WANTED: Really GOOD dog beds! Suggestions?

[katarine]

Noodle, the 50 lb BC/GSD cross, and Soap the English Setter, are bedless. I washed their bed clothes only to find the damn things won't fit back onto their foam innards post washing and drying- they shrank, big time.

So, Noodle and Soap are petitioning you for input. Their Ideal Dog Beds MUST have the following:


Removable, washable covers that do not shrink after washing, rendering them unfit -literally-to clothes said beds again!
The 'guts' of the bed must be WATERPROOF- note that both dogs swim in the pond then flop on said beds. STINKY.
Be big enough to support the long, lean, 50 lb dog. No tiny beds, please. rectangles or ovals preferred.



Sources? I'll spend a little if they'll last a while. The PetSmart craptastic beds are just that, crap :)

[gypsymare]

I prefer using folded comforters. You can get them dirt cheap at outlet stores, or use an old one, and it's a snap to throw the whole thing into a standard-sized washer. Inserts in the standard beds are just too difficult to wash.

[pippa553]

LL Bean? We have one from there, it's seems sturdy enough and great for my water lover but I can't fit it into my standard washer. It goes to the horse blanket cleaner. Needless to say it doesn't get washed as often as I like.

[missamandarose]

I think the ones we have are Lands End, but I have heard good things about LL Bean's beds, too. We've had them for 4 years I think, and the covers have not shrunk a bit... my mom has one for her dog... that was actually for a dog that has since passed, so its lasted even LONGER.

I don't know that the "innards" are water proof, but there is some kind of case around it... kind of like those allergy pillow cases. so its slightly water repellant.

[Larksmom]

I bought two big cotton duc[k][t] covered large foam. I KNEW if I took it off to wash they would NEVER go back on said bed so the best I can do is hose it off. I got them at wally world for about twenty bucks apiece. BTWW, I thought they would want soemthing softer, and they scratch the towels and blankets off. Go figure. BTW, they LOVE the bed.

[Doberpei]

Orvis makes dog beds designed for the outdoor dog. They are not cheap, but they last and wear well.

[hitchinmygetalong]

Think outside the box:

http://www.abetterabode.com/pet-store/Pet-Dog-Beds-Coolaroo.htm

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+1+20230&pcatid=20230

[katarine]

now THAT is pretty rockin'- I dig that cot! Only thing is that Noodle likes her 'den'- in the front porch corner, under the porch swing. Not enough room there for her. Hmmm.

I really dig that idea. Super easy care. Cool, thanks!

[IsolaBella09]

One word: Fatboy.
http://www.designpublic.com/shop/fatboy/3459
Best things in the world. :D

[terasa]

We bought a fake leather one for our lab. It doesn't have a brand name on it and just came from our local pet store, but it's the best bed ever. I always found those stupid covers always trapped hair and smelled bad no matter how often we washed them, and the bed underneath was always filthy too.
With the new bed, I literally take it outside and hose it off, then scrub it with the mop. Comes perfectly clean and no residual dog smell. I highly recommend leather/fake leather beds!

[Tiki]

I have a doggy hammock that I originally got for my very sensitive Afghan Hound. He passed away and I still have it. The younger dogs almost fight over it. I've seen 2 or 3 napping together in it. It is a cheaper model with legs that fit together differently from the pictures. Kind of cheap as one of them has collapsed and it doesn't look fixable. Nevertheless, the dogs are still always in it and the Afghan Hound who passed away several years ago was a couple of months short of 15 when he died - so I guess it wasn't too cheaply made after all. I know I got my money's worth out of it - and if I try to take it away from the dogs, I may have a fight on my hands. I think I got it at PetSmart.

I love the other 2 designs - with the better looking legs and the one that looks like a camp chair.

Oh, BTW, I used to have an English Mastiff who would fight you for the chaise lounge. He loved to climb on and stretch out in the shade :D.

[4Martini]

I have an LL Bean one that's got to be a decade old at this point (even has old dog's name embroidered on it, not quite as old dog's name written in marker on it and new dog loves it.) It has a denim cover that has been washed tons of time and the inards can just be hosed off. It's great b/c muddy wet dog can sleep on it while we're camping and after a quick run through the wash and hosing it's good as new. This bed has held up way better than any of the other beds we've had. The key is the waterproof inner part that you can just hose off.

Good luck!

[AKB]

Our hairy, often wet, retrievers vote for the LLBean beds.

[vineyridge]

Second the Orvis Dog Nests. I had one for eons (20 years literally) that was filled with plastic beads in a casing, covered by a really nice tapestry cover that got softer every time it was washed. You can buy refills for the beads, so when it starts to get flat you can plump it up again. Only reason I still don't have it is a very incontinent older dog. Because of the beads, the dog can form it to make it the way the dog likes.

They are rather expensive, but given how long they will last --basically forever with new filling or new covers (which don't have to be Orvis but can be LLBean of the same size)--, they are worth every penny. AND THEY ARE NOW ON SALE!!!
http://www.orvis.com/store/productchoice.aspx?pf_id=2570&dir_id=1633&group_id=1634&cat_id=5665&subcat_id=7406

With the money you save, you can buy the water resistant, breathable membrane inside cover to cover the bead cover.
http://www.orvis.com/store/productchoice.aspx?pf_id=99E9&dir_id=1633&group_id=1634&cat_id=5748&subcat_id=7024

[marta]

sheep skin on top and some kind of fake leatherette underneath. i've had it 5 years, washed it many times.
i also have the slumber ball from drs. foster and smith but that may be too 'dainty' for your pond soaked pups ;) it does wash well.

