You will surely have seen your dog move or whine during sleep and you may have wondered if your four-legged friend was dreaming and maybe even what.
Yes, even dogs dream while they sleep !
The sleep of dogs, in fact, is very similar to that of us human beings , both for the alternation of phases, for the brain activity and the presence of a dream dimension.
SLEEP IN DOGS
Good sleep quality is very important for the health and well-being of all living things, including dogs ( read here to learn more about the importance of sleep for dogs and cats ).
It is therefore essential to guarantee a good rest to our furry dog, both in terms of quantity (a sufficient number of hours also based on size, age and other factors) and quality (guaranteeing him quiet places where he can sleep, away from places of passage, doors, windows, etc. that the animal will feel obliged to defend).
Sleeping for dogs, just like for us humans, is used to recover energy, recharge and relieve accumulated tension and stress. Furthermore, on a cognitive level, the sleep phase is the one in which memory is developed and memories of things done and learned during the day are fixed.
The sleep of dogs (a bit like ours) consists of a cycle that alternates two distinct phases , depending on the brain activity performed:
1- Slow wave sleep corresponds to a lighter sleep phase, where the dog relaxes, but continues to perceive stimuli from outside. This is usually the type of rest that occurs during the day, when the dog remains alert to detect any dangers coming from outside.
2- Phase REM ( rapid eyes movement ) or Deep sleep. During this phase the animal is completely asleep, does not feel and does not react to stimuli coming from outside, because the brain is as if it had “disconnected” from the external dimension. It is in this phase that we can observe the movements of the body, of the paws, hear yelps and perceive the eye movement: all signs that the dog is dreaming!
In fact, the dream can only happen in this phase of deep sleep . When we see the animal’s eyes move, it is because its eyes are observing what it sees in its dreams, just as if it were looking at it in reality. This phase usually starts after at least 20 minutes have passed since the previous phase.
WHAT DOGS DREAM
Having established that dogs are dreaming, the big question remains: “What are they dreaming about?” .
Obviously there is no certain answer to this question, for obvious reasons! However, based on the similarity of sleep between us and them, and knowing that sleep also has the function of fixing in the mind the experiences lived and the things learned during the day, some ideas we can do.
It is very likely, in fact, that our furry loved ones dream of the things that have happened to them during the day, or that they usually do . For example, if they have met a similar one with whom they have played, or with whom there has been some disagreement, we will see them move and in some cases even whine in a plaintive way. Or they may dream of running in a meadow or along a beach, chasing a ball, etc. if they are events they have experienced before.
Important: we never wake up our dog while he sleeps. Just like humans, dogs don’t like being awakened in the middle of a dream.
Not for nothing does the proverb say: “Do not wake the sleeping dog” !
