Surely, every dog owner has experienced this. When they return home from work, the dog is standing eagerly on the doorstep to welcome them. Ideally, most pet owners consider this act a part of forming a bond with their pet. Sometimes, though, curiosity arises: do dogs actually sense or feel the passing of time? Are they capable enough to tell the difference between an hour and the various sessions of the day?
Indeed, the act of dogs sensing time has been a fascinating aspect for all pet owners. Of course, dogs cannot check their calendars or tell the time by looking at a watch, but studies reveal that they have an incredible internal mechanism that lets them perceive time in their own unique way. Let us delve deeper and try to understand it.
Dogs can feel time
We rely on clocks, dates, and routines to measure time. Dogs, however, do not have the capability of using any of these. However, their sensing abilities are incredible. Although they do not understand numbers or hours, they tend to interpret time through patterns, light, smells, and body rhythms. It all starts with associative learning when they are pups. Their unbelievable skill to link one event with another lets them assume time in their own way.
For instance, when you grab the car keys each morning, your dog senses that you are going to leave home soon. Likewise, when the sky becomes darker, they know it is time for your return. So, as you can see, a dog’s brain can actually track these subtle changes in the environment. Smells, fading, shadows, shifting, and various sounds are all primary factors for them to estimate the passing of time. It would not be unjustified, therefore, if we say the dog does not know whether it is 7 PM. But they can surely feel it is actually 7 PM. It can also let us witness what we call dog zoomies.
The science behind a dog’s “inner clock”
Scientists have conducted various studies on dogs, and they refer to this circadian rhythm, which is an internal biological clock that helps all living beings to regulate sleep, hunger, and energy throughout the day. Dogs are the masters of interpreting this internal clock, and they do it with precision. That is the sole reason that all dog breeds wake up early, get hungry around the same time regularly, or head to the door when it is time for their owners to return home from the office.
In the case of dogs, they also possess another quality which, according to the researchers, is referred to as interval timing. To put it in simple words, they can sense how long something lasts. Various experiments show that dogs tend to behave differently depending on whether their owners leave home for a short while or an extended period. Of course, they do not know the exact length of time, but their reactions change with the passing of time. That explains why short absences cause mild excitement in dogs, while long absences make them anxious.
The crucial role of smells
We all know the far-fetched ability of dogs when it comes to smelling. Dogs use their sense to good effect in perceiving time. For the unversed, a dog’s nose can have up to 300 million olfactory receptors (which is only 6 million in humans). Thus, they do not just smell stuff; they can also detect how smells fade over time.
When you leave home, your scent remains in the environment. With passing time, the scent fades. Dogs utilize this timing on how long ago you were present and accordingly create their own smell-based timeline. Ideally, you should start your pup’s scent training early to make them more perfect.
Emotional timing of dogs
Albeit you have witnessed your dog sitting patiently by the door or window long before you return from work. It can be defined as emotional timing. As mentioned before, dogs remember the pattern of their owner’s routine, i.e., the time you usually leave and return, and accordingly, they can sense when it is time for your return. In other words, they link emotional experiences with the passing of time. As time passes, this memory forms part of their internal rhythm.
Now comes the emotional twist: dogs cannot sense when you are gone forever. You might have seen dogs missing their owners, who might have died; they can sense the absence, and the long separation triggers anxiety in them. The next time you see your dog jumping or barking uncontrollably after you are out, they are not doing so instinctively, but it is the emotional relief of waiting.
Reasons that make routine matter so much to dogs
Since dogs’ sense time through patterns, routines are a significant aspect for them. When feeding, walking, or playing, they sense their owners do this around the same time each day. It lets the dog understand predictability. In the absence of consistent patterns, dogs can become anxious and confused. Irregular timing can disrupt their internal clock. It is quite similar to how we feel when jet lag affects us. Maintaining a routine helps dogs to regulate their hormones, sleep cycles, and emotions. Remember, it is not only about training, it is about helping the dog feel safe over time.
Age and breed can affect time perception
Interestingly, the dog’s age and breed can influence how they estimate time. Pups, for instance, have shorter attention spans and limited patience. For them, even a few minutes may seem to be an eternity. As they gradually grow and get a good grasp of their environment, their sense of time becomes stronger. Senior dogs in this aspect can experience cognitive changes quite similar to dementia in humans. It can disrupt their internal rhythm, making them restless and confused.
Can dogs sense what lies ahead?
By now, you have realized that dogs cannot predict time in a literal sense. For this reason, they often anticipate future activities based on past patterns. For example, if you grab the sneakers before a walk, they will start jumping around you in joy, sensing they know you will now take them out for a walk. So, we can say, a dog’s brain forms a habitual loop, and along with its remarkable sensory awareness, they can sense timing.
Helping your dog handle time alone
As an owner, if you intercept their sense of time, it can help make you an exceptional pet parent. This way, you can handle issues like separation anxiety with ease. Here are the things you can do:
- Create consistent routines: Be mindful of using the same timings for walk, meals, and bedtime.
- Leave anything that carries your scent: Keep a personal belonging, for example, an unwashed shirt or blanket, before you go out. It will let the dog feel connected even when you are not at home.
- Practice gradual absences: You can start with short intervals of letting them stay alone. Gradually, increase the duration, so they learn when you usually return home from work.
- Keep their nose busy: Keep puzzle toys with hidden treats, and it will help them to remain focused, and they will not panic due to your absence.
Sensing time through a dog’s eyes
You, as the dog owner, are the most essential aspect for the dog to sense time. It is all about your scent, working pattern, rhythms, and how you train them. Yes, dogs do have a powerful sensory memory, but it can be changed by the way we treat them. As the bonding between you and your four-legged companion gets stronger, you will notice their sense of timing gets sharper and better.