Why do dogs whimper their sleep?

Answer 1

Although no one really knows the true function of dreaming it does seem to be necessary for normal data processing and memory storage. Dogs think and they have memory. And their memory banks need to clear their minds and to do some reorganization during sleep just as ours do. Like humans, dogs have two main types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and slow wave sleep (SWS). As a dog falls asleep the first stage he enters is SWS, the “sleep of the mind,” in which mental processes are muted but muscle tone remains. The next stage is REM sleep, the “sleep of the body,” in which the body is fully relaxed but the mind is racing and the dog's eyes are darting rapidly. In SWS, brain waves are slow, undulating and of high amplitude much like those in a lightly anesthetized animal or person. In this stage, the dog appears calm and at rest. Dogs and humans are more easily aroused from SWS sleep, which appears to be a transitional state with incomplete muscle relaxation. By contrast, in REM sleep brain waves are rapid and irregular, like those of the awake state. Dogs, like people, display REM sleep, and during REM sleep they show evidence of heightened mental activity – fast electroencephalogram [EEG] (brain wave) pattern. They may move their legs as if they are running, may whine or whimper as if excited, and may breath rapidly or hold their breath for short periods. When REM sleep is achieved they are at their most relaxed and are most difficult to waken. It is during this more profound physical sleep that their eyes begin to dart and the brain waves pick up pace. Humans awakened from this state report that they have been dreaming; dogs are probably dreaming too when they are in REM sleep, although no dog has ever told anyone about a dream he's had! Incidentally, adult dogs spend about 10 to 12 percent of their sleeping time in REM sleep. Puppies spend a much greater proportion of their sleep time in REM sleep, no doubt compacting huge quantities of newly acquired data. And if you've ever wondered whether dogs that seem to be running during sleep are dreaming of catching rabbits or something similar, you can safely say they are.
You should see my Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy. When he goes into REM his legs twitch, he whines and\or growls and his second eye lid rolls around like a marble inside his socket. Its weird!

Answer 2

The others are right. Dogs can do a lot of moving around and make lots of noises when they are in REM sleep, just like us. I never get tired of watching my granddoggies when they come for a visit, and settle on the couch for a snooze. It makes you wonder what they dream about, besides chasing something.

Answer 3

Ken is right. Dog do all kinds of things in their sleep. They even do a kind of woof in their dreams, they run and play. It is quite normal and all dogs do it.

It is OK, not to worry.

Answer 4

dreaming ; amazing and we think that they are just animals ; makes you wonder about all the terrible things that some people do to them; if they are capable of dreaming what else are they capable of that we don't know ???

Answer 5

They are dreaming!

Answer 6

i think its because they are dreaming