Selecting the Right Bed for Your Dog

Dog beds come in such a large variety of shapes, materials, sizes and styles, it can be difficult to know which bed will be the right one for your dog. Many dog owners prefer to have their dog sleep in bed with them. While that may or may not be your preference, it's still important that your dog have his or her own bed to lie down and rest comfortably. Your dog's bed should be placed in an area of the home where there is family activity and you can even put the dog's toy box nearby.

If you have a puppy, you may want to hold off on buying an expensive dog bed until after the puppy is through housebreaking and most of his or her teething. You can buy an inexpensive bed while the puppy is small or even use an old quilt or blanket until the likelihood of chewing has passed.

To get the correct size dog bed for your dog, take time to observe your dog at rest and asleep to see what position the dog naturally assumes. Some dogs love to curl up tightly in a ball while others prefer to lie flat on their side with their legs straight out. Watch your dog sleeping and measure the area the dog's body takes up while they're lying down. This will give you the dimensions you'll need when ordering a bed for your dog.

Large square or round pillows are good for dogs who like to stretch out on their side. Beds with bumpers or walls surrounding the cushion are better for dogs that prefer to curl up.

If your dog sleeps inside a crate, there are crate mats or pads that can be placed inside the crate to provide padding and warmth. My former golden retriever, Willow, preferred to have no bed in her crate because of her long coat, the bed simply made her too hot. If your home is warm, consider whether or not your dog might prefer to lie on the cool surface of the crate rather than on a bed.

Portable beds, mats, and blankets are great for traveling with your dog. If you take the bed along on outings, it gives your dog a "home base" to lie down on that is familiar. Blankets can also keep the car interior free from pet hair when used to cover the upholstery.

Over-stuffed donut beds are perfect for small dogs or cats, but large dogs are not as comfortable in these smaller beds.

Many dog beds have removable covers that make laundering easy. Some larger pads must be washed intact and may need to be taken to a Laundromat where they have larger washers. Some dog bed materials recommend only spot cleaning so be sure to read the tag or package before washing the bed you select.

Whichever dog bed you choose for your dog, consider having more than one bed too. It's nice for the dog to have a comfortable place to retire in each room where he or she spends time.

All the beds in this video can be purchased right here:
http://www.petfooddirect.com/category/Dog/Beds-and-Mats/
Use promo code TUBE15 at checkout to save 15% on your next order. This offer excludes vet diets, Rx and Free Shipping items.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• dogs
• puppies dog beds
• types of dog beds

[olderkittyx1223]

how big is buddy? he looks like my dog

[PetFoodDirect]

@olderkittyx1223 Thanks for watching and asking about Buddy. He's about 75 lb and he's mostly Rottweiler, according to the BioPet Vet Lab DNA Breed Identification Kit. His coat coloration is really cool.

What breed is your dog? Do you know?

Valerie

[olderkittyx1223]

@PetFoodDirect I think my dog is rottweiler boxer but im not sure....is dna testing a good idea?

[PetFoodDirect]

@olderkittyx1223 We thought the DNA test was very easy to use. Unfortunately, it was not a good seller and has recently been discontinued by our company. Sorry.

[MostExtremeStuff]

Should I Get A Boxer?

[MEXICANpubes]

My dog has a dog-house my step dad made but i bought him a bed and he ripped it apart. he just lays on the wood of the dog house.

[pipomn1699]

2:45 Ewww! someones nasy feet is showing in the lower left hand corner! Great video!

[JazmineCutie1]

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!!

[daisylovesmoy]

my dog is 2 years old and doesnt stop chewing his bed!!

[ShellBells98]

i ilove your videos they are very descriptive and help me alot thanks again im going to watch all your videos! =)

[ssips720]

good info

[petplaysf]

Thank you for posting this video. I think that a lot of pet owners think that any bed that's bigger than the animal will be fine. Size, materials, and thickness are very important factors to consider.

[themichaelbrocks]

thanks for the help

[daphna11111]

that was helpful :)