Having a good night’s sleep is just as important for our wellbeing as following a healthy and balanced diet and taking regular exercise. Without a good and relaxed sleep, our body won’t be able to rest and we can often find it difficult to get started the following day. Trying to concentrate and work with having a restful sleep is very difficult, and can affect one’s mood and emotions.
Animals are similar to humans in the sense that they need a good sleep as well. Dogs in particular are one animal that need to sleep well, but they are also adaptive when it comes to their sleeping patterns.
The importance of quality sleep for dogs
Most dogs will sleep for around 12-14 hours on average each day, much more than we do. In fact, you might find that some breeds of puppy will sleep for up to 20 hours a day. Like us as people, there are many factors that influence how long and how well a dog will sleep.
Age and health are two of the most important factors, as well as the breed of the dog. Larger dogs or those that are sedentary may sleep for longer periods than small canines.
Dogs will usually sleep during the night when their owners are sleeping. However, they will also spend another 5 or so hours sleeping randomly throughout the day. Maybe when you are out of the house and at work they will sleep for a couple of hours, or in the afternoon or early evening if you are off playing tennis or some other form of activity.
You’ll find that most dogs will be awake and active when you are about, and will adapt their sleep to take rest when they are left alone. There are lots of dogs who suffer from separation anxiety and don’t like to be left alone, so sleeping during that time of the day could be their way to dealing with their stress.
As with humans, getting a good sleep is very important, and one of the things that can help with that is a comfortable bed. Dogs are no difference in that sense, and having a nice, soft warm place to lay their heads and rest their bodies is vital in the quality of sleep that they have.
Beds for dogs
There are lots of different types of beds for your pets that you can find online or at your local pet store. You can head over and check out BobbyBed.com if you want to get an idea of the type of dog beds you can find.
One of the biggest varieties is for dogs, simply due to the wide range of different breeds and sizes of the animals. In the case of cats, the beds for our feline friends are generally similar in size, but for dogs, there is a much wider range of different sized beds for them.
Many years ago, people wouldn’t have given a second thought to where their dogs sleep. It was taken as given that dogs would simply find a corner somewhere to snuggle up and fall asleep. However, the floor isn’t the best place for a dog to sleep. It can be very cold and dirty, and could eventually lead to health issues for your pet.
The importance of a good dog bed
Sleeping on a comfortable bed with a nice soft pillow is the ideal way for many people to get a good night’s rest. The same applies to dogs, and the more comfortable they are, the better quality of sleep they will have.
Dogs, as well as other animals, will suffer from the same aging issues that humans do, and issues such as arthritis are just as common in dogs as they are in people. Aging can affect everyone, and issues with joints can be just as painful and as uncomfortable for dogs as they are for us.
You will want a dog bed that provides comfortable support for your pets joints and muscles. Offering support to cushion and to evenly distribute weight is very important, and many dog beds will be able to do this, compared with simply throwing a blanket down on the floor for them to sleep on.
Choosing the best bed for your dog
The type of dog bed that you pick for your pet is going to be dependent on a number of factors. The first is their age. Older dogs are going to be more susceptible to aches and pains, so it might be worth considering going for an orthopedic dog bed.
Those will provide much better support and comfort for your pet, and you can even find some that have a heating function that can warm up the bed, which is especially useful during the cold winter months.
The size and bred of your dog will be the next factor to consider. Small dogs are more happy with dog nest beds or those that are covered. These hooded beds come in a range of styles and can resemble small houses or kennels. They provide a snug and comfortable place for smaller dogs to sleep.
If you have a larger breed of dog, then you’ll most likely need to go for something such as the regular dog bed, which is similar to a mattress, but made for dogs. These provide more space for larger dogs to stretch and sleep, and some of them also have cushioning and padding around the sides to provide a pillow for your dog’s head.
If your dog is one that spends time in their kennel, then a kennel bed is going to be the best choice. These will be made of comfortable materials, providing a soft and warm barrier between the kennel and the ground.
Some final thoughts
Sleeping is vital for all of us. Dogs are the same, and even spend more hours a day sleeping than we do. This is why it’s so important that they have a comfortable, safe and clean place to sleep. With so many different dog beds available for all breeds and sizes of dogs, it won’t be too difficult to find one that your pet is going to love.
If you aren’t sure which type of bed will be best for your dog, spend a little bit of time online researching the various options, or if you have a pet store close by, pop in and speak with a member of staff. They will be able to give you the best advice and show you first hand the various types of dog bed that they have available.