Organic Dog Beds – What To Look Out For

You care about the planet so you recycle and try your best to minimize your carbon footprint. You care about your dog’s health, so you feed her natural or organic dog food. You make a special point of finding dog treats which are healthy and made from natural ingredients. Why would you let your dog sleep on a bed made with petrochemicals?

If you haven’t given it much thought before, here a few things to consider when looking for a safe and comfortable bed for your dog.

Organic fibers are important. You probably know humans who have sensitive skin, and have allergic reactions to synthetic dyes and chemicals in their clothes. You might even be one of those people yourself. Contact with the wrong fibers can give you a serious rash, or at least make your skin uncomfortably itchy. It is the same with your dog. Even if your dog is not particularly allergic, it is still healthier to let her sleep on a bed that is not full of toxins. So choose a bed with an organic cotton or hemp cover.

Many “green” dog bed fillings on the market today are made from post-consumer plastic fibers that come from recycled water bottles. These types of synthetic fibers are considered to be safe because the recycled plastic was originally used as food containers. There are mixed reviews, though, about the safety of any plastic material for long term use. There is growing evidence that plastic leaches into its surrounding environment. So beware that proof of the long term safety of all plastics is still up in the air, even if they are recycled.

Of course, filling is only an issue if your dog likes high-loft, pillow-like beds. If that is what your dog likes, and you don’t like the idea of her sleeping on recycled plastic, look for a bed stuffed with organic kapok. Kapok is a plant-based material, like cotton or hemp. It has been used for centuries to stuff furniture and pillows. So both you and your dog can rest easy that it is safe.

Some dogs prefer to sleep on a firmer surface, even the floor. If all your dog needs is a blanket to keep the chill off, you could choose organic cotton or hemp, which are also machine washable. If your dog requires firm stuffing, you can still use organic kapok, but make sure that it is densely packed to provide firmness that is comfortable for your dog.

Care For Aging Cats

Aging cats are going to take a little more maintenance as they get older and visits to the vet should become more regular to ensure that any problems are dealt with before they become a bigger worry.

Older cats will need a little more comfort as they are not as limber as they once were and giving them a nice soft surface to sleep on, away from drafts and in the warmth, will ensure that they remain in good health for longer. Quite often cats will find a favorite place to sleep and as they are very clean animals, this place will need to be cleaned on regular basis or they will tend to move to other sleeping areas after a while. There are some excellent cat beds available on the market designed to be very comfortable. They are relatively cheap and most of them are designed to wrap around the cat as they lie in their natural curled up sleeping position. This gives the cat support and also a sense of security and the good beds are made of materials that can be easily washed and dried to help maintain cleanliness and ensure that your cat stays in that same place most of the time.

One of the biggest problems that you need to consider as your cat ages is to have its teeth checked on a regular basis as teeth problems are one of the biggest causes of ill health in older cats. In fact it is often said that cats that live longest are those that don’t have any teeth left. They can get a buildup of plaque on the teeth and this can cause gum problems. These gum problems can cause infections that lead to the deterioration of their internal organs and reduction in the quality of life and the length of their life so try to get your cat’s teeth checked at least once every six months as they get older. Some breeds of cats and more prone to teeth problems than others and a lot of this depends upon the type of food you are feeding them and also the way that they eat as some cats like to chew more than others, with the chewing helping to clean plague off the teeth.

Which Are The Most Intelligent Dog Breeds?

Today we are going to look at the top five dogs based on intelligence.

And at number five on that list is the Doberman.
It is important that the Doberman is trained early on in its life, as they can be quite temperamental. If they are trained they can be great family dogs and really good with children despite their reputation. They are highly intelligent, and like many intelligent dogs are very protective of their master and family.

Number four is the Golden Retriever, which is often regarded as one of the most popular breeds of dog. They are great with children and are a very loyal and loving dog.
It is not uncommon to see Golden Retrievers winning dog competitions where intelligence is of importance.

Number three on our list is a dog that is often associated with police work.
Yes, it’s the German Shepherd, and it is chosen for its police work due to its intelligence. They make great family dogs and love children.
They need to be kept busy with work or some form of stimulation otherwise they can become depressed and unhappy. They need to know who their master is from a young age to ensure both they and the family get the most out of their relationship.

The second most intelligent dog might surprise a lot of people. Not only for the fact that they are highly intelligent, but also because they are one of the easiest dogs to train. And that dog is the Poodle. Yes the Poodle comes in at number two on our list of intelligent dogs.
They love people, and because of this they don’t like to be left alone. They are very protective and can become quite vicious if anybody encroaches upon their property or territory.

And the number one all-time most intelligent dog of all is the Border Collie. The Border Collie is another dog that is often seen winning competitions.
They’re highly intelligent, but along with that intelligence comes the need for them to be stimulated regularly. They’re happiest when they’re working or performing in competitions or dog trials. So there you go, if you have a Border Collie, you know you have the most intelligent dog in the world, provided of course, that you have trained it well. Please feel free to disagree if you wish to add you own dog to the list – leave your thoughts in the comments below.