The PetCot Company: Ways to Encourage Your Dog to Use Their NEW PetCot Bed

You've made the decision to get a PetCot, and now the day is finally here and it's sitting on your doorstep waiting to be opened and enjoyed. Whether your pet is familiar with raised pet beds or not, they could be a little nervous about a new style. Of course, you could open it up and your outgoing, bouncy puppy could be extremely excited about this new addition! It's always hard to tell how your pet will react, so here are a few things you can do to make the introduction a happy one.

Wipe The PetCot Down

While your PetCot will be clean when it arrives fresh out of the box, it may have some funky smells associated with it. Since a dog's nose is significantly more powerful than yours, and they rely on it to tell them more about their surroundings, it could help to clean your PetCot off. You can wipe down the vinyl surface with a rag and a soap or safe disinfectant. You could even consider using a bit of their pet shampoo so that the bed smells familiar. If you sprayed their previous bed down with any fresheners, you can do the same with this bed to keep the scents the same.

Make It Comfy

Make the bed feel like home by adding a few of their favorite things. If your pup has a favorite blanket, you can fold it up and lay it on top of the PetCot. Not because it needs a blanket to be more comfortable, but because it will naturally make your pet feel more at home. You can also add some of their toys to the bed. If anything, this will encourage them to get on their new premium dog bed at least get their toy. The more you can get your pet on the bed, the faster they will become more acclimated to it. While we don't find that many pets are afraid of PetCots, sometimes they can be wary of the differences in it and their previous bed. Because a raised bed can have a different feel since it's suspended 4.5" off the ground, this could mean that your pet may take some getting used to it. You can also put their old bed on top to help the new bed appear more comfortable.

Resort to Bribery

What we really mean is resort to positive training, but sometimes it feels like bribery! If your pet just can't bear to take the first step on their raised pet bed, you can encourage them to get on it and then reward them with a treat. Many trainers use the PetCot bed to teach "place training." This training method gives your pet a place to stay, and also a location for the command. When you say "go to place," ideally, they will then go to their bed and not get off until you give them the release command. This is only one benefit to the PetCot bed, and if you are having trouble getting them on it to start with, treats can be a good trade, and ask them to stay on the bed until you release them. This gives them something to work for, but also help them become more acclimated to their bed while waiting there. If you have a Kong, you can fill it, command the dog to sit and stay on their bed before giving it to them. The treats in their Kong will distract them enough that they won't be too eager to get off the bed, and then help them get accustomed to the feel. You can also smear peanut butter into the fabric of the bed, since PetCots are so easy to clean, this is also a great idea!

The Best Pet Beds for Your Pet

Ideally, the goal is to get your pet on their bed and stay there as long as possible if they are wary. Give it some time, sometimes a pet who is very habitual will find it difficult to get used to a new routine, but with enough encouragement and time, you'll find them laying on it without any request. It many cases we find that the PetCot bed is one of the best purchases you can make for your pet! Not only is it chew proof for puppies, but it can be made especially comfortable with padding for older dogs, and the premium raised pet bed will not hurt their pressure points. If you're ready to take the leap and join the PetCot family, visit our website to order!

Taking Comfort and Care to a New Level for Pets!