- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
You might find it easy to remember all the good times you’ve had with your dog: the day you brought them home, the trips you took to the dog park, the evenings you spent cuddling up on the couch.
Your dog may not remember those moments the same way you do, but they certainly remember how you and the events you shared made them feel.
“Dogs remember what and who, not when something happened,” says Dr. Kari Cueva, veterinarian and Director of Applied Sciences at Embark. “What determines if a memory sticks is the intensity of the emotion behind it.”
So, while your dog won’t necessarily have vivid memories of specific days or moments, they will have memories of feeling good by your side. On the flip side, they’ll also have a harder time shaking bad experiences because of the way their memory works.
Read on to learn how dogs form memories and how to help your dog create happier lasting memories.
Short-Term Memories vs. Long-Term Memories
Like people, dogs have both short and long-term memories. Short-term memories only last a few seconds or minutes, but long-term memories can last for several years.
If you repeat an experience enough times, like giving a dog a treat after they sit on cue, then the memory passes into long-term storage. In other words, your dog now remembers that performing the trick earns them a yummy treat.
| Memory name | Type | Duration | Function |
| Long-term memory | Lasting memories and long-term information storage. | 2+ years | Helps a dog memorize training commands and remember people, places, and other dogs. |
| Short-term memory | Quick moments in a dog’s daily life. | A few minutes | Short-term problem solving. |
| Episodic | Specific events or experiences in a dog’s life. | 2+ years | Helps a dog recall someone’s actions or what happened at a particular place. |
How Do Dogs Form Memories?
Repetition isn’t the only way that dogs remember things long term. Researchers have also found that dogs have episodic memories. This type of long-term memory helps them remember specific experiences in their lives. Episodic memory helps dogs form associations between people, places, and stimuli. It also shapes their future reactions.
For example, if one of your coworkers gave your pup a treat, your dog might then associate your coworker with a positive experience and greet them with tail wags and kisses.
Alternatively, your dog may not remember every moment of their first vet visit clearly, but they can associate things like the car ride and the building with getting poked by a needle. As a result, they may become anxious on the trip to the clinic.
How Long Do Dogs Remember Good and Bad Experiences?
Experts haven’t yet determined just how long a dog can remember a person, another dog, a place, or a particular experience. But anecdotally, some dogs seem to remember things throughout their entire lifetimes.
“I’ve had dogs recognize me years after they last saw me, simply from my scent,” says Mike Gould, certified dog trainer, former K9 handler, and founder of Hounds Town USA.
So, until science catches up with more detailed answers, it’s safe to assume that strong, happy experiences will stick around in your dog’s brain. You don’t need to worry about them forgetting you any time soon.
Tips to Help Dogs Build Positive Memories
Because of the way a dog’s memory works, strong negative experiences can also linger in your dog’s memory, which is why many rescue dogs have trauma. However, it’s possible to build new positive memories and help your dog heal.
A form of training called desensitization training helps you gradually expose your dog to things that make them afraid.
For example, a dog scared of car rides needs to learn that the car doesn’t just go to the vet. It also goes to fun places, like the dog park or a playmate’s house.
It’s best to start building new associations slowly and gradually. Instead of strapping your dog in for a long car ride right away, you might have them sit inside the car for a few minutes at a time and offer treats when they stay calm.
“The more positive experiences you can create around something the dog previously feared, the more opportunity you’re giving them to form a different association with it,” Gould explains.
Remember to stay positive!
While you’re practicing desensitization training, never, ever punish your dog for their reactions. Your dog isn’t trying to make things difficult by acting out. They’re only responding to something they’ve learned is scary.
What’s more, punishment doesn’t help a dog understand that they did something they shouldn’t. It only makes them more likely to associate you with bad experiences.
If your dog doesn’t seem to make any progress with desensitization training, try working with a certified trainer or behaviorist. They can help you learn how to help ease those negative associates and build new ones.
Finding Care That Supports Good Memories
If you’re working on building and reinforcing positive memories with your dog, it’s important that all of the people who care for your pup are on the same page. After all, repetition is what helps long-term memories stick.
You can find dog walkers and sitters who understand dog behavior with Rover and leave custom instructions inside the app. A dog walker can keep up your positive reinforcement training on walks and a sitter can stick to your usual daily routines while you’re on vacation.
Plus, Rover sitters can take care of your dog inside your home, which lets your dog stay in a familiar environment. This means your dog can avoid a potentially frightening experience at a boarding facility while making happy memories with a new person!
