Best Dog Beds – How To Choose The Right One

For my readers with dogs out there, you know that dog beds can be essential.   Especially if you have a large dog that you don’t want taking up the entire bed.   So how do you know which is the best dog bed to choose?   There are a lot of options out there.   I can attest that not all are created equal, or even created well for that matter.

Some dog beds are terrible in how they’re made.  What they’re made of makes a huge difference.  Or, how easily they fall apart especially the first time you have to wash them. I’ve been through a fair share of dog beds over the years and I know that during that first wash, you find out very quickly how terrible they can be made.

Which Dog Bed To Choose?

Some beds are made with plain cotton stuffing that doesn’t do much for your dog, but they’re usually the inexpensive ones that are just stuffed with cotton. There are some beds are that made with memory foam for your dogs comfort, especially if you have an older dog.

Dog beds that are made to be washed should be your go to, only because you will have times when you need to wash them.   Dogs have accidents, especially young pups.   I’ve had beds that really don’t come out of the wash looking remotely the same as they did when I bought them.

Other beds have removable parts for easier washing.  Taking out certain parts of the cushion is important if you want the same style of bed as when you first bought it.  Meaning, if you have to throw the entire thing in the wash, then it becomes a clumped up mass when you remove it.

Shopping For Your Dogs Needs.

Choosing the best dog bed can be time-consuming.  I have a very old dog.   Annie, 14 years old.  It quickly became apparent that I needed a bed that was for her comfort and one that could be washed over and over.   I ended up choosing a memory foam under cushion.  One with a round lining for her head to rest on as well as one that has a removable cover and the foam parts can be washed separately.

Older dogs will have accidents from time to time.  So making sure that you have a bed that specifically can be washed is important.  In any description of a bed you’re choosing, it’ll state whether the bed is machine washable. If you know that you’re going to be washing it consistently, look for one with a removable lining and one that may be water resistant if they tend to pee the bed often.

Where To Shop.

I’ve shopped at several venues for dog beds and some venues have great deals on beds, others do not.   Local pet stores in Alaska tend to be very expensive, so I shop online more often than not.   Bitch New York seems to have some of the best beds because they hold up to the test of time and they’re washable!

Unfortunately, in Alaska, the local stores can over charge often and dog beds are no exception to this.   The last time I bought a dog bed up here for $30 USD, it was the cheapest cotton stuffing possible.   Within the first wash cycle, it died a horrible death to never go back to being remotely flat again.

Big VS Small Dogs.

I have small dogs as well as large dogs.  My small dogs actually all sleep with us so I’ve never felt inclined to buying them a bed.  They simply use my pillow at their leisure.  However, for my older, larger dog, she has to have a bed and always has.   When she was a pup, she would jump on my bed and yank my blankets all around.  Clawing them to the floor, I would come home to find that my blankets had become her dog bed on the floor.

At this point, coming home to this after a couple of times, I decided to buy her a bed.   She’s had one ever since she decided to make my blankets her flooring.   My other big dog Atlas, well, even as a puppy, the separate dog bed just wasn’t something she was willing to endure.   I started with a small plastic tote and put all kinds of blankets in there, a toy to sleep with, puppy pads.  Nope.  Not her. She whined for 7 days straight at night.  It didn’t matter that I would attempt to ignore her.  Nope.  She was not willing to be trained in the least to sleep separate from us.

So, she is the only big dog in my house that is allowed to take up the foot of my bed at night.

Choosing What’s Best For Your Dog.

In the end, it really matters on your dogs’ needs. If you choose to let your dog sleep with you, then you may not need a dog bed.  If you want your space and your freedom at night, then choosing one they enjoy is the best thing.  A dog that loves their bed will want to sleep in it all night no matter what.  If you have a bed that is uncomfortable, then your dog will most likely whine to sleep with you.

As humans, we take years to find the best beds for our comfort, and even when we buy a mattress that we find hurts our backs, or makes us stiff, we tend to buy a new one without any remorse.

Dogs aren’t any different when it comes to comfort. Sometimes it can take a few tries to get the best one, but do your research and find one that will suit what they need.

Look at the reviews of the beds that are contenders, what do people say about them?  Have they washed them?  Did they come out of the wash/dry cycle looking the same?  There are a lot of websites out there that feature dog beds claiming they’re the best, but reviews will tell you so much more.

The ones that I found have worked best for me are included in the links above.  Hopefully you find the right one for your dog and they love it!

If your dogs are like mine though and they only like to sleep with you, check out these awesome steps that you can get to help your pets get on and off the bed.