One in five dogs snore. That’s what a group of scientists discovered when they did a study on canine sleeping habits.

They also discovered that dogs dream. In a series of tests vets recorded dogs experiencing Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep, which in humans indicate a dreamy state. Interestingly, the vets also discovered that dogs tend to doze in on-off sequences, snoozing for an hour then waking for half an hour. During the waking period dogs are often highly active and do things like pacing around and barking. No one yet has explained whether this is related to their dreams.

Not all dogs are able to control their sleeping habits so well.
Dobermans were bred by a German tax-collector who wanted to produce a dog so fierce that it could protect him on travels through bandit-infested countryside and persuade reluctant debtors to pay up. One line of the breed didn’t quite work out according to plan, however.

This unfortunate strain of Dobermans suffer from narcolepsy- an inherited condition which makes them drop sound asleep whenever they get excited. Even the sight or smell of a favourite snack is enough to send them into a deep slumber.

For more odd and interesting scientific facts about man’s best friend you should read ‘ ‘Play It Again Tom: Curious Truths About Cats And Dogs’ by Augustus Brown
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