The Cardboard Box Is Torn and Chewed. It's Also the Best Bed in the House.
The box is torn, the edges are chewed, and it is apparently the best bed in the house. Two fluffy black German Shepherd puppies are sound asleep side by side inside a shallow cardboard box lined with a gray towel, their faces pressed close and paws tucked under their chins. Bits of straw and shredded cardboard poke from the corners, a tuft of fur lies on the wooden floor, and in the sunny room behind them a gray couch, a plaid blanket, a stuffed toy, a pair of sneakers and a potted plant wait quietly for the nap to end.
Expensive dog beds are lovely, but many puppies happily choose a simple box. Cardboard sides create a small, enclosed space that feels safe, and the material is fun to scratch and shred. There is no real harm in letting puppies enjoy a box as long as you keep an eye on chewing, since swallowing large amounts of cardboard is not a good idea, and tape, staples or plastic packaging should be removed first. Littermates like these also enjoy the closeness of sleeping touching each other. When puppies go to new homes, a cozy, enclosed bed can help ease that separation from siblings.
These two show a classic puppy sleep pattern: play hard, then collapse anywhere soft. Rest is essential for growing dogs, so let sleeping puppies lie.
Clearly, the box was the real gift. Whatever came inside it is long forgotten.
