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How to Give Your Dog its Best Life

The old saying is that a dog is a man’s best friend. If this is true, and we believe it is, wouldn’t you want to give your canine companion the best life? Of course, you do! This is why today, we are going to discuss ways to help you make your dog’s life a happy and healthy one.

Banish Bad Breath

One of the most off-putting things that can happen to you is to be playing with your pet and get a whiff of ‘bin’ breath in your face. Just like you, your dog needs regular dental care to prevent plaque and tartar building up on their teeth. There are many solutions available to ensure that your dog has pleasant smelling breath; these include regular brushing with pet-friendly toothpaste, adding dental additives to their drinking water, and allowing them treats that are beneficial to their periodontal health. Some pet owners add parsley to their dog’s food.

Enough Exercise

We say ‘enough’ because over-exercising your pet will lead to adverse effects in their senior years. Young puppies’ joints are not usually fully developed into a hard bone by the time they leave their mother to their new forever home. Always consider your dog’s age and breed when planning an exercise regime. For example, a bulldog will have trouble running a long distance, because of its short, stocky stature, where a larger, slimmer breed, like a greyhound, will excel.

Health, Balanced Diets

There are many different pet foods available, both in-store, and online. Give your four-legged friend the healthiest nutrition you can, that’s not only formulated for its stage of life, but also in the correct portions. Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which can snowball into other, even more, hazardous health issues. If you’re not sure what brand of pet food is right for your dog, speak to your vet. Also, always remember that water is an integral part of a healthy diet because it contributes to regular bowel and bladder movements.

Grooming

We’ll concede that by the end of a bathing session, you’re likely to be almost as wet as your dog, but grooming is a fundamental building block in your dog’s best life. Not only does it keep their coat shiny, but it also allows you to bond with your pet, check them for parasites (don’t forget to look inside their ears), and other skin conditions.

Brushing your dog regularly, both after and in between bathing sessions, will remove old fur and stimulate the natural production of essential oils to keep your dog’s skin moist. When it comes to a grooming brush for dogs, there are many outlets that stock them, and they come in a selection of shapes and sizes. Speak to your local pet store, veterinarian, or groomer about which one is best suited to your dog.

Sleeping Spot

Depending on the breed, your dog may not be able to sleep inside the house. In such a case, invest in a sturdy kennel for your dog to protect them from the elements. Place something soft inside, such as a large pillow or a folded blanket for your dog to sleep on and keep them warm. If they are going to sleep indoors, it is advisable to have something similar inside for your dog, unless of course, they’re going to be sharing your bed. Don’t forget to launder your dog’s bedding regularly, using a pet-friendly detergent so as not to irritate their skin.

There are merely a few tips to oil the wheels on your train of thought; the most important factor in addition to the ones offered above is to love your pet as they do you: unconditionally.

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Pet

Pet Worries: What’s the Right Thing to Do?

Having a pet is widely supposed to calm anxieties and racing thoughts, by providing companionship, comfort and something to care for. Unfortunately, pets can be a source of worry in their own right! If your pet is sick, loses its appetite, shows destructive or upsetting behaviours then it’s easy to lose sleep worrying about them!

Today we’re taking a look at some of the things you can do when you’re worried about your pet to make sure they get the help they need and you get to relax and enjoy their company as usual once again.

Time for the Vet?

If you notice your pet is injured or behaving in a strange or worrying way, then your first instinct might be to make an emergency appointment and rush it to the vet. While this is a good, caring instinct, it might be counterproductive. If your pet doesn’t need the vet, if it just needs some quiet time to recuperate in safety at home, then you’ve subjected it to a lot of stress for no positive result, reinforcing the negative associations many animals have with vets and making it harder to get them there the next time you really need help!

As the months and years go by you’ll develop better instincts and more knowledge about what’s normal for your pet, what’s non-serious and what’s genuinely worrying, but if you ever need professional input without loading your pet into a carrier, then it’s worth researching the sort of online vet advice UK veterinarians are beginning to offer. An online vet can’t do blood tests, administer medication or touch your pet for a physical examination, but via a video call they can look at the symptoms, talk with you and suggest your next course of action. At the very least they can let you know if you really do need to make an emergency trip to the vet.

