If your pooch gets quite vocal in his sleep, moaning, whimpering, crying, barking or even howling, you may be wondering if something is wrong with your ball of fur and if you should wake him up. Don’t worry, Buddy is perfectly fine. He’s simply dreaming.
Dream-world
When his breathing becomes shallow and irregular during nap time, that means he’s off to the dream land.
Soon, you’ll probably notice his eyelids moving quickly as he enters the R.E.M phase, and this is when he is looking at that beautiful motion picture when dreaming takes place, probably reenacting those fun and exciting daily events he’s experienced.
Twitching of the muscles and aforementioned vocalizations are also often seen during this period.
Attention seeker
On the other hand, if Buddy’s moaning and whimpering while awake, this might be he’s way of trying to grab your attention.
Sometimes these vocalizations may be the dog’s way of telling you he needs to be taken out to go potty, or that he is thirsty, hungry, too hot, too cold, or simply wants to play with his best bud.
If he whimpers before sleeping or in the middle of the night and he’s right on schedule, this might be triggered by some sort of discomfort or pain, and you should probably consult with your veterinarian.