Give Your Pooch Somewhere Comfy To Snooze!

*Collaborative post.

Having a dog is like having an adorable best friend. A friend who will love you unconditionally and provide you with the best cuddles and kisses you’ll ever get. Owning a dog brings so much happiness and love to a household, but more than that, it teaches children about compassion and responsibility, and ensures everyone gets out and fits in a nice walk each day. 

If you’re umming and ahhing about getting a dog, there are lots of things to consider. One of the things that you’ll need to think about is training and setting basic house rules for your dog to follow. 

To your dog, you are their whole life.

The house you live in, that’s their world. I am a firm believer allowing dogs in the furniture and letting them relax in the house just like you do. It’s their home too, so why deny them a few basic comforts? 

I know that some people prefer not to let their dogs up on the sofa or the bed and there are loads of reasons behind this. Some dogs shed fur like there’s no tomorrow, so I don’t blame anyone for not wanting their bed covered in moulted dog fur! Some dogs have health problems and find it difficult to jump onto and off furniture – an example of this is arthritis in dogs. Some dog owners simply don’t have the room for their dog – breeds do come in all different shapes and sizes after all! 

If you don’t like dogs on the sofa, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have a little bit of luxury in their life.

I don’t think that you have to allow your pets on the furniture in order for them to have a relaxed, pampered lifestyle. Dogs can have their very own luxury dog beds where they can chill out and lounge to their hearts content. Dog beds also serve as a safe place where pets can go and relax, without being bothered, especially when paired with a crate or den. 

Some dog breeds, like whippets, can develop sores on their joints if they don’t have somewhere soft and squishy to relax and sleep. Other dogs, especially older ones, can have issues with their joints and so they may require a soft comfortable orthopedic dog bed to sleep on. 

Dog beds are important for happy, healthy dogs.

No matter your rules on whether or not you let your dogs on the furniture in your home, I do think it’s imperative to their health and to their happiness that our dogs have somewhere comfortable and relaxing for them to escape to when they need to. They also need to have consistency so that they know what is allowed and what is not. Some breeds are extremely sensitive and so mixed signals about the basic ground rules may cause confusion and reluctance.

Their entire life revolves around you and your home, so making sure you give them their own space to be a part of the natural flow of home life is the most important piece of advice I’d give to anyone looking to get a dog. Make sure you stick to the rules you lay out and that everyone obeys them. Ensure your pooch has a nice dog bed to call their own and above all else, make sure you shower them with love and affection. 

Do you let your dogs in the furniture, or do they have their very own special dog beds to chill out and relax in? I’d love to know your thoughts on the matter, so please leave them in the comments!