With their fluffy fur and expressive faces, Samoyeds are already adorable when awake, but even more so when caught mid-dream. One snoozing dog recently went viral for what looked like a full-on swim session in her sleep.
Dog adorably swims in her sleep in video
A video shared on the Instagram account @nubethesamoyed shows a fluffy white Samoyed named Nube deep in slumber, but her paws are wide awake. While lying on her side, Nube begins gently paddling her front legs as if she’s swimming through a dream. Her back legs kick a bit, too, making the whole scene look like she’s enjoying a peaceful swim through an imaginary lake. Now and then, she sticks out her tongue in a small “mlem,” adding another layer of cuteness to the moment.
The reel quickly picked up attention, with thousands of likes and views pouring in. One user commented, “Working out in her sleep,” while another joked, “I love this — she has the cutest personality.” Someone else chimed in with, “Having so much fun in her dreams.” Many seemed to relate to the sweet, sleepy scene and shared how their dogs do similar things — some running in place, others barking softly or wagging their tails mid-nap.
So what’s actually going on when a dog starts kicking in their sleep? According to experts, dogs experience sleep cycles similar to humans, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — the stage where dreaming is most likely to occur. Scientists believe that during this phase, dogs may relive parts of their day, like chasing a ball, running around the yard, or, in Nube’s case, maybe going for a swim. Behaviors like twitching or paw movements are a normal and harmless sign that a dog is deep in dreamland. So, while we can only guess what Nube was dreaming about, it’s safe to assume it involved water, fun, and maybe a few floating tennis balls.
