how can dogs sleep in super awkward positions for hours without hurting after?
In: Biology
Dogs have very different musculature and bone structure from yours or mine. What would be super awkward for you can be very comfortable for them.
Well, humans can sort of do it too.
If you are physically fit, you’re far less likely to feel a ton of pain from sleeping in a slightly awkward position. Part of that is because the muscles responsible for keeping the body in a good position are more developed in fit people. Animals are, in general, more fit than humans.
But also, people have language. We can tell each other when we’re sore. We are apex predators who are not afraid of being picked off for showing weakness so we’ll limp or show other signs of our pain to each other. Most animals do not do this. Their biology tells them if they show their pain they are more likely to be a predator’s target. So if they are physically able to hide their pain, they do.
I’ve got a dog who is fairly lethargic. He also has back issues. It is incredibly difficult to determine if he’s feeling pain early because the symptoms are “he won’t get up often” and that’s common for him. He’s developing arthritis in one leg. But he only shows his limp a little bit. Most of the time you can’t tell. But I see that limp a lot less when he’s on medicine, so I know it’s affecting him. The only reason I can see that limp is I’ve had him for 11 years, so when something changes about his walk it stands out to me. It’s a lot harder to see it in other dogs.
Finally: their body architecture is different. Humans’ posture puts a LOT of stress on the spine, it wasn’t really made to be vertical. Our heads are huge and heavy compared to other creatures. So it doesn’t take much for our necks or core muscles to be under too much strain. Dogs and other quadrupeds spread those stresses out across more of their bodies. So even if they DO sleep in a weird position and get an ache, it’s less severe than it would be if they walked upright.
So, in short:
* Being physically fit eliminates a lot of the aches and pains.
* Bipedal creatures need their muscles in better shape to hold their posture.
* Most animals don’t show signs of pain unless it’s extremely severe.
Are you sure they’re actually in the same position for hours? The only time my dog doesn’t move that long is when she’s completely laying down with no awkward positions
Explain cats also please. Mine was sleeping with all four legs in the air, back snug between two couch cushions yesterday.
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