The topic of dog dreams is still somewhat of a mystery. Although there have been many studies on this topic, and with them a huge number of theories, scientists do not stop researching and continue to analyze the dreams of our pets. A dog can spend almost twice as much time sleeping as an average person, which is why its day cycle is slightly opposite to ours. More than one dog owner has noticed that their pet makes various sounds or moves in an unnatural way while sleeping. Does this mean that he is dreaming at this time and had a dream about something bad or something pleasant?
Do dogs dream like humans?
In humans, science has so far been able to distinguish two stages of sleep – NREM and REM. The REM phase is the deepest sleep that occurs in humans after the first three phases that make up NREM. Although research is still being conducted on this topic, sleep is not a mundane phenomenon and it is difficult to determine how everything happens in other degrees. In the REM phase, the body is subjected to paralysis, which means that a person will not harm himself during sleep because he simply does not move. Dog dreams look quite similar, although in their case only the normal phase and the REM phase can be distinguished. A noticeable difference, however, is that REM sleep occurs much faster in dogs than in humans. In dogs it can happen after about 15 minutes, and in humans even after 1.5 hours.
Is your dog dreaming?
Dogs fall asleep in different positions; curled up in a ball, on their backs with their paws up, or even on their sides with their paws extended in such a way that they look as if they were about to walk on the walls. During this time, his breathing becomes more shallow and irregular. Muscle spasms may occur, resulting in paw movements, shaking or other uncontrolled movements. This means that the dog has just entered the deepest stage of sleep. How to check? In addition to movements, it is also worth looking at our dog’s eyeballs. If we look at them for a long time, we will notice that he moves them in circles, just like a human does. Does this mean dogs have dreams too? Scientists are still working on this issue, but such a similarity cannot be a coincidence.
Do dogs dream and should they be woken up from nightmares?
It is extremely important to pay attention to your dog’s sleep and regeneration, because it affects his health and well-being. The REM phase, during which dogs dream, is of great importance for their rest and regeneration. Therefore, scientists categorically advise against waking up the dog at this time. It is worth noting that a sudden awakening from deep sleep may lead to an attack, even in normally calm animals. Therefore, if we have children, we should teach them not to disturb a sleeping pet. However, when your dog is having a nightmare, you should be careful and approach it with gentleness.
Experts say that dogs dream for a long time and are able to deal with opponents while sleeping, however, as already mentioned, sudden awakening can lead to unpredictable behavior. If you need to wake up your dog, do it gently and quietly. Just call him in a quiet voice so as not to shock him out of his deep sleep. It is worth remembering that sleep improves digestion, promotes relaxation, regenerates muscles, restores strength and improves well-being – just like it does to us. That is why it is so important to provide your dog with good quality sleep and not to disturb him during regeneration.
