Dog dreams and other random thoughts.

[dudsville]

I've just stopped what I was doing to enjoy watching one of my dogs who's in the midst of a dream with all the running and barking and heavy breathing... and it made me wonder what they think is happening. Children take a while before they learn what's happened in reality and what's a dream. I wonder if dogs believe they are doing whatever it is they are dreaming about. If they've been running in a field in a dream and then wake up on the sofa next to me do they just think "what a funny world"? Please. Don't leave me alone with my random thoughts about dogs. Feel free to pitch in some of your own!

I have plenty of random thoughts about my dog. For example, as she has no language of such, how do her thoughts formulate? Does she have thoughts or just instincts? Is she happy? Can dogs feel happiness or sadness or do they just need to have their physical needs met? Does she think I'm crazy because I cuddle her so much or does she love it?

When I muzzle her to let her off the lead, does she think "mmm I'm back at the race track, must chase everything in sight" and therefore would it be best to leave the muzzle off or am I, as I suspect, anthropomorphising terribly?

Annnyywaaay, back to the much less interesting world of work.....

My dog will sometimes wake from what has obviously been a lively dream: heavy breathing, twitching, funny noises, and look around her in a 'what the hell just happened' way.

I'd love to know what goes through her mind. I think life must be quite a puzzle for them sometimes. Probably a good thing most of them aren't too bright.

I adore it when my dog woofs in his sleep. He is such a deep barker normally but in his dreams he barks with his mouth closed so they are cute woofs. I like to think he is running about chasing pigeons.

What I always get freaked about is when he starts growling in his dreams. I would love to know what's making him do that

Mine usually has a cows ear or tripe stick whilst we are cooking supper and then we all settle watching tv and she sleeps. Tonight she ran around the house with her treat and eventually tucked it carefully under the sofa. Never done this before, will she pick it up later or is she saving it for tomorrow? When she dreams she makes little barky noises and scrambles her feet but no growling, we have never heard a single growl from her so far.

I'm heartened to learn others have given this a great deal of thought! Flippity, I imagine they think in pictures and feelings, physical and emotional. I wish mine did that pigs, it would make more sense to me that they wake up and think wtf? I also like the sweet woods Bitey. And cocoa, mine has taken to picking a ripe tomato from the greenhouse and burying it in the vegetable patch. Never before has she done. Where'd she get the idea from? ???

Sitting in bed this morning, drinking my early morning coffee and reading, dog lying beside me deeply asleep with her tail wagging happily.

I had family over yesterday and dog was happily entertaining youngest dgd and generally loving all the extra human company - she's a people person. I can only conclude that in this morning's dream she was reliving yesterday's good times.