Why Does My Dog Whimper Before Sleeping. Why a dog whimpers depends on how it feels or what it needs, and can vary in different situations. Adult dogs won't generally whine or cry at night as they're used to you and your home.
If he whimpers before sleeping or in the middle of the night and he’s right on schedule, this might be triggered by some sort of discomfort or pain, and you should probably consult. If she’s scratching her bed on a hot night, she’s just trying to cool it down so she can sleep better. Science suggests that canine brains go through similar stages of electrical activity while sleeping as human brains, so they're perfectly capable of dreaming like we do.