The comforts of home

 

I was making dinner last night when I was called into the living room to see the man.  There he was curled up in the corner of the sofa under the blanket; an amber light cast over him from the blazing fire, nice.  He looked adorable; it makes me smile and left me thinking that this should be the standard of comfort for all dogs.  But my mind jumps to the dogs I see posted every day online; the ones who don't have a great life or a comfy bed to sleep in.  Comfort is very important for dogs; you really see it when you have old dogs.  There is a big difference between sleeping on a floor and sleeping on a cushy bed.

Just like kids; young dogs can sleep anywhere, they often choose a cold tile floor.  Have you ever had the joy of sleeping on a hard surface all night now that you are an adult?  I have and it is no picnic; somehow it seems much harder than when you were a kid.  Dogs have the same reality; the older they get the harder the floor becomes.  Luke at 10 years old still plays hard; but he also limps when he gets up from resting.   More so if he's been sleeping on the floor so I often usher him to a bed when I find him on the floor.

We have dog beds in every single room of the house; and there isn't one bed that doesn't get used.  Even the one out on the balcony get's used when I'm out enjoying the day.  There is a dog bed outside; Luke uses the double chaise lounge but the girls use the bed.  Dogs "get" comfort; they seek it out.  Ever throw a shirt on the floor only to find someone taking up residence on it moments later?  How many dogs have to sneak a couch snooze? The dog stuff makers even made a piece of equipment for the problem. Ever wonder why they want to sleep on the couch?  Hmmmm; could be it's comfy up there, sure it is.

The larger the dog the more pressure on the body when they lay down.  Many large dogs have callused elbows and other pressure points from laying on the hard ground.  I don't like to see any dog sleeping for long periods of time on hard ground.  Sure many choose to lay down for a while but if they are given the option; most choose the comfy bed.  Jessie chooses to lay on the concrete outside when it is very hot; she loves to feel the heat on her old body.  But any other time she is on a dog bed, couch or blanket that someone tossed and forgot to pick up.  She loves her comfort and she loves nothing more than piles of blankets on top of a bed.

They all deserve to be comfortable; every dog deserves a bed, or at least a nice thick pile of hay to sleep in.    Just spend a night with your kids in the backyard tent; with no air or foam mattress.  This alone will convince you that the ground is indeed, very hard.