Pet Bed Success.

A pet bed is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Your dog should have at least one bed. Having his/her own bed sets boundaries. A good quality pet bed gives your dog something that is "his/hers." It is a safe place to go, a secure place, a comfortable, warm place to hang out.

Sleeping on the floor is not good for such dogs or any dog for any length of time. Small dogs can easily get injured jumping up and down on furniture or your bed to sleep.

DogCheapSleeps.com. They are hose tested and leak proof. With a unique Velcro closure and vinyl cover, moisture will not get into the 4" foam padding. Just wipe clean with a wet cloth.

Inexpensive, free shipping, and best of all, handmade in America!Your dog will appreciate the investment in his/her health and comfort for many years to come!

If your dog is a “nester” place a blanket on the bed and your dog will enjoy circling around and making the perfect comfort zone. If your dog is a “stretcher” who sleeps with his/her legs sprawled out a larger square or rectangle bed is best. Sanitation is a real concern; buy a pet bed that is washable and easy to maintain like those sold at

Having your dog sleep with you is not a good idea, although it may seem like an enjoyable thing for you and the dog. Your dog will see this as you being submissive to him/her; this is not the signal you want to send if you expect to obedience train your pet. Having a separate bed for your dog will help control the spread of hair and dander.

Another benefit for your dog having his/her own bed is that the proper bedding provides support for your dog’s back and joints, especially older dogs with arthritis.

House Guests and Your Dog’s Bed

I’ve noticed that when guests come over, my dog retreats to his bed after greeting them. His bed is a source of safety as well as “his place” in the house. He keeps his toys and blanket there and retreats there often. His bed is out of the way of traffic and this works well.

Over the holidays we had guests stay overnight. We had to move his dog bed across the room in order to fold out our sofa bed. He was really quite off until we moved the dog bed back into his regular spot. The regular spot was now under the sofa bed and he couldn’t get to it. This was something we hadn’t thought of – that he would be disturbed by his bed moving across the room and that it being under the sofa bed would also upset him!
Thankfully we had an extra dog bed we use for camping which he gladly accepted across the room where he could sleep undisturbed. After arranging his blanket and toys on it, he was perfectly secure and happy once again. Our guests were also relieved that he stopped whining and pacing back and forth over his dog bed being moved or under the sofa! Everyone had a restful night.

Having people over for a visit can be really disruptive to your dog’s sense of safety and place in the house. It is a good idea to have another safe place for your dog to be in. It’s important to keep an extra bed handy for these occasions.
 

Check out the complete line of beds for any size dog. They are hose tested and leak proof. With our unique Velcro closure and vinyl cover, moisture will not get into the 4" foam padding. Just wipe clean with a wet cloth.

Inexpensive, free shipping, and best of all, Made in America, USA!

Corner Chewing

Our puppy Buddy, a Golden Retriever, fixated her chewing on the corner of her dog bed. We are on dog bed number five now with every one having at least one blown out corner! This type of destructive chewing is not uncommon during puppy-hood however; it has become expensive to replace dog bed after dog bed. We considered the material the beds were made of and found that Buddy had a particular liking to chew soft materials and the fluff that came out of the corner must be a joy to play with and-or eat because she doesn’t stop chewing until the entire corner is gone and the fluff is everywhere. We began purchasing soft toys and encouraging chewing and releasing the fluff of those rather than her bed. Finally, we discovered DogCheapSleeps.com and the days of buying Buddy a bed every other week ended. The bed purchased at DogCheapSleeps.com was not only made of soft vinyl and waterproof (thus easy to clean) it was also made with a specially designed Velcro closure that Buddy wasn’t able to get a hold of for her chewing pleasure. With that said their chew proof dog beds are as indestructible as they come. DogCheapSleeps’ beds are constructed with a really durable grade of leather soft vinyl, and the closure method is unique as it is sewn back into the cover out of sight. If your beloved chewer just cannot resist, DogCheapSleeps.com will even send vinyl scraps for minor repairs, with the purchase of a bed. Once your puppy grows out of the chewing phase, replacement covers are also available.
http://dogcheapsleeps.com/chewresistantdogbed.html

Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog, new tricks.” Is this true?

