How long does a dog take to forget a person?
A Dog That Changed My Life
At that time, I had nothing due to divorce and debts. I lived in a small house with only one bed, feeling lonely and deserted, as if the whole world had abandoned me!
On that day, I received my week’s wages from a temporary job, about 650 yuan. I went to the market, intending to buy some meat to improve my meals!
Suddenly, I heard a whimpering sound. A small black puppy was kicked by a dog trader and curled up in a corner, trembling in fear, with only a pair of cute big eyes looking at the person who kicked it!
The dog trader continued to curse, saying that he would cook it in a hot pot later. I looked at those big eyes and inexplicably felt something in my heart. I crouched down to touch its head, and the little one immediately buried its head in my hand, licking my hand with its small tongue!
I quickly asked the boss if I could buy the puppy. The boss looked at me and said 600 yuan, sold to you! I hesitated a bit. I only had 650 yuan in total, and if I deducted 600, I would only have 50 left. How could I survive?
So I stood up and prepared to leave. The little one saw me leaving but didn’t follow, just looked at me with a sad expression and lowered its head in disappointment!
Looking at its sad eyes, I suddenly understood. Since I still had to go out to work, why not spend the money now?
I said to the dog trader, “Sir, I’ll buy it!”
As if understanding, the little puppy immediately raised its head, its eyes shining brightly! Even though it was still tied up, it struggled to crawl towards me. It knew it was saved!
I quickly untied it with the dog trader and held it in my arms. It was really a small adorable puppy, all black, very cute with big round eyes!
In my arms, it kept wagging its tail and licked me with its warm little tongue!
My eyes seemed to turn warm. I hadn’t felt loved and welcomed for a long time due to my recent circumstances, but Little Black made me feel it again!
Yes, you shall be called Xiao Hei from now on. We’ll rely on each other from now on!
That’s how I returned to my humble rented room with only 50 yuan left, along with my beloved Xiao Hei!
I thought the room was shabby, but Xiao Hei seemed to really like it. In the narrow space, its little tail still wagged like a propeller. Every time I looked at it, I found that it was always looking at me. I would call out “Xiao Hei,” and it would immediately wag its tail and come over, lifting its cute little head for me to pet!
During that time, I worked hard to save money. I had to wake up at 4 in the morning to work as a milk delivery person. I used to be alone, but with Xiao Hei, it willingly accompanied me to deliver milk every day!
In the cold winter of Shanghai at 4 in the morning, with temperatures close to 0 degrees, I was reluctant to let Xiao Hei go out, but as long as it was with me, it was happy. It followed me dutifully, and while I delivered milk upstairs, it attentively watched the car downstairs. After a few times, even Xiao Hei could tell the time. If I stayed in one building for too long, it would anxiously come up to see what was happening. Every time it showed its cute little head at the stairwell with worried eyes, I felt like crying. It turned out that there was still someone like Xiao Hei who cared about me in this world!
After delivering milk, we would collect mineral water bottles and cardboard boxes. At first, Xiao Hei didn’t understand, but after a few times, it became clever. It would search for them on its own and sit beside them, barking to call me over. It even helped carry a big bag of mineral water bottles!
The once tedious, difficult, and somewhat dirty job became exceptionally joyful and touching because of Xiao Hei!
After selling the recyclables at the recycling station every day, I had to prepare a day’s worth of food for Xiao Hei. Yes, at that time, when I was struggling financially and couldn’t afford dog food or treats, Xiao Hei ate whatever I ate. I felt sorry for it, but as long as I was there, no matter what we ate, even if it was just plain rice and steamed bread, it ate with relish!
Sometimes, when I got paid and could afford it, I would buy ribs and meat. The smell of meat would fill the rented room. Xiao Hei and I would each have a bowl, enjoying our meal with delight. Watching Xiao Hei happily nibbling at the food, I would tell myself to work harder and earn more money, so that I wouldn’t let down this loyal little companion!
