If you are looking for an Orthopaedic Bed for your dog, do have a look at what we have to offer. We also have a range of top quality dog toys - toys to chew on, toys to throw, toys for the pool, toys for teething pups, for professional chewers, and just about everything you need for your dog, cat and even the 'little critters'. Either purchase on-line or at one of our suppliers.
SHOULD ALL DOGS USE AN ORTHOPAEDIC BED OR IS IT ONLY FOR DOGS WITH JOINT PROBLEMS?
by Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviourist - www.friendsofthedog.co.za
by Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviourist - www.friendsofthedog.co.za
This article came about due to complaining to a friend about my constant sore hips and back in the morning, despite have a good quality mattress. She told me that she had purchased one of the memory foam Orthopaedic beds for her older dog, and was so impressed with the improvement in him, that she not only got one for her other dog with no physical problems (and who absolutely loved the bed and preferred it to the couch), she purchased one for herself and has never looked back.
This really motivated me, so a few days later my memory foam bed arrived – the result– great nights sleep without tossing and turning, waking in the morning totally refreshed, and not being stiff with a sore back - to the extent that I have not needed to book another appointment with my chiro – heavens only knows why I did not do this years ago!
Being a dog person and bearing in mind what she said about her dogs and the Orthopaedic dog beds, of course I set about investigating just what it could do for our everyday dogs, and here is what I found out.
Memory Foam - A true Orthopaedic dog bed is always constructed of memory foam as a topper to high resilience foam. This ensures that the dog only sinks enough into the foam to conform to the contours of the dogs body and redistributes the weight evenly. As the dog gets up from the bed, it will resort to natural shape.
Sleep - An adult dog will sleep about 12 – 14 hours a day, and a pup about 18 to 20 hours. Just imaging how much better their sleep would be if they had an orthopaedic dog bed with memory foam – less pressure on bones and joints which may help to prevent arthritis, deeper sleep so a more relaxed dog, muscles less likely to be achy and sore.
Blood Flow - As a good quality orthopaedic bed tends to increase blood flow, it can assist in quicker healing, overall blood flow, and a better coat.
Cost and durability – Although more than a standard dog bed, they last longer than a standard mattress – up to 5 years seems to be the norm, unless a dog that tends to chew and destroy its bed, and many of them can be popped into your washing machine for easy maintenance. The benefits really do seem to outweigh the initial outlay.
Physical Challenges - They really should be considered for any dog that has any physical challenge, especially Hip Dysplasia, as they will supply extra support as well as the benefits mentioned above.
Speaking to a colleague with a dog that has arthritis the other day, she said that as the bed awarded additional support for the whole body, she found that after a few days her dog with arthritis, was no longer as stiff when getting up in the morning, and also had started sleeping all night – no longer getting up to walk around a bit during the night before lying down again – this also resulted in her owner getting a better night’s sleep! Additionally, she found that he was moving around more and his quality of life in general had improved.
Injury - Dogs recovering from injury such as muscle strain or surgery.
Large and giant breeds - such as GSD, Great Danes, Wolfhounds, Mastiffs, Dobermans, Nuffies, Rotti etc will really benefit from a memory foam exercise and right from when a pup to prevent joint problems as they are prone to orthopaedic issues, and are shown to live about 4 years less than average due to joint problems.
Working Dogs - Great for working dogs or dogs that receive a lot of exercise, as they are using their joints on a daily basis, and this increases the risk of injuries and common joint-related concerns such as ACL ( anterior cruciate ligament) and osteoarthritis.
Bony Dogs - These beds will help all dogs of all ages, and especially if the dog is very thin or lean, or a breed where they tend to be ‘bonier’ such as Greyhounds, Whippets and Saluki dogs, where bones tend to come into contact with the floor in a standard bed.
Crate - If you make use of a crate for your dog, having a really comfortable mattress made of memory foam, will be more comfortable for him than a thin sponge type mattress and offer all the benefits mentioned – they do all seem to come in different sizes and shapes, including offering those that look more like a mat and do not have sides – ideal for a crate.
As with all things, there are good quality orthopaedic dog beds with real memory foam, and others that may not be as good. Just as there is no regulation around the term ‘holistic’, there is no regulation relating to the term ‘orthopaedic’.
Do your homework before you purchase one. Buy a top, well-known brand, and ensure that it is really memory foam as a topper to high resistance foam, and not one filled with recycled foam or poor stuffing, even though it may say an orthopaedic dog bed . They come in various shapes and sizes, so see what shape would suit your dog most – whether he sleeps flat or prefers something to lean his head on. Good idea to have a choice of 2 or 3, then speak to your vet as to what they would recommend, including the sizing, and if any physical challenges present, what would suit the best.
