I don't think that mine act as if they feel they are just passing through. I've looked after other people's dogs from time to time and you can tell that they don't feel they are staying - they just have a restless air. Mine aren't like that.

Funny thing is, all my 3 rescues have made themselves at home from the minute they came in the house (even Stumpy who was scared of half the things in the house still settled quickly and didn't want to rush out the door). Perhaps its coming from kennels rather than someone else's home, but they certainly didn't seem in a hurry to get backto wherever they came from.

The only time I worry about what they might be thinking (and I know I'm being daft really) is if they have to go into kennels. I worry that they think I won't come back for them. I've only done it for one night since we've had Stumpy and she was ecstatic to see us.

One of our dogs, Brinley had 3 different homes and 3 different names, we went back to his original name which the foster home he was in was using, they had fostered him when he was younger and knew him by that name, he is only 2 now.He is very protective of us, and has issues with strangers we were told about it when we took him on, this is the longest he's has been with one family, and we hope he knows he isn't going any where else, we think he does, he is very settled and a happy dog.Our other dog was rescued as a puppy after a terrible start and she just fitted in straight away , she is very shy and looks to Brin for her lead and he is very good with her,we also have rescue cats and they seem to fit in straight away too.Hopefully they don't remember too much although Brinley seems to love children although there are none in the houshold he is brilliant with kids in the park so we think he must have had kids in a previous household and remebers he likes them.

I have to say reah definately gets flashbacks even now, Laybys.....never never will she get out at a layby her eyes nearly pop out of her head and she turns into a shivering wreck.
The dark.....Reah doesn't do dark, the back garden is fine, but walking in the dark...no thats not for her.
Ginger haired men, she stays that close to my legs that I can feel damp breath on my leg.
As i know some of her history, I know that all these things happened in the dark, at laybys and at the hands of a ginger haired man........sad isn't it.

I have no doubt that dogs remember their previous owners/handlers, but I don't personally believe that they spend any time *thinking* about a previous life. I believe they live in the here and now, and as long as they are fed, exercised and well looked after then they adapt no problem. There are bound to be exceptions but that is my experience so far.

My first GSD had had a number of homes before come to me as a *failed* police dog. She bonded with me straightaway and lived with me as though she had been there forever. I started training her with one of the police dog instructors who had handled her at the police kennels, and even though she obviously recognised him, she was more than happy to come home with me.

The same can be said for older sheepdogs that my hubby has rehomed to friends on lowland farms when the hill becomes too much for them. They are over the moon to see my hubby when he visits, but as soon as their new handler/owner whistles them, hubby is forgotten.

yes it dos make you think dosnt it . well dylan we had at 9 wks ,so he just knows us .

willow we adopted her . 2yrs ish ago ,we picked her up ,took her to the park ,so she saw that we were ok ,as she got a good , feeling about us . then when we brought her back , she walked in was looking round ,we both sat there ,watching her .we did have a little laugh ,as she looked , happy with us and her little self . we soon realised ,she was scared of men ,and little lads . so there must be a story there . she soon settled in . i think if she could talk ,she would say she loves ,us both . and is very happy .(i like to think so anyway ). if i leave her with dylan ,at my moms ,whilst ,i pop out ,she sits in the window ,will not move till i get back . best thing we ever did ,i rekon .

Poor shamus

I have to say Bruno certainly used to and still does recognise a certain area of edinburgh which I believe he used to live in, as he always barks and cries in the car when we drive through it Not sure if happy about it or not.

Also I remember rolling up a newspaper to put in recycling not long after we got him and he ran away from me, equally when i get the sweeping brush out he runs away and hides... so definetly an indication that something has happened previously.

I have had Jessie for nearly 3 weeks... She came from the pound, and obviously had no history or even a name... She is really settling in well, but in the mornings, when she's first let out, she's very reluctant to come to me.. She walks in a half circle and then comes in behind me, but not very close...

The rest of the day she comes running and sits right in front of me...

Dougal seemed to settle right in as soon as he got here, he just lay down and sighed as if to say 'I'm home'. I said the same about a girl I fostered, as soon as I dropped her off at her new home she did exactly the same thing after playing with her new family for a while, she lay down in the kitchen, had a wee look round and sighed and went to sleep. You could almost hear her thinking 'I'm home'.

I don't know if they remember their old lives in the way we think, I know that Dougal does not like his paws being touched or his claws clipped, he had a hairy fit when I tried to clip his dew claw. I only managed it by lots of pork treats and cuddles afterwards. Some story there methinks.

They'll think of you as permanent home and family, I am sure.

My Missy was an adult adopt at 8 years old.
We went back to Battersea's annual reunion 6 months after we adopted her, and she ran to all her kennel hands and made a fuss of them, she didn't want to leave them.
We skipped the next year's reunion but went to the one after that.
This time we did see some of the same kennel hands and although Missy took a fuss from them, when one was very emotional and hugging her, she looked at me as if to say "what the heck?" and was delighted to be on her way. She never even glanced back at her. And sadly for another girl - Missy had forgotten her completely... *whoops*

She knows she's here to stay, I am sure.
Yours will be the same. *hugs*

Poor Shamus and Reah ;-( so sad

Looby is sometimes like that but think she is very settled here generally.
Blue took about two weeks to settle and he sees this as his home now....you can just tell!!!!