Let sleeping dogs lie

With all the extra time we’ve been spending at home with our pets, now’s as good a time as any to offer them a luxurious new bed, comforter or cushion, just like yours.

While it can be tempting to let them sleep in your bed with you, a recent study from the Mayo Clinic found you may be better off if they’re on their turf – even if it’s in your bedroom. Unlike sleeping in a bed with another person, the study found, having a dog in your bed is linked to reduced sleep ‘efficiency.’

A dog bed is more about improving your dog’s comfort and enjoyment of their living space. ‘However, since our pets get far more sleep than we do, providing them with a good bed can be very important to improve their quality of life,’ says Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s pet behaviour expert Marycke Ackhurst.

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‘Spending too much time laying on and sleeping on hard or rough surfaces can lead to pressure sores on their elbows, knees and paws.’

When looking for a dog bed, keep the following in mind:

The size of your dog and your dog’s age

Then there’s the age-old question, what does your dog want? While our pups can’t communicate with us directly about the types of materials and surfaces, they prefer, there are signs pet parents can look out for.

Place several dog beds throughout the house in different locations or rotate the bed towards different directions to see where they gravitate towards. It’s best to keep an open mind though, your dog may prefer to sleep in cooler areas of the house during the day and in the comfort of your bedroom at night.

Or they may prefer quiet and secluded areas in a noisy home environment full of other pets and children.

What’s important to remember is that even though they may like their bed, your dog may still sleep in other places, like the floor, depending on temperature, the thickness of their coat and general preference.

Know when to replace your dog’s bed:

Think about how frequently your dog will use his dog bed

Does your dog’s bed get dirty or soiled regularly?

Does the bed have a foul smell that doesn’t go away even after a thorough cleaning?

Have you noticed deterioration or damage to the integrity of the dog bed cover or stuffing? – the exposed stuffing will not only reduce the support and comfort of the bed, but maybe easy for your dog to chew or swallow, which can become a health hazard, and not to mention, messy.

From 1 November pet parents of dogs of all sizes who purchase any two Hill’s Canine large bags between 10kg and 12kg will receive a free stylish large comfort cushion and those who purchase any two Hill’s Canine small bags between 3kg and 6kg will receive a free stylish mini comfort cushion. *T & C’s apply

Details: www.hillspet.co.za

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