On March 9, we move our clocks forward one hour in honor of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Sometimes referred to as Daylight Savings Time or Daylight Time, this change in time can not only have an impact on us and our routines, but it can also have an impact on our pets.
Thanks to the behavior and animal health expert at Camp Bow Wow, Erin Askeland, we have a better idea of exactly how our dogs are impacted by Daylight Saving Time and our clocks moving an hour ahead. And at least one way they will be impacted makes perfect sense.
So what should pet parents know about DST?
Does Daylight Saving Time actually have an impact on your dog?
Unsurprisingly perhaps, the biggest issue is the change in their schedule, whether because of the time change or our own behavior changes. With the clock moving forward, we might end up feeding them at the same time on the clock, but technically it is an hour earlier. This is technically a change in their schedule, because they aren't getting their food at the same time as they did in the days and weeks before.
But really, it can impact how we are doing things, which can in turn impact our dog's routine. Thanks to Askeland, we have some more examples of potential schedule changes:
"DST might mean a dog’s family opts to take their daily walk later in the day instead of the morning since there is more light later in the day.Erin Askeland
DST might mean a family’s wake and rise routine shifts to accommodate the time change as they adjust to it. So a pet parent may get up slightly later and have to condense their morning routine to still get to work or other activities at the same time - often this means their pet’s routine is also cut short (feeding time, walks/outdoor time, attention).
DST may also mean that with the extra daylight in the evenings, they are not home as early or may go back out again after work or daily activities, which also impacts their dog’s routine."
If you are changing your routine to adjust for the time change associated with DST, you may want to consider how that messes with your dog. Are you doing things differently because of the change in available daylight? Then you might want to consider how that impacts your dog.
Your dog can end up stressed out and confused, and can even find themselves acting erratic. At the same time, your pup might end up being extra clingy because they aren't used to these schedule shifts and might feel like you aren't home when they expect you to be. This can be seen most often with puppies and older dogs. Although, there is no denying that any dog can be thrown off their routine.
The last thing we want to do is make our dog unhappy and uncomfortable, and knowing how DST impacts our pets can go a long way to making sure that we aren't disrupting them in negative ways.
Sometimes, it is as easy as making slow changes to keep our dogs happy and healthy.