Having a pet dog is great. They can accompany you on walks, guard your home, and act as someone to cuddle up to on cold evenings. However, as is the way with all pets, one day your pup will be older, and will likely need some more support to get around your home without discomfort.
So, here are some pieces of furniture you may need to buy when you have an older canine companion.
Memory Foam Bed or Pillow
Older dogs are more likely to have arthritis, which means a thin bed is no longer going to be somewhere comfortable for them to relax.
Aim to get a memory foam bed for them, or even an oversized bean bag that has been stuffed with memory foam. These options will allow them to sleep without there being too much pressure on their joints, which can help with inflammation and discomfort.
Steps
Lots of pups love nothing more than cuddling up to their human on the sofa at the end of a long day. Plus, just as many people will tell you, older dogs love to cuddle too. However, if your dog is smaller, or has sore joints, it can be harder for them to jump up to join you. So, aim to get size-appropriate steps for them to climb up to get onto sofas, or into your bed. This will reduce the risk of injury from jumping and will also prevent them from falling off the sofas too.
Bowls on Stands
Older dogs can find the act of reaching down to drink water or to eat from a bowl painful, due to soreness in their necks. Luckily, many pet stores sell bowls that come on stands, so your older pup can get the food and water they want without putting too much strain on themselves. Just be sure that the bowls are slightly lower than their heads, as it is hard for a dog to eat or drink when their bowl is at the same height as their head.
Rugs or Carpets
Wooden floors can be hard for older dogs to grip onto as they walk, especially if they have sore joints in their legs.
So, when possible, aim to lay down as much thick carpet as you can to help your elderly pooch move around. If you are renting your home and there is no carpet, try to get as many rugs as possible and secure them in place. This will act as somewhere for your dog to lay down and grip when they are up and walking around.
Heating Pads
An older dog is likely to suffer from arthritis and sore joints, but they can’t tell you. And, like arthritis in humans, this is likely to get worse during the winter.
This means that to keep your elderly dog comfortable and help their joints to remain mobile, you will need to invest in a heating pad to place in their bed. Some people even opt for electric blankets, which can be great if you live in a very cold climate. Be sure to not cover their entire bed with the heat source, as this may cause them to become overly warm and may drive them to sleep on the floor, which will cause more soreness.
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