Have you ever watched your Chihuahua sleep and wondered what they were dreaming about? I have. Sometimes they will twitch or you see their eyes moving back and forth under their closed lids and you wonder, are they dreaming of chasing squirrels? Are they dreaming of being chased by a big dog?
Sometimes they will bark, although it sounds more like stomach rumblings, and move their legs like they are running. Is it a nightmare? or are they running towards something?
how long do dogs sleep?
According to The National Sleep Foundation, dogs sleep between 12 and 14 hours of a 24-hour day. Puppies and senior dogs sleep about 18 to 20 hours.
Do dogs dream the same as humans?
Yes, except humans dream more because of a dog’s shorter sleep cycles. A human’s sleep cycle usually lasts about 90 to 110 minutes, and the REM stage starts at 10 minutes and gets longer as the sleep cycle repeats throughout the night.
Dogs on the other hand have a sleep cycle that lasts 45 minutes. They have two REM stages in one cycle, totaling six minutes together. Their dreams can last 1 minute or 10, depending on the dog’s size.
It is estimated that they experience a new dream every 10 to 90 minutes, also depending on the dog’s size.
When both dogs and humans fall asleep, we first enter the slow-wave cycle. While in this stage of sleep, it is easy to be awakened because the body is not completely relaxed.
Once we enter a deeper stage the REM cycle, the body relaxes more but the mind is more active. This is when we both have those vivid and kooky dreams.
what do dogs dream about?
According to scientists and behavioral experts dogs dream about things that have happened to them during the day, just like we do.
Paw and lip movements suggest that dogs may be reliving things they have experienced. Running, playing, fighting, and eating.
I thought it was interesting that researchers have observed pointer dogs “point” at “dream birds” while dreaming. They have observed Dobermans that appear to be “chasing” perhaps “dream burglars”.
What Are They Dreaming About When They Twitch?
There is no difinitive answer to this question, however, there are some theories. If a dog’s mouth is twitching it is believed that they are dreaming about retrieving a ball, eating food, or licking their owner. If their legs are twitching, perhaps they are dreaming about playing or chasing something.
do dogs have nightmares?
The answer is yes. Most doggie dreams are pleasant like dreaming of unlimited supplies of chicken-flavored treats and endless hills to run, scientists say that they also have unpleasant dreams and even nightmares.
If you hear your dog whimpering or whining during sleep he or she may be having a nightmare, perhaps being chased by a big dog. Or if he or she barks, or growls he or she is likely experiencing a nightmare of some kind.
While none of us want our dogs to have bad dreams or nightmares, it is normal, just as it is normal for us at times to have nightmares. And just like with us, they forget them when they wake up.
So, enjoy watching your dog sleep and imagine what they may be dreaming about!
