With dogs sleeping on average 12 to 14 hours a day, owners likely have stopped and admired their ability to snooze, especially as some canines twitch during a dream. But why do some dogs appear to dream more intensely than others?
Like humans, dogs experience several sleep cycles, including periods of wakefulness known as non-rapid-eye-movement sleep and the deeper stage of rapid-eye-movement sleep, according to the American Kennel Club. Most dreams occur during REM sleep, and in dogs, you might see twitching or their paws moving.
An animal physiotherapist and acupuncturist, Megan Taylor, posted on her Instagram @tayloredvetphysio the question of whether owners have noticed their senior dogs dreaming more intensely or acting out compared to younger canines.
The reason is linked to a dog’s age.
Dr. Stanley Coren, a canine and human behavior expert, told Newsweek that pons in the brainstem are responsible for preventing muscle movement during REM sleep. When functioning properly, the pons will send signals to “turn off” large muscles and stop them from moving. However, this function in older dogs has weakened and is less effective, resulting in more noticeable dreaming.
“If you didn’t turn off those muscles, you would actually act out your dreams, and that’s what’s happening,” Coren said. “When we are very young, like babies or very young toddlers, or when we are old, those centers are weak; they don’t fully turn off the muscles.”
Coren said that the dog dreaming in the July 28 Instagram video would be considered a mild case, as the canine’s eyes and paws only slightly twitched. The more intense and extreme dreaming might have dogs running or occasionally flipping around in their sleep.
Owners will likely not see their dogs having dramatic dreams throughout the dog’s adult years, Dr. Coren said. The more intense dreams will happen in their senior years, but that will depend on the dog breed and size.
He estimated that larger dogs might go through it around 7 years old, while medium-sized ones at 8 or 9, and smaller breeds even later.
However, it also depends on the individual dog and the overall integrity of its nervous system. Some dogs with health issues may develop these habits earlier.
Coren said pet parents might also notice puppies having intense dreams. This is because the young pup’s nervous system is not fully developed.
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