Does it matter what surface our Labradors lie on? Are there better surfaces for skeletal health? Snowie has specific times of the day for choosing particular surfaces to sleep on (you can set your clock by his movements!). During the day he chooses cool surfaces like the cold kitchen floor. But he also has a thin "day bed" (looks like a fake sheepskin, no mattress) where he rests his head on a scrunched up blanket or on his soft toy (he loves to have a pillow for his head!). At night he moves between the wooden balcony floor outside, the cooling gel mats and down pillow (for his head!) on the carpet, or curled up on the firm sofa. We did buy him an expensive, very comfy bed that he never slept in. He preferred the sofa, and because the bed is so huge, we were glad to pack it away and get back the floor in our bedroom. But should I be getting him a memory foam mattress for during the day? He has a bulging vertebral disc (diagnosed recently, seeing the vet for treatment on Tuesday) but thankfully no other skeletal issues. But he does get hot and I know for myself I cannot sleep on foam as it makes me way too hot. Should I be getting him some soft padding for his day bed? Is it healthier for our dogs to sleep on a soft surface? Most of the day Snowie is sleeping on his side on the hard floor.
It sounds to me like Snowie has a number of options that he is free to choose from, and that he's always able to find a surface that suits him at the time. If he didn't like the hard floor he'd choose the sofa. Dogs do get hot much more easily that we do (fur coat, can't sweat) so they often appreciate a cool surface more than a soft surface I think. Snowie sounds well catered for and I wouldn't worry about getting anything else. Hope all goes well on Tuesday
I encourage Charlie to always lie on soft surfaces - I am much more troubled by this than he is! I actually can't bear to see him lying on a hard floor, and I even take a large towel with me to the pub in case we sit at a table that is not on carpet, or outside on flagstones. It might be completely irrational on my part! But I just can't stand my dog to be on a hard surface. A thick towel laid on cold flagstones or tiles does get cool, it isn't thick enough to insulate against coldness. Charlie has got used to this, and just lies down on his mats and towels. For preference, in the house, he will always choose the few bits of quality leather furniture that I have....
Juno was brought up on ceramic floors with just a large rug on the lounge floor with a bed in the kitchen and another in the lounge. Since our move we have wooden floors throughout the ground floor with just large rugs in the lounge and dining room. Jun has the choice of 2 memory foam beds - 1 in the lounge and 1 in the kitchen. She chooses where she wants to sleep - sometimes on the floor, sometimes on the rug, sometimes in her bed. She's currently stretched out on the rug with her head on my feet
My two have vet beds, more padded dog beds, leather sofas and another, thin, day bed to choose from. They spend the majority of their time on the sofa, but when it gets warm, they like to lie on the wooden floor by the front door, where there's a bit of a draught. When it's really hot, I put down cool pads for them. Willow likes to lie outside on the terrace in the sun, and when she does this, I'll put a piece of vet bed down for her to lie on because I want her to be comfortable. Spoiled pooches
Well my Charlie always loved soft spaces or soft mattresses to lie on specially in winters and thats why we bought a big mattress for him and he chooses between the tiled floor and the mattress as per his wish. He keeps on changing his position and places all through the day and night- sometimes full on bed sometimes full on floor sometimes body on floor and head on the bed and so on. But i have seen if i dont keep his mattress in place he starts using sofa so this means he needs his bed right there whether he uses it all day or not [GALLERY=][/GALLERY] P.S. I was trying to add a picture here but couldn't do so. Image link is not working its only showing gallery written here on the post - any idea how to add a pic from phone?
Rory likes floors harder the better cusions beds and soft things are for whimps. He however rethought the idea as hes got older he can now force himself to accept the comfort of a sofa or nice dog bed. he did sleep in the fire place once? Midge has a soft dog bed with 2 extra soft beds on top then with a piece of soft fleece on top of that and ofcouse her soft velvet cushion to rest her head on, she stil feels its a bit hard? Doug has a very suportive dog bed with firm high sides and a futon base, he realy likes it and its "his bed" none of the others use it, he also likes the sofa and can still get onto it by himself. Everything is wipe downable and/or machine washable.
I think the key is that they have a choice - they will always lie where they feel the most comfortable. JulieT is right about cafes and pubs too - if the floor is cold they may need a blanket or mat. We are expected to have one with us for our guide dog pups so that they are comfortable.
Thank you everyone, I feel a lot better! From various posts I've read, I felt I'd been cruel to poor Snowie not having a mattress downstairs for his daytime sleeps. Hah! I am pretty sure that those of us on this forum pamper our pooches far more than the norm! It was very interesting reading what all your dogs like to lie on. He does actually have access to a very comfy sofa to lie on during the day if he chooses, and I have noticed in winter he lies on it from time to time. However, it is not in the hub of the home, and he does like to be where everyone else is. I should mention that the hard surface I was referring to does include a Persian carpet on top of it! And like JulieT, I also take a towel with me when I go to a café or to friends, although more as a marker so that he knows that is his spot; it's easier to get him to settle down if I can say to him, Go lie on your bed.
I got these little pads from Blind Dogs Trust they are just a small pad of duvet material with a cottan fabric cover. They are lightweight very washable and absorbant. They are small enough to carry and quilted enough to be really comfortable. I that these with me and they also help if the very old boy lab is a bit leaky.
Thanks for the idea. I'll take an old duvet and fold it up and put it under his fake sheepskin daybed to make it softer.
