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The answer to whether dogs need a dog bed is… it depends.
Isn’t it the worst when someone leaves you with an answer like, ‘it depends’?
Well, we’re not going to leave you hanging and will discuss some of the core benefits to getting dogs a dog bed.
Do Dogs Need A Dog Bed:
While they don’t need a dog bed, per say, there are some great benefits to getting them one. Some of these benefits include maintaining and providing relief to joints, they’re easy to clean, provide a better more sound sleep, and are a place for them to call their own.
After explaining the benefits below you can decide whether a dog bed is right for your pup.
Table of Contents
The 5 Benefits Of Having A Dog Bed
1) Maintain & Provide Relief On Joints
A great dog bed can help young dogs maintain their healthy joints and bones.
Since they won’t be lying on hardwood or tiled floors for long periods of time it will help preserve their healthy joints.
This will make it so as they age they’ll have less complications with mobility. Many challenges with hip and elbow dysplasia start to show up as dogs age.
The better job you can do at helping them maintain their healthy joints as they age, the less likely challenges like this will dramatically affect them.
As you might have guessed, our next point is that a good dog bed can provide a great deal of relief on an older pup’s achy bones and joints.
Similar to people, it becomes increasingly more challenging to maneuver their body as they age.
Standing up after laying on slippery hardwood floors or tiles can become a serious challenge and they could even end up hurting themselves.
A dog bed gives them a safe place to rest and easily come and go as they please while relieving some pressure on their achy joints and bones.
Related Reading: Top 10 Best Dog Beds for Arthritis | Reviews, Features & Benefits
2) Better Sleep
Before dogs were domesticated they certainly didn’t have comfy beds to sleep on and had to use the bare ground.
But so did humans before we improved our shelters!
Now a big comfy bed is essential for people because we understand how much better quality of sleep we get and how much easier it is on our bodies.
The same applies to your dog.
While they can definitely sleep on the floor, they won’t get the best quality sleep and will likely experience negative affects on their joints and muscles that will contribute to complications later in life.
Also, if they’ve been sleeping on your bed, by getting them with a bed of their own it will improve the quality of sleep you BOTH get.
I don’t know about you, but when my pup attempts to sleep on my bed she takes up the whole darn bed!
This leaves me with limited space and makes it more challenging to get a complete night’s rest. And I’m sure my moving around wakes her up as well.
By getting your pup their own bed it’ll help you both enjoy a much more sound sleep.
3) Provides Warmth/Cooling
Some dog breeds with heavy coats need help cooling off during warm times of the year. Other breeds need help warming up during cooler times of the year.
Almost all dog beds help insulate your pup while they lay on it to keep them nice and warm while they sleep.
There are even beds that have cooling gel infused in the foam to help cool them off.
Being unbearably cold or overheating is a super uncomfortable position to be in and a nice bed can really help your dog warm up or cool down.
4) A Place They Can Call Their Own
Having a place in your home that they can call their own will help calm them. Dogs used to live in dens and took a lot of pride in the place they’ve decided to take shelter.
Just like people when they venture into home ownership, we take a lot of pride in owning a piece of property.
It’s similar to giving your dog a bed that they can call theirs.
Most things, outside of their toys, they’re told not to touch and get in trouble for playing with. This bed will be theirs to do as they please with (within reason of course).
Giving them a bed will provide them with security and comfort as they know that this thing is theirs and they can use it whenever they want.
5) Easy To Clean
If you have a dog bed that your pupster spends most of their resting time on, this means a large portion of the mess/dirt they carry around with them will end up on their bed.
The less places they choose to spend their time at home, the less places you have to worry about giving a good cleaning.
Many great dog beds come with a removable cover that can easily be unzipped and thrown in your washer.
Also, if an accident happens on the bed many will have a waterproof cover around the memory foam portion to keep it clean.
This means one bed can last many years after many washes and help keep your dogs shedding & messes concentrated to their bed and not throughout your entire home.
Related Reading: How To Wash A Dog Bed With Stuffing | Short Simple Steps
FAQs
How Many Dog Beds Should A Dog Have?
Only one dog bed at any given time is all you’d need. The better quality bed you buy the better likelihood of it lasting many years to come without needing to spend more money on others.
As your pup can get attached to their bed, you won’t want to change it up on them unless they wreck it.
Does My Dog Need A Bed In His Crate?
The most important variable to this question is, do they have accidents in their crate?
If so, then it would be a good idea to hold off on getting them a bed until they’ve stopped having accidents in their crate.
If they’re crate trained then it definitely wouldn’t hurt to get them a bed for their crate.
Should I Get A Dog Bed For My Puppy?
As mentioned above, a good dog bed is a great way to help keep your puppy’s joints young and healthy.
A couple things you will definitely want to make sure of is that it has a removable & machine washable cover as well as a waterproof lining around the foam.
This will make sure that it will last the test of time and be able to be used by your pup for a long time.
How Often Should I Get My Dog A New Bed?
That really depends on how hard on their bed your dog is.
Dogs that are aggressive chewers will go through more beds and need a new one more often than a calmer dog.
Generally though, if your dog’s bed is still in good condition and it is still comfortable enough for them, there’s no need to get them a new bed.
Only when it’s no longer providing the same comfort & relief is it necessary to get your dog a new bed.
Is It Bad For A Dog To Sleep On The Floor?
It’s certainly not good for their joints and bones. While it’s not ‘bad’ per say, it’s likely going to contribute to their stiffness as they age making them less mobile.
If you do get them a bed this can help keep their joints young and healthy as long as possible.
Final Thoughts
Do dogs need a dog bed? That’s completely up to you.
While we don’t think it’s an absolute necessity, there are definitely a lot of great benefits to getting them a bed if it’s within your budget.
If you’ve decided that you’d like to get your dog a bed you can check out our post on the best dog beds to help make sure you pick the right one for your doggo.
Other posts you might find interesting:
The 6 Best Types Of Dog Beds For Your Pup