Snooza bed is still giving good service

 It's great to see Peppa using the Snooza raised bed that we bought for Penny so many years ago. 

Penny would only sleep on it if it had a cushion or blanket on it, and even on super hot days or nights wouldn't be happy without that covering. Snooza does say that their pet futon is cool, but I prefer the open bedding at the moment.

I've read that the open mesh is a good way to keep a dog cooler, as the air can circulate around their belly and paw pads. So we feel happy that Peppa doesn't care if there's no covering on the mesh.

it's very hot for dogs, humans and birds

It's hot. Hot all day and hot all night. Penny is feeling the heat.

We took the comfy pet futon off her bed and replaced it with a wet towel, but she's not convinced that's a good idea and has rejected it. I'll put the futon back on, tonight, because I see on the Snooza website they say it's cool in summer. Certainly Penny did sleep on it last night, and the temperature only dipped to about 28 degrees Celcius (83 Fahrenheit).

While she was flaked out in the best spot to receive the breeze from our evaporative cooling, I was out in the garden checking for fresh water in our array of bird bathing bowls.

As I was filling this final birdbath I heard a chattering...

...and saw two thirsty little birds sitting right beside me, not a metre away, with their beaks open, and realised they were my very favourite birds, pardalotes.

I knew pardolates pardalotes live around here, because I've heard their song from high up in the trees, but to see some down near the ground, right up close, was fantastic. I couldn't get a photo, because I didn't have a camera, and by the time I crept away and rushed into the house to get one, they were - of course - gone.

Here are some photos of these lovely birds.

a gift for Penny

Penny received a gift in the mail recently, from Snooza. We bought a great flea-free raised bed from them some months ago and I must have given them Penny's (estimated) date of birth, because the recent letter said it was a birthday present for her. Such a nice surprise.



Penny spends a lot of time on her raised bed each day, and the first part of the night. Some time in the wee hours she usually moves to her Snooza Orthobed, which is at the other end of the house, near the humans' bedrooms. We bought that bed about eighteen months ago, after her cruciate surgery. She loves sleeping there, but I've noticed it's quite flattened, so I'll have to see whether I can get a new foam insert for it. I think I need convoluted foam, but I'll have to do some research on it. WiseGeek says:

Another common use of this material is in the manufacturing of bed pillows and mattress toppers. For one thing, the unique pattern provides more cushion than flat foam since the coned peaks absorb physical stress and provide for better weight distribution. The material also permits more air circulation, and many hospitals use medical grade convoluted foam as bedding material to reduce the risk of decubitus ulcers, or bedsores.

I don't recall getting a gift from Snooza last year, so perhaps I didn't give her birthdate at that time.


Anyway, back to the gift...



It's like a Ropee, but the fabric cover the whole circle. Penny loves it, and I love it because I can throw it low and flat and thus Penny won't be in danger of jumping to catch it and re-injure her cruciate ligament. Of course, we only do short throws for her these days. Gone are the days of racing around parks chasing thrown balls. But it's great that she's well enough to run around at all!

a dog supervises the gardening

It's been beautiful weather here in Melbourne today and I headed out to the garden to work. And I took Penny with me.

She lay in the shade near the garden bed and watched me pull out (oops! I meant, harvest) the weeds.



Penny was on her new Snooza Orthobed, which is advertised as being good for older dogs, or dogs who have had surgery. Who could resist? The amazing thing was that as I carried it into the house from the car when I bought it last week, she was nudging me and following me and as I dropped it she walked onto it and lay down - before I could even tear off the label.

The advertising says:

Orthobed
Perfect for older pets who have trouble getting in & out of kennels or baskets. The low profile convoluted (egg carton shaped) foam provides the ultimate comfort for post surgery, older pets or those with hip ailments. The removable hidden zippered cover is washable with a sturdy polyester drill back & a cosy mock lambswool top. Lightweight & portable - you will travel easily with this bed.

I could certainly recommend it so far.

Anyway, Penny kept an eye on me and on the neighbourhood. She checked out my method of 'harvesting' the weeds and throwing them down as mulch - the weeds that don't have seedheads, of course.



And she found an interesting stick to take inside as a souvenir.