Absolutely not!

Dogs of any age can be taught just about any trick you want to take the time to teach them. The big difference between teaching a puppy and an older dog comes down to one thing: attention span.

Younger dogs can focus for shorter periods of time and therefore have a hard time paying attention while learning. Teaching your puppy anything can be quite a process. Older dogs, on the other hand, have established longer attention spans and will pick things up a lot quicker.

It’s actually good to consistently teach your dog new things over their life span, especially when you can start with a puppy. Dogs develop their personalities at a very young age and it never really changes, much like an adult. Therefore, learning how to train your dog from day one will help you teach them new skills ten years down the road. Also, without something to keep them busy, dogs of any age can get bored. A bored dog can become an anxious dog, which can lead to excessive barking, chewing and many other behavioral issues.

Teaching your dog throughout his life also enforces the hierarchy of your family that is necessary in their life. You are communicating that he should look to you as the pack leader, or Alpha. A dog who loses sight of this chain of command will, through natural behavior, seek to be Alpha and think that they are leading the household. This can lead to aggression towards you, your children or anyone they meet.

Here are some simple steps that can be applied to teaching dogs throughout their lives:

Never call a dog over to you so you can punish him. This confuses the dog, making him want to run at the sound of you calling for him. This can send a very complicated message for future training.

Always reward positive behavior. In fact, it is better to reward positive behavior than to scold for the negative. Rewarding your dog instantly teaches him that his behavior was correct, and he will continue to strive for that attention. You do not need to use treats to reward your dog. Giving him treats every time he does something right can lead to an overweight animal, not to mention, a big disappointment when he expects one and doesn’t get it. Use treats sparingly. A hearty, “Good boy!” and a pat on the head does a fine job.

Use conditional stimulus. Instruct a dog to a do a simple act using a simple command. If the dog responds, reward him. If he does not, don’t reward him, but no scolding is necessary. Just try again. This works especially well with older dogs who are happy to learn and more than happy to receive your approval.

At the end of a long day of training, make sure to reward your pup with a comfy dog bed! We offer many sizes, colors and types! They are waterproof and virtually indestructible! We offer free shipping on everything we sell and it is all custom made, right here in America! And while you’re looking around, stop by our dog forum and say hi!

Dog Exercise: Properly Exercise Your Dog

Similar to humans, lack of exercise in dogs can lead to poor health conditions such as obesity, heart problems, bad bone structure, emotional and behavioral issues.

What are helpful ways to properly exercise your dog and insure a long life?

Here are some suggestions to get your pup active that won’t break the bank.

Get him involved with other dogs. In an earlier blog, we discussed proper etiquette while visiting a dog park. That can be fun activity that also enforces socialization. It can also be as simple as letting them play with the neighbor’s dog or a friend/family member’s friendly pup.

Walking your dog is an excellent dog exercise and a great way for both of you to stay in shape. Let your dog carry something on the walk, even one of his toys. Be loose on the leash during walks. Let him explore other people and other dogs. This is natural way to feel comfortable around others. This also negates "leash aggression." A dog that guards against everything and anything is an anxious dog, which comes with its own set of problems.

Hide his toys around the yard or on your walks. Hide yourself in the same fashion.

Teach him how to retrieve. This is an exciting way to get them running and jumping, to bring you back the object you’ve thrown – a perfect dog exercise! Of course, there are risks of over exerting your dog with this one, as they never know when to quit. Judge this exercise according to your dog’s age and current condition. Throwing a ball too high or letting your dog fetch for way too long can affect the bones and joints in an adverse way.

You can even give your dog a work out in a dark room. Take his favorite toy into one, hide it, and then have them seek it out. This can lead to hours of fun and exercise. Put his favorite treats in an upside down bowl. He will spend lots of time trying to figure out how to get at them. Make mazes in your yard out of old furniture or boxes and have him navigate a specific way through.

A well exercised dog will be more calm and apt to be less nervous about being left alone. It will improve his bones and joints, as well as his heart and lungs. A healthy dog that gets a lot of dog exercise actually looks better too!

