The average dog will sleep somewhere around 13 hours a day. With that said, wouldn't you consider it a must to provide a comfortable setting for your dog to spend all that time sleeping? There's no doubt that better sleep means a healthier, happier dog, and buying a pet bed is not necessarily a simple process. This guide will discuss some of the things to look for when deciding upon a resting place for your precious pet.
Shape
Dog beds come in a surprising variety of shapes. This may not seem like a particularly important aspect of choosing the right bed, but it can definitely go beyond the realm of mere aesthetic value. Take into the account the way your dog likes to sleep. Does he tend to curl into a ball or sprawl out with all fluffy fours taking up as much length as possible?
Depending on this answer, you may be looking to get a rounded bed, or perhaps a bed shaped in rectangular fashion. Many of the rounded beds have a pillow like appearance, and some are even covered if your dog likes a little extra shelter. The rectangular shaped beds are probably more useful for large dogs and provide for more space over the plush appearance of the round beds.
Size
Obviously, you won't want to get the same bed for a Pomeranian as you would a German Shepherd. It's crucial to take in things like your dog's weight, length, and overall girth. If your dog is large, consider getting a very spacious bed with a lot of padding in the bedding material. If you have a smaller dog who doesn't weigh as much, it may be practical to go for a smaller, perhaps rounded shape bed and the thickness of the material isn't quite as important, because less weight will be testing it.
Make sure you aren't short changing your dog when it comes to choosing the right bed size, because no dog is going to enjoy a bed they don't fit properly on, or perhaps can't feel secure on because there's so much extra room. Additionally, small dogs may use extra space for unwanted activities that we can all agree should not belong on beds.
Price
Finding a good pet bed does not necessarily involve breaking bank. Doing a quick Google search on pet beds will bring up any number of sites offering the best, most comfortable beds for your dog. Choose wisely, as the selection is endless. Generally speaking, the prices range from around $25-$300, so your options are plentiful, but don't buy a bed based on price alone. There's no reason to blindly spend $300 on a bed when you have no reason to believe your pet is picky enough to demand that caliber of bedding.
In most cases, $50 is a good starting point to satisfying your dog, depending on how choosy they can be about their sleeping places. Granted, anything is better than on the floor, so even if it's just spending $25 on a blanket, your dog will likely be very appreciative. On the opposite side, the most expensive of beds are typically luxury based items that only the most picky of dogs would need, and likely the largest. Some of them are even in the actual shape of a sofa for appearance sake, so if having a pet bed that fits in with your other living room furniture is a must for you, then one of the more high end beds may make more sense.
No matter what you choose, a pet bed is a great way to show your dog a little extra love so that they have a better chance of sleeping. With your help, your dog will get every last bit of satisfaction out of those 13 hours a day. Now, finding a way for you to enjoy your sleep that much? That's a different story.
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For more tips on selecting a bed for your four-legged friend, visit us at http://www.dog-bed-handbook.com.
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