US psychologist claims dogs dream of pleasing their owners

Canine devotion appears to have no end, if the claims of one Harvard psychologist are to be believed.

Dogs’ “extreme attachment” to their owners suggests they may very well spend their time asleep dreaming of their human companions, clinical and evolutionary psychologist Dr Deirdre Barrett told People earlier this month.

“Humans dream about the same things they’re interested in by day, though more visually and less logically,” Dr Barrett said.

“There’s no reason to think animals are any different. Since dogs are generally extremely attached to their human owners, it’s likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell and of pleasing or annoying you.”

The Harvard Medical School employee said she believes the fact mammals share a similar sleep cycle to human beings may offer further proof of this possibility, but admits her claim at this point is speculative.

She has nevertheless pointed to studies by early sleep researcher Michel Jouvet, which concluded that cats – unlike dogs – may spend their time asleep “hunting mice”.

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