My sister owns a Bernese Mountain Dog of about four years old, which she had since he was a few months old, and appears to be in robust health. He gets his check-ups and no red flags have been raised. The dog likes to relax in front of the fan or radiator, depending on the weather, and my sister's house is mostly laminated wooden floors.
When the dog decides he is ready to lie down and have a rest, he will lay down like any other dog but when he lowers his head to the floor, it's as if he just lets it fall without effort. It always hits the floor with a noticeable thud! It is the kind of noise that makes me think it would be painful or uncomfortable for any other dog (or a person). Even with other Bernese dogs, I have never noticed them do that. The dog has done this for as long as I have known him.
My sister has never expressed any concerns about it. I am merely curious as to why the dog might do it. Do Bernese dogs have a high pain threshold? Or is it just simply for efficiency's sake, letting gravity do the work?
