!! in Community Chat

My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

Marp2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 01:58:14 GMT

because I KNOW he can and does remember some events much longer than 2 minutes. I bet your dog is exceptional too.

(NEWSER) – When it comes to short-term memory, animals have very short ones indeed. A new meta-analysis examined more than 90 memory experiments carried out on 25 species encompassing birds, mammals, and bees. Researchers at Stockholm University and Brooklyn College found that for dogs, events are forgotten after about two minutes—and that's on the long end of the spectrum.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/02/27/your-dog-forgot-the-hug-you-just-gave-him/24113189/

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

cody2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 01:59:49 GMT

Marp, O/T I heard you and I agree. Equal on any and all sides. Pet Peeve.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

LucyGoose — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:00:51 GMT

Dogs are smart. If they forget something 2 minutes after the event, then how do you explain trained dogs?

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

Marp2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:01:12 GMT

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

cody2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:02:37 GMT

On 2/27/2015 LucyGoose said:
Dogs are smart. If they forget something 2 minutes after the event, then how do you explain trained dogs?

I think training has to do with repetition, Pavlov's dog study, and this article seems to refer to a one time happening maybe.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

jessa — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:02:40 GMT

On 2/27/2015 LucyGoose said:
Dogs are smart. If they forget something 2 minutes after the event, then how do you explain trained dogs?

Longterm memory?

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

kdgn — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:03:32 GMT

Then both of mine must be exceptional too. They don't seem to forget anything....drives me nuts sometimes.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

terrier3 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:05:58 GMT

My dog is a doof.

He doesn't remember things 10 seconds after they happen.

When I went to pick him up at doggie day care this afternoon...he ran to greet me...then turned around and headed back up the stairs.

He's a sweet doof though!!!!

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

Marp2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:07:33 GMT

On 2/27/2015 cody2 said:
On 2/27/2015 LucyGoose said:
Dogs are smart. If they forget something 2 minutes after the event, then how do you explain trained dogs?

I think training has to do with repetition, Pavlov's dog study, and this article seems to refer to a one time happening maybe.

You are correct Cody but I can't buy a blanket forgetting after two minutes. My little guy had two one time incidences that he has never forgotten. One involved a person and when he saw that individual three years later he remembered what happened and let everyone know it. The other involved a pack of Dachshunds. To this day when he encounters a Dachshund he cowers.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

Elstongunn — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:09:48 GMT

If a dog forgets your hug (as stated in the article) shortly after you give him one, it's probably because most dogs dislike intensely being hugged. To them it is an "alpha" move on the part of the human; a show of dominance. Just look at a lot of photos of dogs being hugged, and you can tell that they don't like it by their body language (pulling their head to their side and/or away from the face/body of the person hugging them). Most times they'll sit and tolerate it if it's a beloved human or a mild-mannered dog, but they don't see it as a sign of affection.

Anyway, I don't think the article proved anything contrary to my experiences with many dogs, which is that they have very good short- and long-term memories.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

betteb — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:20:13 GMT

On 2/27/2015 LucyGoose said:
Dogs are smart. If they forget something 2 minutes after the event, then how do you explain trained dogs?

That's what I was gonna say? 2 minutes?? Bull Cookies!

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

MickD — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:20:21 GMT

Is it true that dogs have no concept of time, ie. Leaving them home alone for 20 minutes feels the same as 8 hours.....?

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

kdgn — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:29:49 GMT

The first time my younger pup heard fireworks he hid in the dark bathroom for hours. Nothing could get him out, not even an ice cream treat. The fireworks started around 8 pm.

The next evening, at precisely 8 pm he took off for the bathroom. There were no fireworks. It was about a week before he stopped hiding.

The older pup? I ran the water in the master bath to get it warm before giving him a bath. He'd never had one in there before. The next time I ran the water he took off like a bullet and wouldn't come near me. He wasn't getting a bath that night. That was ten years ago and he still does it.

Both of mine understand that if no treats are given in the morning then one of them is going to the vet. Neither will come near me and I have to do all sorts of antics to capture the victim so the harness can be put on his little self. If we sneak treats to one of them, out of sight of the other, that dog doesn't flee. All it took was one time for blood work years ago.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

LucyGoose — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:32:48 GMT

On 2/27/2015 terrier3 said:
My dog is a doof.

He doesn't remember things 10 seconds after they happen.

When I went to pick him up at doggie day care this afternoon...he ran to greet me...then turned around and headed back up the stairs.

He's a sweet doof though!!!!

Ha! He wanted to go back and keep playing with his doggie friends!

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

kdgn — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:33:46 GMT

On 2/27/2015 MickD said: Is it true that dogs have no concept of time, ie. Leaving them home alone for 20 minutes feels the same as 8 hours.....?

All I know is that I can go out in the garage for an hour or so and neither one bats an eye when I come back inside. If I get them situated for me actually leaving home it's a different story-I can go up to the store, be gone for 30 minutes and be greeted like I've been gone forever and a day. I get that same excited greeting if I've been gone 4 hours.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

MickD — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:37:02 GMT

Kdgn- my dogs act like I've been gone for days....even though it's only been 30 minutes. I just wonder how they would feel if we left them in a kennel for let's say a week......

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

Marp2 — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:40:33 GMT

On 2/27/2015 MickD said: Is it true that dogs have no concept of time, ie. Leaving them home alone for 20 minutes feels the same as 8 hours.....?

Can't be. Mine knows when the clock says breakfast time and when it says dinner time and lets me know if I'm running late. When I've fed early more often than not he will not eat until the correct time.

ETA my cats are equally aware of meal times but with if I feed them early they think they won the lottery lol.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

kdgn — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:42:01 GMT

On 2/27/2015 MickD said: Kdgn- my dogs act like I've been gone for days....even though it's only been 30 minutes. I just wonder how they would feel if we left them in a kennel for let's say a week......

Mine can't be kenneled however: When my husband has had to be gone for several days his return home is greeted with a much more enthusiastic greeting than his usual home from work greeting. They are almost hysterical with their greeting.

We were gone for two days and had a doggie sitter at the house. Our welcome home greeting was over-the-top enthusiasm from both dogs. Much more excitement-almost hysteria.

Most definitely a different greeting than just being gone for hours.

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

betteb — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:58:49 GMT

On 2/27/2015 kdgn said:
On 2/27/2015 MickD said: Is it true that dogs have no concept of time, ie. Leaving them home alone for 20 minutes feels the same as 8 hours.....?

All I know is that I can go out in the garage for an hour or so and neither one bats an eye when I come back inside. If I get them situated for me actually leaving home it's a different story-I can go up to the store, be gone for 30 minutes and be greeted like I've been gone forever and a day. I get that same excited greeting if I've been gone 4 hours.

Aww my Miss Kitty is like that too. It tell people she sits by the door with her paws crossed, tapping her tail, waiting for me

Re: My Dog Is Exceptional!!!

mousiegirl — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 03:05:06 GMT

I can leave the room for five minutes, and get a reception as if I had been gone much longer. I learned long ago through dog training classes that dogs have no conception of time, thank goodness.