As an added bonus, you should look and feel better. Remember that dogs rarely exercise alone. They will often wait for someone or some animal to come along and interact with them.

After a hard day of dog exercise, a great way for your dog to get some rest is to get them their very own dog bed! We offer high quality, low cost, water (and urine) proof dog beds! They are made right here in America and we offer free shipping on everything we sell! dogcheapsleeps.com

Roughhousing with Dogs & Puppies

Many people like to play a little rough with their puppies, but, what does roughhousing mean to the future of the dog, to its behavior as it gets older and bigger?

Is roughhousing with your pup a fun time or will it be a regret later on?

Can there be a happy balance between roughhousing and calmness?

Let’s look at some things.

Just like humans, a dog’s experiences shape the kind of personality they will have as they age. Dogs treated nicely by people since their puppyhood grow to believe, or learn, that humans are kind and behave accordingly. It stands to reason than that a dog that has been treated roughly by people since they were young, will believe, or learn, that all people can’t always be expected to be kind and grow to be conditioned to that behavior style.

That being said, the first choice you must make in raising your puppy is, what kind of dog you want? Do you want a family pet or a police dog? Or a combination of both? Whatever the answer, everyone who comes in contact with that dog must treat them accordingly, or, be aware of the dog’s personality. Dog owners are responsible for their pets for entire life of the animal, and that means being responsible for the people who care for and associate with that dog.

Dogs have no way of understanding human priorities so it is not fair to the dog to raise him in a rough way and then punish them when he behaves this way at the wrong time. Therefore, dogs must be taught how to be calm or rowdy at the appropriate times.

This happy balance can be struck by the dog owner using simple voice commands such as, “sit” or, “down” but can also be reached by physical training techniques. There is a possible solution called, “Active and Settle.”

The, “active” side can include retrieving, jumping, and other moderate exercise. “Settle” is teaching the dog how to sit-stay and down-stay, among other quiet activities. Following this regimented approach allows you to, on cue, control the behavior so the dog knows what is expected of him, whether he is calm or roughhousing. It also establishes your leadership role in a puppy’s life.

Like many other situations as a pet owner, if you don’t train the dog to understand your expectations, or make him distrust and fear your actions, you may be unhappy with the outcome. If you provide the correct training and the correct experiences, you will get the dog you want. You can be proud of him, and yourself, for this positive step.

Here at dogcheapsleeps.com, we are pleased to provide you with waterproof, virtually indestructible beds, crates and pads for your puppy or adult dog! We offer high quality, low prices and everything always ships for free!

 

Dog Park Etiquette

You love going to the dog park. Your dog LOVES going to the dog park. What do you do once you’re both there? How do you act? How do you teach your dog to behave? How should your dog interact? What are the guidelines and rules – what is the dog park etiquette?

Here are a few things to consider while visiting your local dog park.

Don’t bring your puppy to a dog park, and if you must, make sure you are supervising very carefully. Puppies are learning about so many things and can’t be expected to behave properly in mixed company. While teaching your pup to be social is vital to their growth, you would be served better to do this with a friend’s dog you know, in a backyard or regular park, where you can be in control of what happens. That is an important part of dog park etiquette.

Don’t take a dog to a park that’s too crowded. This can cause dogs to get anxious and aggressive.

Make sure your dog actually enjoys the location you have chosen. Sometimes distractions, such as heavy traffic, can make the nicest place a dread for your buddy.

Do not break dog park etiquette by bringing personal items such as toys, treats or bones. It can cause jealousy, anxiety and aggression in your dog or other park visitors.

Do not allow your dog to start a pack or bully other dogs. Just like with humans, groups can get unruly. It is up to you to insure your dog is a nice addition, not a nuisance!

Supervise your dog at all times. Don’t socialize heavily with the other owners or spend the whole time on your cell phone. Make sure your dog will respond to your verbal commands. If they can’t, you can’t let them off of their leash, and that doesn’t make a dog park very fun.

Before you become a regular, consult your vet and make sure your dog’s health is good. Most importantly, confirm that he is up to date on shots.

The most obvious advice: Pick up after your pet! There is no excuse for leaving this chore to someone else.