Behaviour Problems

Whether it’s unusual aggression, destructive chewing and clawing or obsessive grooming, our pets have many behaviours that can worry us – and cause damage to our homes! Being faced with some of these behaviour problems can be very concerning, but fortunately, a lot of the time there’s a lot you can do to help.

The best thing you can do is try to understand what’s motivating that behaviour: a lot of the time destruction, aggression and house training issues stem from boredom and anxiety: if you can understand the source of their anxiety and address it, or provide some more attention and stimulation the issues may well disappear.

If you’re at a loss and in need of help, it’s worth consulting a trainer or behaviour specialist. Ask local pet owners, or at your vet for recommendations and get the help you need!

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Pet

How to Choose Between a Purebred and Mixed Breed Puppy

A purebred puppy is one that has been bred for a specific purpose, whether that is herding sheep or keeping your family safe. Mixed breed puppies are a mix of two or more breeds, while mutts may have a truly mixed heritage. But which one is right for you? Here are a few tips on how to choose between a purebred and mixed breed puppy.

Know Your Goals

Do you just want a companion animal? A mixed breed puppy can be a viable choice, if the dog has the right personality. A purebred puppy could be a good companion, if it comes from a breed that was literally bed to be a companion. On the other hand, dogs bred to be hunting dogs or guard dogs are rarely good companions regardless of the individual dog’s personality. If you want a dog that will herd goats or play fetch really well, then a herding dog is probably the best choice. A mixed breed puppy probably won’t be able to learn this. If you want to breed the dog at some point, it must be purebred if you want their offspring to be registered and show-worthy.

This means you should create a list of the traits you want the dog to have. This list can include must haves and nice to have features. This list can be used to identify potential breeds and determine whether a mixed breed dog may be an option.

Compare the Breed to Your Lifestyle

Terriers and a few other breeds were bred to chase vermin and even dig them up. Dachshunds love to dig, too, because they’re bred to go after badgers and other burrowing vermin. This means you won’t want these dogs if you can’t stand the idea of them digging up the yard to go after a mole or gopher. Hunting dogs will want to chase everything that fits their definition of a target, and they typically require a lot of exercise. Retrievers like collies and golden retrievers need to be walked long distances or they’re going to tear up the house out of boredom. This is true regardless of their size. Dogs bred to be companion animals tend to have trouble being left home alone, though this can be mitigated by having two or more dogs in the household.

At this step, you should strike potential breeds off your list and know whether a mixed breed dog is a viable option. You should end up with a short list of potential breeds and / or mixed breeds. Know that you could get a dog that is half or three-quarters a given breed and get many of the same traits, though the dog may not have the same sharp instincts as the purebreds. That means you’d need to train it more than a purebred, regardless of your end goal.

Know What to Look for When Shopping for the Puppy

If you’re considering buying a mixed breed puppy, the dog is more likely to be free of genetic defects. However, you need to have the dog checked for general health problems and parasitic infections that can come from neglect if it came from a puppy mill. If you’re looking for purebred dogs, you’ll want to verify the dog’s pedigree and verify that it is free of genetic disease. You can use a website like this when looking for purebred puppies to find breeder who provide health clearance information, genetic test results and authentic pedigrees. Then you won’t pay a premium for a purebred animal with ongoing health problems. However, the dog should still be checked out by a vet.

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Pet

The Facts You need to Expect when Your Pet is Euthanized

All pet owners consider their pet to be a part of their family. They love them a lot and never ready part from them. Unfortunately, sometimes they need to take a drastic step when their pet dog or cat falls sick adversely. The steps involve putting their pet asleep forever. You need to control your emotions as well as be practical to decide on euthanasia.

How to cope up with pet euthanasia?

Euthanasia sounds to be an awful way to end any living being’s life. However, it is the most suitable way to end their sufferings. When you opt for the clinical method to put your pet asleep forever, there are many sad moments to experience.

Many cat owners prefer to put their pet to sleep if they are suffering a lot and their end is near. They cannot see their pain and don’t prefer to wait for their natural death. They prefer to contact the best experience veterinarian clinic like the most popular one in the New York City, the Zen Dog Veterinary Care PLLC. They consult the skilled vets and request them to do in home cat euthanasia as they want their pet to sleep forever in the same place where it lived.

