Dogs Dreaming

[Dixie_Girl]

I've always heard when a dog is whimpering and moving his paws while asleep, he was "chasing rabbits". Always made me wonder if they were really dreaming about something real or locked in their DNA past.

Y'all remember back a while when Jackson came up missing? And he acted kinda strange when he came home. One thing is that he always slept up against my DH night stand with his head under the bed. He finally got to where he would sometimes sleep at the end of the bed or on the floor by my side. Then, he got to where he would sleep on the bed if Skip was on the floor. What y'all don't know is that about 2 weeks ago, my grandson, (same one as the 1st time) took Jackson down to the woods and "lost" track of him. This was around 4pm. We searched, the boys went deep into the woods. We went onto private hunting club propertity (and, rightfully, got yelled at, but with assurances they would keep an eye out for him and not shoot him) but could not find him. Then about 9pm I noticed Skip was not in the house. I opened the back door and saw Skip with his nose stuck through the fence looking towards the front of the house. I said, oh, boy, are you missing Jackson too? And, there he was. Jumping on the gate to be let in. I was so happy I decided to let grandson live. Anyway, last night DH was able to stop by and spend the night. When I went to bed, Jackson was laying on the floor towards the foot of the bed on DH side. I was reading when all of a sudden I hear Jackson crying pitifully. Like he was in terrible pain and scared. I hollered his name and jumped up thinking he got stuck or something. I went over to him and his head was up, eyes open, seeming to be looking at me. I touched his head and he growled like he was about to take my hand off! DH touched his rump and he whipped his head around and growled at him too! I told Lonny, DON'T TOUCH HIM! We just watched him, and he got up and went to lay down by the nightstand. I called his name in a real happy voice and he got up, tail and butt wagging and came to me and licked me. He was fine then and since. So, now I wonder, what did he go through and could his two lost in the woods experiences have caused this "nightmare"? He is really the most bomb proof dog I have ever met. This is like he was a different dog. For just that little while. Could it have been a seizure? How would I know? What are y'alls thoughts on this?

 

BTW, NO ONE BUT ME IS ALLOWED TO TAKE ANY OF THE DOGS OUTSIDE THE FENCE EVER, FOR ANY REASON!!!

[Chesney's Girl]

I know Chesney dreams (a lot) and he has never really been lost or missing for more than a hour and it was only once when he was young. He thought it would be fun to get out the front door and go to the park while I was cooking dinner! He dreamed before he got lost though, so I doubt thats what made him start dreaming.

 

When he growled at you guys, it could have been you simply startled him, I know I have done that to Chesney once or twice on accident and got the death threat look, but then he was fine when he realized what was going on.

 

The crying noise would make me wonder about a seizure. I know when people have grand mal seizures they can make the most haunting noises, and I know dogs do too. But if when you looked at him and touched his head was he still making the noise or did he seem fine or was it kind of a blank stare? I'm no expert on them and this is just from experience with people and dogs who have seizures. I would keep an eye on him though.

 

I'm sure others will have more help for you than mine

 

I hope he's back to himself soon and doesn't get lost. How scary

[mbc1963]

I absolutely think dogs dream. I used to have a huskie mix who NEVER howled. Ever. Not once in 14 years. But one night, she was sleeping, and she let out the most perfect wolf-howl, just like in the movies. Only one time in her life. Maybe she was running with her ancestral pack!

 

And my current dog likes to sit at the window and watch the world. He's got a very specific growl for when cats are out there: low, continuous, unwavering. Kind of sounds like a motorcycle on constant "rev." One day he fell asleep near my bed, and for about 20 minutes he was going on and on with that cat growl. He must have been watching them in his dreams.

 

Good luck! Hope it wasn't any seizure, but just a dream. Strangely, the other night when my dog came up to bed, he suddenly growled and barked at me, until I spoke to him and he sniffed me. I'm not sure who he thought I was... or maybe he caught my reflection in the mirror and thought there were two people in the room. Weird.

 

Mary

[learning_to_love_BCs]

I went over to him and his head was up, eyes open, seeming to be looking at me. I touched his head and he growled like he was about to take my hand off! DH touched his rump and he whipped his head around and growled at him too! I told Lonny, DON'T TOUCH HIM! We just watched him, and he got up and went to lay down by the nightstand. I called his name in a real happy voice and he got up, tail and butt wagging and came to me and licked me. He was fine then and since. So, now I wonder, what did he go through and could his two lost in the woods experiences have caused this "nightmare"? He is really the most bomb proof dog I have ever met. This is like he was a different dog. For just that little while.

