Episodic-like memory, the ability to recall what happened, where it happened, and when it happened, has been demonstrated in several animal species but not conclusively in dogs—until now. Lo & Roberts designed experiments to test whether dogs could remember odors in relation to time and place. Using spatially and temporally unique sequences of odor stimuli, dogs were asked to discriminate between odors based on their prior presentation.
The results showed that dogs successfully remembered what-when, where-when, and what-where-when associations, performing optimally when all three components were available. This indicates a sophisticated capacity for memory organization, beyond simple associative learning. While the study could not fully confirm whether these elements were stored as a unified memory, it demonstrated that dogs can flexibly apply episodic-like recall in unpredictable contexts.
These findings are significant not only for understanding canine cognition but also for their potential application in studying human neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, where episodic memory loss is a hallmark. Dogs’ shared environments and social bonds with humans make them an especially valuable comparative model for research.
By revealing that dogs can remember specific events across time and space, this study reinforces the depth of the human-dog relationship and highlights how memory may influence behavior, training, and emotional connections in everyday life.
Source: Lo, K. H., & Roberts, W. (2019). Dogs (Canis familiaris) use odor cues to show episodic-like memory for what, where, and when. Journal of Comparative Psychology. American Psychological Association.
