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Cody Godwin, USA TODAY
Dreams are a mysterious and magical phenomenon – where else can you fly through the clouds, live out your wildest dreams and explore strange fantasies?
It’s not just us humans who can dream. Studies have shown that rats remember running mazes and that cats move as if they were hunting, jumping and grooming themselves during REM sleep.
Dogs also sometimes twitch, whine or kick in their sleep. But does this mean they are dreaming? Should you intervene or let a sleeping dog rest?
What do dogs dream about?
Dogs do dream, but what they dream about is still a bit of a mystery. In 2001, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that animals experience dreams in a similar way to humans – their dreams are connected to real-life experiences.
MIT conducted this study by recording rats while they slept and found that their unique brain activity during sleep was closely correlated with memories of walking or standing still. This work, according to MIT researchers, proves that animals can recreate experiences in dream states.
“(Dogs) probably dream about their owners and about interacting with other dogs and people they like,” says José Arce, a veterinarian and past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Studies have also shown that dogs sleep differently depending on their daily activities. After a long, active day of play and fun, dogs spend less time in the sleepy phase and more time in the NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement) phases, when they dream most often.
Do dogs have nightmares?
Dreams and nightmares go hand in hand, which means dogs can experience them too. A frightening nightmare may cause your dog to whine, kick, or growl in his sleep.
While it may be tempting to comfort a distressed dog, Arce says owners should be cautious.
“If a dog growls, I wouldn’t intervene,” says Arce. “You have to be very careful when they’re fiddling with their mouths because sometimes they bite you, not intentionally, but… they have no control.”
According to the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, about 6% of bites occurred while the dog was sleeping or resting. While that number may not seem large, it’s enough to make you think twice about petting a sleeping puppy.
Instead, opt for preventative measures such as creating a comfortable, quiet sleeping environment.
Do different dogs have different dreams?
Scientists know that the dreams of dogs and humans are similar, but further research Is in the area of dog sleep. Arce believes that one day we will be able to correlate daily activity, breed and dreams.
“Puppies seem to dream more, and for some reason older dogs seem to dream a little bit more than middle-aged dogs,” says Arce.
Larger dogs also dream longer, while smaller dogs have shorter and more frequent dreams, experts told the American Kennel Club.
In the coming years, further research may tell us why a Chihuahua dreams more than a German Shepherd. It may even tell us which dreams are associated with certain twitches and movements.
“When we get artificial intelligence and start measuring many of these vital signs of our pets, I’m sure we’ll find more answers,” says Arce. “Because many of these technologies are just evolving and becoming more sophisticated.”
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