It's a familiar scene: a new, beautiful bed in its corner... and the dog lying on the tiles two meters away. It's not that they've suddenly become spoiled. There's usually a specific reason, and it can be fixed.
1. The location is wrong
By far, this is the most common cause. Dogs are pack animals and sleep where their people are. A bed in the hallway, in an empty room, or on the patio won't be used, no matter how comfortable it is.
Where it does work:
- In the room where you spend your time, usually the living room.
- Against a wall or in a corner. They need to feel their back is covered to fully relax.
- Out of the way, not in the middle of the house's main thoroughfare.
- Away from the front door (every noise puts them on alert) and away from the radiator.
If you have a large house, two beds in two different places will do much more than one perfect one.
2. The bed isn't their type
Watch how your dog sleeps when no one has put anything in front of them. That posture tells you what kind of bed they need.
- They curl up into a ball. They need high edges to rest their head on: a donut-style or round bed with a raised rim.
- They stretch out completely, legs out. Edges get in their way. A flat, wide rectangular mattress.
- They crawl under blankets or furniture. This is a dog that seeks a den. They will love a closed bed with a roof; they will never use an open one.
- They are older or have joint problems. They need a firm mattress, not one that sinks, and low edges to get in without jumping.
3. The size is too small
Measure your dog lying down and stretched out, from their nose to the base of their tail, and add 15 to 20 cm. If the bed forces them to curl up when all they want to do is stretch out, they won't use it. When in doubt, always choose the larger size.
4. It smells like a shop, not a home
A bed fresh out of the plastic smells like a factory, and to a dog, that's a strange object. Put an old, unwashed t-shirt of yours inside, or the blanket they already used. In two or three days, the bed will start to smell like their own territory.
How to teach them to use it
- Reward them every time they go in on their own. Even if it's just to sniff around. A small treat, without making a fuss, so as not to get them excited.
- Feed them near it for the first few days, or leave a chew toy there.
- Never use it as a punishment. If "go to your bed" means you've done something wrong, the bed becomes an unpleasant place.
- And don't bother them when they are inside. No petting, no taking them out of there. Let them learn that nothing bad will happen to them in their bed.
And what if they want the sofa instead
That decision is yours, but be consistent: they can either always get on it, or never. A dog who is sometimes allowed on it and sometimes sent off won't understand the rule, and they will keep trying every day. If you don't want them to get on it, put their bed next to the sofa, not on the other side of the living room: what they are looking for is to be with you, not the cushion.
In our dog beds and rest section, you'll find donut beds with raised rims, closed den beds, and flat mattresses, with the measurements on each product page. Free shipping throughout Spain.
You may also be interested in: health and mobility aids.
If you prefer to get everything at once, in the Winter Pack, you can choose what your pet needs from coats, raincoats, and warm beds.