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My puppy cries in its sleep. Is this normal or a sign of trouble?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Irish Setter | Female | unspayed | 2 months and 27 days old | 16 lbs

Is it normal for puppies to cry in there sleep?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on November 3rd, 2017

Hi there and thanks for your post. It is not uncommon for puppies as well as dogs to dream. Sometimes they can howl or cry/whimper in their sleep when they are experiencing a dream. As far as tear production goes, dogs do not cry (produce tears when upset or for emotional reasons) like we do. I hope this helps and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on February 27th, 2017

    Poor pup! Yes, puppies do dream and will sometimes bark, growl, or even howl in their sleep - so if he was acting normal as soon as he woke up and hasn't had any other problems, it's likely that he simply had a nightmare. If this becomes a recurring problem, I would recommend having him checked by a vet to make sure that he doesn't have a medical problem of some kind causing this behavior.

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