Every day, we celebrate our shared love of dogs and hopefully brighten your day. Enjoy!

Join 400,000+ executives and professionals who trust The AI Report for daily, practical AI updates.

Built for business—not engineers—this newsletter delivers expert prompts, real-world use cases, and decision-ready insights.

No hype. No jargon. Just results.

Subscribe free—trusted by leaders

There's a scene every dog lover knows by heart. You're curled up on the couch, your furry best friend is snoring softly beside you, and then it happens. A tiny little twitch of a paw, a muffled woof, a subtle quiver of an ear. Your heart melts as you wonder, "What could they possibly be dreaming about?"

That charming, sometimes-jerky, motion in your dog's sleep isn't just adorable—it's a window into the wonderful world of their subconscious mind. It's a sign that your dog is having a healthy, deep, and restorative sleep, just like we do.

Just like humans, dogs have sleep cycles. They drift from a light doze into a deeper, more profound state of rest. The magic—and the twitching—happens during the stage known as REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, sleep.

During REM sleep, a dog's brain becomes highly active, processing the events and emotions of the day. This is the stage where dreams are believed to occur. Those little twitches you see are likely the physical manifestations of those dreams—a chase in the park, the excitement of dinner, or maybe even a game of tug-of-war with their favorite toy. Their brain is replaying the day's highlights, and their muscles are acting out the script.

Puppies and senior dogs tend to twitch more frequently than adult dogs. For puppies, it’s a crucial part of their neurological development as their brains wire themselves for the world. For senior dogs, it might simply be a sign of a less regulated sleep cycle. In both cases, a twitching dog is a normal and healthy dog.

It's natural to have a moment of worry, especially if the movements are a bit more vigorous than usual. The good news is that in almost all cases, a twitching dog is simply a dreaming dog.

How can you tell the difference between a normal twitch and a potential medical issue like a seizure? The key is context. A dreaming dog’s movements are usually small, sporadic, and happen during a period of otherwise deep sleep. They will generally stop if you gently wake them up. A dog experiencing a seizure, however, will have more rigid, violent, and uncontrollable movements. They may also lose consciousness, drool excessively, and be disoriented afterward. If you’re ever in doubt, it’s always best to consult with your veterinarian.

While we can’t know for sure what our canine companions are dreaming about, we can make some educated guesses. The twitch of a tail could be a happy greeting in a dream, the paddling of paws a run through an imaginary field, and the soft little barks a joyous conversation with a dream-friend.

So the next time you see your dog twitching in their sleep, don't worry. Just enjoy the moment. You're witnessing a beautiful and natural process—a sign that they feel safe, secure, and happy enough to fully let go and dive into a world of sweet, wonderful dreams. It's a silent testament to the love and trust they have for you, their human, who has provided them with a life so full of joy and adventure that they can't help but relive it all over again in their sleep.

Here are the recent recalls and advisories: