They can tell time, I swear it!

I am completely convinced that my bassets can tell time. Every morning at 3 AM (yes, 3 AM!!) my oldest comes upstairs and insists upon being let outside. And that, of course, get the young one up and moving too. So, downstairs we all go. And within 5-10 minutes--it depends upon whether there are any bunnies in the yard--everyone is back in the house and asleep. At 4:30 AM it starts all over again. Only this time it has to do with breakfast! This is a particularly rougher moment each day in that I'm cranky from being woken up twice. My mood makes the old boy more insistant (insistant=loud and whiny) and he puts his front paws on the edge of the bed and nudges me with his snout. As soon as I open my eyes he turns his head toward the clock, whines and then nudges me again as if to say, "It's 4:30, see?? Get up already 'cause I'm hungry."