My dog can tell the time

I am convinced that my dog can tell the time. Whether it is him waking at 5.30 am to go out for a wiz, or it's 6.00 pm, and he is begging to be fed, you could set the time on your watch every time he starts pestering to eat or go for a walk. What is even more surprising is, Louie the wonder dog, doesn't own a watch.

So I am being a little facetious in trying to convince you that my dog can tell the time, but it is astounding that Louie's daily routine and rhythm appears set like clockwork.

Like humans, dogs also have a circadian rhythm, physical, mental and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. For example, Louie's circadian rhythm allows him to recognise that when it becomes light, he begins to feel hungry or when daylight ends, he starts to feel sleepy.

Dogs also know our routines. They can read the queues of our daily activities, triggering their innate ability to recognise when it is time for them to eat or walk. Particularly during the week, our routine has become very predictable since we have been working from home.

Louie's ability to tell the time is governed by habit and repetition. While this habit seems to be a logical explanation, I still like to think that he is a little smarter than that and is Louie, the wonder dog, who can tell the time.