 

I have two rescue BCs. One of them has nightmares, much like you describe. I don't know his past, but am quite sure he was a stray/abused during his early life because he was fear aggressive when I got him and didn't seem to have had much experience with houses or normal doggie things. He's come a long way in the 6 months we've been together, but we're still working on his "nightmares." They only happen when he's up on the bed with me and Silver (his inseparable companion BC). He'll be cuddling next to me, sleeping, then all of a sudden he jumps up like he's been shocked. When this first started happening, his eyes were crazy and he growled, then jumped off the bed and went into another room. Now, we've gotten so that he still jumps up and looks scared, but his eyes are with me, he doesn't growl, and he settles down again. I have no idea what experience(s) caused this terror, but he obviously feels in real danger. The good news is that it does seem to be fading with time and as he becomes more secure. I hope that happens with Jackson too!

[Bo Peep]

All of my dogs dreamed. You could see REM and their legs would twitch. One time I actually KNEW what Migraine was dreaming about- she was herding sheep. I saw her feet move for a big fast outrun and stop- then her feet walked up slowly and then a little faster- stopped. I just knew she was at a trial. What else could it be?

[in2adventure]

Lucia dreams ALL the time. She runs and barks in her sleep. Probably chasing the ellusive squirrel The first couple times I saw her dreaming, I was quite startled. I've never heard a dog bark in their sleep before. Now I just watch her and snicker. It's really amusing to watch

[Tassie]

Poor Jackson - that sounds scary.

 

Yes, I'm convinced dogs dream - my girl more than my boy - I love the feet moving, and the strangled muffled little barks.

 

My previous Border Collie boy, Sam, had a strange episode one night when he was about 11 or so - he was sleeping on my bed, and stood up and peed, right there on the bed - something he'd never done before - and never did again. I'm as sure as I can be that he was sleep-walking, and really had no idea what he was doing. Goodness knows what triggered that.

 

I'd think speaking to them in a pleasant voice, using their name etc. should help these guys come out of whatever weird state they're in at that time.

 

 

 

 

I was so happy I decided to let grandson live.

Linda! That's good - he should know how fortunate he is.

[bcnewe2]

All of my dogs dreamed. You could see REM and their legs would twitch. One time I actually KNEW what Migraine was dreaming about- she was herding sheep. I saw her feet move for a big fast outrun and stop- then her feet walked up slowly and then a little faster- stopped. I just knew she was at a trial. What else could it be?

 

wonder if she won??

[Bo Peep]

wonder if she won??

Only a few times and it wasn't first- but..........in her dreams, she probably won BIG TIME!!! I hope!

[Guest SweetJordan]

All dogs dream. During REM sleep you can always see the eyes. And it's not unusual for them to bark or wimper in the ways that have been described. My lab even wimpers in his sleep and he's never had a bad experience other than losing his BFF. And he even wimpers in his sleep(he did this prior to losing his BFF). Drives me nuts when he's sleeping in my bed as she shakes the whole thing once or twice a night. I grew up w/ a dog who had epilepsy and once you see a sezuire you won't mistake the two.

[Dixie_Girl]

I wasn't really paying attention as to whether he was looking at me or through me. Plus, except for a bit of white by his nose, his face is black and with the low light in the BR, I couldn't really tell. I have heard that Border Collies will think about stuff. Like something your are trying to teach them, and then you lay off for a bit, then try it again and they do it right away. As in learning to work sheep. Jackson has shown that many times. So, maybe he was still asleep when I touched him. And maybe he was reliving the night he spent lost in the woods. (he's such a chicken, an old 'ppossum would have scared him!)Either that or seizures, I don't think it is good. Meds would help with the latter, but what could you do about the former?

[OurBoys]

I believe dogs dream. JJ only does it every once in a while. It's not unusual for any dog to dream but I believe bc's do it more often. I got tickled at JJ one time. He's the first dog I ever saw wag his tail in his dream!

 

Jake was different. In his previous life he was tied to a tree. When he had a hard day at play, he would sleep hard. If anyone touched him in his sleep, he would jump up, growl and sometimes snap. I believe it was due to his past life. We've had him for 15 months now and he's gotten better. He stills wimpers in his sleep at times but he hasn't growled or snapped at anyone in quite a while now.

 

Give Jackson time. Eventually, the happy memories he has with you will replace the memories he got while away.

