Our beagles could program a wristwatch...every morning they begin whining from inside their crates if not fed promptly by 6am. It's earlier if they hear/see signs of life in the wee hours of the morning - i.e., brother getting up to get a glass of water. This whining increases exponentially by decibel levels until they get a response.

It begins again (crateless) around 5pm, when they know they get their dinner.

Like clockwork.