Myth Busted: Can Your Dog Tell Time?

For decades, dog owners have sworn their pets “know when it’s dinner time” or can sense when someone is running late. But is this more than coincidence, or do dogs truly perceive time in a way we understand?

Dogs’ relationship with time isn’t like ours. They don’t check watches or count hours, but mounting research suggests they can detect the passage of time in surprisingly sophisticated ways. From routine-based behaviors to physiological cues, dogs use a combination of senses and internal rhythms to anticipate events.

What the Science Really Says

According to a study by the University of New England, dogs appear to track time using a mix of circadian rhythms and environmental cues. Researchers observed that dogs often anticipate events, like mealtime or a regular walk, even after being left alone for several hours. This indicates they have an internal sense of elapsed time, sometimes referred to as a “doggy clock”.

Other research points to scent as a form of temporal awareness. Dogs may detect how long a person has been away based on the fading intensity of their scent. A Psychology Today article explains that dogs’ incredible olfactory abilities allow them to infer time indirectly: “Changes in the concentration of human scent molecules can give dogs an idea of how long someone has been gone”.

Science Focus also highlights that while dogs don’t perceive time linearly like humans, they do recognize patterns and intervals, which helps explain behaviors like pacing before an owner returns or excitement at predictable events.

Dogs and Routine: Why Patters Matter

Dogs thrive on routines because consistent schedules provide a framework for anticipating what happens next. Feeding, walking, and playtimes become markers in their internal sense of time. Trainers and animal behaviorists report that dogs often adjust their behavior based on these learned intervals, demonstrating a remarkable capacity for temporal anticipation.

Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist, notes that dogs are “masters of routine,” responding to the rhythm of daily life rather than reading clocks. This explains why dogs may greet their owners at the exact same time every day, even if that time varies slightly due to traffic or other delays.

Practical Observations for Dog Owners

If you’re curious about your dog’s sense of time, watch for behaviors such as:

• Waiting by the door before a usual walk.
• Increased activity around feeding times.
• Restlessness or excitement when an owner is consistently late or early.

These behaviors aren’t just adorable quirks — they reveal a level of time awareness rooted in experience, sensory cues, and biological rhythms.

The Las Vegas Connection

Here in Las Vegas, local trainers and rescue volunteers often notice that dogs adjust remarkably well to structured schedules, whether in foster homes or during training sessions. Programs at organizations like The Animal Foundation use consistent routines to help dogs build confidence and reduce anxiety, which is closely linked to dogs’ perception of time.

The Bottom Line

So, do dogs have a concept of time? The answer is nuanced: they don’t understand hours and minutes like we do, but they possess a sophisticated ability to sense elapsed time through internal clocks, scent, and environmental cues. Their awareness is enough to anticipate events, regulate their behavior, and adapt to our schedules.

Dogs may not read a watch, but their “doggy clock” is impressively accurate — and that explains why Fido seems to know exactly when it’s time for dinner or your return from work.

Have a myth you’d like us to investigate next week? Email the Dog Friendly Las Vegas Myth Busting Monday team with your ideas at roadie@dogfriendlylasvegas.com — we might feature it in our next edition!