[WyoBC]

I know my Black Jack dreams. When he gets in deep sleep he'll start to move his legs and whimper. One time he even barked. He has never barked since I have had him. So I have to say it scared me

 

Poor Jackson. Maybe he was just so scared when he got lost again it really bothered him. It would me. I'm glad the little guy is home and better.

[mbc1963]

They only happen when he's up on the bed with me and Silver (his inseparable companion BC). He'll be cuddling next to me, sleeping, then all of a sudden he jumps up like he's been shocked.

 

Hmm... Since this only happens when he's on the bed with you, I wonder if indeed he isn't being shocked - by static electrcity, maybe? Especially since he's got the blankets AND another fuzzy dog to rub against. My dog doesn't like the occasional shock he gets when I rub him or kiss him in winter.

 

Mary

[simosa]

R.E.M. Is the stage where dreams occur if you look at your dogs eyes when you think hes dreaming you can see it happening, therefor they definitely dream. As far as im aware R.E.M. only occurs in the dream state, I saw it on t.v. oops im rambling.

[BustopherJones]

Every dog I have ever owned appears to dream. It may evidence itself in different ways, whether it is body movement or noises. Missy often starts with soft "woofs" in the middle of the night, which end when I reach over and pet her to comfort her. Annie goes to sleep each night lying up against me (she and I go to bed earlier than DW does, as I have to get up early in the morning to go to work); I know that she is going into REM sleep when her legs start to twitch and move, and she also sometimes engages in soft "woofs" in the middle of the night. The following link is an interesting treatise on the topic: Do Dogs Dream?

[sandra s.]

I don't doubt that they do dream, but I'd sure like to know how it is for them...

 

If there is some kind of story line to their dreams (even a short or wacky one) like it sometimes is for humans, I wonder how they remember it later.

Let's say Kessie dreams of a fight with a gigantic monster cat - will she remember later that it was only a dream? Or would she keep an eye out for it the next time we go out? Maybe it doesn't make a difference, because one wouldn't dream of monster cats without being a little concerned about cats in the first place!

 

Still, I'd pay a lot of entry fee for a trip into a dog's head!

[Dixie_Girl]

Sandra, that is really what I was trying to ask. We have all seen the feet running, whimpering, etc., but how much is based on "real" events the dog has had? How can a dog be dreaming of "chasing rabbits" when it has never chased anything? Was Jackson really dreaming of something bad that happened to him, or just taking on the juvinile delinquent, AKA Skip? Was it a seizure? He just was a different dog when I went to him. He was scared, no doubt about that. But in less than a minute he was fine. Does he remember his dream?

 

I too, would pay for a trip into their heads!

[painted_ponies]

I was reading when all of a sudden I hear Jackson crying pitifully. Like he was in terrible pain and scared. I hollered his name and jumped up thinking he got stuck or something. I went over to him and his head was up, eyes open, seeming to be looking at me. I touched his head and he growled like he was about to take my hand off! DH touched his rump and he whipped his head around and growled at him too! I told Lonny, DON'T TOUCH HIM! We just watched him, and he got up and went to lay down by the nightstand. I called his name in a real happy voice and he got up, tail and butt wagging and came to me and licked me. He was fine then and since. So, now I wonder, what did he go through and could his two lost in the woods experiences have caused this "nightmare"? He is really the most bomb proof dog I have ever met. This is like he was a different dog. For just that little while. Could it have been a seizure? How would I know? What are y'alls thoughts on this?

 

I'm no vet, so I'm not saying it couldn't have been a seizure. But I've had this kind of thing happen with my dogs before. Particularly with the sensitive ones, like Violet, or the kind of teetering-on-the-edge-of-sanity ones, like my chows. It only happened every so often and I put it down to bad dreams, too.

[sweet_ceana]

When Ceana was a puppy I always thought her dreams were about her litter mates. She made noises asleep that I only ever heard her make (and move) with them. Now I do not know, I would guess she dreams about her frisbee or soccer ball. I wonder if Chris and I are in her dreams? LOL maybe she dreams we never have to go to work again, I know I do.

[Guest SweetJordan]

When Ceana was a puppy I always thought her dreams were about her litter mates. She made noises asleep that I only ever heard her make (and move) with them. Now I do not know, I would guess she dreams about her frisbee or soccer ball. I wonder if Chris and I are in her dreams? LOL maybe she dreams we never have to go to work again, I know I do.

One my dogs suckled in his sleep as a puppy. He was about 9 or 10 weeks old when he did that. Three of us saw it and we still talk about it because it was so cute. I wish I had that on video tape.