[Dailydrool] Dogs and Memories

[Maura DeYong]

Don't believe for a second that dogs just "live in the moment". That is totally not true. My bloodhound, who is almost 6, has memories or "reactions" to his past life before we adopted him at 3.5 years old.  He does not like middle aged women with white or gray hair. Women that are elderly with white or gray hair are ok. Is that a memory of someone who wasn't nice to him? A previous owner? He didn't like bicycles, but we have gotten him past that. He is also dog aggressive but it seems like there are certain dogs that make him react more than others. He doesn't like little dogs, esp. white fuzzy ones. He doesn't like labs or pit bulls. He loves my beagle and never had a problem with her or with bassets in general either. He will also run away if I raise my hand above him or if there is a loud noise around him. I think all of that behavior comes from memories of what he had to live with in the past. One other example that I can give you is this: in our
 neighborhood, there is a pointer that runs and charges up to her electric fence when you walk by. Well, my bloodhound hates that because he thinks she is going to attack him. He will charge and bark back. Anyway, I haven't walked him down that street for about a year, and we went out late the other night for a walk. As we turned the corner to go past that house, he was looking for the pointer. His ears were up and his body was rigid and he was waiting for her to charge. After a year, in the dark, he knew exactly what house and what street had that pointer on it and he was looking for her. Dogs do remember, probably more than we give them credit for. 


      
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