SLEEP DEPRIVED

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Nope! Not me – I’m sleeping just fine, thank you very much…

Well as best I can under the circumstances. Doodle #2 Mr. Leo has been struggling with his new bed.

In Harley’s 4th of July Highlights blog post, I shared excerpts from our shopping experience at the Orvis store in search of new pet beds. We decided to return ours because the subtle fabric I selected just couldn’t hold up to their “denning / nesting” rituals every evening…

“Denning is just what it sounds like – your dog’s natural instinct to create a warm and cozy place to sleep IE: a den. Moving of blankets and pillows, circling before laying down, as well as digging in his bedding are examples of nesting behaviour. Your dog does not have the privilege of blankets and pillows in the wild, his bedding in nature would be comprised of leaves and dirt and whatever he could scavenge. Leaves and dirt do not hold shape like a blanket and you can imagine they are not as comfortable either and so your dog must move things, dig around in things and circle before he can comfortably sleep.”

When I purchased the beds – I rationalized as a “human” and gravitated to the “micro-soft” feel of the bed cover. I thought it would be comfy and inviting for them. They seemed to appreciate the delicate feel because whenever we were hanging out upstairs – they were on it…

On a few of those cold bitter winter nights I would add a blanket and watch them twirl around until they resembled a “doodle pretzel” all snuggled up for the night…

But the fabric was totally wrong for my boys, and the material started to fray in the corners where they dug. The store suggested I bring them back and they would help me find something just as comfy but a tad more durable.

After many “bed-less” nights the new beds arrived. Talk about surprised! Not them – me! Who would have thought, Leo would be unhappy with my selection.

Harley? Oh for him? Instant doodle heaven! He snuggles, cuddles, stretches out and gets his REMsleep every night…

Leo? Well that’s another story! He couldn’t seem to adjust well at all. The first couple of nights he slept next to it…

These beds are the same style, same size, and in the exact same location. It just has a different fabric cover and pattern!

One night I came into the room and he was totally MIA…

I found him in the guest room…

Another night I tried to coax him to just sit on it and perhaps he could become “one with his bed”...

Later that evening, He went to yet another room…

I decided to leave him alone and allow him to roam. I figured eventually he would sleep in it, at least this is what I added to my nightly prayers.

You can only imagine my exhilarated delight (weeks later) when I walked into the room the other evening and found this…

They’ve become bed buddies – DOODLE-LU-JAH!

DISCLAIMER: I wanted to let you know I am not being compensated in any way for this blog post. Just sharing my opinion and appreciation for a product I trust and my Boys enjoy.

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Hi Lynda - I think you're right! Once Leo adjusted - he's been fine ever since. Harley has always gravitated to something soft, since he was a pup. He's always been a "bed" kind of dog. When Leo came along, of course he just mimicked Harley. Now things are back to our sort of normal. Once they snuggle in for the night, their pretty much there till dawn. Yes, I did go with the memory foam, and that's really got Harley snoring....

Thanks for reading. Take care

[Lynda Kamrath]

Sounds like Leo is "sleeping around".  He probably was having problems adjusting to something about the heat, smell, etc. of his new bed.  Is it memory foam inside?  My dogs are free to sleep where they choose but they also have sleeping pads in our bedroom and outdoor canvas beds on the deck.  They get on our bed only when invited in the morning for scratches while we have our coffee in bed.  Groucho usually sleeps on the cool tiles in the bathroom in the summer and on the couch in the living room in the morning.  We don't have the large bedroom that you have so their pads are up during the day and I flip them down when I go to bed at night.

BTW, I also prefer the new beds.  Good choice.  And I love the blog with photos.

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Hi Ginny - How have you been? I am just so happy that everyone's able to sleep through the night without Leo's constant pacing. The other day after I cleaned the house, I placed the beds back down but had Leo's bed on the right side vs. the usual left. And I laughed because one would have thought he could read. He got in what was Harley's bed in his spot - tossed and turned a bit, and then got up and went to the other side which was really his bed. I guess memory foam really does have a memory! Thanks for reading.

[Ginny Nightingale]

very funny! I have purchased beds that the dogs were unhappy with and they sat empty for months--then I picked them up and put them in a new spot and the three doods were fighting over them--who can figure this out???

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Yeah - he most certainly is - but you know what? I am not going to rock the boat. For the past few nights we haven't had to listen to him pace the floor, sigh, and then flop down on the floor over and over again. It's made after midnight what it used to be, and I'm thrilled. Thanks so much for reading, have a great day Joanna!

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Aw Leo just needed to warm up to it :)  looks like hes in Harleys bed tho haha