My favourite Dog bed!

Choosing a dog bed is an important decision!

Hey everyone, Omega here with more waggy wisdom!

Today I want to talk about dog beds and sleeping. Sometimes I just get dog tired and all I want to do is go to bed for a nice long snooze. They say you should let sleeping dogs lie and I agree with that, don’t wake me up, unless it’s for a walk, or treats, or a bath, or cuddles. Okay, okay, you can wake me up. But I do love my naps. Did you know that most dogs sleep for about 14 hours a day and puppies need even more sleep, they can snooze for 20! Bigger dog breeds sleep for longer than smaller ones, those St Bernards can sleep for 18 hours a day. The lazy things!

Sometimes dogs can have trouble sleeping. Puppies coming into a new home might cry at night because they’re not used to sleeping on their own. Getting them a crate, like this one here and covering it to turn it into a cosy den can help them feel secure and of course a comfy bed is vital. Get a routine going so that your puppy gets used to going to sleep at a certain time. A walk and some play time will use up all that puppy energy and then a late night pee break will help them to last through the night.

There’s lots of soft chew toys available for puppies, to not only comfort them, but also help them with their teething during the night. This one here from Kong which has a cool rope toy inside incase I rip my toys up.

If your dog usually sleeps okay, but has started to wake up during the night, there’s a few things you can check.

1. Is dog bed comfy? Sometimes a bed can get too flat or chewed and it’s just not a cosy place to be anymore. As dogs get older they like a little more comfort, so if your dog is getting on in years it might be an idea to upgrade their bed. This bed is my favourite! it’s so soft and warm, I love settling down for a nap in it.
2. Another reason that your dog may not be sleeping is that they’re not getting enough exercise. If your dog hasn’t had a walk or a run or some playtime they might be still full of energy at bedtime. Make sure you get them out during the day. Even if it’s rainy and cold, we still love to get out and about!
3. Has something changed? If something in your dog’s environment has changed it can upset their sleep. Have you moved their bed? Is there a nosy machine keeping them awake? Have the neighbours got a new cat that sneaks up and stares in the window at them? Those sneaky cats! If it’s something scary outside that is stopping your best friend from getting their sleep (like those nasty fireworks) you could try a calming supplement like this one https://mutts.ie/product/yucalm-calming-tablets-for-dogs-chewies/ just to help them with their stress.
4. If you can’t figure out why your dog isn’t sleeping like they used to, then it might be time to talk to your vet because they could have developed a health issue. A quick check up will highlight any problems. I know some dogs don’t like vets. But mine is so nice, they always give me cuddles and tell me I’m such a good girl when I visit, I love it there!

Wow. All this talk about sleeping and naps has made me really tired. I think I’ll go for a lie down. Remember, if you have any questions about dog bed, or you need any advice on looking after your dog you can ask my Dad. There’s a special chat box on the website, just for questions. He’s very smart (for a human) so don’t be afraid to get in touch.

Night, night. And I’ll see you soon

Omega. xx