by Michael Totten

Created on: November 06, 2009   Last Updated: November 23, 2009

Every dog owner knows that dogs dream. We have all heard the little sleep woofs and seen the little twitches as our dogs run happily in their sleep. Watching them makes us smile. What do they dream about? Do they chase rabbits or that elusive squirrel? Are they digging another hole under the garden fence?

Like humans, dogs go through cycles of lighter and deeper sleep. So far in dogs, two stages of sleep have been identified. The first stage of sleep is slow wave sleep (SWS). The breathing slows, becoming regular and relaxed. Electroencephalographs, which measure brain waves, show a relaxed alpha rhythm. During SWS, the dog's sleep is still light. A slight touch will awaken him at once.

Professor Lee Kavanau discovered that all warm-blooded mammals undergo REM sleep. During REM sleep, the dog's breathing quickens and his paws and tail start to twitch. He starts to make little sounds, small woofs and yips that are a sleepy version of the happy sounds of the day. His eyes also start to move quickly under closed lids. In fact, REM sleep is named for this Rapid Eye Movement.

Your dog's brain activity also jumps during REM sleep, becoming similar to those of a waking dog. This is exactly what happens to human brainwaves during REM sleep and dreaming. In humans, REM sleep is associated with the most vivid dreams, and the direction of eye movement is linked with the subject of the dream. The same is almost certainly true with dogs.

Dogs have a good memory and a great deal of understanding. Humans need dreams to process and reorganize the events of the day. REM sleep in dogs may serve the same purpose.

The cycle of sleep can happen several times each day. Adult dogs spend about 10% of their sleep time in REM sleep, as opposed to 20% by humans. Puppies and smaller dogs spend more of their sleep in REM sleep than older, larger dogs. However, many larger dogs, such as Newfoundlanders and Saint Bernards, spend much more of their time sleeping, as much as 18 hours a day, so the total amount of REM sleep is also greater.

The movements are fascinating to watch. Some dogs make little running motions with their paws, with the kinds of happy sleep woofs that accompany their joyous daytime chases. Some dogs dig. Sometimes they awaken with a jump, quickly checking around to reorient themselves. Sometimes the awakening is so sudden that the chase continues a little too long.

Even if your dog's heart rate and breathing jump, the dream is still probably a good one. Sleeping or waking, you are the center of his world, and he trusts good things to come from you. Let him sleep. If the sounds worry you, place your hand gently in front of him, where he can catch your scent. Even asleep, he knows that you are with him. Let your hand linger there until he sighs happily and relaxes into an even deeper sleep.

Learn more about this author, Michael Totten.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.