Do dogs dream / have nightmares?

SarahSassy

Since our monkey went rambling on Monday night, got on the roof, fell off the neighbours roof and was out on his own in the snow and cold for 4 hours til he was found, he has been waking from his sleep screaming... He never did this before... Could it be a nightmare? He is not injured miraculously as their garden is so overgrown his fall was broken but I wonder if he is remembering it...

star-pants

Gosh the poor thing - I'd say it's quite possible.
My two dream when they're sleeping, depends on the dream as to what they do in their sleep. Little one was squeaking earlier. The older one has twitched a lot and growled in her sleep before, I always assume perhaps chasing something.

How is his temperment when he's awake since he's come back?

Magenta

SarahSassy wrote: »

Since our monkey went rambling on Monday night, got on the roof, fell off the neighbours roof and was out on his own in the snow and cold for 4 hours til he was found, he has been waking from his sleep screaming... He never did this before... Could it be a nightmare? He is not injured miraculously as their garden is so overgrown his fall was broken but I wonder if he is remembering it...

Well they do have REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and that is the phase of sleep where we dream. I think they can dream. My cat twitches her face and paws in her sleep, I like to think she is dreaming of catching a big rat

SarahSassy

star-pants wrote: »

How is his temperment when he's awake since he's come back?

He is great. A little bit more clingy but hugely active and still out trying to catch the snowflakes any chance he can get

Whispered

I really think they do! Especially when they're in a deep sleep.

Make sure he hasn't had a break or another injury that could cause him to wake up screaming.:)

SarahSassy

helena.ryan wrote: »

Make sure he hasn't had a break or another injury that could cause him to wake up screaming.:)

He can still do everything he did before and we have checked him out but he is not wincing at all when touched anywhere and he seems to have the exact same mobility.... I dont think he is physically hurt.

lrushe

I think they definately do. My pup does little barks when she's asleep and her legs move like she's run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

star-pants

Maybe he just had a bit of a fright and hopefully in time this 'nightmare' will go away for him. If he's happy when he's away and isn't hurt then that's possibly all it is.

Whispered

SarahSassy wrote: »

He can still do everything he did before and we have checked him out but he is not wincing at all when touched anywhere and he seems to have the exact same mobility.... I dont think he is physically hurt.

Ah he probably is remembering it then poor thing how did he get out on the roof? They're amazing sometimes how they manage to get places you'd never expect. I found Harley in the hotpress once, curled happily asleep with the door closed behind him. Still have no idea how he got in there, it's not like he's small enough to sneak anywhere. :rolleyes:.

My cats got out onto the roof one lovely summers day once too, the day ended with the 3 of us flaked out on the extension roof relaxing.

EGAR

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-77.htm

hugoline

lrushe wrote: »

I think they definately do. My pup does little barks when she's asleep and her legs move like she's run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

SarahSassy

In my OHs home place, it was originally a store so there is a stairs outside up to the second floor but the scut managed to jump from there onto the roof somehow.... The roof was obviously covered in ice and he came off into the other garden but he didnt bark at all so there was no indication where he was and it was totally overgrown.. problem is my OH went up there looking for him as it was the only option for his disappearance and guess what? he slid off the roof too and is in pieces since... Fun and games but thankfully they are both safe and (relatively) unhurt.

lrushe

hugoline wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

Yeah something like that, minus the running into the wall part!

terenc

SarahSassy wrote: »

Since our monkey went rambling on Monday night, got on the roof, fell off the neighbours roof and was out on his own in the snow and cold for 4 hours til he was found, he has been waking from his sleep screaming... He never did this before... Could it be a nightmare? He is not injured miraculously as their garden is so overgrown his fall was broken but I wonder if he is remembering it...

Depends how he fell and landed, head or butt, males I believe are more prone to head injury, something to do with brain signals and balance. :P

Yup, my dog does the chasing rabbits thing in his sleep! When he's on the armchair sometimes he falls off the chair and ends up on the floor, confused at how he got there.

Whispered

SarahSassy wrote: »

problem is my OH went up there looking for him as it was the only option for his disappearance and guess what? he slid off the roof too and is in pieces since... Fun and games but thankfully they are both safe and (relatively) unhurt.

dedicated owner. Glad they are both ok. Poor you with 2 injured males in the house.

The Paws

My daft dog has to have dreams! He barks inwards in his sleep...legs moving about as if he was swimming or doing the irish dancing etc...nose switching like mad etc...it was so funny to watch....it only goes on for a few secs then he wakes and he turns over to do some more!
the dog I had before this one - he used to bark for ages then pause and licking its mouth...we never know what he was actually dreaming...was it about the girls?!!!
I used to have a cat that purred loudly in his sleep...a lonnnnng purr!

lisajane

Dogs can dream. My own little one woofs in her sleep. Just the other night she was wagging her tail while asleep. That was a happy dream, anyway.

jimzy

yep they deffo do. i've seen lots of dogs do barky squeaks and stuff.

SarahSassy

So do you then think they have bad dreams??

lrushe

SarahSassy wrote: »

So do you then think they have bad dreams??

They may well remember experiences they've had but I don't think dogs dwell on things like people do so I don't think it would be a bad dream in the same sense as we would have ie. no fear etc. involved, just maybe remembering events in their lives

SarahSassy

Yeah he calms when he sees us.... He probably remembers being on his own, lost and disorientated (and probably hurt) and then wakes and is fine..