Hi! Obi-Wan here! I want to tell you why it is important for a dog to find just the right sunbeam. Naps are just so much better when you and the world around you are at just the right temperature.
Sun Matters
Everyone thinks that just because we dogs have a fur coat that we don’t need any additional warmth. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a smooth-coated, short-haired chihuahua living in the northeastern United States, the part they call New England. It has been plenty cold here, and my coat is just not enough, especially when I have to go out and do my business. I hate wearing the coats and sweaters my humans make me wear on these days. My female human thinks my aim is bad because I always hit the front sleeves of the coat! I really do that so that they will take it off of me when we get back inside the house.
Since I run around the house naked, I still get a little cold so I try to get to the sunbeam before my brother does. He’s older and bigger and always gets the best spot. He doesn’t like to share body heat either. That sunbeam is my only chance at being warm while I nap.
The Ideal Sunbeam
The best sunbeams are bright and warm. You want them to last awhile so that you can sleep. Unfortunately, you have to put up with numerous obstacles inside your house such as chairs, table legs, and walls.
My favorite spot is on top of the sofa in the afternoon when the sun comes through the big window. There are no obstacles and you have the added benefit of a soft place to nap on top of. The only drawback is the cloudy day. And my brother. Did I mention that he’s bigger and always takes the best sunbeam spot?
Managing Obstacles
I’ve mentioned that there are several obstacles to enjoying a good sunbeam. I will offer some suggestions for dealing with them:
- Chairs: Chairs are frequently in the way of the sunbeam that appears in the dining room in the morning. If you are big enough, you can push the chair out of your sunbeam.
- Tables: Tables are too big to push out-of-the-way so you’ll need to wrap yourself around the table leg and enjoy your sunbeam as best as you can. It’s not optimal, but what else can you do.
- Gate: My humans put up a gate to keep my brother and me out of the dining room and away from the morning sunbeam. It’s very tall — at least three chihuahuas high. I’m still working on how to surmount it. I will update this post when I do.
- Sunbeam Moving: I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but sunbeams move all the time. You are no sooner laying in the sun enjoying a good snooze when all of a sudden your feet are cold because they are no longer in the sunbeam. I don’t know why sunbeams move, but they like the dining room in the morning and the living room in the afternoon. I am open to any and all suggestions as to how to keep the sunbeam in one place.
- Brother: My brother is also a chihuahua, but he’s twice my size. He’s one of the old-style deer head chihuahuas (like Taco Bell used to use). I am one of the new style apple head chihuahuas. He’s older than me and has a higher order in the pack so I have to defer to him when he wants the sunbeam. I’m a good pack member, after all. When he crosses the rainbow bridge, I’ll get the sunbeam. In the meantime, just do what you are supposed to do.
Sunbeam Alternatives
Well, there is no real alternative to a sunbeam, is there? If you want to stay warm, you can try a few of these tactics.
Keep an eye on the sunbeam so that you can be ready for it moving. This will require you to think ahead, which is very difficult for a dog who lives in the moment.
If you like that sort of thing, you can wear the silly clothes that our humans dress us in. My brother loves to wear clothes. He thinks that he should be on the cover of Dogs Quarterly because he looks so good. I think he looks silly, and I look even sillier which is why I always aim for my sleeves in the morning.
Cuddling with your human is a really good option. Humans exist to provide dogs with food, water, and shelter. I like to perch on my human’s shoulder while she sits on the sofa. My brother sits next to her leg so that he can soak up the heat there. We both like to sleep next to our human’s back while she is sleeping because of the heat generation. It’s really good if we have the covers on top of us as well. This is for nighttime though. There are no sunbeams at night.
Because there are no sunbeams at night, some dogs try to sing to the moon to get the sunbeam to come back, but this have never seemed to work. I bark at the postman and he returns every day. I have not tried singing to the moon because I think that I am a good singer. Perhaps if I sing the song of my people, the sunbeam will return!
Conclusion
Sunbeams have always been an important part of dog warmth over the centuries. Living with humans does not change this. The difficulties of sunbeam management don’t have to keep you from being warm.
Thank you for reading my article. Please keep the conversation going below.
Nice presentation. I own a little German shepherd and the weather around here is kinda cold at the moment. I usually cuddle with my dog to keep him warm but due to my schedule, it isn’t as regular as it used to be. I think I will find more ways that can be suitable for him. This is an educative article.
Thanks for reading my article. Your do will appreciate all the time you spend with him.
Woof! Obi-Wan
lol…
This is a very fun filled article but nonetheless very realistic
if only Our dogs could talk! won’t they lash at us for ignoring the most important things they need
I Have learnt quite enough and would start putting a lot of things into consideration when it comes to them doggies.
let’s start by taking a look at those sunbeans!
