Do Dogs Have Nightmares?

Have you ever wondered what runs through your dog’s mind while they’re sleeping? If their peaceful slumber is often interrupted by wiggling legs or occasional whimpering, you might even ask, “Do dogs have nightmares?”

Dreams aren’t exclusive to humans; our canine companions dream too. Dreaming plays a crucial role in developing memories, processing events, and even compartmentalizing newly learned tasks and tricks.

Unfortunately, dogs’ good dreams can be interrupted by nightmares and even night terrors. Night terrors occur when your dog is in non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep—meaning they are in a state between awake and sleep.

Night terrors will lead to heavy vocalization (barking, crying, etc.) and uncontrollable body movements, such as trembling, shaking, or convulsing.

Do Dogs Dream?

Dogs dream, and like us, their dreams help them sort through the day’s experiences, make sense of new things, and store new memories.

To put doggy dreams to the test, researchers taught study pups a new task, and then let them snooze. As predicted, the dogs performed their newly learned tricks better after their nap than before, suggesting that sleep helped them process and remember what they had learned. On a closer look at the data collected during their naps, the researchers also saw sleep spindles, which indicate the restructuring of memory.

But how do dogs dream?

Humans and dogs cycle through sleep stages, transitioning between non-REM (light snoozing) and REM (deep sleep). It’s during REM sleep that the part of the brain responsible for movement is deactivated, while other areas of the brain become active, kicking off a movie-like sequence of dreams.

What Do Dogs Dream About?

Dogs probably dream about walking with their pet parent, cuddling their favorite toy, and devouring their favorite meal. But deciphering a dog’s dreams proves challenging because during normal REM sleep, dogs can’t act out their dreams.

So, Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia, took another approach: He temporarily deactivated the part of the brain responsible for restricting movement during REM sleep, called the pons. With the pons offline, dogs acted out their dreams and could be studied doing it.

Coren found that dogs dream about “doggy things.” Pointer dogs pointed, while watchdog breeds chased away intruders. Much like in humans, dogs dream about familiar experiences.

Do Age and Sleeping Positions Impact Dogs’ Dreams?

As dogs (and humans) age, they often experience less restful sleep and their REM cycles become shorter, resulting in fewer dreams. Generally, dogs who are active during the day will experience longer REM cycles than inactive pups.

While it’s not clear how a dog’s sleeping position might influence what they dream about, where they sleep impacts REM cycles and therefore their ability to dream. For instance, dogs sleeping securely indoors enjoy the longest REM cycles, while those sleeping outdoors in unfenced or unprotected areas experience the shortest REM cycles.

How Are Dog Dreams and Human Dreams Different?

Humans and dogs experience life differently, although there may be some common activities and individuals in our dreams. You and your dog might both dream about a day at the dog park, albeit from different perspectives.

The colors in which humans and dogs dream likely also differ, given that dogs can only see shades of blue, yellow, and gray.

Beyond that, the technicalities necessary for dreaming appear to vary little between dogs and humans. While humans have a longer REM cycle than dogs, sleep cycles remain similar. In fact, dogs can experience many of the same sleep disorders as humans, including narcolepsy, sleep-disordered breathing, and REM behavior disorder.

Can Dogs Have Nightmares?

Yes—dogs can have nightmares. They can also have night terrors, and they may have REM sleep disorder if they act out their dreams.

Nightmares in Dogs

Nightmares are dreams that leave the dreamer with unsettling feelings. Since they occur during the REM cycle, you won’t see your dog fully acting out their nightmares, although dreaming dogs may twitch or even bark. You might know your dog had a nightmare if they’re temporarily disorientated when they wake.

According to Harvard Medical School, nightmares in humans are more common in young children and people who have experienced traumatic events. The same may be true for puppies or dogs who were abused, abandoned, or have experienced other life trauma. Nightmares may also be more common in times of stress, like after a visit to the veterinarian or a recent move to a new home.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder in Dogs

If your dog is deep asleep and clearly acting out their dreams, they may have REM sleep behavior disorder. In humans and in pups, this condition occurs when the brain is too active, allowing the dreamer to act out their dreams.

Signs of REM sleep behavior disorder in dogs may include:

• Violent limb movements

• Howling

• Barking

• Growling

• Chewing

• Biting

Night Terrors in Dogs

Night terrors are not dreams but rather “sudden fearful reactions that occur during transitions from one sleep phase to another,” according to Harvard Medical School.

Because they don’t occur during the REM phase, dogs experiencing night terrors can act out the experience but won’t remember the events of the night terror once awake.

Signs that your dog is having a night terror are similar to those of REM sleep behavior disorder in dogs:

• Violent limb movements

• Howling

• Barking

• Growling

• Chewing

• Biting

If you notice your dog often seems distressed when asleep, or if there are any changes of behaviors when they’re awake, consult your vet to rule out any medical conditions that could be causing discomfort. For dogs with an unknown or traumatic past, seeking guidance from a professional trainer or behaviorist can offer valuable tips to help your dog feel more secure both while awake and during sleep.