My rescue dog wakes up from naps in a frenzy. Is she having nightmares?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Zoey! It is common for dogs to "dream" while asleep. It may appear as though it is a nightmare because they cry or bark or sound distressed. The good thing about dogs is that once they wake up they likely do not remember the dream and are not traumatized by it. When my dog has these vocal dreams I call out his name or gently wake him up. I wish you and Zoey the best!

I would try the following tactics to help Brian feel more safe and secure in your home. It could be he feels anxious or frightened in the night, possibly associated with bad dreams or memories. White noise machine- such as calming background noises like rain or hairdryer Thunder coat- http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24037 Dog appeasing pheromone spray or diffuser Increased exercise and interaction Here are some helpful links for you as well; https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-toys-gadgets-for-your-dog/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/benefits-of-maintaining-an-active-lifestyle-for-your-pet/

Hi there. Snowball sounds like she has a good life :) I agree with you, meds are not a good idea especially at this young age. You can try a natural remedy like Rescue Remedy (be sure to get the one for pets) or Comfort Zone (dog appeasing pheromone). Here are links to the products: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bach-Rescue-Remedy-Pet-Natural-Stress-Relief-for-Pets-0-35-FL-OZ/25581235 https://www.comfortzone.com/dogs The first thing you have to do is rule out a medical versus a behavioral issue. This can be hard to do. If she is really gassy this could be causing the restlessness. You may want to consider a diet change AND/OR the addition of a probiotic like Fortiflora to her current diet. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Purina-Pro-Plan-Veterinary-Diets-FortiFlora-Probiotic-Supplement-30-CT/43284986 It could also be that she has a urinary tract infection even if she is showing no other signs. Watch her closely for any accidents, excessive licking at the vulva or any changes in appearance/odor to the urine. This can be very uncomfortable. Of course, continue with lots of exercise. Sounds like you are doing everything right. She just may be one of those anxious dogs just like there are in people where you can't really pinpoint a cause. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions if you need to. Best wishes. Dr. Amber

Excess energy may cause restlessness in some dogs, and an increase in energy is always a good idea to help get that energy out. You may also want to schedule a vet check up if one hasn't been done to make sure there isn't a health cause as behavioral changes can sometimes be attributed to health issues. If pup checks out healthy, an increase in activity and looking out for any potential stressors such as other pets, people, and even new items in the house may alert you to the cause.

From the description you gave it seems she was just having ''a nightmare'' and nothing else. If the signs do not repeat again (especially when she is awake) there is nothing to be worried about. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

This is pretty non-specific behavior, so it's hard to know exactly what's going on. Hero may be having some gastrointestinal issues at night, like vomiting or diarrhea, and is asking go outside to the bathroom. Or, she could be worried about something going on in the neighborhood like other dogs barking. Or, she could be having neurologic issues at night like a small seizure that wakes her up and worries her. Or, this could be purely behavioral, like if she is going into heat and there are intact male dogs in the neighborhood. I recommend a full exam by a veterinarian to make sure she looks healthy and has no underlying health concerns.

Given that this in only happening at night, I would suspect Hero is having dreams that are upsetting her and she is running into your room for comfort. Dogs do dream and can reach to those dreams. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do to stop her from dreaming, but there will be nights where she doesn't dream and sleeps peacefully. I hope this helps!