Once you get a dog you get to experience pure joy and constant tail wagging toward you.
Being a dog owner is much more than enjoying regular walks and feeding your dog with delicious treats.
Being a dog owner is also a lot about finding the best nutrition, finding the right veterinarian, and being a dog owner is a lot about planning, investing and overall meeting the dog’s needs in general.
To keep your dog healthy and happy, you need to feed him well, provide the right amount of exercise, stick to regular veterinarian check-ups, invest in training and early socialization, and also provide the right dog equipment.
When we talk about the best dog equipment, we are talking not only about proper clothes, bandanas, and fashion accessories, but a gear that can enhance your dog’s life, such as a proper dog bed.
The dog market is packed with different items that are carefully designed to improve the dog’s life.
For example, are you familiar with the thunder shirt for dogs? At first glance, this item may appear as a strictly fashionable item, but in fact, it has a larger purpose.
This thunder shirt or thunder vest is carefully designed to calm dogs during thunderstorms (hence the name), fireworks, travel, during the vet visits, and even to help with separation anxiety.
Thunder short/vest is carefully designed to create pressure on the dog’s torse which should result in a calming effect.
It is similar to carefully swaddling a crying infant or hugging a person who is under some form of stress.
In a similar manner, dog calming beds are created. It’s well-known that dogs should have a place of their own where they can go to rest and sleep.
This is something that is extremely important if you don’t want your dog to jump on the furniture or sleep in your bed.
There are many ways to choose the best dog bed, and we will elaborate on that further on, but you should know that the main purpose of dog calming beds is to resemble what puppies would feel when nestled next to their mom and littermates, and as such should be able to help not only to dogs with separation anxiety but should also provide dogs with more comfortable and shooting sleep.
Now, let’s learn what calming dogs’ beds really are, how they work, and how successful they might be.
Calming Dog Beds
Dog owners know how much painful it is to watch their dogs fight any sort of issue.
Anxiety in dogs is something that can create a lot of trouble both for dogs and owners.
Luckily, relieving anxiety is possible when you have the right directions, but it will always be a long and daunting process.
Before you get a dog make sure that you know what breed suits your lifestyle the best.
If you are an outdoor person, you should get a breed that can keep up with your daily habits and be active with you.
If you get an extremely high-energy dog, such as Border Collie, and you are more of an indoor person, you will end up with a bored dog who will eventually demonstrate a destructive behavior.
If you are not sure how to choose the right breed, check this compare breed tool, to learn about different breeds, and find the breed that suits you, your family, and your lifestyle the best.
If for some reason, your dog has some issues and it results in shaking, having trouble sleeping, or staying in one place longer than a few minutes, you might think about investing in a great calming dog bed.
Are these beds any different from other dog beds? Do they actually work? Can calming dog beds really help your dog calm down?
Let’s start with what calming dog beds are.
What Are Calming Dog Beds?
Calming dog beds are specially designed to alleviate stress in dogs.
On their own, these beds aren’t as much as effective, as much as when you combine them with training and medicinal treatment if recommended by your veterinarian.
These beds are primarily comfortable. It’s fair to say that these beds are fluffy, and as such created to envoke the soft surroundings.
These beds are designed to facilitate relief from stressful situations by enabling dogs with a sense of security – in a way these items are similar to thunder vests.
In a way, calming dog beds are anti-anxiety beds that come in different shapes, styles, colors, and materials.
With such diversity, these beds are easy to find for dogs of any size and age.
These beds are packed with helpful features and usually come with orthopedic padding, hiding places for burrowing, bolstered edges, and even self-healing features.
These beds are helpful to dogs who display hiding behavior, panting due to nerves, and those who shiver when not being held.
All in all, no matter how beneficial these beds might be to your dog they are not a one-stop solution for your dog who will need a full veterinarian check-up and work with a professional dog trainer.
This may require more financial investment and may be time-demanding, but it will pay off in the long run.
How Do Calming Beds For Dogs Actually Work?
Calming dog beds are carefully designed to relieve anxiety in dogs and provide a certain amount of stress and a sense of security.
Some calming dog beds can even help relieve joint pain since they can have included orthopedic features.
Still, the primary function of the majority of calming dog beds is to be soft and cozy, although they will have different.
Below you will find the list of different types of calming dog beds.
Orthopedic Dog Beds
Orthopedic dog beds are specially designed from foam that can relieve pressure on joints that are anyhow painful. These beds are very comfortable for senior dogs.
It is common for senior dogs to suffer from arthritis or other muscle issues, which is why they found foam so practical.
How can anxious dogs benefit from this type of bed? Pain can often cause anxiety in dogs and this bed can help relieve pain as a dog relax.
