The average dog spends 12-14 hours sleeping each day so, along with appropriate diet, exercise and socialisation, a comfortable, good quality dog bed is one of the single most important things that impacts a dog’s quality of life. Luxury dog bedding experts of more than 12 years Charley Chau advises that pet owners check their dog’s bed regularly for any signs that it may be approaching its ‘use by’ date. So as the incoming change of the season has us focussed on tidying and sprucing up our homes, Charley Chau offers the following checklist to determine whether it’s time to fling your dog’s bed this Spring.
1. Take a good look at it! This may sound obvious, but even if a dog’s bed doesn’t look like it’s on its last legs, it's important to check for visible signs of mildew or mould, which can form on the underside of a dog bed due to the relatively cold floor underneath that occurs even in well-heated rooms. With the covers on and off, examine the bed carefully, so that you can inspect the internal mattress and any other pads or fillings. If you see any signs of mildew or mould, take the bed out of action immediately, as breathing fungal spores is not good for either hound or human.
More generally, most people know by looking whether or not their dog’s bed is ready for retirement. If it looks scruffy and sad and no amount of plumping, airing or washing will rejuvenate it, then it’s time for a change because your dog deserves to be comfortable.
2. Is the mattress still supportive enough? Do the thud test! A dog bed mattress should be of a regular thickness throughout, without any obvious distortions or irregularities. There should be substance to the mattress too. It should keep your dog off the floor, supporting their body weight, and insulating them from the cold.
Use the flat of your hand to go over the mattress and, pressing down firmly onto the mattress, checking for lumps, bumps, dips and hollows. Ideally a mattress should feel evenly supportive across the active sleeping area without any significant lumps or thin areas. Does the mattress resist the pressure that you are applying consistently across the bed, if not, try to re-shape it to improve its form. If you can’t get it into reasonable shape, it’s unlikely to offer your dog appropriate support.
Do a “thud” test with your elbow. Put the mattress on a stable, flat surface, bend your arm so that you have a sharp elbow, and bring your elbow down onto the mattress with a sudden, downward force. Go gently at first – you need to get a feel for how much pressure to use or you could seriously hurt yourself. This process is to mimic a dog dropping down onto a bed after they’ve done their circling around to get ready for their snooze. You never want to hear a hard thud of your dog or your elbow hitting the surface under the bed, but if you do it's time to get new dog bed.
3. Take the sniff test. Dogs can get whiffy, so it's no surprise that their bed can take on some fruity doggie odours. If your dog’s bed is smelly, wash it - including the outer covers, internal mattress and any other fillings - and let it dry out thoroughly. Then do the sniff test. If you’ve washed your dog’s bed and you can smell even a hint of eau de dog, then it’s time for a change. The smell is caused by bacteria and other microbes that are part and parcel of a well-used dog bed, so if you can't wash the smell out, then the likelihood is that those microbes have taken hold. If that's the case, it's time to say farewell to those unwelcome bed fellows.
4. Sanity check the size and shape. As our dogs develop and age, their sleeping preferences can change, so it's important that you keep an eye on your dog over time and observe how they prefer to sleep. Sanity check that the style and size of their bed is still the best option for them. For example, one of the Charley Chau four-legged pack – Anna – loved climbing inside a Charley Chau Snuggle Dog Bed pocket for most of her life but then she started to prefer a Ducky Donut Bed. This was because she was no longer comfortable sleeping flat on her side, instead preferred to lay down and leaning up against something. It's also worth noting that the comfiest and best bed for any dog should give them enough space to curl up and stretch out as the mood takes them, so make sure your dog’s bed enables both options!
5. “Listen” to your dog. Does your dog sleep on the sofa? In your bed? Avoids their dog bed like the plague? That could be because they want to be with you all the time, or it could be that they their dog bed is simply not up to standard. Dogs are canny little creatures of comfort. Why would they sleep in an uncomfortable dog bed when the sofa is the most comfortable place in the room? Put a great dog bed down though and it is likely to be a different story. Dedicated to offering beds as caninely comfortable as possible, Charley Chau has had heaps of customers contact us to let us know that a Charley Chau has changed their lives as well as that of their dog's.
Charley Chau has been at the forefront of luxury dog bedding design worldwide for more than a decade, with happy customers in over sixty countries around the world. Proud supporters of British manufacturing, the company offers an extensive collection of uniquely styled dog beds and blankets in a beautiful selection of fabics and styles to suit even the most discerning of hounds and their human owners. At the heart of Charley Chau's collection is supreme canine comfort, gorgeous styling and exceptional quality. Charley Chau bedding is designed to be as practical as it is gorgeous with machine washable everything, removeable covers, waterproof liners, and replacement spares.
Upgrade your dog's bed this Spring at Charleychau.com.
For further information, please contact Alex@barkandbeyondpr.uk or call 07791 592 011
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