No dog household is complete without a dog bed and furniture like crates, kennels, ramps, car seats, and gates. The type of bedding and furniture you may buy will depend on your dog’s needs, your own needs, your budget, the size of your home and your own personal preference.
Dog beds come in variety of styles, types and sizes. Including donut dog beds, dog sofa beds, plastic dog beds, raised dog beds, orthopaedic beds, luxury dog beds and more besides. Dog beds also tend to have different features and purposes.
For example, some dog beds will have a selling point of being waterproof. This a very useful feature if you have a puppy who is not toilet trained yet, or a dog who has urine accidents at night. Some beds for dogs may have the selling point of being fully machine washable, or at least having removable and machine washable bed covers. With busy modern lives few pet parents would accept the inconvenience of having to hand wash a dog bed, or take it to a dry cleaner or some other cleaning specialist.
Dog crates or dog cages are another staple in the homes of many dog lovers. Being able to drive and travel to other places while transporting your pooch safely is paramount. Dog crates tend to have the same look and design and don’t have much variety in features and functions. Typically, you want the crate to have secure robust latches, carry handles and the ability to fold down and be stored away when not in use.
Another reason to buy a dog crate is to give your pooch a safe and secure place where they can feel in control. Some dog owners report that their nervous or anxious dog begins to feel safe and relaxed when in a crate.
Sometimes a crate is needed if your pet pooch has had a surgical procedure and needs to have their activity and movement temporarily constrained. In this case, putting your dog in a crate to restrict their movement can be a good choice. To promote your dog’s comfort during such a time, be sure to make the crate as cosy as possible, with a comfortable bed, blankets and your pooches’ favourite toys.
Dog kennels allow you to give your pet pooch a little home of their own. Although dogs are sociable animals and want to be around their owners, they also like having their own private place to retreat to. It’s the same as us humans, we like being with friends and family, but also enjoy having our own space.
Most dog kennels are built in a way that makes them suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. In the warmer months you can have the kennel outside in the garden, if you have one. And when enjoying a barbecue or having a garden party, your dog will be able to get some rest and shelter, while still being included in the social activities.
Generally, dog kennels are made from wood or heavy duty plastic. There are so called kennels made from metal, but they are of the giant type of dog kennel that they can simply be considered dog enclosures which give the dog lots of space to walk around in.
A number of dog parents make use of dog gates or dog safety gates in their home. These gates will normally be placed at point around the home where there is an increased chance of a fall or some other type of accident or injury. For example, at the top or bottom of stairs.
Dog gates are normally around one metre in height and can come in different weights. This is because if you have a medium or larger breed dog, some of the safety gates designed for toddlers can be forced open by a medium size dog due to their strength.