How Do Dogs Sleep at Night?
You may have never noticed since you're asleep during the night, but dogs are actually quite restless sleepers. Although they may curl up and appear to be sleeping soundly, their brains are actually quite active.
Dogs sleep in stages, just like humans. They go through periods of light sleep and deep sleep, but they also enter a stage of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. During REM sleep, their brain activity is similar to ours when we're dreaming.
This is why you may see your dog's eyes moving around or twitching while they're asleep. They're likely in REM sleep and having a dream!
So why do dogs seem to sleep so soundly? It's because they have shorter periods of deep sleep than we do. They spend more time in a lighter stage of sleep, which means they can be easily awakened if necessary. Is this a primal instinct? Not sure.
But, if you were to position cameras throughout your home, you would catch quite a bit of activity from your dog! As Daniel says:
"They definitely have restless nights. They do not sleep great throughout the night. I guarantee you - check the footage and you'll see your dog move around, get up, walk around, turn around, lie down, change position, all night long. It's unbelievable."
So, the next time you see your dog sound asleep, don't be fooled - watch them as you stand up or make even the slightest movements. Their ears may twitch. They may lazily open an eye. They're definitely aware of your presence and keeping an eye on you!
Want more great insights into your dog's behaviors? Please consider signing up for our dog training course videos. Daniel offers great insights and demonstrations that will teach you the fundamentals of dog training. You'll be off to building yourself as a leader and transferring that knowledge effortlessly to your dog training sessions.
What is this pup dreaming about? Follow us on TikTok and tell us what you think!
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