Does Your Dog Have Sleep Quirks Too?

You may have heard your dog growling softly while asleep. Sometimes, dogs may even appear to run around the house with their eyes closed. The Independent reported that more than one-quarter of British dog owners said their dogs sleepwalk.

A survey was also conducted to examine dogs’ sleeping habits. The results showed that about 60% of owners had seen their dogs running while asleep, while the remaining 40% said their dogs growled softly in their sleep. One-third of British dog owners said they had seen their dogs wagging their tails while asleep, and 75% said their dogs dream.

The survey involved 1,000 British dog owners. It revealed that sleeping habits vary by breed. Bulldogs were found to have the calmest sleeping habits, apparently because nearly half of them sleep at night. By contrast, sheepdogs could be considered nocturnal, as only 12% sleep at night.

Citing the statistics revealed by the survey, Dr. Robert Adams said dogs with a wilder nature tended to be more intelligent, and that dogs that perform specific tasks assigned by humans, such as spaniels and collies, were generally nocturnal. “Many people believe these breeds are smarter, learn quickly, and are easier to train and put to work,” Dr. Adams said.

Although the theory that consciousness and dreams in dogs are exclusive to intelligent animals has not been sufficiently studied, Dr. Adams said that more intelligent dog breeds generally tend to dream more often.