Have you ever noticed your dog whining, moving his legs in a paddle-like motion, or twitching his muzzle while he is sleeping? These behaviors often lead many pet owners to think whether their dogs are dreaming or having nightmares.

A good number of research studies have been able to demonstrate that dogs do dream. A part of their brain, called the hippocampus, functions to collect and store memories; and the hippocampus of all mammals are structurally similar. Thus dogs are able to replay past experiences while they are asleep. And also, just like in humans, these unique behaviors associated with dreams and dreaming are usually displayed during the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep. Dogs that are in REM phase have irregular shallow breathing; muscle twitching may also be observed. Your Aurora, CO veterinarian is an important source of knowledge when it comes to understanding your dog’s behavior.