Improve your mental well-being with BetterHelp (Sponsored)Connect
ScienceOur AppThemesEncyclopediaDreamsBlog
Try now
What Your Dog Dream About?
Denys Chumak

Denys Chumak

28 Aug 2023

What Your Dog Dream About?

1. Introduction

Have you ever wondered what your furry best friend is dreaming about when they start twitching or whimpering in their sleep? As their paws paddle the air and their tail wags, are they chasing rabbits in their dreams or playing with other puppies? While we may never truly know what visions dance through a dog's mind during REM sleep, scientists and animal behaviourists have some pretty good theories.

Do dog have dreams? Read on to uncover the mysteries behind dog dreams and gain some insight into your pup's nighttime adventures. Who knows, you may even pick up a few tips to help comfort them after a bad dream and ensure sweet dreams are had by all.

2. Do Dog Have Dreams? Exploring the Science Behind Dog Dreams

Do dogs dream? Science says yes. While we can't know exactly what our canine companions are dreaming about, researchers have found that dogs experience the same types of REM sleep and brain wave activity as humans, suggesting they do, in fact, dream.

As you drift off to sleep at night, your dog curled up at the foot of your bed also enters into a sleeping state. Their breathing becomes deeper and more regular as their body relaxes. After about 20 minutes, their eyes will start darting back and forth under their eyelids, and their paws may twitch - signs they've entered REM sleep, the stage where dreaming occurs.

In dogs, REM sleep makes up about 10% of their total sleep time, slightly less than in humans. But neurological studies show that in REM sleep, dogs' brains show similar arousal and eye movement patterns as humans, indicating they are likely dreaming.

So what do dogs dream about? We can only speculate. Perhaps they are dreaming about common dog activities like chasing squirrels, getting belly rubs, or playing with their favourite toy. Or maybe they are reliving memories of adventures with their owners or processing the events of the day. Some scientists believe dogs may even have nightmares, as we often see them whimpering, growling or twitching in their sleep.

While we may never know exactly what visions fill our dogs' dreams, we do know that, just like us, they need sleep to rest their body and mind. Sweet dreams, furry friends! We hope your dreams are filled with tails of fun, exciting escapades and lots of treats.

3. Common Themes in Dog Dreams: Chasing, Playing and Sniffing

Dogs dream just like humans do. While we may never know exactly what they're dreaming about, research suggests certain common themes.

One is chasing - either prey they hunt or toys they play with. Many dogs will make running motions or kick their legs while sleeping as if chasing something in their dream. It's likely they're reliving some exciting activity from earlier in the day or in their memory.

Playing also seems to be a frequent subject of dogs dreams. Some dogs will wag their tails, bark softly, or make other sounds that indicate they're having a good time in their dream. They may be dreaming of playing with their favourite human or another dog.

Finally, dogs are ruled in large part by their sense of smell, so it's probable that many of their dreams incorporate sniffing and exploring with their noses. They may dream of investigating new smells in the neighbourhood or in familiar places they frequent.

Of course, some evidence points to dogs also having nightmares on occasion. Anxious or fearful dogs, in particular, may show signs of distress during sleep, such as whimpering, growling or shaking. They could be reliving a scary experience or situation.

While a dog's inner dream world remains mostly a mystery, observing them during sleep gives us a glimpse into what they may be imagining. Sweet dreams, furry friends! We hope they're filled with play, adventure, and lots of treats.

4. Do Dogs Have Nightmares? How to Tell if Your Dog Has a Bad Dream

Do dogs experience nightmares as humans do? It's hard to know for sure, but some signs point to the possibility. Have you ever noticed your dog twitching, whimpering or moving its paws while sleeping? These could be indications your pup is having an unpleasant dream.

A. Body movements

Dogs in the middle of a bad dream may make paddling motions with their paws, twitch their body or even whimper. These movements and sounds seem to indicate they are dreaming of an unpleasant situation they want to run or chase away from. Yelping or crying during sleep could also point to a scary dream.

B. Expressions

Watch your dog's face during sleep. Their expression may appear tense, worried or distressed, suggesting an unpleasant dream state. Ears pulled back, bared teeth or a furrowed brow can all be subtle clues your dog is experiencing a nightmare.

C. Waking suddenly

If your dog wakes up suddenly from sleep with a start, cries or howls, that could indicate they were in the middle of a nightmare. The fear and anxiety from the bad dream likely caused them to wake in distress. Gently petting, rubbing and speaking softly to your dog after they wake from a nightmare can be comforting.

It's important not to wake your dog during a nightmare, as this could startle them. However, some owners have found success in using a soft, reassuring tone to gently call the dog's name, which may help shift them into a more pleasant dream state.

