How much do rescue dogs remember from their pasts?

You know your rescue dog had a life before you walked into the shelter, but how much of that time do they actually remember? Would your dog recognize their old owners or where they used to live? Can they recall specific experiences whether they were good or bad? For some rescues, forgetting a painful past might be a good thing, but is that even possible? Here’s a closer look at how your dog’s memory works and what scientists think they can remember about their past.

Breaking Down Memory

The question of whether or not rescue dogs can remember their pasts has to do with the power of their memory. We all know dogs have decent memories—how else would they know what to do when you say “sit” or what it means when you get out their leash? The act of remembering, however, is more complicated than we realize. There are different aspects of memory, and the way in which dogs remember is still unclear.

Remembering Past Training With Semantic Memory

An die, die Hunde nicht mögen

Und jeder, der euch Hunde nicht mag, der sollte mal nachdenken darüber:

wer dich unter einer Lawine findet und dir das Leben rettet

wer dich nach einem Erdbeben, einer Gasexplosion findet

wer Drogen erschnüffelt und sie somit aus dem Verkehr zieht

wer dein Haus und Hof bewacht und Einbrecher in die Flucht schlägt

wer dich wie ein Bodyguard verteidigt, wenn du angegriffen wirst

… Beispiele gäbe es noch sehr viele …

Wenn ich mir das alles durchlese, dann seid ihr Pelznasen eigentlich die besseren Menschen. Letztere schauen nämlich lieber weg, fahren an Unfallopfer vorbei und behindern schaulustig Rettungskräfte.

Und wenn Du in einen Scheißhaufen trittst, so war nicht der Hund schuld, sondern der Mensch, der ihn nicht weggeräumt hat. Aber weshalb schreist du dann „Scheiß Hunde“ und nicht „Scheiß Menschen“?

(Michael Schilling; Quelle)

Please come to me I miss you

Day by day I wait but, you never arrive.

What did I do to deserve all this torture?

I still sit on the side of the road where you first left me ...

Will you return? I believed you would. Did you? No.

I thought, maybe, you just dropped me here to stay for a few minutes.

You opened the car door and got me out ... But, then you didn't come.

You slammed the car door and drove off, leaving me behind.

I am greet by unfamiliar and unfriendly obstacles.

Where is my saviour? I thought you cared.

But, who wants me now? A traumatized, rib thin, bloody wounded dog belongs nowhere.

I had done nothing wrong. How could you leave me here?

My shattered heart dosn't want to live.

Why didn't you just shoot me instead of making me suffer so much neglect?

I didn't know what it was to feel so alone.

I'm by myself more then you could know. If only you were alone.

I remember the first time we met.

I was a bouncy puppy hopping around with no problems.

I remember you picked me up and said "your mine Max".

I miss your voice. Your soothing voice that made all the pain go away.

You took me home and fixed me up. I loved you so much. Life was good.

The time I ripped up your couch and you tried to yell at me but, laughed and ended up hugging me.

I was lonely when we first met. Since you moved out of your parents house with me into a small, dirty apartment and had no time for me.

I was exited and you were bored. "Shut up dog!" She had forgotten my name.

"Shut the **** up you filthy mutt!" You yelled after.

I heard you swearing under your breath about "that stupid dog" and the love was gone.

You grabbed my collar and shoved me into the car.

Driving through the darkness, I could sense something was wrong.

You were speeding and then we came to a stop.

The door opened and then you pushed me out.

Then you sped away. I waited.

Why didn't you come out? Did I do something wrong?

I was broken, you left me.

I had to adjust to the few amounts of food.

A muffin liner, a banana peel, anything I could find became the meal of the day.

My bed was the ground. Or a trash bag.

Nobody wanted me and when people with ANIMAL CONTROL printed on their shirts came, I ran.

Even thought I could've found another master, I didn't want anybody else.

If I couldn't have, then I didn't want to have anybody.

I spend my nights at the same spot you dumped me out at.

I still believe you'll come. You'll realize what a sick-minded mistake you made and get me.

My hair is falling out and my muzzle is turning white and gray.

I've lost my glossy puppy coat and exchanged it for a course, wired, thin fur coat that doesn’t warm me.

I am covered in feces and mud.

