Have you watched your sleeping puppy’s legs start to twitch during a nap and wondered if he was chasing a squirrel in his dreams? There is a good chance that your dog is dreaming about running after something - a squirrel, a ball, his tail - in the same way he did earlier that day. Recent science has determined that dogs dream just like people do, and even allows us to guess what our pets are dreaming about.

How We Know Dogs Dream

Scientists concluded that all mammals, including dogs, regularly dream. They learned this by studying the brain activity of rats both as the rats solved puzzles during the day and slept at night. In both instances, the rats’ mental activity was exactly the same, indicating that rats were reliving the puzzles in dreams.

The Science of Dreaming

For mammals, our sleep cycles control when we dream and the pons, a section of the brainstem, controls how we act during dreams. These factors play the following roles in dreaming:

• REM Sleep - Also known as “rapid eye movement” sleep, this is the part of the sleep process where both dogs and people dream most vividly. Scientists believe the REM cycle is when the brain processes experiences in the forms of dreams. Younger dogs spend more time in REM sleep, likely because there are more new things to process.
• Pons - This part of the brainstem keeps the body still during a dream. It is less developed in puppies and not as efficient in senior dogs, so these two age groups are more likely to have their feet twitch as their dream-self chases a tennis ball.

Another note about sleep cycles is that it is most difficult to wake a dog during REM sleep. If you notice your dog twitching or dreaming, it is best to leave them alone. Waking them unexpectedly can be startling, and even cause your dog to act aggressively if they are surprised.

What Dogs Dream Of

While we know that dogs dream, it is difficult to be sure what they’re dreaming about. Like people, their dreams help them process memories, so your dog is most likely recalling what happened during her day either recently or a long while ago. Some experts believe that their dreams are most likely focused on more recent activities. However, like people, dog reams may not reflect reality. This could mean that they also experience the occasional nightmare, but more likely means dreaming about going for a walk, lounging on the couch with you, or barking at someone walking by on the street.

We may not know exactly what their dreams are about, but one thing we do know is that watching your dog dream can be a lot of fun.