Do you think pet's have a sense of time?

[Fender963]

Something I've always wondered about is whether pets have a sense time. If you go away for an hour versus 4 hours can they tell the difference? The way my tucker (a boxer) greets me it makes me wonder. I get a jumping, boisterous, running into walls dog either way.

What do you think?

[Karen]

I think some do, and some do not. Miss Hoppy has an excellent sense of time. The office dog where I was formerly employed had none at all. I'd get the same greeting going out to my car and coming back in as I did when I hadn't seen him for days. Gracie, our old Great Dane, definitely behaved differently if we were gone for hours as opposed to minutes, as did our St. Bernards.

[G535]

My cat always knows when it's time to wake me up so I can get his breakfast!

[king2005]

My old dog didn't care HOW long you were gone for, he was excited that you were back. BUT he would know if you were late coming home from work or school, cause he'd be waiting for you if you were late.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I think they know situations and routine more so than time.

When my dogs hear my car pull into the driveway and are waiting at the door when I come home. They greet my the same wether I've been gone 30 minutes or 3 hours. However if I go outside, but don't actually leave they know that I haven't left so when I come back in they don't greet me (at least not in the same way).

My cat, Oliver wakes me up as the sun is coming up. When The dogs hear me feed Oliver they know I'm up and that they're about to go outside. The rest of the cats know they're getting fed after I come back in with the dogs.

[Fender963]

I think they know situations and routine more so than time.

I think this makes the most sense. They have triggers that they associate a certain action with. The sound of the garage opening and the car pulling in = super excited greeting. You waking up = they get to go outside etc....

[jackie]

I think this makes the most sense. They have triggers that they associate a certain action with. The sound of the garage opening and the car pulling in = super excited greeting. You waking up = they get to go outside etc....

exactly, aside from that, I don´t think mine know the difference between 20 minutes or two hours.

[Miss Z]

Tia seems to, she's always awake just before I get up in the morning. She knows 9pm which is when I feed her she gets really hyper then! And lastly, she always goes to sleep when I turn out the light to go to bed. *aw*

[Jessika]

Ohhhh mine sure do. When it hits 10:00 you cna be SURE they know its food time and will annoy us until we feed them!