On cold winter nights, I hesitated to turn on the air conditioning. Instead, I would snuggle with Xiao Hei in the quilt, feeling warm and cozy. Just the two of us, sleeping soundly until dawn!
That’s how we spent our first four seasons together!
During the warm spring days, we went for walks together, admiring the wild flowers and grass on the roadside!
On quiet nights, we would go out and gaze at the stars and moon, allowing my little black friend to run freely on the empty streets!
We would cuddle in the rented room, with me writing articles and Xiao Hei leaning against my feet or by my side!
We would share the same meal, gaze at the same bright moon, and then enter dreamland together!
Because of Xiao Hei, I had my first argument and rebellion against my parents. When they suddenly visited, I felt a bit happy. I tidied up the small house and prepared a delicious meal. Xiao Hei obediently stayed by my side!
When my parents entered, the little dog warmly greeted them, wagging its tail. But unexpectedly, my father kicked it away. Seeing Xiao Hei in pain, I quickly picked it up. I had raised it as my child!
Before I could say anything, my parents started scolding and blaming me, saying that I had ruined myself and even raised a dog. They said I deserved to be alone and insulted me with vulgar words!
I couldn’t control my tears. In my arms, Xiao Hei immediately became nervous, licking away my tears. But the more it licked, the more tears flowed. It suddenly realized that my sadness was related to my parents. Its small body straightened up, barked fiercely at my parents, and even bit them!
My parents got angrier and tried to grab it. After being insulted and belittled by them all these years, I had never fought back before. I had always believed that as a child, one must bear some grievances. In this moment, I completely lost control and yelled, “Who dares to touch it? Get out and never come back! Get lost!”
After so many years, it was the most satisfying thing I had ever said. After enduring their criticism, blame, and derogatory remarks, I finally fought back!
Finally, they left!
The room became calm again, with only me and Xiao Hei. The little one still clung to my side, motionless. I held it, telling it, “No one will bully us anymore. We will make a good living!”
And so, we endured the most difficult days!
Finally, our hardships paid off. We got a big house with a yard, even though it was a rented one. But my Xiao Hei no longer had to squeeze into a cramped space. It could run freely in the large yard!
It now had an officially registered dog certificate, and its photo looked brilliantly beautiful. It no longer needed to eat plain rice and steamed bread. It had high-quality dog food and countless pet treats!
But my Xiao Hei still liked sleeping with the little bear I gave it on the first day. It was leftovers from the dog in my boss’s house. When I had no money, I cleaned and dried it before giving it to Xiao Hei. All along, it cherished it like a treasure!
Occasionally, when we went out and saw mineral water bottles and cardboard boxes, my cute Xiao Hei would still squat beside them, gesturing for me to pick them up. It still remembered those days!
Life also changed. My parents suddenly became kinder, and I suddenly had more friends!
But these things are no longer important to me! People who flatter the powerful and belittle the weak, I don’t need them anymore!
As long as my Xiao Hei is by my side, I am content!
You ask me how long a dog will forget its owner. My answer is never!
You ask me how long an owner will forget their dog. My answer is also never!
Dogs and Their Emotional Connections
This is really about dogs,
Dogs are similar to humans. The same thing can be seen differently by different people, and the same thing can also be seen differently by different dogs.
When I was a child, my neighbor adopted a small Keeshond that was sent by a relative. I heard that the relative was sick and didn’t have the energy to take care of the dog anymore. The dog was already 3 years old when it arrived. I liked it very much and often went to their house to play with the dog.
After more than a year, the little Keeshond was quite happy. The owner treated it well. One day, I brought the little Keeshond to my house to play. My neighbor came knocking on the door and said that her relative had come and wanted to see the dog. They hadn’t seen each other for a year. The little Keeshond jumped all over its original owner’s legs, bursting with joy. The original owner of the dog was an old lady who had trouble speaking and was constantly out of breath. She just touched the dog and said things like “You still remember me, huh?” Then she wanted to leave. At this moment, the little Keeshond’s round eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and it started wailing.
