88/ 100 What Makes a Good Dog Bed?

My own dog, little Chip, has several proper beds that are for him to use exclusively. One is an actual dog bed from a pet shop in Germany that we had to buy because, for whatever reason, he had decided that sleeping on the cushioned bench in the back of our campervan wasn’t satisfactory. He slept in the comfortable purple bed for the first night, then decided that the benches were actually quite comfy and has slept happily on them instead ever since.

Chip also has a large brown corduroy cushion and a fabric footstool that are purely for him to use. He very rarely sleeps on any of these things, however, and you will usually find him on any chair, bed, cushion or pile of clothes that happens to be closest to where we are, or where a shaft of sunlight gleams through a window and lands on the floor. As long as he isn’t actually quite on the floor itself he is happy. He will even sleep on an empty plastic bag in preference to the carpet.

As you can imagine, most of the street dogs in India don’t have a bed. They aren’t pets and belong to nobody in particular. Despite this, don’t be mistaken into thinking that they don’t care where they sleep. Pretty much all the dogs I’ve ever seen in India still make their own little sleeping areas themselves and return to them each evening. Dogs, it would seem, do like a bed of some sorts, however minimal it may seem to us.

Being up off of the ground seems to be a preferred position, but then there are plenty of dogs who make deep holes in the dirt and sleep in there quite cosily. Some dogs seek calm, peaceful locations, whereas others are determined to sleep in the busiest pf places. Some curl up for a nap in the sun whereas others prefer the coolness of a shady ledge.

So where do dogs choose to make themselves a bed? I think it seems to simply be a place where they feel happiest.

The dog in the bed above is called Leo. This very stark-looking concrete corner is the home that he and the security guard that cares for him have claimed from the side entrance to a botanically-enrobed block of apartments in the heart of Bangalore called Van Gogh Gardens. This simple niche doesn’t look like much at all but it is clean, dry, peaceful and there is plentiful water and food. Most importantly for Leo, perhaps, is that the man who cares for him is always right outside, sat on a plastic garden chair on the pavement.

Here are a few more diverse places dogs have chosen to sleep.