Things you need to do before your pet is euthanized –

  • You need to decide whether you want to watch the process of euthanized or not. It is a personal decision however many pet owners felt blissful to let their cat sleep forever in their arms.
  • You need to decide whether you leave your cat in a vet’s clinic or take it home after the euthanasia process is fully over.

  • The decision of burying or cremating is required to do as you have to perform the rituals as soon as your pet cat is asleep forever.
  • You can take the ashes of cremation as a cherished memoir of your lovable cat or ask the cremating staff to spread it in the nearby fields.
  • Most pet owners like to opt for the burial option. There are two ways to do it. You can ask your pet to be buried along with other animals in the burial ground. Otherwise, you can have your pet buried on your premises.
  • There are chances of your cat’s inner fluids and gas leaking out. Blood may leak out from their nose and mouth as well. Hence, be prepared to carry some thick blankets to wrap your pet after the euthanasia process is over. You can even opt to have them lay down in a casket.
  • You need to carry your pet carefully as their body will be stiff and cold.

It is really painful to part from your pet feline however there is a need to put them at rest forever to end their intense pain. You can opt to do at home cat euthanasia Westchester region, if you live there as it saves the trouble of transporting your severely ill cat to a vet clinic and bring it back after the euthanasia process ends.

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Pet

How To House-train a New Dog: 4 Things You Need To Know

Every dog owner has this idea of the perfect pet: friendly, cute, and well-behaved. That’s why many of us are so enthralled by dog trainers who can turn disobedient and untrained dogs into the perfect pets. Some of the most popular videos on the Internet are of dogs and their trainers. However, our expectations rarely match our realities. The vast majority of dogs today lack the training to do anything beyond a few basic tricks.

It’s perfectly normal to wonder why our own dogs can’t be like the dogs we see on YouTube or television. Just like any other intelligent being, dogs need to be trained and educated if you want them to become better versions of themselves. Even dog obedience training can go a long way in improving your dog’s behavior.

Of course, you can’t expect your dog to become better overnight. The training results also depend on a long list of factors like their welfare, pedigree, and genetics. It’s also better to get started while they’re young. With patience and training, you can turn your puppy into an obedient and well-trained dog. Let’s get started.

  1. Pick a name early on

Puppies get confused easily, and if you can’t decide on one name, the training process will become more challenging. You have to be consistent in all facets of the training process. Start calling the puppy by one name and make sure everyone in the household follows suit. Even nicknames can be confusing, so everyone must be on the same page. If the puppy was given to you with a name, you need to use that.

You’re teaching your puppy to respond to their name. Eventually, they will approach anyone who calls them with their proper name. It’s important to avoid any other word or sound when calling the dog to prevent confusion.

  1. Establish basic rules

Consistency is just as important as frequency and duration when it comes to dog training. If you want to establish positive behavior or suppress bad ones, you need to establish basic rules and be consistent when it comes to application. That way, your dog will understand which behaviors he should learn and unlearn. Make sure everyone in the household knows all the rules to minimize confusion.

Let’s say you want your puppy to stay off beds. You can be steadfast when it comes to applying that rule, but if anyone in your household allows dogs on any of the beds, it erases the progress you’ve made. Instead, your puppy will start following the person that allows them to do the things they want. Not only have you failed to establish positive behavior, but the puppy might also learn to stop following your commands.

Make sure everyone, including the children, knows what they can and cannot do. In particular, children have difficulty understanding the house rules, but if you explain them carefully, they might be able to help in the training.

  1. Focus on small things first

Your puppy is not going to do any impressive tricks in the first few months. Before you can teach them anything complex, you need to gauge what they’re capable of by teaching them the basics. For instance, you can take this opportunity to house-train your puppy to minimize accidents. It’s important to be incredibly patient, as puppies don’t typically respond to verbal abuse. Just keep using positive and negative reinforcement.

Your puppy needs to learn early on where they need to sleep, eat, and go potty. You can’t just put their food and water bowl anywhere. Just choose one spot, and eventually, they’ll get the message. You also need to show them where they can poop or pee.

  1. Dogs learn by association

Puppies and toddlers are alike in that they learn by positive and negative association. Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior and negative reinforcement to suppress bad ones.

