Big dreamer or siezures?

[Nmorgan]

Rocky is about 9-10 weeks old and he is the only dog I've ever seen sleep this deep. His whole body will shake/twitch sometimes, others he is barking or growling continuingly.. (but doesn't really bark much at all when he is awake).
I had gotten really scared when we first got him... but my bf just told me he's just a big dreamer. Now it's been two weeks. and he's still doing everything the same.
I guess him shaking/twitching could be him running in his sleep?

My last dog had dreams and would run/bark/growl in his sleep.. but nothing like what Rocky is doing! He sometimes has his eyes open... can dogs sleep walk?

Is this abnormal?

Thanks!

[lvpets2002]

Welcome to Pet Talk & enjoy.. Yup I would say your puppy is just a bigg dreamer.. Puppies seem to go into deep sleeps & dream alot..

[pomtzu]

I would say he's just a big dreamer too, and may never grow out of it, My Pom Myndi is almost 14 and she still goes thru a lot of animation in her sleep, and it almost seems like a seizure. If I just touch her or give her a little nudge - it stops. She's not at all vocal in her sleep tho, but her "brother" Sparky is - he growls, wimpers, barks, and just about any other sound he can make, but has no movement to go with it, other than the occasional leg twitch.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

My girl Rita twitches a lot in her sleep, too. It's funny to watch!


Seizures are more intense and scary. I have a classmate who just adopted a Chihuahua, and he was recently diagnosed with epilepsy this past week. Seizures are a very scary thing.

[bobsmom]

Dogs are a lot like people when it comes to sleep. Some are tossers and turners, some snore, some talk and even walk in their sleep... and then there are those that sleep like logs - you have to poke them to make sure that they are alive. Our Bob snores, but rarely twitches, barks or growls. NOW OUR GINGER - she's another story. She's a Beagle and loves to hunt. Dan takes her out as often as he can, because chasing rabbits (scenting) is the most favorite thing in her life. You "should see (and hear)" her when she is sleeping. She twitches and sometimes her legs are running and she does this weird, short bark with almost every breath. Sometimes she will open her eyes while this is going on - but her eyeballs are rolled back. Creepy. I actually love to watch her doing this as it is somewhat comical. I imagine she is dreaming about being out there in those fields with Dan. Like someone said, if you pet her or shake her a little she will stop - momentarily, but soon back at it. Doesn't seem to bother her though as she wakes up happy and wagging her tail, well rested and ready to go.

[Nmorgan]

Dogs are a lot like people when it comes to sleep. Some are tossers and turners, some snore, some talk and even walk in their sleep... and then there are those that sleep like logs - you have to poke them to make sure that they are alive. Our Bob snores, but rarely twitches, barks or growls. NOW OUR GINGER - she's another story. She's a Beagle and loves to hunt. Dan takes her out as often as he can, because chasing rabbits (scenting) is the most favorite thing in her life. You "should see (and hear)" her when she is sleeping. She twitches and sometimes her legs are running and she does this weird, short bark with almost every breath. Sometimes she will open her eyes while this is going on - but her eyeballs are rolled back. Creepy. I actually love to watch her doing this as it is somewhat comical. I imagine she is dreaming about being out there in those fields with Dan. Like someone said, if you pet her or shake her a little she will stop - momentarily, but soon back at it. Doesn't seem to bother her though as she wakes up happy and wagging her tail, well rested and ready to go.

YES! I just have never seen a dog move so much and twitch.. It really freaked me out at first.. I still question it sometimes. Also because his eyeballs get rolled back! And that is freaky! It still freaks me out. and even though he dreams real big... if you make a loud noise or anything he just stays twitching and sleeps right through it. I really have to give him a hard shake for like 10 sec to get him up. Thats why I thought it could maybe be a seizure, cuz it takes a lil bit to get him outta that state and the eyes rollback thing. But I guess maybe he is just a big Dreamer... lol its just freaky!

I'm going to have to video tape it next time. Is there a way to post videos up here?

Thanks!

[Nmorgan]

My girl Rita twitches a lot in her sleep, too. It's funny to watch!


Seizures are more intense and scary. I have a classmate who just adopted a Chihuahua, and he was recently diagnosed with epilepsy this past week. Seizures are a very scary thing.

Yes, my sisters Chihuahua gets seizures a lot. It is scary! She just stands still and starts shaking. Poor thing, but it passes fast for her. She was taken to the vet, but they said they really couldn't do anything for it. I hope the epilepsy could be helped!

[Louie and me]

I love it when my old dog Louie dreams. His legs are going a mile a minute and his nose twitches as if he is smelling something. His mobility is so limited when he is awake, I imagine him running pain free and enjoying all the scents wherever his dream takes him.

[boomersooner]

My puppy, Sooner, is about 9 weeks or so, and she is a big dreamer, too....not all of the time, but when she does, her whole body gets to going! I think they just sleep so soundly, just like little kids....

[king2005]

Digi currently sleeps quietly 90% of the time. Every now & then her paws twitch, lips twitch, eyes open, nose twitch, & sometimes her tongue falls out or she'll move it around inside her mouth a lot.

When I first got her she had horrid nightmares as shes was abused & neglected before 6 weeks of age by horrid owners She would scream in her sleep & far far far too many times she would scream bloody murder in her sleep & run as fast as she can & slam into whatever was infront of her, which would scare her even more & cause her to scream more & run wildly in the apt in pure fear. I always followed her trying to calm her & she she would stop running in fear I could pick her up & she would be shaking & clinging onto me with her front paws with HUGE eyes... Poor baby I think her last nightmare like that was when she was 6 months old (now 2.5yrs old).

Now she likes to sleep on the bed cuddled close to me & the odd time she'll sleep on my back, which is very painful as shes nothing but pointy bones.. ouch! lol

[Asiel]

My dogs do the same thing and often they will have their eyes slightly open. I know they're dreaming because I give a loud cough and see them snap out of it for a few seconds and then they go back to sleep and start dreaming again. I think most dogs dream that they are chasing big game or something.

[dab_20]

Sam and Springen have dreams like that sometimes... so much so that I also get freaked out and wake them up!! Have you ever seen this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

Poor thing, but he was just dreaming! They've got several videos of this dog running and barking in it's sleep.