All in all, an orthopedic dog bed is most popular among senior dogs as they relieve achy joints.
Dogs with certain medical issues, like mobility issues, can benefit from orthopedic beds.
Self-Warming Dog Beds
There is something about warm places that can bring in the right atmosphere, and push the stress away.
The same idea is what inspired manufacturers to create heated dog beds. Self-warming beds are carefully designed to warn up dogs and calm them instantly.
The warmth should invite dogs to relax and resemble them on days when they cuddle with their humans or their littermates.
Is your Fido extra scared when the thunder starts? If that is the case, you should know that self-warming beds are a great option for dogs who get stressed easily when they are cold.
Donut-Style Dog Beds
If your Fido is a small size dog? If the answer is yes and he gets stressed easily, you should think about a donut-style dog bed as a very practical option.
Not only small size dogs, but cats as well love these compact and very small places to hide in. This donut-style dog bed allows dogs to curl up easily.
This position returns them to the period when they snuggled up next to their parents and littermates.
Bolster Dog Beds
Is your dog a large one? If so, you know how challenging it can be to find a suitable bed for your large canine.
In some cases, it can even be tricky to find a food and water bowl that can enable your dog to a comfortable position while eating/drinking.
So far you probably know what bloat is, and why finding the right gear for a large size dog is so important.
If you had trouble finding the right bed for your Fido you might think about a bolster dog bed.
Why is this type of bed so cozy for a large size dog? Bolster dog bed comes with raised edges on three sides which allows dogs to lean against a soft surface and easily rest their heads.
This makes them feel safe and well-protected.
If your large size dog loves to curl up or simply lean against something while sleeping, then the bolster dog bed is definitely something to think about.
Cave-Style Dog Beds
Some dogs are more sensitive than others. Some are easily scared, while others don’t like to be left alone for too long.
All in all, knowing your dog’s preferences, routine, habits, likes and dislikes can help you create the best sleeping environment. With this knowledge, you can easily choose the right bed for your Fido.
Again, if your dog is really scared of different external factors, you might think about the cave-style dog bed that can provide the best comfort and calmness in stressful situations.
Used by dogs of different sizes, the cave-style dog bed is mostly used in homes with small size dogs.
But… How To Choose?
To find the best bed for your Fido you need to know what you are searching for. This means that you should know what kind of bed you need.
To achieve this in the shortest time possible it’s important to keep a few things in mind.
Here is what you should keep in mind to choose the best calming dog bed today.
1. Odor Resistance
Let’s be honest here – no matter how well trained your Fido might be accidents still may happen.
This is why you should focus on finding the bed that is not only water-resistance but has real power when it comes to odor resistance.
Anti-bacterial faux fur bed covers will help you with resisting odors.
Plus, faux fur material helps dogs provide that coziness, leading to a more calming experience.
2. Is It Machine Washable
You may enjoy washing certain items on hand, but when it comes to dog-related items you will need a machine.
After all, no matter how skilled on hand-washer you might be, the machine will fash any item much better than you would.
Make sure that the bed comes with a cuddly and fashionable fabric on the inside.
If you really like the bed but isn’t machine washable, get a matching blanket that is washable and use it as a cover layer.
3. Check For the Waterproof Lining
For minimum cleaning, you should always thrive to get water-proof items. This is especially handy if you have a senior dog.
In senior dogs, accidents are more common, and you don’t want your dog to spend long hours in a not-so-dry place.
4. Is It Non-Slip
When it comes to calming dog beds you want a bed that won’t move a lot. In other words, you want a bed that isn’t slip[pery.
To get a non-slippery bed, make sure that the bottom doesn’t slide. In some dogs slippery bottom can cause additional stress, so avoid it.
5. Choose the Right Size Bed
Make sure that you find the bed that fits your dog’s size. Find the bed that will fit perfectly.
If you see that your dog seems uncomfortable in his bed, his bed may be too small for him. If that is the case think about getting a larger bed.
Your dog should have extra space inside the bed once he curls up. In fact, dog experts recommend that the bed has to be large enough for the dog to stretch out fully without hanging over the edges.
Does Your Dog Need a Calming Bed?
When it comes to dog gear make sure that you are practical. Don’t shop for something because you think that your dog might need it. Instead, choose to buy your dog items that he can really benefit from.
If your dog needs a new bed, and you know that he stresses when the rain starts or when the thunder kicks in you might think about getting the calming dog bed.
If you know for sure that a calming dog bed is something that your dog really needs, make sure that you shop for the right one.
First and most importantly, make sure that the bed is of the right size. Too small or too large a bed can put additional stress on your dog and you don’t want to add more stress.
Once you get the right bed, the bed of the right measures that is cozy enough, you should provide your dog with more comfortable living surroundings.
