New year resolutions ... a clean, fresh start to 2024 for your dog and their bedding!
With 2024 just around the corner, it's a time of year when we're generally full of good intentions so it's the perfect time to make a new year's resolution that will make a huge different to your dog's ongoing comfort and well-being ... a new dog bed regime to keep them as comfy, cosy and clean in their snooze pads as possible. Here's 5 tips to think about for 2024 ...
1. Start afresh
First up give your precious pooch a bath, and wash their beds too - all of the covers and mattress inners / filling pads - so that both your dog and their bed welcome the New Year all sparkling and tingly clean.
If your dog's bed is beyond saving then it's time to invest wisely in a new one to keep your dog in the comfort they deserve. We can obviously help with that - all Charley Chau beds have removable covers, and machine washable everything.
2. Blankets - can't live without
Dress your dog's lovely clean bed with blankets to add extra warmth and cosiness and they will also trap lots of the muck that will be coming off your dog's paws and coat such as dust, silt and animal dander. Check out our lush Faux-Fur Blanket in Lilac Rabbit >
It's much easier to wash a blanket than stripping a whole dog bed down. We recommend a fresh blanket every week / fortnight depending on the dog. Have a spare on hand to make wash day less pressured. For a super-cosy and super-practical option, choose our Double Fleece Blankets >
3. Wash your dog's bed covers regularly
Lots of bacteria and dust mites live in dog beds and much of the food that these pesty invaders feed on sits in the outer cover. If your dog's bed is not lined with blankets, wash the outer covers every 1-2 weeks. If the bed is lined with blankets, we recommend washing the outer covers every 3-4 weeks. All Charley Chau beds, just like the Day Bed Mattress in Faroe Sienna shown here, have removable covers to make washing as pain free as possible. We also believe in spare sets of 'bed linen' for our dog beds so Spare Bed Covers are available for all Charley Chau's to make wash day even easier!
4. Mattress care
Unless your dog bed is protected with a Charley Chau Waterproof Bed Liner, we recommend that you wash your dog's internal mattress and other filling pads every 4 - 6 months to keep on top of bateria and dust mites. If you have a Charley Chau Waterproof Liner then you're likely to be OK with a wash once a year because of the barrier protection that the liner provides. Re-shape the mattress while damp and allow to dry thoroughly (to prevent mould or mildew forming) before putting a dog bed back together.
5. Air the bed and let it breathe
The underside of your dog’s bed may feel cold and possibly slightly damp, and not just in winter months. It's essential that you air your dog's bed regularly to prevent mould and mildew from forming the base.
A great time to air your dog's bed is when you head out for a walk with your dog - hopefully wearing one of our smart Classic Leather Dog Collars. Simply place the bed on a laundry rack, or hang it over the back of a chair, exposing the base in a warm room or airing cupboard to give the bed a chance to breathe. It really helps to keep your dog's bed fresher for longer in between washes!