Snore snore, twitch twitch… maybe even a little growl. Ever wake up because you sense your dog twitching or you hear little groans? Dogs can be animated in what seems like a REM rave. Like our vivid dreams, one of your dog's stages of sleep is Rapid Eye Movement (REM). This stage is associated with dreaming and twitching can be a physical manifestation of their dreams.

But not everything twitches, so why not? Muscle atonia is a temporary state of paralysis that helps prevent your dog from acting out their dreams during REM sleep. That's a relief, but my dog needs to understand in his dream that my bed is not a dirt yard. However, not all muscles are entirely immobilized so that's when you see twitches. We might dream of a great vacation we had and, along the same lines, your dog might dream of a great chase of a squirrel that day, running in the yard, a new friend's butt he sniffed, or the treats he had (or wish he had). Or, maybe your dog who is well-behaved during the day is a wild child in his dreams - what a rush! 

All dogs may twitch in their dreams, but some say puppies twitch more than older dogs because their young little bodies are still developing and so is their nervous system. It takes muscles to keep moving like that and those little tiny babes can sure stand to build their muscles up. It can also help their brain development. Note that if your dog seems to be uncomfortable or twitches longer or differently than his norm, it may be great to give the doggie doctor a call for their notepad. That's what notepads are for. In general, it's usually healthy when twitching during sleep and it also can mean they are in restful sleep. 

Back in the day I wanted a waterbed. Never got it. Now I have 1/4 of a waterbed feeling when my dog twitches in his dreams. And it can't burst with water everywhere - bonus! Sounds like the perfect outcome to my childhood wish. Dream on, lil babe.