Category_Dog Knowledge
Lifestyle
Do Dogs Dream?
Do Dogs Dream?
In short, yes, dogs do dream. However, because we can't communicate with dogs the same way we communicate with humans, we obviously don't know as much as we'd like to about dogs and their dreams. Just like us, dogs, as well as other animals, go through cycles. In fact, scientists hypothesize that most vertebrates have dreams. So yes, even the humble fruit fly may be having a crazy dream when it sleeps. Dogs, just like humans, have wake cycles, followed by rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep), followed by non-rapid eye movement sleep. It's during REM sleep that both humans and animals experience the most vivid and memorable dreams. It's also believed that this cycle of sleep is a part of how our bodies process memories. Researchers have also concluded that animals in fact do have complex dreams, and that they can even remember and replay long sequences of events when sleeping.Do Dogs Have Nightmares?
Just as humans have nightmares, it's also assumed that dogs have nightmares. If you hear your dog whimpering in its sleep, it may be tempting to wake it up so that its nightmare ends. However, this isn't usually a good idea. If you've ever woken up from a nightmare, then you know that it can take a bit before you realize where you are, who you're with, and that you were just having a bad dream. Just like humans, dogs can sometimes act out aggressively when woken up. Even if your dog never bites, waking up in the middle of a terrible nightmare may cause them to act out in ways they normally don't. Following the old saying 'let sleeping dogs lie', the best thing you can do for a dog that's having a nightmare is to let them sleep through it and then comfort them when they wake up.Does the Dog's Breed Affect Their Dreams?
Just as people are different in terms of how often they dream and what they dream about, so too are dogs. For unknown reasons, we know that smaller dog breeds are more likely to have short dreams, but on a more frequent basis. Whereas larger dog breeds tend to have longer, but fewer dreams. It's also believed that senior dogs and puppies dream more than middle-aged dogs. In addition to this, it's also theorized that how your dog spends their day will determine their dreams. For example, Dobermans tend to display guard-like behavior, so it's reasoned to believe that they dream about the same sort of behavior. Or, labs who play fetch with the tennis ball all-day are more likely to dream about that than a pug who spends most of its day lying around the house.
