The Importance of Pet Beds

In some ways, our fur companions are similar to us. Our bed is a safe, private haven for us to seek solace and recharge; an escape from the rest of the world. Similarly, our pet dogs and cats require the same to preserve their mental and emotional health. In domesticated settings, pet beds can provide your dogs and cats the same needs that dens and caves gave their wild ancestors, as well as provide other benefits that can help create a comfortable co-living habitat for both you and your pets. 

Protects Joints

Sleeping on cold, hard floors can be detrimental to your pet’s health. A pet bed will provide your pets’ joints with cushion and relief the pressure from lying in one position for too long. For overweight pets and pets with weaker joints, sleeping on the floor can increase discomfort and further aggrevate any joint problems. Prolonged exposure to sleeping on hard floors can also lead to postural health problems. For older dogs and dogs with joint problems, consider getting a thicker, bigger bed or an orthopedic bed to relief joint discomfort.

Improves Sleep

Dogs and cats can be sensitive to weather changes, and to the difference in temperatures between the floor and its surrounding environment. These can cause your dog or cat to wake up multiple times during their rest. 

A pet bed can offer a consistent temperature that prevents their sleep from being interrupted. A well-rested dog will also have more energy to devote to learning new commands and tricks. Studies have shown that dogs tend to do better in repeating commands when they are properly rested.

Preserves Your Furniture

Apart from fur shedding, your pets can also track a lot of dirt from around the house and the outdoors. Providing pet beds around the house means there’s less fur and dirt on your furnitures and your clothes. 

It might be interesting to note that cats find comfort in nestling in a bed filled with their scent and fur, as they remind them of snuggling against their mother’s belly to rest and nurse. 

A pet bed also provides your pet with their own territory, and can prevent displays of undesirable behaviours like chewing, scratching, and marking.

Provides a Safe Retreat

Dogs and cats need at least 12 hours of sleep daily. Without their own pet beds, our pets often need to compete with another household member for their desired spot to rest––they need to wait their turn to use a piece of furniture (e.g. the couch), or succumb to a less-than-comfortable area when their choice spot is occupied. If they do get to the furniture first, their rest can often be interrupted when someone else needs it. 

A pet bed will easily provide your pets with the uninterrupted rests they need. Place their beds in a room least likely to be disrupted by visitors to make your pet’s retreat both safe and peaceful.

Reduces Anxiety

Whether you have plans to rearrange your furnitures, change residence, or go on a road trip with your pets, pet beds can help to reduce your pet’s anxiety.

Sudden changes and unfamiliar environments can be unsettling for your pets; their pet beds can provide a comforting constant to help ease any transition of change.

How to Choose the Right Bed?

Take your pet’s age, size, sleeping style, and other needs (e.g joint problems) into consideration when selecting their beds. For example, if your pet likes to sleep with all limbs out, pick a bed with a large surface area; offer pets with joint problems thicker beds.

Choose to have multiple pet beds in your house so your pets can enjoy their rest at different intervals of the day. For example, leave your cat a bed under the sun rays for their afternoon naps, and one in your room for them to retreat to during the evening.

If your dogs and cats are used to sleeping on your beds and couches, you can speed up the transition to pet bed by placing their favourite toys in the bed, and putting the bed in their favourite spot. 

Check out our Lavish Rattan Cat Pods for cats, and our FuzzYard Dog Beds collection!