Don’t let your dog be bullied by others. Remember, you can leave any time you want if you don’t like something that is going on. There are other dog parks!

A trip to the dog park can be a fun, rewarding, major social event for your dog. It also helps him get the exercise he needs, which is helpful to reduce anxiety and promote better sleep.

The best way to promote sleep is a comfy, waterproof dog bed, like the kind we sell at dogcheapsleeps.com! It will be the last dog bed you ever buy! Plus free shipping!

While you’re nosing around the site learning about dog park etiquette, stop by our forum and say hi! We’d love to get your input on all sorts of questions, contests and silly stuff!

Stop Dog Chewing

We all know about dog’s extraordinary sense of smell, hearing and amazing eye sight. Did you also know about their favorite way to examine and learn about new things?

Chewing.

To stop dog chewing, you need to understand why dogs chew in the first place.
Just like kids dogs explore new things by putting them in their mouths, dogs learn many things about an object with the same method.

For puppies, again, just like toddlers, a period of teething accounts for this. It usually lasts for around six months. In that time they should be taught what they can and cannot chew – that will help to stop dog chewing later on in their lives. Also, in this time, it is up to you, the dog owner, to provide them with healthy and safe alternatives, to save yourself the frustration of losing your favorite shoes or worse, an entire couch! If not done properly, this could lead to an adult dog chewing randomly and destructively.

Some of the other reasons adult dogs can chew include boredom, separation anxiety, attention, or it can be fear-related.

To stop dog chewing related to a fear based issue, you may want to consult a behavior specialist. The others issues mentioned can be headed off early or cured altogether with some simple steps on your part.

Give them chew toys that are appropriate. In fact, build a crazed obsession in your dog for toys! Don’t give them things that either are, or look like, actual items you don’t want in their mouths. For example, don’t give your dog an old pair of shoes you no longer use, and then expect them to ignore your most expensive high heels. Your pup does not know the difference!

Supervise the dog and give him plenty of attention. The only way to tell him what’s good and what’s bad is to be with him in the first place.

Take responsibility over your things. Dog proof your house when there’s a puppy around. Sometimes the easiest way to stop dog chewing and avoid the destruction is by removing the object.

Give them plenty of exercise. A tired dog is less likely to get bored and chew on random things.

Use a deterrent! Make things you don’t want chewed taste unpleasant with safe sprays you can find in most pet supermarkets.

If you catch your dog chewing, do not chase them! This method can confuse your dog into thinking this is a game and continue with the behavior.

If all of the above has not worked for you, consider a specialist. A dog behavior expert or simply a pet trainer can show you how to properly stop dog chewing and many other frustrating behaviors in your canine buddy!

And if you don’t want dog toy slobber all over, consider a dog bed. This gives your dog a safe spot to do all the chewing he wants! Here at dogcheapsleeps.com, we are proud to claim our dog beds are the last you’ll ever buy! They are comfy, easily sanitized and made right here in the USA. We also offer free shipping on every product we sell. Stop by, check us out, and if you’ve got something to say, visit our forums! We’d love to hear from you!

Where Do You Put Your Dog’s Bed?

In Their Crate: Many people choose for their pets to sleep in kennels during the night, and some dogs prefer this, themselves. A crate offers a nice, personal space and a place to sleep away from furniture. Of course, you’ll want to make the kennel a bit more comfortable for your dog with a few personal items, like toys, blankets and a crate pad! A crate pad can make a crate comfortable enough for your dog to sleep inside all night long.

The Bedroom: If you have a dog who likes to sleep where you sleep, but you don’t want him cuddling up on the bed with you, how about placing a dog bed on the floor in your bedroom? Your dog can sleep comfortably through the night, knowing his family is nearby.

Family Space: Dogs are social creatures who love to spend time with their family. Your dog is probably no different, so a dog bed near the family is ideal. If you spend a lot of time watching television together, place a pet bed in the TV room where your dog can nap. If your family gathers in the kitchen often, a dog bed in the corner or a neighboring room is perfect.

