Buzz
One of the simple joys of having a dog is watching them collapse into a tired heap of fur after a day of doing, well, nothing. It's around this time that many dog owners begin to wonder: Do dogs dream, and if so, what about?
To start with, researchers are confident that dogs do, in fact, dream. While we can't ask them, a 2001 MIT study with rats showed that animals can experience REM sleep, exhibiting brain patterns similar to those when they were navigating mazes. Other studies using EEG devices have detected similar activity in dog brains during sleep. Like humans, dogs go through a sleep phase where their breathing slows and their eyes rapidly move—clear signs that dreaming might be taking place.
There's also the more obvious clue: Dogs frequently bark or twitch in their sleep, often suggesting they're dreaming of chasing something elusive. (Maybe a leaf.)
Much like us, dogs likely dream about their daily activities—such as running, jumping, or playing. In fact, dreams may even be specific to their breed. For example, Pointers might “go on point” as though they’re hunting game. Smaller dogs typically dream more than larger dogs, and older dogs dream more than their middle-aged counterparts.
The exact details of these dreams remain unclear. While we can observe physical signs, it’s difficult to fully understand what’s going on in an animal's mind. Some gorillas, taught sign language, have been able to communicate their dreams with their handlers—sometimes describing people they’ve recently seen. It’s also likely that dogs often dream about their owners due to the strong bond between them.
If you’d like to catch your dog dreaming, experts suggest waiting for about 20 minutes after they’ve fallen asleep. You may notice their muscles twitching or their eyes fluttering—signs that they’re entering REM sleep and beginning to dream. It’s important not to disturb them during this stage, as it can startle them. If you let them rest, perhaps they’ll finally catch whatever they’ve been chasing.
So, what do dogs dream about? More often than not, it’s probably the thing that’s most on their mind: you.