I was angry and scolded it, saying, “You’re making it seem like I mistreat you. Don’t we get along well?”
The little Keeshond kept crying. It didn’t stop the old lady from going downstairs, as if it knew it couldn’t go back to its original home anymore. But as the old lady walked away, it kept crying.
My mother was there at the time, chatting with the neighbor and sighing about how this dog had such deep emotions and understanding.
That incident left a deep impression on me. I always thought that all dogs were so affectionate and remembered their owners.
Later, as I grew up, my brother-in-law had a Husky named Bubbles that he loved very much. He treated the dog extremely well. However, one day while walking the dog, my sister couldn’t hold onto the leash because she was weak. Bubbles happily ran off to chase a stray dog. My brother-in-law felt heartbroken and posted missing dog signs everywhere, online and offline, offering a reward of 5000 yuan to whoever found the dog. Finally, someone called. The person who found Bubbles was also a dog owner. Bubbles had run several kilometers away and was picked up by this kind-hearted person who owned a Border Collie. This person saw the dirty and tangled Husky dragging a leash in their community and guessed it must have had an owner and gotten lost. So they took care of it and kept an eye out while also helping to search. In the end, they saw the missing dog notice on our pet forum and contacted us.
Now everything was fine, and everyone was happy. My sister and brother-in-law drove to pick up the dog. One person brought money, the other brought the dog. It should have been fine, but after Bubbles had been gone for a week, he no longer recognized my brother-in-law and refused to follow him. When my brother-in-law tried to touch him, Bubbles reacted with a big fright, avoiding him completely. It had this expression on its face. (I made an emoji to describe it)
No matter how my brother-in-law called and tried to hold onto him, Bubbles just wouldn’t budge. The person who found him gave him a new name and he was so happy about it.
In the end, my brother-in-law got so angry that he jerked the dog leash, and oh, that familiar feeling came back (Bubbles once pounced on the TV, knocking it over and breaking a corner. My brother-in-law gave him a good pull with the leash, and Bubbles learned not to pounce at home). It was only then that Bubbles remembered my brother-in-law and happily jumped on him. But when it was time to leave, it couldn’t bear to part with its new owner and kept whimpering, caught in a dilemma.
Finally, my brother-in-law angrily kicked him before Bubbles reluctantly followed him into the car.
My brother-in-law was really good to the dog. He bought all kinds of toys and snacks for him, and never missed an opportunity to take him out for a run. On weekends, he would drive to the seaside to let Bubbles have fun. It was the kind of dog that played in the water in the summer and played in the snow in the winter. But none of this made Bubbles forget my brother-in-law.
I personally witnessed the experiences of these two dogs, which is why I say that this is really about dogs.
Dogs Have Strong Memory
Dogs have a strong memory. They remember the paths they have walked, people and things they are interested in, and the behaviors they have been trained with.
When humans remember, they rely on scenes and images that occurred during the events.
Whether dogs are the same is unknown to us. However, through behavioral training of dogs, people have inferred a memory pattern called emotional association.
Emotional Association
Dogs will remember their current feelings and thoughts.
For example, if you call the dog over and then give it a hug and a treat when it comes to you, it will associate being called with something pleasant. The next time you call, it will happily come over.
Or, for example, if the dog is happily playing in the grass and you call it over and put it on a leash, it will associate being called with losing its freedom. The next time you call it, it won’t come as easily.
Some dogs resist going to the vet because they associate it with negative experiences they had in the past.
How long does it take for a dog to forget you after you leave?
Some things dogs quickly forget, either because they don’t want to remember or because of something negative that happened.
For example, if you have hit it before, or if it chewed up the sofa five minutes ago, it may not be able to recall the pleasant moments you have had together.
