Dogs dream too

 WHAT DO DOGS DREAM ABOUT WHEN THEY SLEEP?

Reading time about 8 minutes

Surely you have ever been enthralled watching at your dog while it is sleeping. They are adorable when they are so relaxed, aren't they? Especially when they start wiggling their ears or paws or growling softly and you are left wondering… what is my dog ​​dreaming about? According to science, there is no doubt about it: just like us humans, dogs also dream when they sleep. But what is the content of their dreams and nightmares? We will tell you this and other curiosities about dog sleep.

Table of contents

1- What is the sleep of dogs like?

2- What do dogs dream about?

3- What are dogs' dreams for?

4- Curiosities about dogs' sleep

Due to their vigilant instinct inherited from their wolf ancestors, dogs almost always sleeps in a state of half-wakefulness. Dogs are vey light sleepers, which is why they prefer short naps to refresh their bodies instead of falling into a deep sleep. 

However, this doesn't prevent our furry companions from dreaming. In fact, numerous scientific studies confirm that dogs' brain behave very similarly to ours during sleep cycles. 

Like people, dogs go through two different sleep phases, NREM sleep, which acts as a transition from wakefulness to deep sleep, and REM sleep, which is characterized by rapid eye movement. If you notice these movements in your dog's eyes while it is sleeping, be sure: it is dreaming!

What do dogs dream about?

We don't have reliable evidence about what dogs dream about, but research suggests that it is a set of everyday scenes with a very likely protagonist: you, their beloved human! Did you imagine? We already know that dogs are truly devoted to their owners, and it is this special bond and the relevance of your figure in their lives that causes your dog to dream about you.

But, above all, what our pets do when they sleep is to remember the events of the day. A walk in the park, the dog next door who always greets it, a session of caresses and cuddles... If you want to know in more detail what your dog is dreaming about, look at what parts of its body it moves or what sounds it makes. If it moves its paws, it is probably running in its dreams, and if it growls or bares its teeth, perhaps it is having nightmares about that dog in the park that always barks at it. The truth is that it is always fun to watch our dogs when they dream and, moreover, their behaviour may give us many clues about what they are imagining in their dreams.

What are dogs' dreams for?

Dreaming has a very important function for your four-legged friend, as it helps your dog to process all the experiences of its day and to fix new learning. This is essential for puppies, who receive so much new information every day. That is why young puppies tend to dream much more than they do as adults.

Curiosities about dogs' sleep

• If your dog dreams, it means that it may also have nightmares. You will notice that it is more agitated than usual, with a tense posture and bodily signs of aggression or nervousness. In these cases, try talking to it gently or stroking it slowly. Recognizing your voice and your touch will help it calm down.
• It isn't good to wake a dog while it is sleeping. In addition to being unpleasant for it (just like it is for you when the alarm clock goes off), it can cause learning problems, since, as we have seen, it is during sleep time that our knowledge and memories are fix.
• To hectic days, hectic dreams. If your dog has experienced a lot of emotions during the day, whether positive or negative, you may notice that it has many more dreams than usual, and that these are more agitated. As dogs relive their daily moments in dreams, their rest will be proportional to the moments experienced during the day.
• Did you know that big dogs don't dream in the same way as small dogs? Big dogs tend to dream less, but their dreams are much longer, while puppies may chain dream after dream, but they will always be short dreams.

The world of canine sleep is, as you can see, fascinating, and now you know more about the content of your dog's dreams and how its sleep phases work. As for nightmares, you don't have to worry. A happy and healthy dog ​​will only have bad dreams very occasionally, perhaps on more intense days or if it has recently experienced a stressful episode. But don't doubt it, when you see your dog dreaming, it is probably having a great time while reacalling all the happy moments of your day together. In the case of the Australian Cobberdogs, they are sure to dream of cuddles and caresses, as they are real cuddly toys ready to give and receive lots of love. Surely you will enjoy watching your furry friend sleep even more now. Sweet dreams!