I know my dog dreams - she chases things in her sleep, growls, paws move, eyes roll up and side to side - sometimes with her eyes half open and has muscle spasms. This is not as some people would say ' my projection of 'humaness' on her, but observed biological behaviour' But, still many people say animals don't dream? That they are 'dumb' animals?
From my experience with dogs and horses etc and other animals - I know most (mammals at least) dream.

Biologically we are animals too. I often think because we have so much power over other animals, that people think somehow we are completely 'different? Because we are top of the 'pecking order' we have differentiated ourselves to such an extent that we have failed to respect other animals, wildlife and the earth in general.
'being human' it seems is an excuse to exploit and justify horrifying behaviour with the excuse of
' it's just a dog', or 'they don't have feelings' etc etc.

If animals dream - and the brainwave studies etc would suggest they do - what do they dream about?
Do they dream in black and white?
Do they remember their dreams? lol
- am I just a daft vegetarian? lol

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hi claire,
i have two dogs myself,and find it fascinating watching them twitch,growl, as they chase something in there dreams,and obviously they do dream as we do,
a hindu would believe that they have a soul that is in the process of evolution towards a greater consciousness,and i know that the native americans would not have a problem with this,
why they dream,i am not sure,is it for the same reasons we do?,
when i have asked them ,they just look at me wagging their tales,
do they know something we don't?.
its a dillemma.
steve

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I think they teach us about trust?
A test of our 'humanity; is surely how we treat life we perceive as 'lesser' than us in some way?
It's not about how you treat people who are your peers, or who you admire and have status of some sort, but rather how you respond to all life - and treat those who depend upon you, without looking for praise or recognition of any kind - merely 'doing the right thing' when noone is around to see?

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Zzzzzzzzzz. Huh? What? Where am I? Where’s that mouse? Or was it a rat?
Yes, animals dream. Researchers Dr. Matthew Wilson and Kenway Louie at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology selected four lucky rats. They implanted micro-electrodes into the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with memory. Then they monitored the firing patterns of the neurons hooked up to micro-electrodes.
The patterns were the same whether the rat was dreaming about running around on a track or actually running around on a track. In fact, by just looking at the patterns, the scientists could tell whether the creature was dreaming about running or just sitting around. So why do animals dream? Probably to re-live and learn from experience.

from:
http://www.yesmag.bc.ca/Questions/dream_animals.html

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claire,
i think you may be right ,
i was thinking that if dreams tend to compensate lopsided conscious attitudes in our own consciousness,
then why not the same in animals,
they didn't catch a particular mouse or rat say,
reliving the chase in a dream would serve as a learning tool,
i also wonder if wild animals dream as much as domesticated ones do,
in the wild they would have a mother and or pack, to watch and learn from,
our pets are taken away from parents in some cases after only 12 weeks,so other than instinctual habbits ,
we as humans must fall short,
steve

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