Thanks for creating this awareness
Queen,
Thanks for your comments!
Woof! Obi-Wan
Nice post.
I so much enjoy this because this is the first natural dog post I ever came across with. I totally agree with the t that the human most times don’t always take cognizance into how the dogs can keep warm. But Sunbeam is actually a realistic way of getting warm. Can’t this all these obstacles be avoided by simply just going out of the door to enjoy the sunbeam in a comfort zone?
I really enjoyed the post actually
I would love to go outside, but I can’t without human supervision. I am a small dog and there are hawks, owls, and coyotes who would think that I was just a snack!
Thank you for your comments,
Obi-Wan
First of all, i must commend the combination of the images of the pups you uploaded along with the message you passing across on your article has been fantastic. Any subject that deals with Dogs really interest me a lot as i also have them as my pet. Sunbeam is truly very important for dogs especially during the cold and winter season. We always think because they have fur coat, doesn’t mean they don’t feel cold. Obstacles are limited over here in my place as my dogs are totally exposed to sunbeams. Thanks so much for this incisive post. Hope to read more from you subsequently.
Thank you for your comments! I am also the dog model!
Woof! Obi-Wan
Hello Obi-Wan, this is a very interesting article! Thank you for letting me know how the sunbeam so important for the dog, I have a dog, but I didn’t realize this. From now on, I will keep an eye on this, when the weather is good I will walk my dog to enjoy the sunbeam. Thank you for sharing!
Brian,
Your dog will appreciate it! Thank you for reading my article!
Woof! Obi-Wan
I woke up not feeling too happy but you put a smile on my face. I really enjoyed your post, and it was the first time I read a blog written by a Chiwaua so definitely original-I kept reading and wanting to know where you were going with your story, and I kind of agree with you on silly clothes for dogs but the Sunbeams? You spoke so much about it I ended up looking at the heated pad in Amazon (lol) thank you for the great and funny post
Woof!! Thank you for reading my article. Maybe my mom will let me write more.
Obi-Wan
Hi,It is interesting to read that dogs also need sunbeams in order to keep warm during cold days. I have always thought that their hair was sufficient to keep them warm even in winter. Since I live in the tropics I have never had a chance to observe how dog fare during winter time. My German shephard dog loves to sit close to me during colder days in order to keep warm. Maybe it would be best to get a sunbeam so as to give him all the warmth he needs. As a dog owner, I believe it is our responsibility to remove anything that can serve as an obstacle within the house. Keeping our dog warm is both loving and good for their health. This is a very informative article. I will love to share it in some of the dog breeding facebook groups I belong to. Many of my friends from temperate countries would benefit from reading it as well.
Thank you for reading and sharing my article.
Obi-Wan
Hi Obi-Wan the chihuahua, I feel sorry for you at the same time you are speaking the minds of other dogs. Have you succeeded in surmounting the gate at the dinning room? Have you effectively communicated your master to let him/her know your plight?.
At the same time am fascinated by the ability of a dog speaking with a human mouth. I wish all dog owners specially create a sun beam spot for them to enjoy the morning sun beam which alas move all the time. I love this article and am looking forward to another one on this site.
Thank you for noticing. No, the humans put the gate up to keep us out of the dining room.
Woof! Obi-Wan
Great tips, seems really informative. Sunbeams have always been an important part of dog warmth over the centuries. Living with humans does not change this. Sunbeams are really bright and warm. I like them to last awhile so that you can sleep. Unfortunately, I usually put up with numerous obstacles inside your house such as chairs, table legs, and walls especially in the afternoon. Considering the case of dogs at home, we don’t have any at home because I don’t like dogs so my parents do even try to get one. I just start to develop some interest in them of recent. I really find this tips helpful, to use also when I eventually have my own dog.
Thanks for reading my article. Woof! Obi-Wan
Now I know the reason why my uncles puppy behaves the way she does when she seas the rays of the sun through the window. She doesn’t go out in the morning she jumps up on the table and begins to wag before finally settling on the dinning table under the rays of the sun. And sometimes sometimes, when there are no sunbeam, she goes to seat close to the warmer in the house, but I noticed that she’s always excited about the sunbeam than that warmer. I really love pups and need to know more e
them. I want to get mine
Thank you for reading my article. I think that you would be a good puppy parent!.
Woof! Obi-Wan
This is a very nice site. I was all into your article because I am not aware of all of the actions of a dog. Great article by the way. You also have a great selling tactic. I was all into the Sunbeam article the next thing I know I am at the end of the article. What do you know! I find out that you are selling Sunbeam items from Amazon. That is a great bait and switch move. I look forward to your next selling point.
Chris,
That was not my intention, I am really talking about the rays of light from the sun.
Woof! Obi-Wan