My hips are starting to hurt and my knees are cramped up terribly.

I still drag myself to the same spot you left me.

No matter what after 10 years of abandonment I still believe that you will come here and be mine.

So please come get me. I'm gonna die soon and I want my last moments of breath with you. I need you more right now then I ever did!!!!

(Author unknown)

Wer braucht schon Besuch?

Schon lange bekommen wir keinen Besuch mehr. Die meisten meiden uns, trauen sich nicht mehr zu uns. Sogar die Familie lehnt vehement unsere Einladungen ab. Wir sind ganz schön einsam geworden. Dabei haben wir keine ansteckenden Krankheiten, sind ordentlich und sauber. Wir haben nur einen Hund. Und hier liegt das Problem. Nein nein Ben, so heißt er, hat auch keine Krankheiten, ist auch ordentlich und sauber, außer er hat sich mal wieder in Kacke geschmissen. Das ist nicht unser Problem. Ben ist ein Grobmotoriker, ein Trampel, eben ein Labrador.

Wir wurden ja gewarnt. Als er ein Welpe war, war das aber auch eine süße Knutschkugel. Bei seinem süßen Hundeblick konnte man ihm nicht lange böse sein. Wir schon gar nicht. Naja, da haben wir bei ihm einiges durchgehen lassen. Aber, wir wurden ja gewarnt.

Es gibt bei ihm, äh uns, viele Baustellen, an denen wir noch arbeiten müssen, aber nichts ist so schlimm, wenn wir Besuch bekommen. Oder sollte ich besser sagen, wenn wir Besuch bekamen? Vor allen Dingen wenn sich mal wieder meine Schwiegereltern angekündigt haben. An diesen Tagen versagt regelmäßig mein Deo und mein Mann überlegt, ob er sich nicht doch von mir scheiden lassen sollte. Es ist der reinste Horror.

Without words (a song about pet loss) by the Spectra 2014 Singers

*****

Der Europäische Gerichtshof (EuGH) hat 2014 entschieden, dass im Regelfall keine Urheberrechte verletzt werden, wenn Website-Betreiber sogenannte framende Links setzen. Dies geschieht zum Beispiel, wenn YouTube-Videos auf einer Internetseite eingebunden werden. 

In 2014 the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that normally no copyrights are violated if website operators use so-called framed links. This happens for example when YouTube videos on a website are included.

Without you dog

(Source: LadybugArt)

Hommage an den Hund

Wenn es nicht so kitschig wäre, würde dieser kurze Text den Titel „Hommage an den Hund“ tragen. Denn nichts anderes ist es.

Jeder Hundehalter kennt das: Man kommt todmüde, gestresst und meistens auch noch schlecht gelaunt nach einem anstrengenden Arbeitstag nach Hause, wirft den Schlüssel in die Ecke, zieht die Schuhe aus – und schlagartig bessert sich die Stimmung.

Der Grund: ein kleiner (oder auch großer), heftig mit dem Schwanz wedelnder Vierbeiner, der einen – je nach Strenge der Erziehung – mehr oder weniger überschwänglich begrüßt, aufgeregt auf und ab springt, und (was in meinem Fall aufgrund der eher nicht so strengen Erziehung zutrifft) uns voller Freude übers Gesicht schleckt, denn für ihn zählt nur eines: Frauchen ist wieder daheim! Plötzlich vergisst man zumindest kurzzeitig seine Sorgen, packt die Leine und beginnt mit der zweitschönsten Nebenbeschäftigung der Welt: einem Spaziergang mit dem geliebten Hund.

Vermenschlichung von Hunden

Mein Mann und ich sind uns in vielen Dingen nicht einig. Ein großes Thema allerdings, da werden wir wohl nie auf einen Nenner kommen, ist unser Hund. Ich bekomme täglich zu hören, ich würde ihn vermenschlichen. Vielleicht hat der ein oder andere das auch schon zu hören bekommen. Bei sowas halten Männer ja bekanntlich zusammen. Und ihr kennt sicher auch alle die Begründungen, an denen sie es festmachen, warum Frau den Hund vermenschlicht.

