If you own a dog, you have probably noticed that often, while sleeping, he moves his paws, wrinkles his nose, blinks his eyes and sometimes even barks. This is not abnormal so do not worry. Your furry friend is probably just dreaming. What do dogs actually dream about?
How dogs dream
Definitely hairier and with a tail, dogs are ultimately not that different from us humans. They too tend to go over the memories of the day that has just passed while sleeping and, therefore, the time spent with their master. You only have to look at the dog to see that it is starting to dream: in fact, during the Rem phase rapid eye movements can be observed. Thanks to scientific studies, today it is possible to divide the dog’s sleep into two precise phases: the NRem and Rem phase, just like for us humans. Studies have confirmed that dogs can reproduce events that occurred during the day while sleeping and even create new ones.
Our four-legged friends, therefore, go from a first phase of light sleep to a deeper sleep. Small dogs seem to have shorter but more frequent dreams, whilst large dogs seem to dream less but for a longer duration. Puppies, on the other hand, tend to dream a lot and this is a fundamental factor regarding their development since, during sleep, they rework precisely what they have learned for the first time.
What do dogs dream about while sleeping?
So, what do dogs dream about while they are sleeping? Expert studies have shown that, probably, dogs mostly dream of their owners, an essential point of reference in their life. Obviously we can only deduce this, as they won’t be able to confirm it for now. However, it is very likely that dogs dream of moments experienced during their day: their owner, a new friend, a trip to the sea, a fight with another dog.
As mentioned above, during the deep phase of their sleep dogs tend to go over the episodes of their day, their experiences and memories. If their experiences are rich, will they dream more? The answer is probably yes! Our furry friends dream of life experiences that can be pleasant or even full of negative memories. Puppies in particular often yelp whilst sleeping. Could it have been a bad dream? Maybe yes. Sweet dreams to everyone!