The Dog Watch

On sailing ships of the Royal Navy in the 18 th century, a watchkeeping system was created that divided the day into five four-hour watch periods plus another four-hour period that was divided into two equal parts. This last one was called the dog watch. The first dog watch was from 1600 to 1800 (4 pm to 6 pm) and the second dog watch went from 1800 to 2000 (6 pm to 8 pm) when the day’s watch cycle would start over again. The dog watch gave the crew time for the evening meal and allowed for the staggering of watches so that the same people were not always on the same watch schedule. For me, the dog watch is a time to reflect on the day and to look forward; planning for whatever might lie ahead.