But regardless of whether it’s been five years or ten years, it will remember the positive experiences you provided and that you once loved it.
Friend A says: Once, a shelter worker mentioned a lost dog that was rescued and brought there. It was depressed, had empty eyes, rarely ate, and didn’t react when people tried to play with it. After some time passed in this state, its owner finally found it. Its eyes changed, as if a light had returned.
Friend B: Many years ago, I had a small dog that was with me from its birth until it was two years old, but then it accidentally got lost. Seven years later, I saw a stray dog on the roadside that looked just like my dog. So, I whistled at it like I used to, and the dog hesitated for a moment, then immediately ran towards me. All those years, it was just waiting for the sound of a familiar whistle.
Friend C: When guide dogs are still young, there are families who volunteer to raise them. Even if they haven’t seen the family members for ten years, they can still remember their scents very clearly. It is said that once a dog has been fed by someone for three days, it will never forget their kindness. And they will also remember the people they like very clearly.
Perhaps, due to certain circumstances, you had to temporarily separate from your dog, thinking that you would bring it back later. But as time goes on, you gradually get used to a life without your dog. But they won’t. They will consider the separation from their owner as a promise to meet again and wait patiently.
Dogs will always love you, no matter what you have done or how much time has passed. As soon as you appear in front of them again, without hesitation, they will recognize you and run towards you.
Never. Until the end of life.
Never. Until the end of life.
They will never forget their owners, no matter how long they have been apart.
It cannot be said that it has forgotten.
When you come back, it still feels familiar with this person.
Just like my two pets at home (only 10 months old), when I had to accompany my family for a surgery and left them at a friend’s house for half a month, when I came back and went to pick them up, they just curiously sniffed at me, without barking at me like they would at a stranger, but they also didn’t show any excitement to recognize me.
When I brought them back home, they stayed motionless without eating or drinking the whole day, only then did I realize, ah, this is my home…
If they are raised for a long time, I think they will never forget their owner for their entire life.
Unforgettable Memory: A Dog Named 出厂 (English translation: Unforgettable Memory: A Dog Named ‘Chuchang’)
If we were to start counting from the ability to understand one’s name, we would likely never forget it in our whole lives. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many emotionally touching works. My friend used to ask someone for a newborn puppy, and after raising it for a while, they named it and sent it back to their hometown when it was still very small. They hadn’t been back for over a year, but as soon as they called its name upon returning, they were greeted with a warm embrace from a now robust Chinese country dog.
Maybe months, maybe years.
Maybe a few months, maybe a few years.
Loyal dog recognizes owners quickly and brings comfort.
I have a little dog that has been raised since 2008, which is the village’s little lion dog. However, it is very human-oriented. From 2013 to 2018, when no one was at home, the dog would go to my grandfather’s house (if it found out that no one was at home, it would run over since my grandfather’s house is very close). But as soon as someone returned home, it would come back to our house again. How should I put it? No matter how far or how long its owner has been away, it can recognize them immediately upon their return. And every time I see this little dog, I feel very reassured, a sense of being home.
Memories of a Pet
Lost my dog in 2002, raised it from a puppy and shared many memories together. Also had a cat, but it tragically passed away. The experience of losing them prevents me from having any pets now. I once had a little dog in my memory
After the 2002 college entrance examination, I went to my aunt’s house to visit. At that time, keeping dogs in the city was prohibited, and it may have been particularly strict during that period. She gave me a little dog that had just turned one month old, it was white.
Since then, during one summer vacation, wherever I went, it followed me. It went with me to my grandmother’s house, to my ex-boyfriend’s house, and even when I went to university, I left it with my mother.
Until it passed away, every time I went home, it would rush towards me, wanting to be held. Later, it died suddenly.
I also remember having kept a cat. Carelessly, it managed to strangle itself with a rope around its neck. My siblings and I cried as we buried the little cat.
This also led to my decision not to keep any pets now, as I can’t bear the pain of separation.