While we can't know for sure if dogs dream or what they dream about, it seems that, like humans, dogs, too, can suffer from the occasional nightmare scare. With your care, affection and comfort, you can help chase those bad dreams away.

5. What Do Dog Dreams Mean? Interpreting the Meaning Behind Your Dog's Dreams

As your dog snoozes next to you, their paws twitch and they make little yipping sounds—it's clear they're dreaming. But what are they dreaming about? Here are some possibilities:

A. Their Favorite Activities

It's likely your dog dreaming about things they enjoy in their waking life, like:

Playing fetch or going for walks. The parts of the brain that activate when dogs are awake and doing an activity also activate when they dream about it. Interacting with you. Dogs are pack animals, so they probably dream about bonding with their owners and families.

B. Everyday Experiences

Dogs also dream about mundane events from their daily lives:

Eating or drinking. As in humans, basic biological needs and sensations often appear in dreams. Guarding the house or yard. For dogs with a strong protective instinct, they may dream about patrolling their territory.

C. Exaggerated Fantasy

Some dreams may be exaggerated fantasy versions of normal events:

Chasing small animals or other prey. The chase instinct emerges in an exaggerated form. Playing with other dogs. Dream play may be more frenetic and uninhibited than in real life.

While we can't know definitively what our dogs dream about, their dreams likely reflect a mix of memories, experiences, and instincts from their everyday lives—spun into a fantasy where anything is possible, and they can freely run, chase, play, and interact without boundaries. Sweet dreams, furry friends!

6. How to Help Your Dog Have Pleasant Dreams: Tips for Better Sleep

As your dog slumbers, its paws twitch and tails wag—it's clear they're deep in dreamland. While we can't know exactly what they're dreaming about, we can take some steps to promote pleasant dreams for our canine companions.

A. Stick to a routine

Dogs are creatures of habit and thrive on routine. Establish a regular feeding, walking, and bedtime schedule for your dog. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps set their circadian rhythm and leads to better quality sleep and dreams.

B. Provide a comfortable space

Give your dog its own space to sleep that is cosy and peaceful. Place their bed in an area away from loud noises so they can relax into a deep sleep. Having their own space where they feel secure will allow them to dream without disturbance.

C. Limit stimulation before bed

Avoid rough play, long walks, or big meals for 1-2 hours before bedtime. While exercise is important during the day, excitement close to bedtime may make it harder for your dog to fall asleep and stay asleep. Sticking to a calming pre-bed routine will help your dog transition to sleep and encourage good dreams.

D. Reassure your dog

If your dog seems distressed in their sleep or wakes up abruptly, gently reassure them. Speak in a soft, soothing tone and pet them gently. Your calm presence and affection will help reassure them, allowing them to go back to sleep peacefully. Pleasant interactions with you during the day also help your dog feel safe to dream at night.

Providing your dog with what they need for a good night's rest—a familiar routine, comfortable space, limited stimulation, and your reassurance—will promote dreaming in a pawsitive way. Sweet dreams, furry friend!

7. Conclusion

The fascinating world of dogs dreams is now more accessible than ever, thanks to the DreamApp. It's amazing to think that our furry friends have their own unique dream experiences. Whether they're chasing squirrels, playing fetch, or simply enjoying a belly rub, the DreamApp allows us to peek into their subconscious adventures. Understanding what dogs dream about deepens our bond with them and gives us a glimpse into their inner lives. So, next time you see your pup twitching or wagging their tail in their sleep, remember that they're likely embarking on a whimsical dream journey of their own.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

What do dogs dream about?

Dogs dream about a variety of things, such as chasing toys, playing with other dogs, reliving past experiences, or simply enjoying pleasant sensations.

Can dogs have nightmares?

Yes, dogs can have nightmares, just like humans. They may experience fear, anxiety, or distress in their dreams, often accompanied by whining, whimpering, or movements.

Do all dogs dream the same things?

No, dogs' dreams vary based on their individual experiences and preferences. Each dog's dreams reflect their unique memories, activities, and interactions with the world around them.

Are puppies more prone to dreaming?

Yes, puppies and younger dogs tend to dream more frequently than older dogs. Their active and exploratory lifestyles contribute to a higher frequency of dream episodes.

Can I influence my dog's dreams?

While you can't directly control or influence your dog's dreams, creating a positive and stimulating environment with plenty of exercise, playtime, and social interaction can contribute to more vivid and enjoyable dream experiences for your furry friend.

The Science Behind Lucid Dreams

Previous blog

The Science Behind Lucid Dreams

Why Do We Dream? Comprehensive Guide

Next blog

Why Do We Dream? Comprehensive Guide

Did you have an unusual dream with this symbol?

Let's analyze this dream with our expert!

At least five words, please.

