Do Dogs Dream? What Do Dogs Dream About When They Twitch?

We are so intrigued with dreams that we pay people to analyze them, wanting to get to the deeper meaning of the show our subconscious puts on when we’re asleep. What may be more intriguing than our own dreams are those of our dogs. When sleeping, their body often goes through a series of twitches, whines, barks or even running in place. What could possibly be going on in there? Fortunately, scientists have wondered the same thing and have come to some interesting conclusions. 

Understanding Dog Sleep 

Sleeping may seem like one of the simplest things that animals do. While there might be little effort required, sleep is actually a time of great activity for the brain. 

Sleep Phases in Dogs 

Both humans and dogs (and other animals for that matter), go through different phases as they slumber. These phases are important for brain organization, memory storage, and of course, rest. Sleep jumps between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement cycles. REM is when dreaming occurs and non-REM is the deeper version providing the most rest. 

When comparing humans to dogs, both undergo REM and non-REM sleep, with dogs jumping between phases much more quickly than humans. They go from REM to non-REM many more times during a sleep cycle than we do, giving them frequent opportunities for dreaming. 

Frequency and Duration of Dog Sleep 

Another major difference between human and dog sleep is the duration. Adult dogs sleep about 12-14 hours per day, while the duration of puppies’ sleep may be up to 20 hours. Compare that to humans at 7-10 hours and you’ll see that our pups really like to put in some restful hours. Dog sleep also differs from humans in that we prefer to get the bulk of it done in one sitting (or laying) while they break theirs into one major stretch at night with multiple short naps throughout the day. 

Puppies and older dogs really take it to the extreme, sometimes sleeping all night and then most of the day as well. 

Do Dogs Dream? Exploring the Science 

If only we could get a real glimpse into the canine psyche to know what they are thinking and why. But until then, we have to make educated guesses at the goings on in dog brains, including dreams. Studies have shown that dogs go through the same REM sleep that humans do when dreams occur. They also present behaviors indicative of dreaming, such as whining, twitching, or barking. In fact, canine sleep is similar enough to humans that they can actually serve as models for human sleep studies. 

What Do Dogs Dream About? 

Scientifically we can show that a dog’s brain goes through the same sleep cycles as humans, and along with observing their sleeping behaviors, we can heavily speculate that dogs do dream. But can we ever know what they’re dreaming about? 

Theories on the Content of Dog Dreams 

It’s likely that dogs dream about their daily experiences. They may relive the ups and downs of the previous day, which may include their interactions with their owners or other pets. Scientists have shown that the brain of a rat fires similarly during REM sleep as it does while running a maze in their awake hours, potentially meaning they are dreaming about events that occurred during the day. Sound familiar? It would also make sense that a dog’s dreams would be the same. 

Common Behaviors Observed in Dreaming Dogs 

Though it may seem that dogs share similar dream experiences to humans, there may be some differences based on the differences in our senses. For example, dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans do, so while our dreams don’t include smell, a dog’s just might. Watching a dog sniff the air while dreaming may be evidence of this. 

Other behaviors noted during dog sleep are twitching, whining, barking, or running in place. Why is your dog whining or why might your dog be barking when sleeping? It would make sense that they are in hot pursuit of a squirrel or eager for the walk they’re about to take in their dreams.  

What Do Puppies Dream About? 

Puppies do everything at a million miles an hour. Even their sleep is more active than an adult dog’s. Though they may sleep for more hours in a day, a puppy’s sleep is often spent in more REM time than older dogs. That means there’s plenty of time for dreaming, probably because they have a lot to process. 

Puppies are constantly learning, growing, and developing, and their brain needs to spend some time catching up. Because of this, puppies may dream more as their brain goes through the reorganization process. 

Dreaming is an important part of growth and development as it can help create memories that are important for learned behaviors. Puppies likely dream about interacting with people and pets the way that adult dogs do but with some obedience training and socialization thrown in as well. 

Should I Wake My Dog Up from a Dream? 

Since it seems that dogs dream about their daily interactions, it would make sense that not all dreams would be good ones. If a pup had a negative experience, they may have a negative dream. When a dog starts twitching or whining in distress while dreaming, you may want to wake them, but generally speaking, you shouldn’t. 

If a dog is living out an intense dream, sudden waking could lead to unintentional bites or aggression as a dog has a hard time going from dreamland to reality. 

Instead, let your sleeping dog lie. If they seem to be fairly restless when sleeping, encourage healthy sleep by providing them with a quiet, calming place to go. Allot time during the day when they can sleep without interruptions and set up a similar environment for them to get good sleep at night. 

The Importance of Pet Insurance 

Sleep and dreaming are important parts of your dog’s overall health. Encouraging good sleep can have a positive effect on your dog’s physical health and behavior. Another important aspect of your dog’s health is regular veterinary care. Preventative care to get those important puppy vaccines and checkups contribute to their overall wellness of course, but you’ll also need to see a vet when your pup is ill or injured. And that can get expensive, which is where dog insurance comes in. 

A pet insurance policy from Embrace can cover part of the costs associated with veterinary visits and medications for accidents and illnesses to provide you financial peace of mind so that you can focus on your pet’s quality of life. An optional, non-insurance wellness plan can even be added to help you budget for routine expenses. 

What Do Dogs Dream About? 

Dreams are fascinating and there’s still more to learn about what goes on in our dog’s minds while they’re sleeping. Fortunately, we are able to make comparisons between them and our own sleep that gives us some valuable insights. You can do your part to make sure your dog has good dreams by giving them the care they need and the positive interactions that dreams are made of.