Do Dogs Have A Concept Of Time?

[sandgrubber]

I've never owned a dog that didn't know 'dinnertime' and most are pretty cluey on 'time to get up' when you live by a regular schedule. They have a diurnal clock.

I don't think the sense of time extends to understanding weeks or years. Eg, when you leave a dog in a kennel, I don't think they count the days you've been gone, and I think a two day separation is pretty much as traumatic as a two month separation for most dogs. Of course, if they like the kennel you take them, it's you feeling the separation anxiety, not them.

[Guest donatella]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. What i'm getting from this is that dogs know time mainly from routines My pup hasn't got much a routine yet as i'm a shift worker so my work hours are all over the shop, but she has worked out the sound of our garage door (we live in apartments of 6 and ours is the only one that needs a good oil ). She can tell when my flatmate gets home before she's even at the door by the garage. I just wondered if she knew 9 hours being left alone when we were both at work on an early shift was a long time (as when i'm working lates or nights she's always got someone here). We're moving property soon and i'll get her another pom friend I think