Can dogs learn timings?

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Baileybones

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Sorry couldn't think of a more descriptive title.

I currently have 3 dogs who are great and come out walking together. I've been approached by the rescue I got my 3rd dog from and asked if I could help with fostering another.

I'm happy to help and I work for myself so time isn't an issue. I do think walking 4 at once though may be a step too far.

If I walked them as pairs do you think they learn their turn? I know this probably sounds daft but I tend to work the horses in the same order each day and if I don't change order neither gets upset about being left (with the company of other horses) but if I swap they'll stress.

Can dogs also learn order like this?
 
Heck, yeah. The OH used to walk one separately then the others who knew Zak went out first and just sat quietly to wait. 6pm is tea time which they like to remind us about. 9pm is treat time and we have sitting and staring and whining until we get up to get said treat. Routine is how they define their day!
 
Yes absolutely dogs are aware of time. My dogs are out on the farm all day doing whatever they do but in winter I start to call them into the back garden before the coyotes come out, usually around 3pm. I only have to do that for a couple of days as after that they are already in when I go out to close the gate. In the summer I bring them in at 6pm, and again I always see them heading back to the house shortly before that time.

Walking yours in lots of two will be fine if you keep them to the same routine.
 
Brilliant thank you!

I'd really love to help this dog but would hate to do it at the detriment of my current guys. Feeling much more confident that it's do able so thank you :-)
 
If you can walk two, four is not too difficult. Just put them on couples. If you put one that pulls with one that tends to hold back, it can actually be easier.
 
A few years ago now we had a Collie dog that used to bring the cows in for milking, she would be found at the gate with all the cows at the same time twice a day.

I regularly walk 4 dogs and sometimes 5 if I'm short of time otherwise I might do 2 walks.
 
Yes they can definitely learn timings, my dog gets fed at 7 every night and at this time she runs into the kitchen and starts scratting at her food cupboard and barking!
 
I remember when I was a kid my little cavalier used to sit looking out of the window for me every day at the time the school bus got me home :) She was never prompted, she did it all by herself.

I have 4 dogs which I always walk daily together, but they are greyhounds which are very well behaved :)
 
They do indeed, and lots of other cues, mine used to put himself in his crate when he heard the kettle boiling in the evenings and would start whining when I turned my hairdryer off in the morning because he knew it meant I was going to feed him then leave!
 
I work shift so mine haven't learnt timings but have learnt other cues. If I put wellies on they get excited but if I put my work uniform on they go get on their beds. They know they get fed at about 7pm so if they hear the Emmerdale theme tune they get excited for dinner.

I walk mine in groups of 2 and the big ones know the little ones go out first :)
 
Ours run to the door when the hear the Archers theme music - how sad is that!
Like Dry Rot says, put them on couples, although I tend to put pully ones together or I feel sorry for the pulled!
 
Yep of course they do. Our dogs have always been fed at 6pm. This used to be when Neighbours finished (back in the day!) and the dogs would go mad when the end credits/music came on! :)

My dog now is very time/routine orientated and knows when it's midday walk time and evening walk time. She knows her dinner's at 6pm (ish) and she'll give me 'that' look at 8pm when she knows it's time to have her dental chew and again at 10pm when it's time to go out for a we before bed!

I rescued her when she was 9mths and she picked up the routine very very quickly!
 
yeh they definately can - my collie dog used to be ready to go to our training classes about 5 minutes before we went out, she'd all of a sudden get up and go to the door. When we changed to the senior class which was an hour later she was really confused for a couple of weeks then got used to the new time and was settled until we were due to go out again :D
 
Great thanks all. My guys know times like when to get up, they know feed times etc and when I say wee wee' s everyone knows it's bedtime :-)

I was just worried as currently they all walk together so not sure how they'll adapt to waiting their turn.

I currently have a gsp and a saluki and a whippet and dog 4 is another sight hound so not sure walking 4 would be possible at least initially.

Anyway I'm going to take the gang to meet her at the weekend so we'll take it from there :-)
 
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