You need to reward your puppy every time they do something you want to encourage. Your patience and kindness will be rewarded with good behavior. However, if you scold your dog often, they might regress and even grow fearful of you.

A final word

These four tips will help you turn your puppy into an obedient and well-trained partner. Dog training isn’t something that happens overnight, and you’ll need to be consistent and resolute if you want to see good results. But with planning and a bit of patience, you’ll start seeing good behavior.

Meta title: 4 Ways to Train a New Puppy
meta desc: Dog training doesn’t happen overnight, but with planning and patience, you can start seeing results soon enough.

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Pet

Microchipping 101: Why microchipping your dog is so important

If you are a first-time dog owner, you might not be fully aware of just how important it is to have your dog microchipped. If your dog (or cat) is properly microchipped, it can mean the difference between finding your pet after a few days apart and never seeing it again. Keep reading to learn more about why you should get your dog microchipped as soon as possible.

What is a microchip?

A microchip is a form of permanent, electronic identification. Microchips are tiny– they are about the size of a grain of rice – and they are implanted between the shoulder blades, underneath the skin. Each microchip has a unique number that is listed on a database.

When you microchip your dog, your name and contact information is then listed under your dog’s number in the database. If your dog becomes lost or runs away and is found away from your area, a veterinarian or vet tech can quickly scan the microchip, check the number, and then find your contact information and give you a call. If you happen to find a lost dog or cat, you can take them to a vet clinic or animal shelter, and they will be able to check to see if the animal is microchipped.

Getting your dog microchipped

To have your dog microchipped, you can visit any of the registered vets across Australia, such as Greencross Vets. A trained veterinarian will insert a microchip, and then you can log into a database for your pet and input your name and contact information. The process will only take a few minutes, and you can rest assured that it is a relatively painless procedure for your dog.

If your dog was previously owned or you have adopted your dog from a shelter, there is a chance that your pet has already been microchipped. That just means you will need to update your pet’s information in the database. If you move or change your email or phone number, you also need to update the database with your new contact information to ensure accuracy.

Why is microchipping important?

If your dog is microchipped, it is much easier for the two of you to be reunited following a separation. Checking a microchip and referencing the microchip database only takes a handful of minutes. On the other hand, if your dog is not microchipped, you will likely spend a lot of time leafletting your neighbourhood, calling around to every local clinic, and walking through your area calling out your dog’s name.

In Australia, microchipping for dogs is compulsory in Tasmania and is mandatory for both cats and dogs in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia. However, regardless of whichstate you live in, microchipping your dog as soon as possible is the best way to ensure that you and your dog will be quickly and safely reunited should you ever be separated.

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Pet

Why Horses are Great Pets to Have

Horses, like dogs, are a great companion and loyal pet animal for humans. They are much more powerful compared to a lot other four-legged pets. Horses were mainly used for transportation and for wars decades ago. Being powerful and having great stamina help them travel long distances without issues also even after a long commute they can sleep while standing as they always keep standing.

Among the several treatments for your horse available with the veterinary, consider investing your time and money in CBD for horses. It would be a suitable medicine to reduce the anxiety effects in your horse without causing any side effects. However, you should be prudent in your choice of the best store to buy CBD for horses.

Horses with some amazing qualities have a great physical appearance which is why a lot of humans are attracted towards these beautiful and adorable creatures. A lot of people like to have them as a pet and are attached to them. There are a lot of reasons to have a pet horse, but here are some of the most common reasons:

  1. Smart and emotional: Some of us might have heard about the stories where horses have saved someone’s life. It’s not only their adorable physique but also their smartness, loyalty and love towards their owner which makes them a great pet. People love spending a lot of time with their horse and horses do love spending time with their human friends too.
  1. Nature and Fitness: If you are in love with nature then Horses will be the best option for you as a pet. You can be fit, enjoy nature and explore new places all at the same time while enjoying a horse ride. Horse riding is supposed to be the best way to keep healthy and fit and a great outdoor activity.
  1. Easy maintenance: A lot of people think horses are hard to look after but instead they are easy with maintenance compared to a few other pets. It does need a big commitment having a pet horse but feeding them or making a comfortable shelter available for them is not that tough.
  1. Social and fun loving : Keeping a horse keeps you social as there’s a large and broad community of horse owners, you can enjoy horse riding, looking after or even competitions and being social. Horses also are fun loving, very active and playful.
  1. Longer life: Horses have a longer life than some of the other pets, while an average life of a horse is 25-30 years, it may vary for some of the other breeds. Their longer life gives owners a better chance to develop the bond with their pet horse.

