Dog Dreams? - Page 1

A lighter topic for discussion.

You know when the hound crashes out for the evening and 20 mins later the paws start  twitching, teeth are bared, perhaps a little growl can be heard  & sometimes even gentle barking.

What d'you reckon they're dreaming about? I've always though it'd be something primeval like been chased by a bear or catching & killing prey.

AandA

On the first few nights I had my first shep he would dream constantly and one day the breeder was over and said that to him it seemed like he was dreaming about his mother and he was sucking the air as he would have done his mothers teat.

I have noticed that my shepherds are a lot more restless than my other breeds while sleeping. Maybe the others don't dream as much because the're not as smart

All of mine apparently dream on a regular basis, although their physical actions vary of course from guttural grunts to muted barks. I notice a lot of leg motion at times, and when one sleeps at the foot of the bed the movement is often enough to jar me from my sleep. Do some seem to dream more than others, and on a more "dramatic" basis? In my case the answer is "yes" as I notice the older ones seem to do this with a higher frequency and more drama.

I have never been around other dog breeds, so I cannot make comment there.

Regards,

Bob-O

I think this is a great topic...I've often wondered what my dogs are thinking...As I'm training I also wonder what they're thinking as they're doing whatever it is that they're doing...Obedience...Tracking...Protection...SAR...etc...Ever since I was a kid and sitting on my back porch with my puppy (part cocker spaniel & the rest who knows)...I've wondered...what exactly is it that my dog is thinking of me...or of the day or whatever...Unfortunately we'll never know...We only know what or how they react to things...Yes we could hook up wires to them and tell when they have mental stimulation to the brain....but we can't really tell what they're thinking...It would be very cool if we did...It would solve a lot of problems when training them to do whatever we want...I do know from training a lot that when we do some sort of training...that once we've trained them for the day...that I put my dogs up and let them have "down time"...this is so they can rest but it is also very important that they think about and mull over what they've done for the day...Such as track...to find whatever it is that we want them to find...something that "stimulates" them...Have you never tried to teach your dog something...and it just doesn't seem to be going into their brain...and yet the next time we bring them out...and try the same thing again...that for some reason they do much better...even sometimes it's like a new dog...I mean like a "light bulb" has switched on or something...it's a miracle...

So I think that dogs not only dream but they dream about the things that have occurred during the daytime...but I also think that it depends on how deep a sleep their in...they could be going all the way back to their "childhood"...or "puppyhood"...and thinking about playing with their brothers and sisters...or feeding from their moms...These are all very good questions and I feel that this is one of the best reasons that dogs...like humans...need a very good upbringing so they can have a very good adult life...

This is a very good topic and one worth hearing from others and seeing how they feel about it and how their dogs do when dreaming...

~Bob~

My two constantly dream, and I think it's about finally catching the damn chipmunk that hides in our wood piles. It's pretty funny to watch.  My female does alot of "yipping" while sleeping, and I would love to know what she's dreaming about when she does.

Mine all definitely do dream. My guys seem to be more the "runners" - legs moving, heavy breathing. The girls seem to be more inclined to do the noise type stuff - barking, woofing, whatever. I think my old lady had bad dreams when I first got her - she was a rescue (from the pound). For a very long time, when she would dream , she would wimper and wine, sooo....  I alos notice that my older male, after we've done protection work, will be more active as he dreams - probably wishing he could get another bite in before I drag him off the field!!

"Yipping" is a great expression & perfectly describes what our male does - usually accompanied by huge chest/stomach movements. He's teeth baring & quiet growling has got to be the best though.

I have noticed that his most "flamboyant" dreams don't normally occur on really stimulating days, either mental or physical. It's almost like those days really do him in and he'll sleep much more deeply without  appearing to dream.

Perhaps then, as Bob suggested, thoughts & stimuli from times gone can be revisited in dreams.

I wonder if they also get that one where they think they are falling & wake up just before they hit the ground

AandA

I love watching my newly born pups dreaming. The only thing that they have experienced is being the first to the milkbar! So it's fun to watch their little faces dreaming of nice warm milk.

Mine does, after a day out in the woods hiking together he always has lots of leg movement and sounds. I agree with O man seems like they are dreaming about what went on during the day.

There have been time where I have seen Marco in the midst of a dozy of a dream them he will wake with a start lift his head up look around and be all like ok It was just a dream then plop back down and go back to sleep.

Aye! for a fact t' doggies Dream. Just 2 nights ago me Karthago lad woke me up with light whinnin' and moanin'. Me grabbed t' flashlight and saw he was in his mammoth bed tryin' t' breed his pillow Aye. me got up and went t' him, and saw he was sound asleep. T' next day me found an all lass GSD Calendar under his pillow. All t' pages be stuck together AYE!