When did you last wash your dog’s bed? Most of us change our own bedding on a fairly regular basis, but don’t realize that our dogs can benefit from clean, fresh bedding too. Not only will it help keep them healthy, but it can also prevent excess fur and dander getting into the air and creating havoc for anyone in your home who may suffer from allergies or asthma.
Unless you give them a bath every time they come in from outside, your dog will naturally transfer any dirt and debris that they have picked up on their coat and paws onto their bed. Since many dogs like to roll in anything stinky that they come across, these odours will be transferred onto their bed, along with any fleas, ticks or worm larvae that they may pick up when exploring outdoors and meeting other animals. If you are an experienced owner, you’ll already know that parasite problems can be frustrating and unpleasant for the whole household, not just your dog.
With this in mind, here are our top tips for looking after your dog’s bed.
How often should I wash my dog’s bed?
If you want to keep your dog’s bed clean and smelling fresh, fairly regular washing is essential. Exactly how often this should be will depend on several factors including:
- How much your dog sheds?
- How much dirt they bring into the house with them?
- Whether they have any health issues affecting their coat or skin, such as mites or fleas.
For the majority of dogs, washing their bed every 2/3 weeks should be enough. However, if they have any sort of parasite infestation, it’s best to wash their bed as often as possible – every other day if you can. For example, if your dog has fleas, flea eggs could fall off them and into their bed where they will hatch and mature into adult fleas, restarting the cycle and leaving your pet and your home riddled with an infestation for weeks or months to come.
