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I am just wondering, is it that they really remember or they are just being people happy dogs?
My dogs go crazy for all strange people who come in the house occasionally, especially the cable guys. They greet them as they do me when I leave the house whether for a minute or the afternoon! All tags are wagging and the tongues are ready to give smooches!
my dog is not a people happy dog, she's pretty picky. she only goes nuts for certain people. i haven't been separated from her for that long ever, but i was gone for almost a month once and she FLIPPED when i got back. she also went and sat in the window around the time i come home every day while i was gone, just like she usually does.
even weirder, i once had to leave my cat with my ex-roommates for a year and when i came to get her (having visited her maybe 1-2 times in the interim) she came running at the sound of my voice, which is something she doesn't do when i'm living with her. she did it every time i came to visit though.
It's off topic, but it might help your dog during its time away from you:
I gather from reading Tamar Geller's "The Loved Dog" that if you can have some success with re-socializing dogs to at least begin to trust strangers, by carrying the dogs' treats with you, and asking friendly strangers to talk nice to your dog, and offer treats (that you've provided). You would want to do this only with dog-oriented people, so maybe those you've met at the doggie day care, park, Petco, etc?
By your demonstrated willingness to engage with the "strangers" in the dog's presence, their "happy" voices, and the treats (offered safely), after repeated instances you could see some improvement. If the dog is more trustful of strangers, then its time away could be happier.
this is EXACTLY what i have done with bailey over the last 3-4 years ..... and it has helped TREMENDOUSLY..... when we are out and about, i always have treats in my pocket and if a stranger expresses an interest in her, i hand him or her 1 or 2 of them and have them tell her to sit..... she automatically offers a "shake" when she is told to sit and knows there is a treat involved. she has been treated by boys, girls, men, women, teens, all across the spectrum..... and she has gained a huge amount of confidence in people in general.... where once she was pretty fearful, particularly of men and boys..... she is still a little more reserved with boys from about mid-teens to about mid-20's..... but is even accepting of them more and more these days......
and kids LOVE doing this....... it has even helped kids who are a little fearful of dogs to see how well behaved and gentle she is taking the treat from them..... their little faces just light up........
With my first dog ( as an adult that is) I left her with my parents and traveled in Indonesia for several months. My mom said at night the dog would go down and sleep in the room I slept in when we visited. The day they came to LAX to pick me up my mom says the dog had gotten up and went and stood at the front door like she knew I was coming home and she was still there when they left for the airport to pick me up. I got the royal greeting when I walked through the door and if she was ever upset that I had left her for that much time I never knew about it.
Before I went to vet tech school I worked in the kennels at a veterinary hospital. There were a couple of dogs who would be calm and easy as could be, but on the day they were to be picked up they'd go nuts! I certainly didn't give them any hints, I didn't realize it was their 'go home' day until I looked at their cage cards to try and figure out why they were being so goofy. Dogs are amazing.
Before I went to vet tech school I worked in the kennels at a veterinary hospital. There were a couple of dogs who would be calm and easy as could be, but on the day they were to be picked up they'd go nuts! I certainly didn't give them any hints, I didn't realize it was their 'go home' day until I looked at their cage cards to try and figure out why they were being so goofy. Dogs are amazing.
Dogs are amazing in the fact that so many know when an owner is coming home. They did that study ( I think it was in London) years ago and varied the owners time she would get home and methods of getting home etc and yet her dog always knew when she was on her way home. I think perhaps there is some 6th sense that we just do not know being we do not seem to have it!
I always tell people that in some ways perhaps dogs are the higher being as they seem to be able to sense alot we can not and besides they must be smarter as mine have a maid, a chef, a chauffeur (a full house staff). yet they get to stay home and sleep or play all day and not have to go to work. They have the life I want!!
A question that reminds me of a recent episode on TV "Dr House" A terminally ill man with Cancer was dying and his dog was allowed to be on the bed with him. Carressing the dog with his hand...he passed away and almost as quickly the dog also died still on the bed. A slight tear jerker to say the least.
Have two dogs of my own...father and son...I know how much they love me based on their actions.
The father will come to lay by my feet when he is not feeling well or rest his head on my leg for a ear rub and just look at me with his eyes trying to speak to me.
The son on the other hand will try to crawl up into my lap if I let him. They are both large dogs... lovable and at the same time very protective of the house and street in front.
Many of the homes in my aresa have been broken into (Baja) while in 13 yrs no one has touched me.
Steve
Have a couple too, and they are just great guys to have around.. for all the reasons you gave us above... thanks
Dogs - if you go away for a minute and a half, a day and a half or a year and a half their reaction is the same. Oh, I missed you, I missed you, I was so lonely, I missed you, I'm so glad you're back.
Cats - if you pack up the camping gear and all the dogs, go away for 4 or 5 days, return and pick them up and say I missed you the cat will respond: Missed me? What do you mean? Were you gone? I hadn't noticed.
I am just wondering, is it that they really remember or they are just being people happy dogs?
My dogs go crazy for all strange people who come in the house occasionally, especially the cable guys. They greet them as they do me when I leave the house whether for a minute or the afternoon! All tags are wagging and the tongues are ready to give smooches!
i think they remember. zeke isn't too crazy about strangers. miya never met a living being she didn't think was put on earth to entertain her. my parents live in florida and come up a couple times a year. when zeke sees my mom, he gives kisses all over her face and he moans and whimpers all the time he's kissing. he does that for a very, very few people in his life so i definately say they remember!
The longest I've left Rudy alone has been 2 weeks, and BOY did he remember me! I think it would have to be a long time, like over a year, for them to have any doubts about your identity. Have you seen this video of a soldier returning home? You can't say these dogs don't know their daddy, LOL:
I am just wondering, is it that they really remember or they are just being people happy dogs?
Ummmmm, no... I can't speak for other dogs, but Rudy most definitely knows the difference between mom & strangers. How could you even think they don't?? Rudy is actually quite wary of new people, and would be more likely to bark/growl if a stranger walked in the door. I see him greet my roommates (whom he loves) every day, and even they don't get the same enthusiasm his mommy gets.
Last edited by gizmo980; 08-25-2009 at 07:13 PM..
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Dogs are amazing.
Dogs
