can dogs have nightmares?
 

I was just asked to dogsit. I don't actually know the owner of this dog; it's a friend of my Mom's and she volunteered me.

All I know is that the dog's name is Boe and that Boe doesn't like to sleep "alone" b/c Boe "has nightmares". Has anyone heard of this?

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

He probably just gets nervous/anxious being in a room by himself when he's about to sleep. Less of a nightmare thing then a being a pussy dog thing.

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

Dogs certainly appear to have dreams. My dog is always kicking and moving about during sleep

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

I would guess they can because my dog's legs will sometimes go a mile a minute and she'll start to whine while she is asleep.

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

Yeah, I think dogs dream. I've seen dogs sort of twitching and yelping in their sleep. Sometimes, it appears they must be running.

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

it is common knowledge that dogs dream. they twitch their legs and move their lips sometimes when sleeping. I don't know if this common knowledge is actually accurate. I don't know if there has been enough psychoanalysis of sleep patterns to determine if there is some sort of thought process going on during these spasms, or it is just some sort of REM state.

long answer; could be true, probably not known

short answer; this woman's a nutjob.

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Dogs certainly appear to have dreams. My dog is always kicking and moving about during sleep

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

[ QUOTE ]
it is common knowledge that dogs dream. they twitch their legs and move their lips sometimes when sleeping. I don't know if this common knowledge is actually accurate. I don't know if there has been enough psychoanalysis of sleep patterns to determine if there is some sort of thought process going on during these spasms, or it is just some sort of REM state.

long answer; could be true, probably not known

short answer; this woman's a nutjob.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought by definition, "common knowledge" was also accurate?

Anyway - I had no idea dogs could dream or have nightmares. I would dogsit this crazy dog just to see what that's all about.

-Al

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

Why not? Dogs lack the language capabilities of humans, and according to most scientists they lack self-awareness or whatever (the ability to put themselves into another's shoes, stuff like that is arguable even in monkeys), but I don't see why that precludes neurons in their brain firing randomly when they sleep, causing other neurons in their brain to think they are in some kind of crisis situation.

Re: can dogs have nightmares?
 

I've definitely seen dogs that looked like they were having bad dreams.