Doggie Dreams

Doggie Dreams

Have you ever wondered what our furry friends are dreaming about?  Chasing squirrels?  Having fun at Doggie Daycare or even eating their favorite food?  While we don’t have all of the answers, researchers are taking the next steps to learn more.

Do dogs dream?  There are many studies that show that most vertebrates dream on a regular basis.  Dogs and other animals go through several different sleep cycles just like humans do.  Sleep periods consist of wakefulness, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, and non-rapid-eye movement sleep.  The period most responsible for the vivid and memorable dreams is the REM sleep stage.

Research suggests that animals dream as humans do.  They could be dreaming about running in the backyard, seeing their fur buddies or even climbing a mountain!  The National Sleep Foundation reported that dogs spend about half their day sleeping.  For puppies, senior dogs, and larger breeds, time spend can be even longer.  Imagine how many dreams are to be had!

Nightmares.  We’ve all had them and they are not any fun!  Dogs can most certainly have nightmares.  With this being said, it may be tempting to wake your dog, but there are risks associated with this.  Depending on the type of nightmare in which they are going through, they may act aggressively once awakened.  It may be best to be by their side during the nightmare and offer comfort once it passes.

Also remember that as we dream about our dogs, they dream about us too!  What a true bonding experience this is.