• 🐶 Gita saves her 84-year-old dad’s life

• 🥰 Do dogs remember their moms (or puppies)?

• 🐾 Leave the world a better place for your dog

• 🦴 What do mama dogs do for their pups?

• ❤️ A special word from our pups

Did you know…

What is a group of pugs called?

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

Gita, a 13-year-old rescue dog, is yet another true testament to the incredible loyalty dogs have for us. We can trust them with our lives—literally. That’s exactly what Gita did when she saved her dad’s life.

After her 84-year-old owner fell and injured his leg, leaving him on the floor, Gita knew she had to take action. In a rural, wooded area of Washington, with no homes or people nearby, she went for help. Gita sat herself in the middle of the roadway, waiting for someone to come by.

Luckily, a local sheriff’s deputy was patrolling the area when he spotted Gita on the road. He tried to coax her into his vehicle, but she refused to budge. The deputy checked nearby homes and couldn’t find her owner, so he returned to Gita, who was now lying on the road's centerline.

At that moment, Gita took off up a lightly traveled, unmarked path. The deputy followed her, and she led him to a small summer cabin. From there, the deputy heard the faint voice of an elderly man calling for help.

We may never know what could have happened if help hadn’t arrived, but we don’t have to wonder—because Gita made sure her dad was found.

The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office praised Gita, calling her a “good girl and a true hero.” In their statement, they credited her loyalty and quick thinking for saving her owner’s life that day.

It’s fun to wonder if your dog would recognize their mama—or even their own puppies—if they ever crossed paths again. It’s a question many dog owners think about as their pups grow. While we humans cherish lifelong family bonds, our dogs experience things a bit differently. So, let’s find out if your pup can recognize their mom later in life and vice versa.

Do Dogs Remember Their Mothers?

Pups form an essential bond with their mom during those early weeks, relying on her for food, warmth, and safety. This connection is largely driven by scent. A dog’s nose is incredibly powerful—about 50 times more sensitive than ours! Puppies are born blind, so they rely on smell to identify their mom from day one. Research shows that dogs can remember their mother’s scent for up to two years after being separated.

However, memory in dogs is more associative than emotional, meaning they remember things tied to repetitive events or strong sensory cues, like their mother’s smell. If a dog were to meet their mother again after a long time, they’d likely recognize her scent before making any connection to her appearance—if they recognized her at all.

Do Mama Dogs Remember Their Puppies?

Mother dogs can also remember their puppies for up to two years, thanks to the same scent recognition. Imprinting plays a huge role in this bond—puppies imprint on their mom’s scent, touch, and sound during their early weeks. While mother dogs form a strong attachment based on instincts and hormones, they don’t imprint on their pups like the reverse.

However, just like with puppies, the mother’s recognition of her puppies could fade with time. Some dogs might act excited when reunited with their pups, while others may not react much at all. It really depends on the dog – and the excitement could simply be about socializing, not necessarily recognizing family.

We all hope for the fairytale where they remember each other forever—wouldn’t that be sweet? It’s safe to say that for up to two years, they’ll likely recognize each other. After that, it’s less certain and depends on the dog and so many other factors.

Have you ever reunited your pup with their mama—or the other way around? We’d love to hear about your experience!

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Mother dogs say goodbye to their puppies much sooner than we do with our human kids. While it can be a little sad to think of them separating so early, the truth is, mama dogs teach their pups so much in those first 8-12 weeks. Let’s take a look at the essential life skills she passes on and how she gives them a wonderful start in life.

Nutrition: The mother dog nurses her pups until they’re weaned – the best nutrition and milk they could ever get. The puppies usually self-wean between 7-10 weeks.

Hygiene: For the first two to three weeks, puppies can’t urinate or defecate on their own. Mom stimulates them to eliminate (did you know that?) and keeps their tiny puppy bodies clean.

Socialization and Play: Mom introduces her puppies to the joy of play and guides them in how to interact. She’ll correct overly rough behavior, helping them learn boundaries.

Discipline: Through gentle corrections, the mother teaches puppies respect and good manners, showing them how to submit when they get out of line.

Bonding: Nursing isn’t just about nutrition—it also provides comfort and strengthens the emotional bond between the mama and her pups. This bond forms a foundation of trust, which is so important as the puppy will soon need to learn how to trust a new family.

Have you ever experienced the joy of watching the bond between a mama dog and her puppies? What did you notice?

In the time it takes to read today’s edition, an estimated 93 trees will be cut down to meet toilet paper demand. Honeycomb is helping to change that with luxury, three-ply tissue made from sustainable bamboo. It’s biodegradable, plastic-free, and will be delivered straight to you.

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Daily Dig is inspired and brought to you by our wonderful dogs. Our dogs, and all the other pups out there, make the world a happier, brighter place. ❤️

With lots of love,

Stitcher, Minnie, & Finnegan 🐾

🦴 A Little Treat

🤔 Did You Know: A group of pugs is called a grumble.

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