How long before a dog forgets its owner? This man spent 15 years uncovering the heartbreaking answer

Have you ever wondered how long it would take for your dog to forget you? There's no doubt that this is a heartbreaking question. However, it crosses every dog owner's mind at least once, right? That being said, until now, there had been no proper answer to this question. But we might finally know how long it really takes for a man's best friend to forget him — thanks to Uncle B (@bankole_oluremi), who took to Threads to share a story about his friend and his dog. His post, shared on May 18, 2026, has received over 7,000 likes on Threads. 

The 'no' that hurt them both

Uncle B shared that his friend had lost his dog, Mayo, in custody to his ex-wife after their divorce. For the first few months, however, he would meet his dog almost regularly. "...my ex would call me to take the dog whenever it was convenient for her, like if she went out of town," he told Uncle B. Initially, the man was more than happy to look after Mayo in her absence. However, he eventually was tired of his ex using him to her benefit and refused to take in the dog anymore. "He was about 5 years old when I stopped seeing him," the man confessed.

The heartfelt reunion 

Soon, years flew by, and about 10 years later, he got a call from his ex saying that he might want to check in on Mayo. As it turns out, the dog had been diagnosed with cancer and wasn't going to live for much longer. Although it had been years since the man had last seen Mayo, he agreed to meet him. "Now, Mayo was of a somewhat vicious breed (Samoyed) and not very friendly with any strangers. Because of this, my ex was concerned that he might attack me due to a lack of familiarity," he told Uncle B, but once the man saw Mayo in the backyard in a cage, despite a low growl at first, he soon recognized his old friend.  All it took was the man doing a signature whistle, which he used back when he had custody. Despite being almost 16 years old, Mayo still remembered his owner. After this, the two shared a wholesome moment as Mayo placed his head in the man's lap, and they sat in silence for a while. It is a great reminder and solid proof that dogs never forget about their owners, and multiple studies confirm it. 

Dog brains resemble ours

Although many people believe their dog's memory is short-lived, that is not exactly the case. According to Dr. Joel Ehrenzweig, a veterinarian and geriatric memory and aging researcher at Veterinary Health Research Centers, a dog definitely remembers its owners. Instead of relying on their ability to recall, they remember more through associations. It goes without saying that their strong sense of smell also plays a huge role in this. "Dog’s sense of smell is phenomenal,” Ehrenzweig told Rover. “It’s their strongest memory trigger," he added.

Interestingly, when scientists used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to analyze a dog's brain, they found it mostly resembles that of a human. The only difference, however, is that the dogs have larger olfactory systems (the part is responsible for scent). Nonetheless, dogs also recognize faces, so rest assured, your dog knows who you are. As far as the longevity of their memory is concerned, just like humans, they don't remember much of their puppyhood. However, once they grow up, they can remember things for much longer. Unfortunately, age and other diseases can often hamper a dog's memory. 

Viewers' poignant reaction

Meanwhile, reacting to Uncle B's story, @black_maggie_76 commented, "Dogs remember. I found my girl at the pound. For years, if we even drove in that direction, she would cry like crazy in the car until we passed it, so much so that I've never put her in a kennel. She's either with us or with a babysitter. No exceptions." Similarly, @sarahrnewman shared, "I think I read recently that David Attenborough has said that when he is dying, he wants his dog brought to him so the dog can see and smell what is going on. Sir Attenborough says it is important to him that his dog not think he abandoned him by suddenly disappearing with no explanation. Such thoughtfulness!"

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