Seen your dog bark, whimper or twitch its legs while it sleeps? Your dog could be having a dream. Yes, dogs have dreams just like people do! But what do dogs dream about?
Dogs do dream and have nightmares like people do and have dream patterns similar to humans. Studies have hypothesized that dogs may just be dreaming about doggy things. For example, a larger and more active dog breed like German Shepherds or Labrador Retrievers may dream about playing fetch or having an outdoorsy day in contrast to a lap dog. A lap dog may dream about companionship with its owner, among other things.
Nightmares do happen to dogs. This may be about things your dog fears, like taking a bath, a visit to the veterinarian, or experiencing other aggressive dogs. When your dog experiences a nightmare, it is best to avoid waking up your dog. Waking and startling it may cause your dog to be aggressive towards you. Like the saying “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie”, it is best to just let your dog wake itself up and regain its composure post nightmare.
