Why Do Dogs Twitch Their Paws When They Sleep: Can They Dream?
The movements of a sleeping dog's paws only cause a smile in some owners, while others experience serious anxiety - for the same reason.
Let's find out whether you should worry if you notice that your pet is twitching his paws when he is immersed in the arms of Morpheus.
Why Do Dogs Twitch Their Paws in Their Sleep?
For some time, owners of puppies and adult dogs believed that their pets could dream. In support of this, in addition to twitching paws, they cited the fact that animals sometimes bark or whine in their sleep.
But in the 50s of the last century, after a series of studies, scientists came to the conclusion that the paws of a sleeping dog can move not because of dreams, but because of the work of the nervous system.
Then came another round of scientific research, when scientists began talking about the presence of REM sleep in humans. This time, animal experiments proved that cats, dogs, and even rodents are capable of dreaming.
Researchers who studied this issue in the 1980s came to the conclusion that dogs sometimes have nightmares and episodes that they once experienced in their real lives.
As a result, it was established that slight twitching of the paws during sleep is a normal phenomenon for dogs.
Puppies are especially active in reacting to dreams, squealing, whining, or trying to run away.
Earlier we talked about why the dog started to behave badly .