Just like humans, horses have different personalities. Every single horse has a discrete personality and the other one. They do have some characteristics or values like fearlessness, aggressiveness, challenging etc. Each of these characteristics differs with the quality in them which makes every individual horse unlike any other. It’s important to think about all these values before you make a decision on what breed/horse you choose to be your family.

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Guide To Know How Much Benadryl For Dog Is Enough

Dogs are the most lovable pet animals. These are one of those creatures which are always greedy for love and care. If you have a pet dog then you must take extreme car of your pet. Dogs are more prone to allergies and reactions.  The popular medication for these allergies prescribed by veterinarians is known as Benadryl, but how much benadryl for dog is required is still a question.

When to use Benadryl?

Benadryl is a widely used drug to provide relief to dogs. It is also known by Dephenhydramine, it is one of the safest drug given to dogs. It acts by providing relief to allergies, since Benadryl is an antihistamine and it works in the body of the dogs by blocking the receptors typically H-1 receptors on blood vessels and muscles. It is used to treat the stings and bites by insects. It also helps dogs who have motion sickness by acting like a sedative for them. It is used to treat swelling and watery eyes and other reactions in dogs.

How much dose of Benadryl is preferable?

Although it is one of the safest medicine but it should be given in limited dosage only.  1 mg  per pound of the weight of body of the pet is usually prescribed by doctors as a standard dose. Benadryl usually comes in 25mg size. It is always prescribed to take the help of doctor before feeding the dog with the medicine. Whenever you buy the tablets from medical store, check the dosage. The medicine can be given for a minimum of two times per day, but the dosage can increase if the problem does not deteriorate.

Safety level of Benadryl

Benadryl can be given to all the breeds of dogs but one should give extra attention when giving it to small breeds. Since every breed has a definite safety level for the medicine. The medicine could be given in every 8 hours when the pet is not well.  The dose can be increased when required but not to get higher than 2mg.

There are some dogs which can be allergic to Benadryl too, in this case take your pet to the vet immediately. The dogs can show side effects in many ways and the vet only knows how o treat them well. If overdosed Benadryl can cause drowsiness and unconsciousness in dogs. You must consult your vet on how much benadryl for dog is enough.

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Pet

Looking for Pet Products? – Visiting a Pet Shop is a Smart Choice

If you are a pet lover and want to spend quality time with your dog or cat, you need to be aware of the fact that they also need the best products just like human beings. Gone are the days, when you used to make their clothes and other stuff from the clothes and waste material available in your wardrobe or kitchen. You will be overwhelmed to know that you can find several products in pet shops such as dog coats. If you want to make your pet more comfortable, you must visit these shops frequently.

Buying the right stuff for your pet

As a pet lover, you will like to look after your pet just like your child. Even if you are going out of home, you will love to carry your dog along with you. In such a case, you should look for the right dog carriers, which will not only make you comfortable carrying him, but also he feels happy by being with you outside. This way, he will have more fun and frolic. These carriers are easily available in a pet shop. All you have to do is to search them and ensure that they are of the right size.

Searching for pet products online

The greatest advantage of buying products online is that you can save your valuable time and effort. Online pet shops are a great source of information when it comes to pet products such as dog crates. You just need to navigate the right category for a cat or dog or any other pet. You will be amazed to see the wide range of products online. This way, you can easily pamper your pet with a lot of cute products for him. At a few clicks of the mouse, you can access numerous products for your pet.

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The Most Common Dog Bed Options

It is important to think where your dog is sleeping, and even though they can sleep anywhere, having an appropriate bed is a much better choice for both you and your pet.

On the other hand, they can fit your couch easily, or in some cases enter your bed, which may be cute for a few times, but afterward, it will start to frustrate you. Therefore, it is vital to understand that one of the most vital necessities for dogs is beds. We recommend you to check this particular link: https://www.doglifehq.com/5-best-dog-beds/ because that way you will be able to see best dog bed options that you can find on the market.

