Pet Accessories

An old blanket on the floor for a dog mat is a thing of the past. Rover doesn’t just get his own special mat with colorful dog-related print fabric these days, his mat can also be temperature-controlled if his person so chooses.

Temperature-controlled dog mats are a smart choice, particularly for older dogs. Some temperature-controlled dog mats are simply heated, as with an electric blanket.  Other dog mats of this type are more versatile, allowing for coolness in summer and warmth in winter.

It’s a simple fact that not all canines are meant to live indoors. Larger dogs or delicate households can contribute to the need for a dog to live and sleep outdoors. Though your dog might not be able to sleep at the foot of your bed every night, it is nice to ensure they remain warm and comfortable outside.  You should ensure that your pet has a shelter of some kind outdoors; the back porch or a doghouse works fine for this.  You might also want to blanket the area surrounding the doghouse with wood chips, to provide extra warmth.  In addition to a roomy, large dog bed, a heated dog pad inside the dog house will help your dog stay comfortable and dry.

Make sure to give your dog lots of love and exercise, too.  Though they might not always be underfoot, they still need lots of attention!

Since your dog spends a good chunk of his life turning around three times then sleeping, the right bed is important for his comfort and well-being. There are many choices of dog beds out there, from frou-frou to functional. Picking the right type of bed is necessary to ensure your dog gets the most benefit from his rest time. First is to observe your dog while he’s asleep so you can measure him. Measure him lying down then add 12 inches to give him plenty of room.

Thick orthopedic mattresses, filled with medical-grade foam or even a box spring, are just the ticket for older dogs. Some even come heated. Little dogs like to burrow in and nest, so small round pillow-type beds are the best. There are also tons of cute novelty beds available, from glamorous slipper-shaped cushions to leopard-spotted faux-fur pillows. If you are going green, there are several eco dog beds now available. But more than anything else, your pet’s comfort should always be your major concern.

New parents know that swaddling a baby is important to keeping them warm and making them feel secure. Babies can’t regulate their body temperatures until a couple weeks after their born, so swaddling helps prevent hypothermia and discomfort. Puppies have the same issue. It takes a few days for them to get warm on their own.

Small dog beds are a good way to make sure your puppy grows up to be happy and healthy. In many cases a puppy are kept warm by their mothers’ bodies, but for myriad reasons this is not always possible. When I adopted a labradoodle puppy, I found that a small and comforting dog bed was the perfect thing to keep it content at night. Of course, as they get older you will want to invest in large dog beds to accommodate their increasing size.

Dogs, like people, need a comfortable place to sleep.  A well-rested puppy is a well-behaved one. If you feel like simply placing discarded towels in a laundry basket, you may want to rethink this idea.

A rested puppy will not only behave well, but will be easier to train and will generally be a bit friendlier; after all, you would be much friendlier yourself with a full night’s sleep, as opposed to four to five hours. Giving a dog a comfortable place to sleep is above and beyond tossing blankets on the stained end of a couch. If you want to make your pup feel truly at home, dog beds will be the way to go.

People often go to great lengths to keep their dogs off the furniture in their home, but unless well trained, most dogs will still jump and sleep on the furniture when their owners aren’t looking. Part of the reason dogs do this is because they’re attracted to the lingering scent of their owners, but it’s also because they often don’t have a place to sleep of their own. It’s quite possible to train a dog to sleep in a specific location, and much easier than training them to keep off the furniture.  For a little bit of fun, consider a sofa pet bed.  These beds are shaped much like their larger human counterparts, but are designed to be a bit smaller for dog. Owners can find dog sofas available in all different sizes for dogs ranging from Chihuahuas to Great Danes.  Most pets will take to sleeping on their own sofa after just a short while.

Make sure to place your sofa pet bed in an open location where the dog can feel like part of the family. Dogs won’t use their pet bed if it’s off in a corner or at some location where the rest of the family seldom frequents.

I know that dogs are designated man’s best friend, but my brother takes the canine-owner relationship to a completely new level. Some people may be satisfied to purchase a simple doghouse and bed for their canine companion, but not him. Since he’s living the bachelor life, he has transformed the extra bedroom in his condo into a sanctuary for his pooch.

The room is outfitted with a variety an assortment of dog décor, and there is even an automatic feeder setup in one of the corners. His dog doesn’t simply have a dog bed, but there are several pieces of specialized dog furniture, including a dog couch and sofa. My brother thinks that these accommodations for his dog are normal, but I’ve suggested scaling it back a little if he ever wants to stop being a bachelor.

Let’s face it: we all prefer a bed that has comfortable padding, extra pillows, and warm blankets to a cot and a sleeping bag, and dogs are much the same. No dog wants to sleep on a cold hardwood floor when they could be relaxing in style on a designer dog bed. There isn’t a specific characteristic that identifies one dog bed as being ‘designer’ over another, but in general, the designer label is taken to mean luxurious. Designer dog beds often have extra padding, and might include pillows or other objects. In addition, these designer dog beds are often crafted in the image of human beds, sofas, or even lounges. Tired pups are guaranteed to wake up more rested and stir less when sleeping in a designer dog bed that meets their needs for comfort. There’s nothing worse than a restless dog at night!

You can find designer dog beds at most of the same places that sell standard dog beds.  Despite having the moniker of “designer”, most designer dog beds aren’t all that much more expensive than a regular dog bed.

One of the most important things to purchase when you’re welcoming a new puppy into your home is a dog crate. The dog crate acts as not only a place where your puppy can sleep, but a place where they can feel safe in a foreign location. When buying a dog crate, first make sure it’s big enough to last through at least the first year of the dog’s life. It’s not uncommon for puppies to double in size in the first year. You will also want to buy blankets or dog crate pads so that your puppy stays warm and comforted.

Whatever kind of dog crate you decide to buy, you will want to ensure that it is fully closed and locked when the puppy is in it.  If one of the clasps is loose for example, your puppy could press against the crate door and catch their foot in it.