# Does your dog "remember" people?



## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

Hello everyone- as most probably know, we have been dealing with fear/anxiety/aggression issues with our vizsla, Gus, since we brought him home at 10 weeks. One thing I am noticing, is that he DOES NOT seem to remember people he meets, which strikes me as very weird for a dog. Am I right? 

When he first snapped at a child at 10 weeks old, I immediately called the breeder, who assured me that Gus was probably just scared and that next time he would "remember the little girl's smell and be fine". This seemed logical at the time, since all the dogs I've had in the past, while they may be nervous at first, will get to know someone, and then remember their smell from then on out.

The weird thing is that Gus rarely remembers people! He only remembers my family (who he's known since we first brought him home) and one set of friends that have been to our house dozens of times. Other people, he meets upwards of 10 times, but will still bark and growl at them like strangers whenever he sees them again! One time, a friend stayed the night- by the end of the night, he was sleeping on his lap. Then we all went to bed, and when we got up in the morning, Gus barked at him like he had never seen him before.

As he is getting older, this seems even more weird to me, and I just wonder if there is maybe some neurological or medical problem that may be to blame? Do you think this is normal?


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

I guess I can't say for sure whether ours remember ppl because anyone welcome in our home is ok to them. But if Dozer sees you out the window he will bark at ANYONE. However our relatives have a weim that is a bit aggressive and he does seem to get less worked up over us than strangers. 

Have you been to a neurologist? Not sure where you're located but we went to one in northern VA and it was df worth it for piece of mind. They would have the best insight versus your reg vet on these issues I would think. 

You guys are do wonderful to Gus an he's lucky to have ended up with you too. I'm sorry I can't help more but I applaud you for the efforts you put forth for him to have a good life with trustworthy pack leaders.


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks. 

I haven't really thought about seeing a neurologist - I had to take my cat to a specialized feline neurologist once, and let's just say that it wasn't cheap! I think it is mostly a behavioral problem, but I know that sometimes people have behavioral issues because of problems with physical brain chemistry, etc., so I have just been wondering lately if maybe this is the case with Gus. Sometimes he seems to have a few "wires loose". In fact, he really acts like a senile old dog sometimes, but he is only 1! 

PS- Gus barks at anybody who walks by the house too. I consider this somewhat normal dog behavior so I don't worry about that too much- I've got bigger fish to fry


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Savannah definitely remembers people. For people she sees routinely (even if not often), I teach her their names. So if my neighbor is out working in the yard, preferably before Savannah sees her, I will tell her to ‘Find Linda’. Similarly, when my cousin came to stay with me for a few days, whenever we woke up in the morning I would open the bedroom door and say ‘Find Susan’. Savannah knows about 15 to 20 people by name. One tricky part of teaching names is that she associates people with specific locations. When my neighbor is in a different yard or is standing in the street, it takes Savannah a minute to decide it is really Linda. Also, I have to ask people not to pet her if she goes to the wrong person when a name is used. So if she is told to find Linda, but goes to my other neighbor Pam, she gets no attention.

I don’t know about the medical or neurological aspect, but you might want to try and see if Gus can remember smells assigned to people’s names. I don’t know if it will work, but the extra association of a name may help - especially since he seems to be able to remember commands.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Ruby remembers people, as long as people don't try and make a fuss of her at introduction level or get to familiar when she's on her lead (first time she meets them), I tell peeps just to totally ignore her on first meeting and then within 5 mins she's fine. She logs these people into her vizzy brain and next time she meets them she's all roo roo waggy tail with them.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Echo our Brook...... 

Funny sounds very similar to us, very vocal to people who greet him first before us! Your post made me smile 

Hobbsy


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Frankly, I do think it's a little odd that Gus doesn't remember people very well. My boy Willie remembers people he has met, without a doubt. And I once had a Bluetick Coonhound who remembered a guy she hadn't seen in five years! If only they could talk. ;D


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

It is definitely weird. Everyone's stories sound like normal dogs. Some are shy at first or for a while, but eventually remember people they have met! We even have a couple of friends that Gus "knew" once, and was fine with them (even jumped up on my pregnant friend to lick her face- embarrassing), but recently when he saw them again he did his normal bark/growl/ "I hate you" reaction.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

This might be a long shot as dogs and especially Vizsla have fantastic noses so should remember the smell of your firends - but have you thought about getting your vet to check her eye sight??


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, a vision check-up might be a good idea! Also, jjohnson, please keep in mind that when Gus does his bark/growl/"I hate you" reaction, it is REALLY a bark/growl/"I'm scared!" reaction. I believe that for dogs dealing with fear issues, they sort of use the football philosophy: "The best defense is a good offense."


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

I didn't think of perhaps an eye sight thing - I'll have to look into that a little. Come to think of it, when we play ball and throw the balls in tall grass, he has a pretty hard time finding them....sometimes he runs right over them and we have to fetch the tennis ball. I assumed it was because he can't smell the tennis ball like he would a bird, but possibly he can't see that well? He seems to see fine at home though...

And yes, unfortunately he has learned that the best defense is a good offense! I know that he's just scared, but try telling that to the 80 pound pit bull he tried to attack on our walk the other day :-\ I don't think he realized that was a fight be probably didn't want to start!


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

Our breeder was in town this weekend, and we were able to meet up with him and Gus' littermate and half-sister from another litter. Wow, what a difference in personalities!His siblings were friendly, outgoing, very energetic-ran right up to us and jumped up and kissed us, the typical exhuberant Vizsla behavior. This of course, strictly contrasts our Gus. He didn't remember the initially growled and bared his teeth at his brother! I think the breeder was taken aback- he said he has NEVER had one of his pups not remember him. Gus wouldn't go near him and wouldn't let him touch him, and I think our breeder was a little embarrassed and heart broken that Gus wasn't excited to see him. 

Anyway, I am glad we met up, because now I think he believes us that this is a real issue-not something we're being dramatic about! And we realized that Gus is nothing like his littermates - he really appears to just be the one weird puppy of the litter. However, our breeder went on to say that Gus's mom is exactly the same way, and he was talking about how the "fear thing" didn't enter the line until Gus's grandfather, and that he always tried to breed with the most social, outgoing male he could find. I still don't understand why he was continuing to breed his fearful female, but I don't think it has caused majoir problems. He also aknowledged that we wouldn't have been able to show Gus, given his temperment. In any case, it was interesting how different the siblings were in personality. Gus was scared at the dog park at first, but eventually warmed up and really enjoyed running around in the tall grass with other Vizslas (there were about 7 at the park total that day!). And eventually, he did let the breeder pet him a little, which was amazing, and he didn't bark or growl at any other people the whole time. We take all the small successes we can get


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://youtu.be/JM1JsGr76Ro

NOVA "Dogs Decoded". Fantastic. Watched it last night through NetFlix.

RBD


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

RBD loved Dogs Decoded.
I had seen a program in the past that included the foxes but Dogs Decoded went so much more in depth.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Since some of it was filmed in Hungary it was neat to see the Vizslas spread through the show.

Bailey and Chloe enjoyed watching parts of it.

RBD


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