Dogs have an impressive ability to tune into human emotions, and it's fascinating to witness how they react to our moods. Whether it's a gentle nudge when we're feeling low or their tail wagging in sync with our joy, their empathy extends beyond basic instinct.
This bond, forged over thousands of years of companionship, reflects the unique understanding that can occur between different species. Although we’ve always known dogs are deeply connected to us, recent research reveals that connection is even stronger than we realized.
A new study suggests that our dogs might actually be listening to us while they sleep.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary conducted a preliminary study with 13 dogs. The study found that dogs’ brains respond to both human and canine sounds even during sleep. “This finding is significant as it provides the first evidence of complex auditory processing in dogs during sleep,” explained ethnologist Huba Eleőd and his team.
To conduct the study, the dogs were connected to devices that recorded their brain activity during sleep. They were then exposed to various vocalizations—such as yelps, whines, and laughter—from both dogs and humans in different stages of sleep: awake, semi-conscious, and deep sleep. The sounds were non-threatening to avoid disturbing the dogs.
Surprisingly, the dogs were able to identify the source and emotional tone of the sounds—whether they were from a dog or a human—and whether the emotion conveyed was positive or neutral.
This ability to process sounds while asleep is comparable to humans, who can often recognize familiar voices even when asleep. If we hear a stranger’s voice, we are more likely to wake up, as our brains perceive it as a potential threat.
The study suggests that dogs are more similar to humans than we might have thought. Eleőd and his colleagues believe this shared ability makes dogs ideal subjects for neurobiology research, which could deepen our understanding of the human brain as well.
While studying vocal stimuli processing during sleep is labor-intensive, the team notes that this non-invasive approach is the most effective method for understanding how dogs process sounds during sleep without causing distress.
Ultimately, this research highlights the strong bond between humans and dogs—and serves as a reminder to dog owners: be cautious not to mention “walk” or “treat” around a sleeping dog, or you might just wake them up!