Test your dog's memory and find out!

You only go to the vet about once a year for an annual checkup, but the fact remains that when you get to the vet's office, your dog starts whining, panting, and seems nervous. Does he really remember the exact route you take to get there from year to year?

Most people are interested in knowing how intelligent their dog is. While there are some basic differences that can be expected depending on the breed of dog (for example, a Border Collie is much smarter and easier to train than a Bulldog), there are several variabilities within each breed. This means that some Border Collies may be rather dumb while some Bulldogs may be good for school. There are several well-documented tests to determine your dog's general mental abilities and these tests include measures of your dog's memory.

Memory is a critical component of a dog's intelligence because your dog can't learn if he can't remember. This gives memory tests a good approximation of your dog's overall intelligence level. Older dogs show symptoms similar to the memory loss found in older humans, and severe cases show memory deterioration that resembles that of humans with Alzheimer's (in dogs, this is called "Canine Cognitive Dysfunction").

Whether you're simply curious about your dog's memory skills or concerned about the possibility of memory loss in your older dog, here's a quick test you can have your dog do at home. There are two conditions that must be met for this test to be valid.

Your dog must be at least one year old. It is necessary that he has lived in the same place for more than ten weeks otherwise the environmental memory test will not work. You will also need a stopwatch or watch as well as an assistant to restrain the dog if necessary.

Short term memory

The first test looks at short-term memory. Short-term memory is like calling the operator to get a phone number. If you dial the number right away after getting it, it's because your short-term memory will have retained it. However, when you call that number, if you get a busy signal and hang up, you may well have forgotten the number because short-term memory fades quickly.

This test requires a medium-sized room that doesn't have a lot of furniture or other clutter. You'll need a few treats that don't have strong odors (otherwise, your dog's sense of smell could skew the data). If your dog doesn't sit and stay on command, have your assistant restrain him.

To begin, put your dog on a leash and have him sit in the center of the room. As he looks at you, show him the treat and, with great exaggeration (but no sound) place the treat in a corner, making sure he sees you do this. Lead your dog out of the room, walk around in a small circle for a bit, and then bring him back into the room. Leaving the room and returning with your dog should take no more than 15 seconds. Unleash the dog and start the timer.

Long term memory

The next test will assess your dog's long-term memory, which is relatively permanent and long-lasting. Do this test immediately after the first one. The setup is the same as the first test. Make sure, however, that you place the treat in a different corner than where you put it in the first test. Take your dog outside the room and keep him outside for 5 minutes. Then go back into the room, take off his leash, and start your timer.

Environmental memory

This next test is looking at your dog's environmental memory, which simply means it's looking at how familiar your dog is with his surroundings. While your dog is outside the house, move around furniture that is familiar to him. For example, you could add chairs to the room, move a large piece of furniture to the center of the room, place the coffee table in an odd corner, put the coffee table in the center of the room, or create several other small disturbances. Try to make sure that at least 5 things are clearly different in the room. Then, bring your dog back into the room and start your timer by standing silently in the room.

Alternative memory choice

The final test is alternative memory choice, or how well the dog remembers one or more alternatives. For this test, you will need three identical empty cans or plastic cups. Rub the bottom and sides of each can or cup with a treat that you will use as bait so that your dog can use his sense of smell to guide his choices. Then, as he watches, show him the empty cans and place them in a row, open side down, with about a foot of space between each one. With exaggerated movements, show him the treat, then lift the middle can and place the treat underneath. Take the leash off and let him go. Whether or not he manages to reach the treat, by dropping the can, is irrelevant, but note how much attention he pays to each can.

While it’s mostly nice to know how good your dog’s memory is, it’s also helpful to be able to measure your dog’s memory. You can then use this as a baseline to see if your dog’s memory is declining as he gets older. If your dog’s memory is good, it’ll be easier to train him. If your dog’s memory is bad, it’ll be easier for him to forget that he was pinched or mistreated by a child. He also probably won’t remember holding a grudge against you for forgetting a walk or being late for his meal—or he might forget that last trip to the vet.

Short term memory

If your dog goes straight to the treat: 5 points

If your dog consistently sniffs around the room and then finds the treat: 4 points

If your dog seems to randomly search for the treat but finds it within 45 seconds: 3 points

If he seems to be looking for the treat but hasn't gotten there after 45 seconds: 2 points

If he makes no effort to get the treat: 1 point

Long term memory

If your dog goes straight to the treat: 5 points

If your dog goes to the corner where your first treat was located and then quickly finds the treat: 4 points

If your dog consistently sniffs around the room and then finds the treat: 3 points

If your dog appears to be randomly searching for the treat but finds it within 45 seconds: 2 points

If he seems to be looking for the treat but hasn't gotten there after 45 seconds: 1 point

If he makes no effort to get the treat: 0 points

Environmental memory

If your dog notices something different within 15 seconds and begins to explore or sniff some changed aspect of the room: 5 points

If your dog notices the differences and explores one or more of the changed aspects of the room within 15 to 30 seconds: 4 points

If he succeeds in 30 seconds: 3 points

If he looks around cautiously, seems to notice some changes but does not explore the room: 2 points

If after one minute your dog still ignores the changes: 1 point

Alternative memory choice

If your dog goes directly to the middle box: 5 points

If your dog goes to either of the other 2 boxes and then returns his attention to the middle box, ignoring the other 2: 4 points

If your dog sniffs all 3 boxes and then turns his attention to the middle box: 3 points

If your dog sniffs all 3 boxes and pushes each one indiscriminately: 2 points

If your dog walks around and ignores the boxes: 1 point

Result

Add up the results of the 4 tests. If your dog's score is: