Yes, Dogs Do Dream

Have you ever seen your dog whine or move its legs during its sleep? A lot of dog owners will tell you that dogs do dream. It is believed that dogs dream during a certain stage of their sleep, typically when they make noises or move.

Dogs and humans share a few similarities in their brain structure, including sleep cycles. Both humans and dogs go through a sleep cycle that includes deep sleep. The eyes usually move very rapidly behind closed eyelids during this stage.

Humans experience dreams during their deep sleep, and it is also the stage that corresponds to the movements and whining often observed in dogs. Scientists have observed activity in the brain of different animals during this stage of the sleep cycle, suggesting that several different animals dream.

It is very difficult to confirm whether or not dogs actually dream since they cannot share any information with us. However, scientists who studied sleep cycles and brain activity in animals tend to believe that dogs dream. The movements and sounds observed in dogs during their deep sleep strongly suggests that dogs experience dreams and have physical reactions to them.

Seeing your dog dream can be scary and cause you to become worried for your pet. It is not uncommon for dogs to whine, cry or even howl in their sleep. Some dogs move their legs as if they were running or kicking at something. Next time you see your dog moving or whining in its sleep, keep in mind that this behavior is entirely normal.

Dogs typically enter the deep sleep stage twenty minutes after going to sleep. If you keep an eye on your pet, you might notice that their breathing is becoming more irregular. Your dog might act out the dream through movements or sounds but your dog might experience dreams without moving or making a sound.

Smaller dogs tend to have more dreams, or are at least more likely to move and make noises in their sleep. Some owners report witnessing their Poodles or Chihuahuas experiencing a different dream every ten minutes or so while larger dogs tend to not experience dream so frequently.

Seeing your dog twitching or howling in its sleep can be scary but you should keep in mind that this behavior is normal. Scientists believe that dogs can dream and many owners will tell you about their pets experiencing dreams even though it is difficult to find any concrete evidence of what animals experience.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Yes,-Dogs-Do-Dream&id=9029257