(WWJ) - Experts say Daylight Saving Time doesn’t just affect humans, pets can also be thrown off by the time change.
Sunday morning is the start of Daylight Savings Time, when we “spring forward” and lose an hour of sleep.
WWJ’s Kyle Kimball spoke to Judy Williams, owner of Dog Training 101, and she said dogs respond to humans and the daylight to guide their day.
“You feed them and the sun’s in a different position, they’re going to think something’s wrong,” Williams said. “Your dog may even think they missed a meal.”
Williams said dogs’ days are more structured than humans so they are more sensitive to changes like Daylight Savings Time. She said that people can rationalize changes in a way dogs can’t.
“They just know something’s not right,” Williams said. “That’s where we see a little anxiety in dogs. They don’t know what’s going on and there’s no real good way to explain it to them.”
Williams said helping prepare your dog for the time change may help ease some of their anxiety. She recommends feeding your dog a little earlier than usual or taking your dog for a walk when you get home. She said gradual changes over a couple days is the best way to help dogs navigate the time change.