Why your dog needs bed?

Most of us don't pay to much attention to our own bed as we don't see it as the most cherished possession, but for sure we would not like to live without comfy bed. Our furry pets are just like us and they also need comfy bed - here is a short list why do they need one.

When dog owners ask what items are essential for their pet, a comfy bed is always at the top of the list with things like a collar, leash or food. Dog beds are so important that they aren't optional - they are necessary piece of equipment for all dogs as they have so many benefits to offer.

First of all, dog bed insulate your pet from the floor in winter and summer. During cold winter days, many small dogs love to curl up in a nesting-type bed like our model corner, which provides the warmth needed for both comfort and good health.

Moreover, dog bed provide your pet with his own private space and a sense of security.

Furthermore, comfy bed helps cushioning joints and bones - especially for older, arthritic or overweight dogs. Usually orthopedic dog beds have special foam mat - in our product we use Visco to give your dog extra joint support and comfort.

In addition, if your dog has his own bed you can easily controll the spread of hair and dander by concentrating it in one, easy to clean location.

Dog beds can also help avoid injuries by keeping your dog from jumping up and down from the furniture.

As you may see buying bed for dog is very important. If you spend the time to research and purchase best bed for your dog's individual needs, you will soon find that it is your pet's favorite place to spend time. Keep in mind that low quality beds quickly break down so buy only tested, high quality beds like the ones we offer.

Odd dog sleeping habits and what do they mean

If you are a perceptive person you may notice that dogs have some weird sleeping habits. From napping curled up in a ball to the twitching that some dogs do when they dream.

Below we will try to explain what  these habits mean. So without further ado - let's start.

First we will discouss curling up in a ball. This behavior is very cute and has a fascinating evolutionary basis. Long time agow when dogs sleep in the wild, they often dig a nest and tuck into a ball to conserve body heat and protecct their vulnerable organs from other animals. This ofcourse doesn't necessarily mean that your pet feels unsafe in his bed - he just has the same sleeping preferences as his ancestors.

Another interesting habit is sleeping belly up. According to scientist this sleeping position might signal that your dog feels very relaxed and comfortable in place he is sleeping, so there is no need to protect his organs. On the other hand it could also mean that he's hot and is trying to cool off himself.

Next habit - twitching while asleep. If you see your dog twitching for the first time you may fell a little scared because it's very weird. You need to know that some dogs twitch while they're asleep
and maybe even vocalize a little. Experts thinks that dogs dream during the REM stage of sleep and may act on their dreams by twitching.

Last habit that we try to explain is crawling under the covers. Some dogs do it - others don't. Experts have some theories for this behavior. Some think that it mean dog's need to feel companionship while sleeping with a owner others explain it's evolutionary behavior from when wild dogs raised their puppies in dark dens.

Adding another dog to your household - few tips

We all love dogs and if you’re like most folks who own dogs, sooner or later you may think, that as wonderful as one dog is, having two dogs would be even better. There are many reasons to add another dog as new family member but you should also remember that there are reasons to not have another animal - like more vet bills, more food and toys to buy, etc
However if you decided to have another dog, here are some advice how to introduce him to your current pet.

First of all you should make sure that your first dog is dog-friendly. If you don’t already know that take him to the dog park, find a friend with a very dog-friendly dog and introduce your dog to another dog in a safely fenced neutral territory. If your dog won't be very friendly towards other dog you need to find a good, positive trainer/behavior consultant to help you convince your pet.

Next thing to consider is which dog should you select as a second one. If your current dog is very assertive, adding another similiar breed could be very bad idea. In such situation you need to look for a dog who defers to your first dog. Moreover, size of the new dog needs to be taken into account. If you have a three-pound mini-dog, there are inherent risks in adopting a large-breed dog. Even in play, big dogs can cause serious, sometimes fatal, injuries to toy-size canines.

If you already chose your new pet, you need to script his introductions. Set up your introductions in that safely fenced neutral territory, like on a short walk through your neighborhood, in a nearby park or in a friend’s yard. Have 2 people, one to handle each dog, while keeping the dogs on leashes.
To minimize tension, try to keep the dogs’ leashes loose so that they’re not feeling pressure on their throats.
Don’t force any interaction between the dogs. If the dogs ignore each other at first, or if one dog seems reluctant to interact with the other, that’s okay. Give both dogs time to get comfortable. They’ll interact when they’re ready.

