Rubbernecking

Just when you think you've got an animal figured out, they start doing something new.  Take Blanca, our blind-and-deaf Great Dane puppy, for example.  Just in the past week I noticed she was beginning to sleep in ways that left her neck and head at peculiar -- I would say uncomfortable -- angles.  She likes dropping her head over the edge, which makes her neck almost look like it's made of rubber.

What's truly odd about the photo above is that she had the entire sofa to stretch out on if she wanted to do so.  But instead, she curled up at one end and dropped her head over.  Folks, don't you think that would eventually reduce -- if not cut off? -- the circulation to your head?  I don't know, maybe that induces a deeper sleep.

Here's another shot of her, this time on a too-small bed with head parked on the floor.  Notice the strategically placed duckie-toy wrapped around her nose.  I don't know if Blanca had been playing with this before she fell asleep, or whether it was already on the floor by the bed and she pushed it out when she put her head down.  Maybe this position is to allow increased blood flow to her head, to compensate for Position A above.

And finally, there was this shot.  Again, notice the cot is too small -- there is a pattern here -- with the head dropped off the edge.  The other pattern you'll notice from these photos is that it always seems she does this on the left side of her neck.

The mysteries of life with dogs.

Comments

[rosanna]

I wonder what she dreams....

[danielle]

I've seen danes with some pretty strange sleeping positions/routines (our current dane, Payton, likes to sleep with his nose tucked in his paw), but I've never quite seen the one in the top picture. Yikes!

[Beverly & the fur babies]

Blanca is too cute! She always brightens my day with her antics! Of course if I slept like that I would need a chiropractor in a hurry! Hugs to you Miss Blanca!

[Shannon]

Just love these pictures....really reminds me of my dane, Kai! It just goes back to the fact that danes truly don't realize their size!

[Lisa]

I have a very old dog with neurological problems and he also will always sleep with his head hanging down or at a very odd angle. I think for him it has something to do with keeping his equilibrium - maybe the same for Miss Blanca?

[ginger & Tobias (the greythound)]

I love these photos of Blanca doing weird things with her neck. My greythound Tobias, does this too! He hangs his head off the edge of the couch when he sleeps & his nose just barely misses the floor! I think it may produce more vivid dreams. Blanca is beautiful! Please give her a big hug from me.
ginger & the critters

[Moon Rani]

I've had dogs that did this. I always half-expected them to develop necks that were three feet long. :)
Where can we read Bianca's biography, please? She's a beauty!

[Boundforglory]

Definitely interesting (and funny)! I love the duckie wrapped around her nose. I'm sure Blanca will find more ways to stretch her neck and body out while mystifying the rest of us.

[Mary Ware]

Well, I don't get it...looks very uncomfortable to me. But she chooses the positions so it must work for her. I do know that she looks like she is very happy, secure in her space and growing!
Mary

[Bob Meehan]

Both our Beagle and our Foxhound sleep like this all the time. Not as extreme as Blanca's head hanging over th chair but pretty close. They both like their heads off their beds at night or when napping and the Foxhound likes to sleep at the top of the stairs to our family room with her head over the first stair. Never have figured it out either.

[Shirley & James, Portland, OR]

Blanca is not aware of her size--what cute pictures!