Dog Bed Selection

Does your dog sleep in bed with you?


If no, then how do you choose the right bed for your dog?

Buying the right doggie bed requires a little forethought and a lot of consideration for your dog – but it does not necessarily require a lot of money.

Buying the right kind of bed and maintaining it properly can go a long way to your dog's happiness, and maybe even your own. If he has a comfy place to drop, he may be less likely to curl up on the couch or your own bed. Letting your dog sleep with you is generally a bad idea, and can lead to dominance problems says experts.

In shopping for a bed, consider that it should:

Provide comfort
Conserve body heat
Protect bony prominences
Be easy to clean
Resist moisture

The bed should combine softness with durability, and should not contain or attract dust or poisonous substances. It should also be springy, not compacted, after repeated use. You will find it easier to buy a bed that comes with a removable cover, which you can throw in the washing machine.

There are several types you can choose from:

1. Slumber beds. Some are lined with fur, and a few come with hoods.

2. Bean beds. Covered with a soft fabric, bean beds contain a type of material that holds to your dog's shape as he changes position. Some are filled with cedar or other moisture-resistant materials.

3. Cushion beds. Soft fabric cover (sheepskin-texture is very common) over plastic-enclosed foam provides good support for the slumbering dog. The plastic keeps moisture from getting into and ruining the foam mattress.

4. Donut or nesting bed. This is a type of cushion bed that contours around your pet to let him nestle in the center.


Pleasant dreams!

Warm Place to Sleep

Want to make a difference in a dog's life?

Did you know that every year 5-7 million companion pets end up in shelters around the United States?

The Petfinder Foundation and P.L.A.Y. have teamed up to insure that shelter pets have a warm place to sleep.

Here is how you can help. Purchase a bed from P.L.A.Y. and they will donate a special edition Chill Pad to a shelter in need.

You will sleep better, too, knowing that you helped a furry friend.

Pillow Talk

Most homeless dogs in shelters sleep on a hard concrete floor with only a towel to soften the surface.

But, not in New York's three municipal shelters in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island!

New Yorker Susan Brandt launched the Mother's Comfort Project to give some of the animals a little comfort while they are housed at Animal Care and Control of New York City.

That comfort comes in the form of beds stitched together and delivered to the shelters. Volunteers put each bed into the dog's or cat's cage and quickly show their gratitude.

The project was conceived by Rational Animal, a New York City-based nonprofit Brandt founded in 2002 to foster public awareness of the need to aid animals. The Mother's Comfort volunteers gather at a rented sewing studio in Brooklyn to construct the beds. While sewers stitch the bed components together, non-sewers cut fabric or padded batting, or deliver fabric to the studio or the beds to the shelters. Brandt estimates that the project has made and delivered about 4,000 beds.

Entrepreneur of the Dog World

I came across a very clever entrepreneur in the world of dog products. Molly put her idea to action and created the dog duvet.

Check out her story....




Be sure to visit Molly's website and blog.