We’ve all looked at our dogs as they sleep and wondered what they might be dreaming about. But now, Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia, might have an answer for us, The Mirror reports.
According to Cohen, dogs can even manipulate their dreams in a similar way to humans, and the content of their dreams may differ from breed to breed. For example, when a Doberman dreams, they might be chasing danger, while Golden Retrievers might be dreaming of their favorite treats, or spending time with their dog parents.
Dreams Differ Depending on Breed
“What we’ve basically found is that dogs dream doggy things,” he explained. “So, Pointers will point at dream birds, and Dobermans will chase dream burglars. The dream pattern in dogs seems to be very similar to the dream pattern in humans.”
Interestingly, it looks as though smaller dogs have shorter but more frequent dreams, whereas it’s the opposite for larger canines.
Back in 2016, Dr. Deirdre Barrett, clinic and evolutionary psychologist at Harvard, spoke to People about animal dreams. She said that dogs dream about their regular experiences just like humans, so they’ll likely dream about their parents.
“Since dogs are generally extremely attached to their human owners, it’s likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell and of pleasing or annoying you,” she explained.
What To Do About Nightmares
If you’re a dog parent yourself, you’ve probably seen your dog have nightmares from time to time. But, per the American Kennel Club, it’s best not to wake them up.
As tempting as it might be to wake them, it can take dogs a minute or two to remember where they are – just like with humans. As a result, some dogs can act aggressively when their parents wake them from a nightmare.
If your dog is having a bad dream, it’s best to wait for them to wake up on their own, and then of course be ready to comfort them.
