Many dog owners have the same fear after coming back from a long vacation, and this fear is that their dog will not recognize them during the reunion. Although your dog not recognizing you after a couple of months is relatively rare, sometimes it might happen. When this occurs, you will likely be wondering: why doesn’t my dog recognize me?
Your dog may not recognize you because it cannot recognize your scent. Dogs have trouble recognizing an owner who has changed clothes or has had a significant change in their appearance. Being gone for long periods, issues with eyesight, and underlying brain issues are possible reasons your dog does not recognize you.
There are some additional reasons as to why your dog might have some trouble recognizing you, though. Here is why your dog doesn’t recognize you and some tips to help jog their memory.
5 Reasons Your Dog May Forget You
A dog might forget you for several reasons. Usually, this lack of owner recognition is temporary. Some reasons behind your dog having difficulty with recognizing you include:
- You smell strange
- You haven’t seen them in a very long time
- They have a health condition that affects their memory
- Your appearance has changed drastically
- A situation is confusing for them (example: seeing an owner on a screen during facetime)
If two or more of these factors are combined, that increases the likelihood that a dog will have a hard time recognizing and remembering you. Therefore, minimizing the likelihood of these factors occurs when you can help the dog remember its owner.
How Long Does It Take For A Dog To Recognize You
It takes a dog a few seconds to recognize you. For the most part dogs can recognize their owner immediately.
On a day where an owner is just returning after a day at work, most dogs will recognize their face, voice, and smell quickly. However, this time frame can vary depending on a few factors.
For example, if you are trying a new perfume since your dog last saw you, then it may take them a bit longer to figure out that it is you.
Why Doesn’t My Dog Recognize Me On Facetime
Your dog doesn’t recognize you on facetime because the screen is too small or distorted. How well your dog recognizes you on video calling depends largely on the device size and image quality.
In general, most dogs have a hard time recognizing faces on facetime or skype. This is due to several factors. The first is that the screen might be too small, making it difficult for some dogs to recognize facial features.
The second reason behind your dog not recognizing you on facetime is that seeing your face on a screen is confusing. It’s not a normal interaction for them.
They may recognize your face, but seeing it on a screen without the rest of your body is not something that they are likely used to. This confusion can sometimes be confused for lack of owner recognition.
The third possible reason behind a dog not recognizing your face on facetime is that they are distracted by other things around them to focus on your face on a screen. This can be especially true for dogs that are typically very focussed on smells, such as dogs in the scent hound family.
Why My Dog Doesn’t Recognize Me After A Haircut
Your Dog might not recognize you after a haircut because you look different. Even with a small haircut, any shifting of your facial features can throw a dog’s ability to recognize you off.
And there are a couple of other reasons too why getting a haircut is confusing for a dog and their ability to process who you are.
The first and most likely reason is that you smell strange. The smell of a barbershop or salon may be masking your usual scent, which can throw a dog off when it comes to recognize you.
The second reason for a dog not recognizing its owner after a haircut is that you look different, mostly if you have made a drastic hair change.
This, combined with your regular scent being masked, can result in a very confusing situation for your dog. Don’t worry, though. Your dog will likely figure out that it’s you after some time.
Why My Dog Didn’t Recognize Me After Vacation
There are a couple of reasons why your dog might not recognize you after returning from vacation.
The first is that you smell different from what they are used to. A scent is an essential tool for dogs’ recognition, so having your scent change suddenly could be very confusing. This is especially true after a long absence.
The second reason is that a dog doesn’t remember. This could be especially the case if your dog is new to your family or has an underlying health condition that could affect memory, such as dementia.
In general, dogs do not have a very good long term memory, so a lasting impression is made by strong associations between a person and an emotion. Therefore, if a dog is new to you, this strong association may not have been made yet.
Why My Dog Doesn’t Recognize Me After Seizure
Seeing your dog have a seizure can be a very frightening and emotional event, and having your pet not recognize you afterward can be even more so.
Although it may be gut-wrenching, disorientation, temporary blindness, and forgetfulness are common post-seizure symptoms in dogs. All of these symptoms can lead to a dog having trouble recognizing its owner.
Do Dogs Forget Previous Owners
As we have previously mentioned, dogs have a poor long term memory, and they only tend to remember an association between a person and a canine emotion. Therefore, a dog might remember a past owner if their relationship with them was remarkably good or bad.
Do Dogs Forget Their Owners After A Month
Most dogs will most likely remember you after a month and usually even a year if you have a strong bond. The only reason why a dog would not remember you after a month is due to factors that we have mentioned previously.
How Long Does A Dog Remember A Person
The amount of time it takes for a dog to recognize and remember a person varies.
If you smell strange to a dog or are wearing a mask or a piece of clothing blocks your face, it will likely take your dog at least a few minutes to remember you. In addition to this, your dog might have a difficult time remembering you if she has an underlying health condition like dementia.
How Can I Get My Dog To Remember Me? 5 Essential Tips
Several underlying factors may make it difficult for a dog to recognize its owner, as we have mentioned before. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to help jog their memory. Here are five tips to get your dog to remember you.
- Put on Your Old Perfume
Scent is the most robust sense that dogs have. Therefore, putting on a smell that your dog associates you with is a great way to get them to remember you. You can do this by putting on old perfume, cologne, scented lotion, aftershave, and even fabric softener or laundry detergent.
- Talk to Your Dog for a While
In addition to scent, most dogs also have excellent hearing. As a result, your dog may be able to recognize your voice after talking to them for a while.
- Focus on Being an Amazing Dog Owner
Dogs remember people by associating them with an emotion. This helps with survival in the wild. Therefore, you can help your dog remember you by creating a safe, loving, and happy bond with your dog.
- Understand Your Dogs Health Condition
It is not entirely uncommon for dogs to have a condition that affects their memory, especially in their senior years. The best thing you can do if this is the case with your pet is to understand their condition, learn coping strategies, and give your dog a loving, happy home.
- Give Your Dog Some Time
The amount of time it takes for a dog to recognize its owner depends on both the dog and external factors. As a result, you must give your dog some time to remember you.
Leave a comment