Here are some things you shouldn't do during first introduction - don't introduce a puppy to a grown dog by holding him in your arms. The puppy could feel restrained and vulnerable. Don't let a grown dog walk over, knock down, or bully the puppy. Moreover don't confine dogs together in a crate, automobile, or small room until they are fully at ease with each other and never, ever don't let a fight between two dogs go on.

Last but not least, make sure that both of your dogs have enough toys to go around, food to eat and separate comfy beds located in low-traffic areas of the home.

How to talk with your dog - interpreting your dog's barking

Your dog won't "talk" to you in English, but you can interpret his intentions and immediate desires if you know what to listen for. Below is a few examples of sounds that dogs make, with human translation and the moods of the dog.

You should remember that generally, a low pitch indicates a more dominant or threatening stance, whereas a high pitch conveys just the opposite - insecurity and fear. A dog whose pitch or vocalization varies is emotionally conflicted.

First lets talk about rapid strings of three or four barks with pauses between in midrange pitch. Such sound mean something like - gather together - I suspect that there may be something that we should look into. Dog is more interest than alarm in such situation.

Next is rapid repetitive barking also in midrange pitch. It's dog signal that someone is entering our territory. It's just a basic alarm bark. Dog that makes that sound is aroused but not anxious.

Continuous barking (a bit slower and lower pitch) means that intruder is coming and you should get ready to defend yourself. Here dog is more worried than in his basic alarm bark.

Long string of solitary barks with pauses between each one may indicate that your pet is lonely and need companionship. On the other hand, one or two sharp short barks (high or midrange pitch) means simple hello. It's typycial greeting or acknowledgment signal used by dogs.

Single sharp short bark in lower midrange pitch is a dog signal to back off. For example when you disturbed him from sleep or pulled his hair.

Stutter bark like "ar-ruff" is and invitation to play with your dog. Dogs usually make that sound with front legs flat on the ground and rear held high as a play invitation. Rising bark is one of dog signals that he is having fun.

We hope that now you can be albe to communicate better with your dog and maybe he whisper to you that he is dreaming of one of our comfy beds ;)

A dog could be your heart’s best friend

Did you know that a dog could be your heart's best friend? It turns out that having a canine companion may help lower your risk of heart disease.

As you may noticed, studies linking dog ownership to better physical and mental health have been popping up for many years. The findings were usually encouraging to dogs owners, but none of these studies offered conclusive proof. But recently American Heart Association (AHA) has check all the available data and came to conclusion that having a dog lowers the risk of heart disease. Are you courios why?

The evidence reviewed by the AHA indicates that dog owners are more likely to exercise, have a better cholesterol profile and have lower blood pressure. The are also less vulnerable to the physical effects of stress.

The data show that dog owners get more physical activity than people who don’t own dogs, the evidence is pretty convincing that ownership isn’t enough. A study of over 2000  people found that those who owned a dog but didn’t walk it were actually more likely to be obese than people who didn’t own a dog. Dog walkers, on the other hand, were much less likely to be obese.

Another study looked at 48 people with high blood pressure and high-stress jobs who agreed to adopt a dog. Half did, and half year later those who got a dog had significantly lower blood pressure during stresfull moments.

Even if you already have heart disease, you could get a dog to help you. A 1995 study followed people with cardiovascular disease. A 12 months later, those who owned a pet were 4 times less likely to be death than those who didn’t have a dog.

As you see dogs unconsciously take care of your health - you can repay them by buing something nice - like our comfy beds for dogs.

Taking your pet abroad - everything you should know

If you want to take your dog with you on vacation to another country you have to remember about few things. It's essential that you meet the entry requirements for your pet dog for the country you’re going to or coming from.

First a list of things you need when you enter the UK from the European Union country
Your pet needs to meet these requirements:
-a microchip
-a rabies vaccination
-a pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate
-a tapeworm treatment

You must also use an approved transport company and an approved route unless you’re travelling between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

When you enter or return to the UK from another country, your pet needs to meet similar entry requirements:
-a microchip
-a rabies vaccination
-a blood test - the vet must take the blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination
-a third country official veterinary certificate
-a tapeworm treatment

And what if you have special guide dog?
The rules for assistance/ special dogs when travelling under the EU are the same as for any other dogs. However assistance dogs can travel on more routes than people with pets normally can travel, and they can use other forms of transport where regular animals aren’t allowed, like for example the aircraft cabin.

So how does it looks in practice? When you return to the UK, the staff from the travel company will scan your pet’s microchip and check your documents. If you don't have required documents your pet will be put into quarantine or sent back to the country from which he travel and you will be charge for the costs of quarantine or the re-export of your dog.