Associations and scents: RKF explained why dogs recognize their owners even years later

      The president of the Russian Cynological Federation, Vladimir Golubev, explained that dogs have poorly developed episodic memory, which is responsible for recollections of specific events. Unlike humans, animals do not remember the smallest details from the past. Their short-term memory lasts only a few minutes, so scolding a pet for misdeeds "after the fact" is useless — it will not understand the reason and will only experience stress.

      However, dogs have well-functioning associative memory: they quickly link events together. For example, the owner's command is associated with a treat, and a leash in the hands is associated with a walk. Thanks to this, pets pick out what is most important in their relationship with a person and retain these images for years.

      "The owner is the most important center of the universe for a dog. If positive impressions are associated with the owner, the animal will remember them for life. But if a dog was subjected to abuse, negative associations also persist and can manifest years later," Golubev noted.

      Smell plays a special role in memory: a pet can recognize its owner's scent even in a crowd and after a long separation. At the same time, reactions to separation vary between dogs. Some have a hard time even with the owner's short vacation, which may be related to hyperattachment — a socialization disorder.

      The RKF emphasized that, overall, dogs are capable of remembering their owners for a very long time. However, when they join a new family, they can, over time, adapt and form positive associations with other people.