Additionally, if your dog does have any physical challenges, the bed is not a ‘cure all’, rather it is a tool to be used in conjunction with what your vet recommends and methods for relief for the condition.
As in the old saying goes “prevention is better than cure’, it may really be an idea to look into getting one for your own dog, regardless of any physical concerns. As my Benji boy, who seldom sleeps on the bed unless it is very cold weather, has now taken to disappearing from the lounge to go and lie on my memory foam bed multiple times during the day, I had better get into finding the perfect one's for my boys!
This really motivated me, so a few days later my memory foam bed arrived – the result– great nights sleep without tossing and turning, waking in the morning totally refreshed, and not being stiff with a sore back - to the extent that I have not needed to book another appointment with my chiro – heavens only knows why I did not do this years ago!
Being a dog person and bearing in mind what she said about her dogs and the Orthopaedic dog beds, of course I set about investigating just what it could do for our everyday dogs, and here is what I found out.
Memory Foam - A true Orthopaedic dog bed is always constructed of memory foam as a topper to high resilience foam. This ensures that the dog only sinks enough into the foam to conform to the contours of the dogs body and redistributes the weight evenly. As the dog gets up from the bed, it will resort to natural shape.
Sleep - An adult dog will sleep about 12 – 14 hours a day, and a pup about 18 to 20 hours. Just imaging how much better their sleep would be if they had an orthopaedic dog bed with memory foam – less pressure on bones and joints which may help to prevent arthritis, deeper sleep so a more relaxed dog, muscles less likely to be achy and sore.
Blood Flow - As a good quality orthopaedic bed tends to increase blood flow, it can assist in quicker healing, overall blood flow, and a better coat.
Cost and durability – Although more than a standard dog bed, they last longer than a standard mattress – up to 5 years seems to be the norm, unless a dog that tends to chew and destroy its bed, and many of them can be popped into your washing machine for easy maintenance. The benefits really do seem to outweigh the initial outlay.
Physical Challenges - They really should be considered for any dog that has any physical challenge, especially Hip Dysplasia, as they will supply extra support as well as the benefits mentioned above.
Speaking to a colleague with a dog that has arthritis the other day, she said that as the bed awarded additional support for the whole body, she found that after a few days her dog with arthritis, was no longer as stiff when getting up in the morning, and also had started sleeping all night – no longer getting up to walk around a bit during the night before lying down again – this also resulted in her owner getting a better night’s sleep! Additionally, she found that he was moving around more and his quality of life in general had improved.
Injury - Dogs recovering from injury such as muscle strain or surgery.
Large and giant breeds - such as GSD, Great Danes, Wolfhounds, Mastiffs, Dobermans, Nuffies, Rotti etc will really benefit from a memory foam exercise and right from when a pup to prevent joint problems as they are prone to orthopaedic issues, and are shown to live about 4 years less than average due to joint problems.
Working Dogs - Great for working dogs or dogs that receive a lot of exercise, as they are using their joints on a daily basis, and this increases the risk of injuries and common joint-related concerns such as ACL ( anterior cruciate ligament) and osteoarthritis.
Bony Dogs - These beds will help all dogs of all ages, and especially if the dog is very thin or lean, or a breed where they tend to be ‘bonier’ such as Greyhounds, Whippets and Saluki dogs, where bones tend to come into contact with the floor in a standard bed.
Crate - If you make use of a crate for your dog, having a really comfortable mattress made of memory foam, will be more comfortable for him than a thin sponge type mattress and offer all the benefits mentioned – they do all seem to come in different sizes and shapes, including offering those that look more like a mat and do not have sides – ideal for a crate.
As with all things, there are good quality orthopaedic dog beds with real memory foam, and others that may not be as good. Just as there is no regulation around the term ‘holistic’, there is no regulation relating to the term ‘orthopaedic’.
Do your homework before you purchase one. Buy a top, well-known brand, and ensure that it is really memory foam as a topper to high resistance foam, and not one filled with recycled foam or poor stuffing, even though it may say an orthopaedic dog bed . They come in various shapes and sizes, so see what shape would suit your dog most – whether he sleeps flat or prefers something to lean his head on. Good idea to have a choice of 2 or 3, then speak to your vet as to what they would recommend, including the sizing, and if any physical challenges present, what would suit the best.
Additionally, if your dog does have any physical challenges, the bed is not a ‘cure all’, rather it is a tool to be used in conjunction with what your vet recommends and methods for relief for the condition.
As in the old saying goes “prevention is better than cure’, it may really be an idea to look into getting one for your own dog, regardless of any physical concerns. As my Benji boy, who seldom sleeps on the bed unless it is very cold weather, has now taken to disappearing from the lounge to go and lie on my memory foam bed multiple times during the day, I had better get into finding the perfect one's for my boys!
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