The main idea is that you can find numerous options on the market, which means that seeing it for the first time could be a challenging endeavor. Stay with us to learn more on different types and dog bed varieties that will satisfy your beloved pet.

  1. Standard Beds

Have in mind that standard beds are a combination of pillows and cushions that do not have rims or edges. You can find them in numerous colors, materials, sizes, and shapes. When it comes to forms, they usually come in square, rectangular, oval, and round shape.

At the same time, most of these beds are covered with materials such as microfiber, faux suede, denim, fleece, or many more. You can also find polyester filling or more expensive solutions such as foam padding.

Some high-quality beds feature cedar chips that will help you reduce the number of insects and problematic odor.

You can find them for both affordable price tag and some expensive brand editions. Most of them feature washable and removable covers, which means that cleaning and maintenance is a piece of cake.

Standard beds are perfect solutions for all dog breeds, but they will not provide your senior dog appropriate support, which means that you should change it accordingly as time goes by.

  1. Nest Beds

Even though they are highly similar to standard dog beds, you should have in mind that they come with raised edges that will create a sense of nest. They also come with bolsters or rims that are surrounding only portion or entire bed based on your needs and preferences.

Have in mind that some nest beds tend to resemble couches and sofas as well. The raised edge is an excellent choice because your dog will be able to curl up and lean on it, which will increase its enjoyment.

Most dogs find these types of beds highly comfortable, and the nest will look appealing within your household.

  1. Donut Beds

Similarly, as nest beds, this particular type comes with edge or rim around it. However, the edge feature pillow-like bolster that will allow your dog to sink inside and enjoy along the way. When it comes to shape, these beds are typically oval and round and come from soft materials.

The bed is highly comfortable and plush, which means that your cuddly dogs will enjoy it. They are great for breeds that enjoy sleeping in a cozy environment. However, for adult and weak dogs, it may be challenging to get inside and outside due to plush materials and thickness. You should click here to learn more on animal furniture in general.

  1. Orthopedic Beds

It is important to remember that orthopedic beds are individually perfect for dogs that come with orthopedic issues and arthritis, which is a standard issue that happens in senior ages.

The best thing about it is that it comes from thick and high-end foam, which means that your dog will get comprehensive support for the body and avoid stress on joints.

Even though it is an easy solution for most dogs, it is made explicitly for thin and senior dogs, because they will especially benefit from it. Similarly, as standard beds, you can find them in numerous shapes, sizes, and colors.

As you can see from the description we have mentioned above; orthopedic beds are perfect for dogs with orthopedic problems as well as thin dogs such as Whippets and Greyhounds. That way, you will be able to prevent calluses and pressure sores.

  1. Kennel Beds

These beds come with shape and size that will easily fit crates and kennels of any sizes and shapes. This is a much better solution than bringing heavy blankets. At the same time, they are more comfortable, and you will be able to place them wherever you are.

Have in mind that some brands will provide you water-resistant beds, which are simpler to clean. In case your dog is spending too much time in crate or kennel, you have to purchase a mattress that will provide it additional support.

You can use it for all breeds and types, and it does not matter whether it is thin, old, or bony.

  1. Raised Beds

You can also find beds that are not laying on the floor as most types we have mentioned above. However, these beds are raised off the floor. The idea is that you can place orthopedic cushions, nest, standard, or even set the mattress on the raised frame without any additional hassle.

Have in mind that frames come from metal, wicker, wood, or plastic. Their appearance resembles dog-sized sofas, which means that it will increase the aesthetical appeal of your household.

The main benefit or raised bed is that your dog will keep a distance from the dirty and cold floor, which may protect it along the way. At the same time, inspects will not attack your dog while it is sleeping, because of the higher grounds.

Have in mind that raised beds are not convenient choice for dogs with arthritis and orthopedic issues such as Dachshunds.

  1. Covered Beds

Hooded or covered beds are great ways for your dogs to enter inside and disappear in comfort. The appearance resembles tents or small houses, which means that your dogs will have their areas for enjoyment and sleeping.

Some covered types come with plush bedding, while others resemble standard DIY doghouse made out of wood.

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