Time Change Can Affect Your Pets

The Pet Wiki explains how the time change can affect your pets…

Benjamin Franklin, statesman and inventor, came up with the idea of daylight savings time. But it wasn’t officially adopted into law in the U.S. until 1918. A standard time was set, daylight savings created and time zones established. Changes have been made to the law many times, but the idea remains the same.

Most of us are not happy about losing an hour’s sleep in the spring, but we enjoy adding that hour back in the fall. But how do our pets cope with the time changes?

Our pets have built-in clocks. They know when it’s time to eat, time to walk, time to sleep and everything inbetween. This biological clock is known as the circadian rhythm and has its basis in light and darkness whether natural or artificial. Pets prefer to keep to a set routine. We of course set that routine for them because they live with us.

Some of our pets may become a bit confused at first by the time change, but there are approaches you can use to make the seasonal changes easier.

Simply move your pet’s regular routine back in spring and forward in fall by daily 5-10 minute increments.

Prepare them shortly before the time change by spending extra time playing with your pets and going for a bit later and longer walks with your dog.

Your pet will very quickly adjust to the time changes and you both will enjoy a good night’s sleep.