Da wäre zum einen der Vorwurf, man würde ja den Hund zuerst und lieber begrüßen, wie den eigenen Partner. Naja, aber wer von euch hat schon mal seinen Partner so freudig bei der Begrüßung gesehen? Mein Mann empfängt mich nicht jeden Tag, als ob ich ein Jahr weggewesen wäre – mein Hund im Gegensatz schon ;-)

No more room

 

(Source: Facebook)

11 things big dog lovers understand

They say there are two types of people: those that love big dogs and those that love little dogs. Okay, that’s probably an over-simplification. Most of us love all dogs, but most of us have a preference when it comes to size. For those of us that have a penchant for the bigger breeds, you’ve heard and seen it all before. Here are 11 things you can definitely relate to.

1. They start small, but they grow fast.

Fast is an understatement. All dogs begin as puppies, but big dogs don’t stay little forever. They may be soft, squishy little pups in the beginning, but they grow to be massive. One night you’ll have a little guy tucked between your legs, the next morning you’ll wake up with a dog taking up half the bed. How did that happen? Big dogs like loads of food (we’ll get to that later…) and they grow quickly.

2. Clear the table.

Just by nature of their size, big dog breeds tend to stand taller. So their tales are at the perfect height to “clear the table” of anything not nailed down. One minute you’re enjoying a glass of wine. The next – Gus has bound through wagging his tail and knocking your glass clear off the table. This is why I like dark carpet. It hides the stains better.

Pet detective tells what NOT to Do if your pet becomes lost

Barbara ‘Babs’ Fry lives and works in San Diego. She is a real estate agent and founder of the nonprofit A Way Home for Animals, Inc. She is also a real life pet detective whose assistance has made it possible for hundreds of lost dogs to be reunited with their families. This work is her passion and she does it for FREE.

Babs started her nonprofit as a means to disseminate life saving information to people who have lost their dogs. She has a skill set and method that she has fine tuned over the past several years finding lost dogs. And it obviously works. She has brought hundreds of dogs back home. She is contacted by around 500 people PER DAY for help finding lost dogs. She is able to help 6-12 per day in one way or another.

Until we see each other again

I sure haven't felt well lately,

This body of mine is simply worn out,

I try not to let my owner know,

At nights while he sleeps I pout,

15 years is a longtime

For a dog to live or so they say,

I have had the best life,

I love my owner in every way,

We always have the best of times

But lately I have really slowed down,

I heard the vet say something about Cancer,

And for it no cure has been found,

My owner doesn't 8 himself today,

There are many tears streaming down his face

Quote

A dog defines another being from who they are inside. Colour, class and popularity don’t come into it. They don’t care if your wealthy or how sociable you are. They really don’t mind if you have a bad day and bundle into a blanket without saying a word. Point being, the best friend I need around me is a dog. A pure hearted, devoted, selfless, excitable canine

(Ladybug Art)

Dogs never die. They are sleeping in your heart.

This article is a must-read for everyone in the world who loves dogs. All dog lovers who have shared their homes, their hearts and their lives with the most loving, loyal and wonderful of four-legged furry best friends will also, at some point, experience the most heartbreaking aspect of adopting a dog. Saying goodbye. But just read what Ernest Montague wrote here.

Ernest, who describes himself here on DogHeirs as a Pit bull owner, wrote this beautiful article and says, “I wrote this several years ago in memory of Bolo, a black and white Pit Bull who would always go for a walk, right up to the day he died. He might only get 15 feet before he stopped and looked at me and gave me the look: ‘I can’t go any further. But don’t you think for one minute I’m done walking.'”

The experience of losing a dog is a universal one for every pet parent. I hope Ernest’s wise words help you, or someone you know, even if just a little.

“Some of you, particularly those who think they have recently lost a dog to ‘death’, don’t really understand this. I’ve had no desire to explain, but won’t be around forever and must.

Dogs never die. They don’t know how to. They get tired, and very old, and their bones hurt. Of course they don’t die. If they did they would not want to always go for a walk, even long after their old bones say: ‘No, no, not a good idea. Let’s not go for a walk.’ Nope, dogs always want to go for a walk. They might get one step before their aging tendons collapse them into a heap on the floor, but that’s what dogs are. They walk.

Dogs are great in many ways (12)

(Source: Facebook)