Sat Mar 08 16:15:00 UTC 2025: ## Working Dogs Struggle with Daylight Saving Time, Study Shows
**Bengaluru, March 8, 2025** – A new study published in *The Hindu* reveals that working dogs experience significant disruption to their routines following the implementation of Daylight Saving Time (DST), unlike pet dogs. Researchers in Canada tracked the activity levels of 25 working sled dogs, 29 pet dogs, and their human companions using motion-sensitive watches.
The study found that the change in sunrise time caused by DST created a mismatch in the sled dogs’ established routines. Before DST, handlers arrived at the reserve at sunrise. After the time shift, sunrise occurred an hour earlier than their arrival, resulting in decreased activity among the sled dogs in the hour following sunrise. Interestingly, on the day DST began, these working dogs displayed increased activity in the hour before their handlers arrived, suggesting a temporary disruption.
In contrast, pet dogs and their owners showed no noticeable change in their morning routines. Even with earlier weekday wake-up times for owners post-DST, pet dogs maintained their usual behavior. However, the study noted that older pet dogs exhibited reduced activity on the first morning after the time change.
The findings highlight the impact of DST on working animals with established routines, emphasizing the need to consider their unique needs during such time shifts. The study suggests that working animals may require a longer adjustment period than their pet counterparts.
First Piper 