3 Tips For Buying Dog Beds Online For Older Dogs
It's no secret that Americans love their furry friends, with approximately 37% to 47% of all households owning a dog. If you own a dog yourself, you've probably developed a strong bond with your pet and would consider it as a family member. As your dog ages, you'll notice that it becomes less nimble, as it succumbs to common health conditions, like arthritis or a weak bladder. As daily activities become more cumbersome and difficult to complete, you can make your dog a lot more comfortable by buying it the right supplies. In particular, you want to make sure that you get older dogs an appropriate dog bed. Here are three particular features you should look for.
Memory Foam Padding
Much like human beings, dogs get arthritis, too. In fact, 1 in 5 dogs in the U.S. are affected. Joint pain from the arthritis will negatively impact your dog's quality of living. Although it may have been happy sleeping on hardwood flooring when it was a puppy, its joints may no longer allow it to do so without any pain. Help your dog get a better night's rest by choosing a dog bed made with memory foam padding.
The memory foam will better support your dog's skeletal system and will minimize the development of callouses at the elbows or hocks. The memory foam will also be much more gentler on swollen joints.
Heated Features
Heated dog beds will help fight off cooler temperatures and keep your dog warm and comfortable. This is particularly important for older dogs, as their immune system is not as strong anymore. In addition, heated dog beds can also help to ease joint pain and muscle aches. Look for dog beds that retain heat well or are self-warming. Some dog beds come with thermostat-controlled heaters to ensure that the bed remains at a constant temperature.
Waterproof Lining
Urinary incontinence is also a problem that plagues many older dogs – especially if they are larger dog breeds. Urine leakage is almost unavoidable at this point even if your dog is already being treated by a veterinarian. You definitely don't want the urine to seep into the dog bed, as this can lead to many other problems. For example, not only will the dog bed be easily ruined, but it may also attract pests. To counter this problem, choose a dog bed with waterproof lining, so that it can be easily cleaned.
Conclusion
There are plenty of dog supplies that are designed specifically to cater to older dogs. As your dog ages, you definitely want to make sure you choose products that are better catered to its aging body in order to preserve its quality of living. Contact a company like Scrappys Corner for more information.