Quiet Space: Just like us, dogs like peace and quiet sometimes. Give your pet a bed somewhere quiet and out of the way, like a basement family room. Look around your home for low-traffic areas away from loud appliances to place a cozy dog bed for your dog to nap in.

In Your Office: Do you spend your night typing away at your computer, only to have your dog sitting on your feet or getting rolled over by your chair? Set a dog bed close by, and let your dog nap the evening away, without the fear of being stepped on!

No matter which location you choose, always remember to get your quality dog beds at dogcheapsleeps.com! Waterproof, super comfy, American made and everything you buy ships for free! Make your dog and your wallet happy!

Why Does Your Dog Need A Dog Bed?

There are many beneficial reasons to give your dog, or each of your dogs, their very own dog bed.

Peace and Quiet!

Dogs don’t seem to want much more than food in their bowl and a pat on the head. Okay, a lot of pats on the head. However, they also need some quiet time. It is very healthy for your dog to get away from it all and find a calm, cozy retreat to rest, play with a new chew toy or just hide from the new sweater you’ve bought for him.

Old Dogs, Small Dogs, Big Dogs!

Large dogs tend to age faster, and because their body weight puts more pressure on their bone structure, they sometimes need special attention as they age.

Small dogs can have joint and hip injuries after years of jumping off and on beds, couches, counters, that were too tall for their frame.

The right dog bed can relieve this joint and muscle soreness for your aging pup.

Save Your Furniture!

As much as we all love our dogs, we can probably agree we don’t like our couches chewed on, covered in dog hair, or even the little scrapes and scratches from their toenails. A dog bed gives him a comfy hideaway where this is all acceptable! He can shed, slobber, scrape, sniff and snore.

Yay!

Save Yourself!

If you, or any members of your family, suffer from allergies, a dog bed is a wonderful alternative. The majority of the dander and pet hair will stay in one area and, with a vinyl, waterproof dog bed, it can easily be wiped away.

Get Rid of the Germs!

 

Dogs stick their noses in everything you wish they didn’t. As a result, the dog’s nose carries many germs. Those germs can transfer to your furniture and once there, be hard to wash off. Until we can throw a couch into a washing machine, the germs, muddy paw prints and chew toy slobber are sticking around. Stop the worry about germs with a waterproof dog bed that can be sanitized, wiped clean, hosed down, you name it!

 

Here at dogcheapsleeps.com, we want happiness for your family and your dogs! That’s why we work hard to make sure we are offering a superior product at a fair price. Everything is made in America and ships to you for free!

Do dogs dream?

Until scientists figure out how to get our furry friends to talk, we’ll never know for certain what goes on in their heads, but it is logical to believe that our dogs dream.

Most of us have experienced watching our dog twitch or whine, seemingly run in place or softly bark, while they are dozing. Whether it be chasing cats or running from a dinosaur, is anyone’s guess. Do dogs dream – do they have imaginations to create fantasy worlds? Probably not. Most likely, your dog dreams about the same things he sees in his daily routine.
The genetics shared between dogs and humans are as high as ninety five percent. Our basic makeup isn’t that much different from our dogs. It is reasonable then to believe that we are more similar than we realize in our brain makeup and our brain functions as well. The human brain and the dog brain is fairly similar. Point being, the answer to “do dogs dream?” should be the same as to “do humans dream?”

Here’s something really interesting: Abused dogs don’t dream nearly as much. Studies performed on dogs show that severely neglected and abused dogs are more likely to experience a lack of dreaming. There is no evidence of nightmares, thankfully, just little to no activity that would suggest dreams. Again, until we can ask the pound puppies, the theory is purely speculative.

Based on all of this, rest well in the knowledge that seeing your dog scamper in his sleep, is possibly a reflection on just how happy and safe he feels! Feel free to laugh and point, post a video of it on YouTube, and enjoy this little glimpse into your doggie’s inner self.

Whatever your stance on the question “do dogs dream?”, you are probably wondering how you can make your dog sleep even better? Get him a dog bed, like those at dogcheapsleeps.com! We work hard to make sure your pup is comfy! All of our beds are made right here in America, and we even offer free shipping on all beds, covers and crate pads! And they’re waterproof! This will be the last dog bed you will ever buy!