do-dogs-dream

You find your dog twitching his leg one moment, then softly growling the next. You start wondering what is wrong with him when suddenly, he starts quivering! After you’re hit with the realization that your canine friend is unwell or in tremendous pain, you quickly go near to check up on him. You find him sleeping peacefully, and that he isn’t unwell or in any kind of pain. Wait, so then what was all that movement? That’s why you’ll finally ask yourself – “Can my dog actually dream?”

Well, maybe. Just imagine that while you were freaking out, your dog could’ve only been in his personal fantasy dreamland. At least he’s safe and healthy – cue your sigh of relief.

 

Is It True that Your Dog Can Dream?

To answer this question, we’d need first to understand the sleeping situation of the dogs. To do that we’ll compare their sleeping behavior with ours and try to see whether there are any similarities and whether dreams follow the same pattern as well.

 

Human Brain V/S Dog Brain

A dog’s brain is similar to a human being regarding its structure. In fact, even the brain wave pattern exhibited by a dog while asleep is identical to that of a human being’s when the latter is sleeping. Furthermore, studies carried out on the brains of sleeping rats also indicate similar functioning. Because a dog’s mind is much more complicated than a rat’s, this could give further proof that dogs actually dream when asleep.

 

A Human Being Sleeping VIS A Dog Sleeping

Again, there are similarities in their sleeping patterns, both going through the same sleep structure. The model begins with first a situation of wakefulness, then R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement) and then non-rapid-eye- movement sleep. Dogs even enter a “deep sleep” stage, just like human beings. This “deep sleep” stage is usually the one where humans are said to be dreaming. If one being in that stage is supposed to be dreaming, doesn’t that argument hold true for the other species as well? Precisely Thus, the answer to the question is – yes, your dog does dream. In fact, experts suggest that the possible lack of dreaming among your canine friend is what should strike you as a surprise. And all the activity that your dog might do when sleeping (like growling, quivering, etc.) is all about him living his dream in all his glory. Quite literally.

 

What is this Research Study Mentioned In The Article?

Of course, you’d want to know about the credibility of the research that claims that dogs can sleep. This research was carried out by Matthew Wilson and Kenway Louie of the Massachusetts Institute-of-Technology. Our brain has an unusual structure known as the pons, situated in our brainstem. The pons stops us from acting out on our dreams, and sort of controls our sleep-induced mind. This research was based on inactivating this part of our brain.

In the study, the scientists inactivated the pons of the dogs’ brain and observed that they started moving around. Now, interestingly, this movement was taking place when the canines were fast asleep. The electrical recording proved their sleeping state.

It was further discovered that the dogs started to move only when their minds entered into the “deep sleep” stage when the dreaming supposedly takes place. The best part was that the movements were indicative of daily things that the dogs were accustomed to. The scientists claimed that if the dogs would’ve been left for a more extended period of time, then some might have tried digging a hole, some may have wanted to play catch, and some would have preferred just to move about like they were already doing.

All the above observations made in the research give concrete proof of the fact that dogs dream. The “deep sleep” refers to when human beings start to dream and the pons, when removed, resulted in the dogs moving and acting out on their dreams while asleep. Aren’t all these indications good enough to support the fact that dogs, in fact, do dream?

 

But What Does A Dog Dream About?

The answer is quite simple. They dream all things doggy. Studies claim that a dog will usually imagine about this daily life like him running around, chewing a bone, playing catch or even eating poop. Just like human beings dream about things affecting them or anything related to their subconscious, dogs do the same.

Similar to human beings, your canine friend doesn’t only have pleasant dreams. Your dog can have nightmares too. This would explain him waking up and immediately starting to bark or looking around for any danger. They are emotional beings which are reflected in their dreaming mechanism.

 

Different Dogs Have Different Sleeping Patterns

Not only do different dog breeds have different sizes, eating patterns and behavioral patterns, their dreaming pattern is also different! Small breeds of dogs have more dreams when compared to bigger breeds. The reason? No one has an answer for it. A Chihuahua or a French Bulldog is more likely to have dreams every ten minutes whereas the bigger breeds like a Dalmatian or a Labrador have a dream every two hours or so. Is My Dog Even Asleep?

As a dog owner, I’m sure it can be frightening to see your dog groaning or moving in sleep, but we assure you that it is natural and there’s nothing to be afraid of. Your dog is 100% safe, and there’s nothing wrong with him. Check for the following signs to know when your doggy is fast asleep.

  • Breathing would become irregular
  • Some dogs may make soft noises
  • Rapid eye movement beneath the eyelids
  • Occasional movement of the legs

All the above are signs that your dog has drifted off to sleep. It usually takes half an hour after the dog closes his eyes, to fall asleep. Refrain from making much noise or movement during that time period. Conclusion Dogs are such great companions to us that most of us naturally want to discover the intricate details about them. It may seem unusual for your four-legged friend to dream but the truth is, they do dream and more frequently than we can imagine.

 

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