animal nightmares??

vinnie13

Here's a strange one,
My gsd sleeps inside the house and any night she gets a piece of cheese before bed she appears to dream,paws moving grunting etc
Has anyone else noticed this?

anniehoo

Apparently over 20% of dogs are meant to "dream". I've been fostering a dog for the last couple of weeks and it's hilarious watching her when she's asleep (growling, lip twitching, paws and legs jerking about). I wouldn't relate it to the cheese you're giving him, but it's fairly common alright.

Pumpkinseeds

When we had dogs, years ago, they both dreamt a lot complete with the paw movements, little noises and twitching, our cats do it as well:)

mymo

I find it hard to believe the percentage is that low!
Every dog I've ever had has "dreamed", the current two are funny, little one "boofs" (think woof with a b sound, in a very quiet, deep voice) and sometimes her legs go or her tail wags.
The odd time she boofs a bit loud and wakes the other fella, who goes off like a loon, barking and running around!
Oliver dreams a lot, has been know to roll about groaning and fall off the sofa, he runs, wags his tail, has even acted like he's trying to give the paw in his sleep.

Little dog also snores!

anniehoo

mymo wrote: »

I find it hard to believe the percentage is that low!

I know, me too but I read this somewhere recently (can't for the life of me remember where) and thought it was really low myself so hoping DBB comes along with stats.

Not sure how a study is done on dogs dreaming though

wolfpawnat

I've seen it a lot with my dogs, and even one of my cats over the years. It's fairly cute, but they can really scare themselves with their dreams too, like ourselves.

mymo

anniehoo wrote: »

Not sure how a study is done on dogs dreaming though

I now have an image of DBB with a clipboard, in a lab coat, in their livingroom, with a dozen dogs sleeping in chairs, sofas and dog beds, all with head gear full of wires!


Sorry DBB

KKkitty

My parents dog used to go with the paws as if he was running in his sleep. We used to laugh wondering what he was dreaming about.

maggiepip

All dogs dream, they go through the same sleep stages humans do only faster.

ABajaninCork

I'd say dogs dream! Mine has us in stitches when he does. It's everything from barks, woofs and growls to legs paddling and snapping.

I'd also say he has nightmares. Sometimes he's gives a bark as though something scared him and wakes up looking around. At that point I'll usually pick up him up for a reassuring cuddle.

tk123

Both mine dream - the pup will do little barks in her sleep every evening and legs twitch we we find funny lol! Cheese is meant up affect your dreams btw

DBB

mymo wrote: »

I now have an image of DBB with a clipboard, in a lab coat, in their livingroom, with a dozen dogs sleeping in chairs, sofas and dog beds, all with head gear full of wires!


Sorry DBB

Don't be so silly :rolleyes:
I only do one-to-one sessions



God, I really need to get me roots done, don't I?*


As for what percentage of dogs dream, well, they all dream! Or at least, they show the same behaviours and electrical activity in the brain that humans do when they dream, so although impossible to prove, the inference is that dogs dream too.
As with humans, dogs show dreaming behaviours and brain activity during REM sleep, which is a very light phase of sleep, although dogs spend a fair bit less time in REM sleep than humans do. The reported breakdown of wake/sleep patterns in normal dogs is that they spend 44-48% of their time awake, 19-21% of their time drowsy, 22-23% of their time in deep sleep, and 9-12% of their time in REM sleep.
REM sleep is typified by a complete relaxation of the neck and back muscles, but the muscles out towards the extremities start to move in phases: the toes, the lips, the eyelids, the tail may all twitch, the legs may paddle, and as air is irregularly forced through the larynx during these phases, the dog often vocalises too.
The really interesting thing that if a dog is prevented from having his normal amount of REM sleep on any given day, say for example, he's unsettled in a new place, his brain makes up the deficit the following night, when he has twice the normal amount of REM sleep!
So there you go... I'm sure I have just managed to de-romanticise yet another element of dog behaviour

* lady in photo may not actually be me

Vojera

I'm convinced my guinea pigs dream. When they're deep asleep their little ears flicker and they twitch their paws a bit.

I like to imagine they dream about giant piles of fresh green hay and unlimited vegetables, but I really can't even begin to understand what things are like with their level of cognition.