When your dog’s asleep and their legs are twitching, their eyes are flickering and they’re quietly growling, you’re probably thinking what do dogs dream about? Do dogs get bad dreams? Or more to the point, do dogs dream at all? Well wonder no longer for we're here to answer those questions.

Understanding a Dog’s Sleep Cycles

Dogs dream like humans and go through different stages of sleep, but their sleep cycle is faster. A human’s sleep cycle can be 80-110 minutes long, whereas a dog’s is 45 minutes. This means they’ll cycle through the different stages 20 times whereas a human will only cycle 4-5 times. The different sleep stages are non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep.

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) is the first stage of sleep that a dog will enter. This is a light sleep state which your dog can wake from easily. During NREM sleep a dog will transition from being awake to falling into a deep sleep, otherwise known as ‘slow wave sleep’ (SWS). During this stage, a dog’s heart rate will slow down, and their blood pressure will drop.

After 20 minutes of being asleep, a dog will transition into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This is when their brain processes everything, which leads to your dog dreaming. A dog’s brain activity while sleeping is similar to when they’re awake and active.

When a dog is dreaming you may notice eye movements, muscle twitching, running movements, whining or light barking. This stage usually lasts 2-3 minutes in adult dogs, but puppies spend more time in REM sleep as they need more time to process everything that they’re learning. Adult dogs will only spend 10% of their time in REM sleep, whereas humans spend 25% there, meaning we have longer dreams than our furry friends.

A dog is harder to wake during REM sleep, so is less likely to react to noises around them. Don’t try to wake your dog during this stage of sleep as they’ll be very disorientated and may potentially bite you. That's why we have the saying “let sleeping dogs lie”.

What Can Dogs Dream About?

Anything that dogs experience during the day can make an appearance in a dog’s dreams. The brain processes the day’s events while they’re sleeping, so any events that have occurred in that day are likely to make an appearance in your dog’s dream.

If you’ve taken your dog to the park that day and they’ve made some new friends, you can bet they’ll make an appearance when your dog’s dreaming. Chasing rabbits, squirrels, cats, balls or sticks will likely lead to some leg twitching and running movements while your dog sleeps.

Does my dog dream about me? Of course! Dogs will often dream about their owners as we play a large part in their daily activities. They enjoy our company and feel affection towards us, so it’s no wonder they can’t stop thinking about us.

Can Dogs Have Nightmares?

Yes, unfortunately, dogs can also have a bad dream, but what do dogs have nightmares about? Anything that scares or upsets your dog has the potential to be part of their nightmare. The most likely cause would be if something has spooked them that day. So, if you’ve accidentally made your dog jump, like dropping something and making a loud noise, it could lead to a nightmare.

Growling, snarling, crying and whimpering are all signs of a dog having a nightmare. As upsetting as it may be to watch, you should never try to wake up your dog. They won’t know what is real and what is just a dream so may see you as a threat and bite you. Waking them from a nightmare will also disrupt their sleep cycle.

We all know how bad it feels to be woken up at the wrong time. Your dog may wake themselves up during a nightmare or dream, much like we do. You may see them jump awake or shoot up from their sleeping position and run off. Most of us have seen video clips of dogs waking from sleep and running into walls!

Rest assured, no harm will come to your dog during a nightmare, unless they run into a wall of course (very rare)! But they may wake from it feeling a bit unsettled, in which case, a nice cuddle from you will soon make them feel better.

How Much Sleep Does My Dog Need?

Dogs get most of their sleep during the night but also have multiple naps throughout the day. How much your dog sleeps will depend on their activity level, age and breed. Large dogs will sleep for up to 18 hours a day, small dogs for 14-16 hours and a medium breed needs around 10-14 hours a day. A working dog is less likely to have lots of naps as they’re busy working but will sleep for a longer period when they get the chance.

Puppies need more sleep than adult dogs as they’re still growing and learning. While we sleep, our body grows and repairs, and our brains process the day. Older dogs also need more sleep as their ageing bodies need the rest.

Similarly, an unwell pet or one recovering from surgery will need to sleep more. If you notice your dog’s sleeping habits have changed and they’re either sleeping less or more, speak to your vet. There are some health conditions that can affect a dog’s sleep.

To help your dog get a good sleep, make sure to maintain a healthy diet, regular exercise and mental stimulation. A comfy and warm place to sleep is sure to help them drift off.

So, does a dog dream? Yes, they do, and dogs have nightmares too! Dog and human, we're just not that far apart when it comes to dreams. And when that part of the brain processes the day, the day’s events shape your dog’s dreams or nightmare. And just like us, your dog's sleep is important for growth and repair. So when they look cute as a button catching 40 winks or just spread-eagled on the couch snoring for England leave them be.

Now as tempting as it may be to wake your dog during a nightmare, don’t! As it could put you or your dog at risk from harm, and it also ruins their sleep cycle and quality of sleep. If you notice changes to your dog’s sleeping habits that are outside of the normal changes that ageing causes, speak to your vet.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis - www.vetstream.com/treat/canis 

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.