Lock

Your dreams are completely private

Take control of your dream emotions in the free mobile app

App StoreGoogle Play
Home Description

The most recent users' dreams

Go to the user dreams page

16 Jan 2025

dream-about-militia-capturing-loved-ones
Being chased by murderer
Darkness
Family
Police
Trapped

Dream

A group of bad guys like a militia took a lot of males including my dad and brother. The males they took were on their knees and they started to kill them using machetes, directly into their necks. My mom and I were observing all these crazy act from a high building. I yelled at my mom to please let me go to the police. I knew I could make it to the police station to save my brother and dad. I was so frustrated because she didn’t let me go . She was afraid I might get captured and killed. So I went to the roof of the building to see if I could access the police station but the darkness of the night didn’t allow me to see forward. At the end they all got killed and the people that were on the top of the building didn’t allow me either to go to the police. They put traps or say things for Me not to go. So we all can survive .

16 Jan 2025

dream-about-parallel-worlds-and-falling
Abandoned home
Alien
Husband
Grandmother
Children
Stairs

Dream

My dream started off, it seemed like I was in kind of like a parallel world, one of the houses that I grew up in, like a log cabin, and each room I would go in would be different than it was when I was little, and there were like more beds in there, like maybe more people or more siblings or something, and then I kind of jumped to being in a room with who I thought were my kids, I didn't see their faces, but they were being really rambunctious and like broke this plant, like they were very careless, and then I went to carry the plant down the stairs, and the stairs were the stairs that I got pushed down, yeah basically pushed down when I was a child, anyway, the dirt fell down the stairs, and then my grandmother, well we kind of jumped in the dream, and then my grandmother went sliding down the stairs, fell, and then I called for my husband to come out, and he was kind of being grumpy about it, but finally came and helped, and then like I saw her like slumped over at the bottom of the stairs, and then the dream jumped to me and my husband living in California in some random house on a hill, and then we watched some either like alien ship launch or rocket or something, while we were out there, we, I don't know, went to take the garbage out, there were, he had brought the mattress out to the side of the street, and then while we were talking, and this face would start changing, like into like people that I knew, or I don't know, like scarier faces, I guess, and what was face changed into some face, I don't remember recognizing, and then I just woke up to this feeling of, of, it's almost like grabbing my throat, someone grabbing my throat, or pinning me down, but it was like I felt this really big don't touch me in the throat area of peace, and then I woke up very panicked.

16 Jan 2025

Fear
Angry at mom
Friend
Car
Crying
Family

Dream

First it was animal crossing and I was being chased by scorpions so i when into villager’s house to hide, then sometimes i would lay on their bed and they would lay onto of me making me unable to leave the bed. But when I came out of their house the scorpion was still there. I tried a different strat of catching them carring a flashlight, it didn’t work. Then I started looking for them in the rain and they got smart and would bring another big with their claws, release it when I’m about to swing my net and I capture that instead then the scorpion stings me. Then the dream switches. I’m about to get tattoos one on my arm of a lion and the other one of me and my cat. But the one of my cat requires them to break every bone in my arm. I sketch of where I want the rainbow lion tattoo, only realizing I drew it too low on my arm. I go to the bathroom to clean it off. After I’m done I think of shower then my mom starts knocking on the door saying there’s no time. I go out and quickly grab my bag, my phone charger and my winter jacket. I get in the car only realizing have way that I forgot my glasses. Then on my jacket I see a case of my spare glasses, “Oh I’m fine I found my spare glasses, I forgot I left them in the car haha.” Then when I get to the destination it was my choir group having dinner at a place similar to Apple Bees. I sat in the middle of the booth next to my friends, and I thought to myself “Gosh I feel stinky, did I even put on deodorant? My hair looks greasy doesn’t it…” Then my mom and my sister were also there and my mom started talking for a toast. In the middle of it I just angrily say “Oh shut up!”. I get scolded by my dad of not treating mommy that way then I get upset and lock myself in the bathroom forgot I took a burrito with me instead of leaving it on the table. I take a bite of it then remember I’m not supposed to eat in bathrooms. So I wrapped it in its wrapping the best I could and shoved it in my pocket. Then my mom knocks on the door saying she’s sorry and we need to talk to my sister cuz she’s crying. I wash my face and I’m like “fineee”. Me and mom mom go into her room, she’s on her bed crying with her cat ontop of her. She turns around and says “This was supposed to be Lee’s special day… And you had to go around and ruin it.” I say nothing as my mom taking over the conversation, she tries to explain her actions, there was a little back and forth. Then my sister says “See that’s your problem!” Then the dream switches and I’m a deer specialist Bambi and other people that are always baby animals. We are behind some bushes and a scientist tells us to duck all the way to the floor and cover our ears. Then the ground opens and out comes out a giant dish then it has some square holes on the size of the cylinder under the dish. “Test one!” The scientist says. The dish rotates a little and a giant pink boom wave comes out of it, I could feel it on my chest and the tree would shake from the released pressure. I say “omg that’s so loud that’s scary.”, someone else says “Don’t stand up or you’ll be cut in half.” “o-oh” I say. “Test two and this one goes ove the whole country!”.. the same boom happens. And now we are free to go, they show us up how the dish works, then one of the workers tripped over wires and shut the whole thing down “Oop! My bad” he says then turn is on again. Then a bird crashes into the dish’s and doesn’t the boom again. “You might want to see a real scientist.” I say. Her “Oh I plan too”. Then she goes and meets a professor that looks like Einstein. “Let me introduce you to my daughter” they both say at the same time. Then they realize their daughters already know each other and are a mirror image of each other. The look at the giant coins that are the size of their bodies, they have the same last name, “oh that’s kinda creepy” he says. “Any way I was planning on analyzing this thing tho know what’s wrong” she says. “No no you got it all wrong, analyzing is when you already know that problem” the professor says. Then the dream switches and I’m on my bed, I think I woke up, it was still dark outside so I thought it was probably 5am. I looked at my hand and there was a tiny scorpion on my middle finger I scream, I proceed to slap my hand against the wall. I look at it again and it’s still there I scream again then I accidentally wake up.

