Choosing A Dog Bed For More Than One Dog
Choosing the right dog bed can be a challenging task for one dog, let alone two or more. How big does it need to be? What style of mattress will work best? And what if they don’t want to share?
When selecting the best sleeping arrangement for your dogs, you need to consider whether buying them one each is best or whether they’d prefer to be cuddled up on one larger bed. Let’s explore whether dogs should share a bed and how to choose a dog bed for more than one dog.
Is It OK For Dogs To Share A Bed?
From the moment dogs are born, they share their space with a litter of siblings. Cosying up to each other and their mother for warmth is natural for them. In time they are separated from the litter and join their new homes. Separation anxiety is common and often the reason that pups cry on those first few nights in their new surroundings.
Adjusting to a new sleeping routine is easier for one dog on its own. However, if you bring home more than one dog, they won’t see much difference and will likely be more than happy to share a bed. There is no limit to how many dogs can share a bed, as long as there is enough room for each one.
Welcoming An Additional Dog
When you introduce an additional dog into your home, you will need to consider your existing dog and how it will react to the change. How do you think it will respond to sharing its space with a new addition? Your dog may be quite happy to take on a protective role if a new puppy is introduced to the home. However, they may also feel territorial and refuse to share their bed with a new addition.
If you are introducing a puppy, a fully lined crate is worth considering for the short term. It’s not advisable to put a puppy straight into a dog bed before it is toilet trained, even if the bed lining is washable. As soon as the young dog is toilet trained (and you can trust it not to destroy the house at night), you can get them their own dog bed, or invest in a new bed for both dogs, and encourage them to share.
Dogs will often find somewhere else to rest their head if they’re not sold on the idea of sharing a bed yet. We recommend considering this and leaving a comfortable alternative available for one of them to use, should this occur.
Selecting The Best Dog Bed For More Than One Dog
If you decide that your dogs sharing a bed is the way forward, selecting a bed that is specific to the needs of both dogs is important. For example, you may have a small and large breed that sleeps in very different positions. Take into account the combined sleeping area of the dogs at night. Both dogs will need room to stretch out, so opting for a larger dog bed may be wise.
While two dogs sharing one bed is a sound investment that will save you money, a backup will always come in handy. Illness or injury may require your dog to isolate from the other dog. Having a separate dog bed for these emergencies is a good idea. Dogs sleep a lot more than humans, and they need a comfortable place to rest during the day and night, no matter the size of your pack.
We recommend opting for two of our large dog mattresses, which give your dogs plenty of room to stretch out. For advice on choosing the right bed, explore our Sizing Guide.