Do Dog‘s Dream?

When dog shake during sleep it can mean different things, if your dog has a health issure it may be having an epileptic seizure or the pet can have a ballistocardiogenic tremor, a shaking that is related to the pumping of the heart. Also when your dog is in pain they can shake when it sleeps. If your dog shakes in their sleep and has health problems you need to get immediate medical attention. But in most cases with a perfectly healthy dog that intermittently shakes while sleeping is simply having a dream. The dog is reliving what it has experienced while awake.

Humans dream when they enter the REM state and scientists believe that dogs dream when they are at the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep too. Humans talk, cry and some people even walk in their sleep. The mind is still very active while the body is relaxed. The same thing happens in our dog, they crying, barking and howling as well as the twitching, pawing, tail wagging and shaking occurs when the dog is at the REM stage of sleep.

Its been established that most dog are usually happy dreamers. But scientists believe that not all dogs dream in the same manner. Studies that have been conducted on sleeping behaviour of dogs, it was established that small dogs dream more than big dogs.

Great Dane will dream once every 90 minutes while a small dog will chase rabbits in their sleep every 10 minutes. Watching your dog dream can be fun and in a way gives you the chance to see your dog’s private moments. But some dog’s dream are not happy, and we know what it is like having a nightmare. When our dogs cry and shake in their sleep, could they be having a nightmare, unfortunately they can’t tell us.

When we dream the brain is processing what we have gone through in life. Despite all the studies conducted on dog behavior no one can really understand the workings of a dog's mind. Some dog experts believe that when a dog shakes in its sleep it is reliving the hardship and the fear it has gone through. Owners of dogs obtained from rescue centers have noted that the adopted pets would shake violently while sleeping. Dogs have long memories. The shaking can be attributed to a distressing experience. Puppies are also known to shake in their sleep. Of course there is the possibility that the pup is cold. However it has been observed that a puppy separated from its mother and from its littermates would shake when they sleep, at least for the first few days in a new home.

Dogs' shaking in their sleep while dreaming is pretty normal. Owners need not be concerned as the dog would snap from the dream in no time. If you noticed your pet shaking while sleeping, a soothing voice calling the dog's name and a hand gently patting and rubbing the dog would calm the pet. Waking the dog may not even be necessary as in most cases the shaking will stop once the pet is reassured that you are there.

See a video of a dog dream click here