16 Jan 2025

dream-about-weird-coworkers-children-and-violence
Being chased by murderer
Violence and death
Abandoned home
Sister
Airport
Baby

Dream

I had 3 interesting dreams last night. In the first one, I was with my old coworkers at my house. It all just felt weird to me, like I was the odd one out. One of them, Janiqua, who was my closest friend at the time, explained to me that she’s sorry because they have inside jokes and lore that I’m not aware of. The house was a mess and nobody helped me clean up. In the second one, I was in an airport. This random man was pushing a stroller with I think two kids, but I only remember one. He asked me for directions to his gate. We got to his gate and he was handling something on his phone so I watched the stroller. The child was really really small with kind of a big head. I assumed maybe she was born prematurely. His gate number wasn’t for an airplane though, it was for a boat. The man boarded first without the stroller and the baby. The platform was swaying badly and the stroller nearly fell out the door but I caught it. I was stressed and scared and kept thinking that this has to be the wrong gate because of the danger. In the third one, I was in a classroom with Jack, the UK guy that broke my heart, and Cam, his friend, along with random other guys. My sister Teri was there, on a table, acting strangely. She was on all fours and acting really sexual. Of course the guys enjoyed it, but I pulled her aside and asked “what’s wrong with you?”. The dream suddenly warped to seeing this character Neal Caffrey from a TV show I’ve been watching starting acting strangely as well. In the show, he’s never killed anyone. But in my dream, it was as if he had a breakdown. He started shooting people dead in front of me. He tried to hurt me but somehow I managed to get into a room and close and lock the door long enough to call 911. It was the first time I used a phone in a dream. It took forever to type in 911 because I kept messing up, but eventually I did it, to Neal”s dismay. I tell the officers “you need to come to my address, there’s a guy, Neal Caffrey, and he’s already killed multiple people, he’s trying to hurt me, get here quickly!” This is how I found out I was back at my own house even though the interior looked nothing like it. Neal runs outside and to the right down the street, in the east direction. I contemplate chasing after him to keep track of him, but I see the lights of the police coming down from north to my house, so I take one last glance at Caffrey and stay to tell approaching officers he’s on foot. I don’t remember anything else after that except being scared out of my mind.

16 Jan 2025

Argument
Apartment
Basketball
Party
Relationship
Guy

Dream

I had a dream where I was watching some people play basketball, I guess, and there was this one guy that I thought was cute, and we started talking, and then we started kind of seeing each other off and on, and I invited him over to like my place and whatnot. She was not happy about it, and she was kind of like trying to stop me a little bit and find out where I lived. She ended up coming to my house as a party or whatever, and tried to find out if he was with me, and like cheating on him, or cheating on her with me, which he wasn't, because they were separated, and there were times that she would just kind of like try and go over to my house, and she wanted me to go over to like their place, because it was really weird and kind of complicated, but they like still kind of got along. She seemed to be a little bit more accepting of the fact that their relationship was over and that he's kind of moving on, and he and I seemed to be really compatible, and everything seems to be working out, and right before the dream ended, I was at their sort of like penthouse mansion in a city. It was weird. I was like on top of their roof while the two of them like argued. I watched both of them argue about everything, and it was just really, really strange.

© 2024 Dreamapp Ltd

Follow us on Social:

Privacy PolicyEULADo not sell my personal information
Contact Us
Dream App

Dream App

Free dream interpretations

1213 Five Star Reviews

(1,213)

Install