Can dogs dream? What do they dream of?

Surely more than once you have been stunned watching your dog sleep. That overwhelming energy that he displays when you play with him, that desire to run and jump, that joy when his food arrives, that tail movement when you arrive after a few hours apart... all of that subsides during sleep. But… what happens in a dog's brain while he rests? Do dogs dream like us? What does science say about it?

Science says that dogs dream when they sleep.

Different studies have been done about the sleep of dogs, and all suggest that, indeed, they dream like people.

The neural structure of mammals is similar, and that structure is what determines that we can dream. Dogs, just like us, go through different sleep phases, including the REM (rapid eyes movement) phase in which there is brain activity and dreams occur.

The research carried out by Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, Stanley Coren, showed that when dogs enter REM sleep they can moan, growl, raise their ears, move their legs... even bark as they would when awake. Making a parallelism with humans, it can be deduced that at that moment they are dreaming, probably with the activities and experiences they have had during the day.

But... why Does my dog wake up at the slightest noise?

We hear the deep and calm breathing of our dog when sleeping, even sometimes snoring and until he sighs , giving us the impression that he is sound asleep… but at the slightest noise or movement, he jumps like a spring and goes on guard. It really helps that they have such keen ears. But the reality is that it is in a continuous state of vigilance, permanently on alert for anything that may happen: it is the vigilant instinct that it has inherited from its ancestor the wolf.

A happy and cared-for dog has pleasant dreams.

Although just like us dogs can have nightmares from time to time, it is normal for a well-cared-for dog and fed, who knows that he is loved and enjoys a happy life, have pleasant dreams.

Brain activity during sleep uses images of everyday life, and if your experiences are positive, your dreams will be too.

Does your dog move his paws while he is asleep? he is probably dreaming that he is running; does he raise his ears? It may be that in his dream he is attentive or vigilant, for example, to a game; did you hear him sigh as he rests? That's because he's super comfortable. It is very possible that he is dreaming of you, that after all you are the center of his life and his great reference.

The environment, the environment and the mattress will help have a restful sleep.

What I said: if your dog's life is pleasant, his dreams will be too.

But if your dog sleeps in an environment that is too cold or too hot, with too much noise or light, and his bed is not comfortable enough, his sleep will not be good enough.

Provide a good temperature, some darkness and a quality mattress.

The balukaDREAM mattress is an excellent option that will provide your dog with that comfort that you need in your sleeping hours so that it is really restorative and of quality. If he also receives your care and care, I'm sure his dreams will be wonderful.