My Dane puppy runs in her sleep. This is pretty common in the breed. It's not really a problem except the noise! She lays on her side in the crate, and the legs start going *bang* *bang* *bang* My first dane was an adult rescue we never had to crate, so I'd line him up at night to kick at the empty space under the bed. If he got lined up against furniture, or god forbid the trash can, you'd hear the loud drumming of a powerful dog beating on it all night.

I know it's possible to learn in your sleep. I personally have taught myself to stretch certain muscles in my sleep to combat a medical problem.

Can I train out sleep running? Does she just need more activity when awake? (Breed folks freak already about the amount of exercise I give her.)

My female GSD runs in her sleep. We often wonder what she is chasing. Her legs start going and she lets out a real light woof woof. Sometimes she wakes herself up and jumps up startled. Its very funny to watch.

Our male hound mix runs and whines and barks and sometimes whimpers in his sleep. His whole body twitches and his feet go about a hundred miles and hour. It doesnt bother me until he starts getting loud with the weird whiney hiccup sound.

He is by far the most mellow one of the bunch when awake so its funny he is the most active while asleep.

We just gently wake him up when he gets going to much or too noisey at night

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Can I train out sleep running? Does she just need more activity when awake? (Breed folks freak already about the amount of exercise I give her.)

Freak out because of too much or little exercise?


Kota barks/scoffs and runs a little (he just runs his paws though) I remember one episode of the dog whisperer where he said he's never seen wild dogs do this because they got all of their energy out.

I don't know if that's true or not, but you might try getting all his energy out for a week or so and see if it keeps up... maybe get him a bigger crate?



btw, where are you from in WNY? I was born outside of Rochester

If he's not a big chewer, it would probably be easier and more successful if you just wrapped around the insides of his crate with foam padding, so you don't hear the thumping.

Don't do this if he eats bedding, of course.

My GSD runs, mostly paw action, and tries to bark in his sleep. Once in awhile he will wake up disorientated and bark at nothing.

I personally enjoy the paw action, ear twitches, and what I can only interpret as that snort that means I caught that dream rabbit which usually is followed by a blinking eye open and a happy tail thump.

I just have never considered it annoying enough to do anything about. It's natural, and by that I assume a needed part ofthe dog rest function just like human REM. I doubt there have been many dog sleep studies though.

As everybody has already stated, sleep running is pretty common in all breeds of dog. Not usually considered a problem but I can understand where it might get old quickly if he/she is running against furniture lol. Even my little dachsund occasional runs and grunts a little in her sleep although not as much as any of the bigger dogs I've had. (much funnier to watch those little biddy legs going though!!)

Interesting about the wild dogs not doing it. I wonder if there is truth to that.

I'm from and currently in Rochester Jennifer, where are you from?

 Quote: jennifer skeldon

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Can I train out sleep running? Does she just need more activity when awake? (Breed folks freak already about the amount of exercise I give her.)

Freak out because of too much or little exercise?

I doubt it's too much. The breed folks are worried about the tender cartiledge in a growing giant breed. I'm only going 2 miles 2-3 times a week, and they think that's awful. I'm doing "forced running" (never mind we're moving at her pace, not mine, with her preferably in front of me so there's no way I can be dragging her faster than she wants to go). I really wish I had soft-surface trails nearby, I'd be more anxious to push her mileage. I'd be anxious to hear from other folks with giant breeds, and how much they exercise pups.

 Quote: jennifer skeldon

I don't know if that's true or not, but you might try getting all his energy out for a week or so and see if it keeps up... maybe get him a bigger crate?

As above, I think this may be a good idea, but am not sure how to safely do so, given all the warnings I've been getting from the breed folks.

She has a 54" crate already. She's big enough that laying on her side she touches both sides of it, and can kick the side pretty good. And she has housebreaking issues, so an even bigger crate would be a bad idea. (She had issues in the 48" crate too, she has always been a dirty puppy, even when she was in a 36" crate with divider panel.)

 Quote: jennifer skeldon

btw, where are you from in WNY? I was born outside of Rochester

Grew up in Clarkson, living in one of the west side Rochester hoods right now. Hoping if hubby and I get the jobs we're currently gunning for to move to the southeast side soon.

 Quote: Jennifer Lee

We just gently wake him up when he gets going to much or too noisey at night

Yeah, calling her name until she wakes up, and then telling her to go back to sleep usually works. It still wakes us, and everyone else in the house, up though.