Any Dog Behavior Experts Out There?

Question

I have wondered about this for a long time, but I can't find info about it on the internet. I am hoping that someone with actual dog training experience, and not just anecdotes, will be able to weigh in, but all answers are welcome.

I am not an idiot. I know that dogs cannot tell time. But our dog does a very curious thing. My husband comes home from work between 4:30 and 5:00 most days, and every day, sometime around 4:20, our dog goes and takes one or two of her favorite toys out of her basket and places them in the place where they play together when he comes home. She then hops into her spot by the window and settles down to wait. My question is how the heck does she know the proper time?

She understands when other things are about to happen because of cues. I walk her in the evenings, but I don't follow a set schedule, so she just starts watching for me to change my shoes and grab the leash, and then she knows it's walk time. But how does she know the other stuff?

I should add that we adopted her about 18 months ago. It took a while for her to adjust to the rhythms of our household, as it was very different from her previous environment. She was not abused, but she was crated for long periods of time before we got her, and she was used to her previous owner walking her at three very specific times of the day so she could relieve herself. She adjusted quickly to the new freedom, and to having a yard to go into when she needs to relieve herself.

I am just really puzzled about the other thing, because there are no set rituals in this house for when my husband comes home. I could be doing most anything, or I could even be gone, but she's always ready with her toys when he gets here.

Answer 1

Animals are excellent at finding a routine and sticking to it. Your dog has determined that your husband's routine is to come home at a specific time. Even though there is a range there of 30 minutes, your dog has indentified it. (I'd say he's extra smart to have gotten it with that much range.)

When you say dogs cannot tell time, you are actually wrong. They can't read clocks, but they do know what time of day it is. They can tell by the movement of light and other factors that we mere humans would not notice. Perhaps a certain car with a certain sound to it's engine always goes by every day at 4:20, and your genius dog has noticed the correlation between this car and daddy coming home soon. It could be a very obscure clue, like a bird that always sings in a particular tree at that particular time. Or it could be simply the dog's very powerful "internal clock" that runs their lives. I would imagine they think of the hours as "Get up time" , "Breakfast time", "Time to go outside and check the perimeter". Clearly 4:20 is "Daddy's coming home soon time".

Answer 2

hey ,well all animals have a sense of time for example you know ,even without a watch approximately when its dinner time and some people get up around the same time everyday.the same thing applies with your dog,if your husband comes home between 4:30 and 5 ,at 4:20 your dog is preparing to greet him in a friendly manner. thing become routine for dogs as well.it is very easy to get a dog on a routine .if you feed your dog at the same time your eating the dog is lease likely to beg at the table. hope that helps .

Answer 3

I'm not an expert but common sense is your answer.
Dogs are creatures of habit.They think in pictures.And while it seems they can tell time all they're doing is recalling the daily routine we all have.
We're all so busy we take for granted and ignore what's around us and we forget that everyone else has a routine they follow daily too.
You leave for work everyday and leave your dog alone in the house.Your dog measures the time he spends alone by the sounds he hears and the sunlight coming thru the windows.The sun has a routine too.
You leave the house the sun comes thru the windows on this side of the house.Your dog does whatever he does and he hears the kids tearing down the sidewalk to go to school.Then he hears the mailman and kids tearing down sidewalk in other direction.Then he realizes sun is coming thru windows on other side of the house and next thing you know there you are home again to play.
Mine seem to know the days of the week too.
Trash pick-up.Fed-Ex and other delivery trucks have much to do with that I suspect but the alarm clock is a dead give-away.If it does'nt go off on the week-end they'll let us sleep in an hour or so.But if alarm fails to go off during the week they'll jump in bed shortly after it was supposed to go off.Again sight,sound and smell are associated with what's supposed to happen.
Around here a garbage truck rams the dumpsters at a bar located right across the gulley from us.About a blocks length away.But the sound echoes really bad.They pick-up Mon.-Fri. but not on week-ends.The trash is picked up at 5:15a.m.Our alarm is set for 5a.m.
If alarm does'nt go off and garbage truck is making racket then people need help getting up right now!
The lady next door leaves for her 2nd shift job at the same time everyday and the guy 4 doors down comes home in his noisey truck soon after she leaves next thing they know daddy's home from work and it's play time!

Answer 4

Good memory-- and a quick question- does she go to bed at the same time every night? I'm thinking of EM cycles.
If she is sleeping at say 8 every night, then she would wake up around the same time every day- her EM cycles. Then the rest is memory. She wakes up and remembers that she usually goes for a walk, etc... after she eats, after she ....so on.

Answer 5

Not only dogs, but animals in general, are excellent at reading each others body language. This ability is essential since they have no spoken language. Dogs recognize aggressive postures and submissive postures. Something as subtle as a human's yawn can signal a relaxed demeanor to your dog. Making direct eye contact with a dog, signals that your intentions are aggressive in nature. Perhaps your dog is picking up on your own body language and anticipation at the arrival of your husband. Maybe you begin preparing for his arrival in subtle ways.

My husband usually calls me when he's on his way home from work, which causes my three dogs to go wait at the back door in anticipation of his arrival.

My rat terrier, Molly is extremely protective and loving of my 20 year old daughter. When my daughter is getting ready for a date, Molly sits at the back door and quietly "woofs and growls" because she doesn't like my daughter to leave with a stranger. When my daughter is getting ready for work, Molly has no apprehension at her leaving the house.

If me, my husband or daughter pick up our car keys, my two Congo African Grey parrots will begin saying,"bye bye" over and over. Of course, the keys are a cue to our departure, but still dogs, cats, parrots etc of always observing us for even minor changes in behavior, attitude or body language.

Working with domestic and exotic animals for 30 plus years, it has become necessary for me to read their body language as well. I know when to avert my eyes and I know when I am about to lose a finger! lol

Answer 6

constructive shepard with the help of how if thats him. Sounds to me that this dogs is rather related to you. does not choose to flow approximately his company until you're up and considered. i'm shocked he even needs to flow do his company without you. Is he laying with the help of your mattress? or the door? the two or he's clearly committed to you. His prefer to be with you and understand your ok is extra desirable then his foodstuff force that's thoroughly fantastic. little doubt this dogs behaviour would shield you come back hell or intense water. i admire Shepards!!! and would't ignore my boxers too :)

Answer 7

well...its not just dogs but animals have the ability to reason just like humans...after all we are all animals...animals have inner clocks..i have several different types of animals that stay with me and they all know when i come home from work and when its time to eat...just like your body knows when you usually eat, sleep, rest, bath and all other essentials that make your life complete...dont underestimate the power of life..no matter what shape it is in