Have you ever wondered if dogs can dream? Have you ever looked at your dog while he was asleep and wondered if he was chasing something? Interestingly, the brain activity of sleeping dogs and humans is so similar that we can believe that dogs can actually dream. Although your dog can't put into words what he's dreaming, you can pay attention to his body language to get a better understanding of his dreams.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Learning Dog Dreams from Body Language
Step 1. Learn the different phases of sleep
Like humans, dogs have several phases of sleep: short wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM). REM can be described as a state of "body sleep", which is when the body is calm but the mind is still active. Dogs dream during the REM phase.
- SWS is known as “sleeping mind”, which is when brain activity decreases, but muscle tone is still there.
- It can be difficult to wake your dog during REM, but he may find it easier to wake up during SWS.
Step 2. Watch your dog's eye movements
Dogs tend to start dreaming about 20 minutes after they fall asleep. REM is one of the clear signs that a dog is dreaming. If you look closely, you can see the dog's eye movements behind its eyelids. This movement occurs because the dog actually sees the dream image as it is happening in real life.
A dog's eyes can be fully or partially open when he is dreaming
Step 3. Watch the dog's body movements
Naturally, dogs will dream of activities that dogs are accustomed to (such as running, digging holes, and fighting with imaginary thieves). The movement of the dog's body when dreaming will reflect what happened in his dream. For example, if he is running and/or chasing something in his dream, you will see all of his legs running.
- The dog's movements will appear soft and intermittent when dreaming, even if he is "running".
- The dog's muscles will also pulsate when he dreams. This pulse will stand out and will not last long. The dog's muscles will calm down again.
- Although the dog will occasionally move while dreaming, his overall posture will indicate that he is calm and peaceful.
Step 4. Listen to the dog's vocalizations
The dog will start making a lot of noise when he is dreaming. For example, he will bark, whine, or cry, depending on what he is dreaming of. Usually, these vocalizations will be brief and infrequent, and will not wake the sleeper.
- Your dog will also breathe differently when dreaming. For example, he will begin to breathe rapidly and he will hold his breath for a short time.
- The dog's breath will also become short.
Part 2 of 2: Knowing What to Do when the Dog is Dreaming
Step 1. Do not wake the dog while it is dreaming
Just as you want uninterrupted sleep, your dog doesn't want you to wake him up either. Like human dreams, dog dreams function to process and reorganize what he does during the day. By allowing your dog to sleep and dream without interruption, his brain will be able to process information better.
- The adage to remind you when a dog dreams is "let the sleeping dog lie down".
- You may have to wake him up if he seems to be having a bad dream (for example, a voice that sounds scared). If this is the case, gently call his name (without touching him) to wake your dog. When he wakes up, speak in a soothing tone to help him calm down.
Step 2. Do not touch the dog while it is dreaming
Depending on what the dog is dreaming of, it may be in an active state while it is asleep. If you try to wake him up by touching him, he will get defensive and try to scratch or bite you.
Step 3. Learn how seizures look
At first glance, the dog's movements and vocalizations while dreaming may seem disturbed, and you may suspect that he is suffering from convulsions. Knowing how the seizures look will help determine whether the dog is indeed having a seizure or is just having a very active dream. For example, if your dog has a seizure, his body will stiffen and he will start shaking or have very violent muscle activity.
- During a seizure, the dog will begin to pant excessively and vomit, urinate, or defecate.
- If your dog is having a seizure, his eyes will be wide open but his gaze will be blank. It will also start making loud noises on its own (groaning, howling, screaming). These sounds will sound unpleasant to you, but are not a sign of pain and stress.
- Unlike dreams, dogs will lose consciousness if they are having a seizure. This is why he won't respond to you if you say his name.
- If your dog is having a seizure, he will feel dazed and confused once he regains consciousness. This is different from a dream because when he wakes up, he will not be dazed.
- If your dog is having a seizure, stay calm and move away from his head and mouth. Get rid of all kinds of objects such as furniture that can make him hurt himself. Even if he is unconscious, talk to him in a soft voice until he stops convulsing. When the seizures stop, cool the dog with a fan and call the vet.
- Seizures require immediate medical attention.
Tips
- Puppies tend to dream more often than adult dogs. Most likely because puppies have more new experiences and information to process their new environment.
- For unknown reasons, smaller dogs dream more than larger dogs.
