Silly dogs. Beds are for people . . . not anymore. (Week 4)

The Rise of Beds, and Falls of Dogs
As mattresses get thicker and thicker, more canines struggle to get on them; introducing the staircase for pets
December 12, 2008
Kevin Helliker

This article talks about the new trend of doggy staircases and gives a logical explanation for it. Until about 10 years ago, eight inches was the standard thickness for both a mattress and a box spring. Now, mattress thickness is growing along side consumer preference for a thicker mattress. Mattresses today are as thick as 20 inches.

This doesn't pose a problem for humans, but it sure does for their tiny tag-alongs . . . dogs. For years, pet retailers have sold products that prohibit pets from jumping on furniture. But somehow pets have managed to snuggle their way back onto furniture. According to the article, about 40 percent of American households have dogs. In 2006, a study showed that nearly 40 percent of those dogs slept in an adult bed and 7 percent slept in a child bed.

Combine this thicker mattress trend with the increasing number of pets (specifically smaller breads of dogs) sleeping in human beds and you get a few problems--elbow and shoulder arthritis, hip dysplasia and degenerative disk disease in dogs. "For a little dog to take a flying leap off a bed that's five to six times higher than he stands is an act of courage, and a recipe for injury," says Stephen Crane, an academic animal doctor and diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Pet retailers have quickly recognized a new demand from consumers. Instead of selling products to prevent dogs from jumping on furniture, retailers are selling tiny staircases to take the jump out of getting on a bed. According to the article, pet staircases are one of the fastest growing categories at pet retailers. These tiny stairs range anywhere from $40 to $535 for a designer model.

The whole idea of providing your pet with a mini staircase to get into bed does seem a little silly. But to a tiny dog owner like myself, it makes perfect sense. I have a Maltese that struggles to jump up and down from the bed. However, my family didn't splurge on a $40 staircase; Lizzy was forced to settle for cardboard boxes. Beside each of our beds sits a little box with a blanket draped over it. Twenty years ago, that would have been the dog's bed. But now it serves as a stepping stone to get to a bigger and better bed.

Call me crazy for allowing my dog this luxury, but it's better than having to roll over and pick her up off the floor a hundred times a night. Yes, she has a cage and she sometimes sleeps in it. But Lizzy is the size of a cat so why not let her sleep with us? No one has a problem with cats sleeping in human beds.

(Please note: My parents started babying this dog. I have been forced to follow suit. Lizzy runs our house and there's nothing anyone can do about it now.)