Sleeping Space for Your Canine : To call sleep quality important for humans would be an understatement. For many of us, our job performance, interpersonal relationships and general outlook are predicated on a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, many dog owners have never stopped to consider that the same is true for man’s best friend. Since gauging an animal’s sleep quality can be difficult, we often assume that our favorite canines are sleeping comfortably without any real evidence. When looking for ways to enhance your pooch’s nightly respite, you can’t go wrong with a comfortable sleeping space. Dog owners looking to create such a space for their canines will be well-served by the following tips.
To create Comfortable Sleeping Space for Your Canine:
Invest in the Right Dog Bed
When it comes to dog beds, many of us have a tendency to regard comfort as an afterthought. The fact that dogs are able to fall asleep on even the roughest surfaces leads some owners to believe that their pooches have no preference with regard to comfort. Unsurprisingly, this mindset often results in the purchase of beds that offer great value – but little else. As is the case when purchasing mattresses, going with the cheapest option is likely to result in many uncomfortable nights. If you wouldn’t skimp on a mattress for yourself, there’s no reason to cheap out when choosing a bed for your best friend.
With this in mind, consider the advantages of waterproof dog beds the next time your pooch needs a sleep upgrade. These beds are designed with maximum comfort in mind and will provide your dog with countless nights of first-rate slumber. While a luxury bed is liable to cost a little more than a standard-grade dog bed, it’s hard to put a price tag on the happiness of man’s best friend.
Place Comfort Items Around the Sleeping Space
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or simply doesn’t like being alone overnight, place comfort items around their sleeping space. These items should contain familiar smells and make your pooch feel more at ease throughout the night. Examples of comfort items include blankets, toys and other dog-friendly objects that carry the scents of people in your household. Comfort items can prove particularly effective at calming dogs who have a tendency to whine and bark for their owners’ attention overnight.
Block Outside Light
Like humans, some dogs sleep best in absolute darkness. However, if you live in an area that’s awash with artificial lights, your pooch may have trouble sleeping with so much light pouring in through the windows. To nip this problem in the bud, equip any windows in the vicinity with curtains designed to block exterior light and/or diminish outside noise. The less outside stimulation your dog receives throughout the night, the less likely they are to have their sleep interrupted.
If light-blocking curtains are too big an investment, consider outfitting the windows in your pooch’s sleeping space with blackout screens. These screens are affordable on any budget, easy to apply and can block out light almost as effectively as the aforementioned curtains. However, once they’ve been removed from windows, they generally can’t be reapplied.
Don’t Make the Dog Feel Completely Trapped
Some dogs can be trusted to roam the house during the night, while others would use this opportunity to engage in bad behavior. If your pooch belongs to the latter category, you may need to outfit their sleeping space with a pet gate to prevent them from running wild overnight. However, to ensure that they don’t feel completely trapped or cut off from the members of your household, consider leaving your bedroom door open. This will enable them to comfortably hear you, smell you and take solace in the fact that you’re nearby.
When many of us think about sleep issues, our minds go directly to humans. Since we’re able to clearly state when something has affected our slumber, there’s little wonder as to why sleep problems are often regarded as the exclusive domain of human beings. However, unbeknownst to many pet owners, animals are just as susceptible to nighttime issues as humans – in some cases, even more so. In the interest of creating the perfect sleeping space for your favorite canine, put the previously discussed measures to good use.
