Dogs can’t tell how many hours, days, or weeks you have been absent. But they can sense the passage of time through many mechanisms while you are gone. Because dogs tend to focus on the current moment, it could be a case of you either being there or not. Some dogs seem just as excited to see us after a short departure as with a longer departure. But when studied, more greeting behaviors were observed upon the owner’s return from an absence greater than two hours. Your dog can use the level of your scent to predict your return home. Dogs may wait longer for breakfast on certain days, or have their weekday walk swapped for a car ride to the dog park. Though most dogs eventually adjust to certain changes, if you have a dog that struggles with anxiety, constant disruptions in schedule and routine can be difficult for them and result in additional problems. Dogs have a natural awareness of time, while humans have traded natural awareness for clocks and timers.