3 Tips When Getting Your Dog Comfortable With His Own Bed
Buy a loose-fill bed: As far as comfort is concerned, it doesn’t matter all that much what kind of bed you buy. To give the most pawing satisfaction, however, you may want to get a bed that’s made from loose fill – from cedar chips, for example – rather than a solid mattress. This gives dogs the opportunity to move the filling around when they paw, which is closer to what they’d experience naturally.
Give them a bed of their own: Most dogs appreciate having a bed that’s theirs and theirs alone. Even when they’re reluctant to use it at first, the gradual accretion of personal smells will make it part of their territory, and they’ll want to go there when it’s time to sleep. Dog beds are made to withstand a lot of abuse, and most have washable covers as well.
Put the bed where your dog will use it: No one enjoys spending $50 for a comfortable bed, only to watch their dog give it an indifferent sniff before curling up on a corner of the couch. Since dogs are intensely attuned to territory, you’ll need to be accommodating in finding the best place to put the bed. If there’s one spot where your dog always settles down to sleep, you’ll want to put the bed as close to that spot as possible.