Dogs do remember their parents, particularly their mothers, primarily through scent. They form strong bonds with their mothers during the first few months of life, and this bond is reinforced by their excellent olfactory senses—dogs have around 300 million olfactory receptors, far more than humans. Research suggests that dogs can remember their mother’s scent and recognize her for up to two years after separation. This memory retention depends on the strength of the bond formed during the early weeks together and the individual dog's memory capacity. Mothers can also remember their puppies for a similar duration, influenced by imprinting behaviors and hormonal bonds formed during nursing and rearing. However, if the bond is weak or if puppies are separated too early, the memory might fade more quickly. Dogs remember their parents through associative and scent memory rather than the linear memory humans experience, and dogs show signs of recognition through behavior and scent investigation when reunited with their parent or offspring after long periods apart. The memory link is strongest when dogs spend the natural early bonding period with their parents, typically 8 to 12 weeks before separation. In summary, dogs do remember their parents, especially their mother, mostly through scent and early social bonding, with memories lasting up to two years or more under favorable conditions.