You may have wondered this very question while recently snuggled up on the lounge with your dog: what do our dogs dream about? Why are they constantly twitching in their sleep?
Well, folks, thanks to some scientists we may very well have the answer to those questions.
According to CNN, your dog twitching in its sleep is the result of involuntary muscle jerks, otherwise known as myoclonus.
Myoclonus is closely associated with REM sleep, with your dog also probably also having vivid dreams just like humans at this stage of the sleep cycle.
So, what are our four-legged friends dreaming about? Well, this one could be the sweetest answer of them all.
While scientists can’t be certain (‘cause dogs can’t talk and all) neuroscientist Marcos Frank from Washington State University told CNN that it’s a pretty good guess that they’re having similar dreams to us.
“From dogs to humans, most mammals exhibit the same basic states of sleep,” Frank told CNN.
“We can’t say conclusively that dogs are having experiences like we do when we dream, but it’s hard not to imagine they are.”
Scientists believe your pooch is dreaming about your average dog things – playing fetch, chasing rabbits – but they’re most likely dreaming about you.
And with that, we’re sobbing.
However, it’s not all fun and games sadly because dogs can have nightmares too which involve replaying traumatic events, their fears of being left alone or thunderstorms.
While it might break your heart to see them having a nightmare, experts recommend quite literally letting sleeping dogs lie because they might react aggressively towards the person waking them up while they take a minute to adjust and remember where they are.
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