[TaffyTowne]

The bowser beds are awsome! Alittle pricey but worth it! My dogs adore them! www.bowsers.com Very easy to wash the cover and you can even wash the whole inside part if you want :)...lots of styles and fabrics to choose from!

[scotchie]

L.L. BEAN

[cloudyandcallie]

Oh come on! If my king size bed and the 2 couches aren't good enough, they can just sleep on the stairs!:lol:

[Petstorejunkie]

I scored one of those memory foam matress toppers for a king sized bed at Bed Bath and Beyond for literally 90%off making the purchase a whopping $15.
I made 2 medium dog beds, 2 large dog beds, 1 cat bed and 1 fitted saddle pad insert with it.
All my animals stay off the furniture now because their beds are nicer :)

[Pirateer]

My labs prefer a Queen sized Mattress...but then again they are quite the Princesses.

I have heard good things about the Kirkland brand dog beds (Costco) but do not have any personal experience with them.

[katarine]

;) well, the Soap Dog does help me in my quest to destroy the hideous, navy blue leather circa Miami Vice sofa that resides in the study...but he needs a daybed for outdoors, too :)

[lizathenag]

I have several Costco beds that seem ok. the dogs sleep in them until morning when they jump up with us.
I had one of the ones with the little foam balls and took it to the laundromat and the cover got caught and ripped and there was a waterfall of little foam balls. turns out you can't open those big washers until they are done.

oh well.

[Denzel]

The Dog Gone Smart beds (available at SmartPak) are awesome. They are made with a nanotechnology fiber that repels water and they have anti-microbial properties. Unfortunately, I don't think the cover comes off (I'll double check when I'm at work tomorrow - the pet store I work at carries them).

Another good option is the WestPaw beds (also available at SmartPak). The stuffing for them is made from recycled pop bottles, so they are eco-friendly as well. Everything on those beds is removable and washable. A cool thing about these beds is that they stay fluffy for way longer than other beds. Our manager's dog has had hers for over 2 years (been through many washes!) and it's still as fluffy as the day they bought it. I have a couple of the Eco-Nap mats for my dog, and he just loves them! They are a bit pricier, as are most things that are eco-friendly since production costs are higher. The beds are also american made in Montana. Hope this helps!!!

[suz]

i prefer a raised bed platform with washable old blankets and saddle pads. i buy cheap old saddle pads at consignment that are basically useless and wash them until they fall apart. and someday i'm gonna get me one of those commercial washers for the barn for dog and horse blankets.

[WombatCA]

Drs. Foster and Smith make an orthopedic dog bed that's on the expensive side but every animal I own loves them. They last forever (I've only thrown one away, and that was due to it getting dirty beyond saving). You can buy a waterproof liner to put on it, and I would suggest it.
The dogs, the cats, and any other animal that encounters one all sleep on it. I have several beds but I often find every animal I own crammed together on the one Foster and Smith orthodpedic bed I have.

[CB/TB]

I found a 7+" think piece of heavy upholstry foam that Ihave covered with an old area rug and a large beach towel over that to make it extra cushy. Someday I will sew an actual cover for it, but for now I just tuck the towel under the edges. Lola, the old gimpy girl loves it and it's big enough for both girls( 55, & 60+ lbs). they also have a few beds of different sizes and thickness with washable covers.

[black dog]

My two spoiled dogs love the orthopedic beds from costco. They're like 25 bucks and my Rotti and Pit mix fit them fine. We have one that has lasted over a year and they sleep on them whenever they are lounging in the kitchen. Of COURSE! they prefer the king size bed upstairs but, if forced out of the bed during daylight hours, they love these beds.

[Philosopher]

Chico loves his Slumber Ball (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+1+14586&pcatid=14586) from Drs. Foster and Smith. Grandma got it for him as a Christmas present. He's a natural burrower so he seems to enjoy digging in and making a proper nest for himself. I have to say though, these beds are MASSIVE beyond anything I have ever seen.

[asb_own_me]

Kuranda beds. Practically indestructible - I have three Dobermans who can ingest any regular dog bed in under 60 seconds. They are worth five times what they cost. I recommend getting the heavy-duty fabric (there are several options) and the PVC frame. I have had the original one for three years now and my two girls sleep together on it, for a 150 lb. total weight. My youngest,the boy, finally got his own a few months ago.

FWIW, I think that for the most part the orthopedic beds are highway robbery. My oldest Dobie has had both of her knees done and can get pretty stiff, and has zero trouble when she's home and using this bed. Meanwhile, when we travel and she's on a "cushy" bed, she's creaky and stiff. www.kuranda.com

[jubilee43]

http://kuranda.com/
This is what all the pet rescues ask for...

[mtk9122]

Love, love, love the kuranda beds. And so do the dogs.. you can hose them down, put a pad on them if you wish.. My very old Chessie with arthritis, loves his Kuranda bed with an inexpensive crate liner pad (with removable cover) on it. I took one to the barn for the elderly Dal there and sometimes he actually beats the other three dogs to the bed and he can use it. Otherwise, there's a JRT, a rat terrier and a beagle/JRT mix hogging it. We put old saddle pads on that bed.:D

[camohn]

Not waterproof inside......but the last LLBean dog bed we had did stand up to 10 years of being tossed in the washer and we have farmdogs that do play in the creek all summer!

[bdj]

One word: Fatboy.
http://www.designpublic.com/shop/fatboy/3459
Best things in the world. :D

Just scored one of these on sale for 70% off - (smaller size, tan) and tried it out at an agility trial last weekend. It was hot, so the pups got hosed off repeatedly over the course of the day, and the bed seems none the worse for wear, save a few muddy streaks.
It does seem VERY "full" of stuffing, and it does make a bit more noise because of the bead filling than a regular foam or polyfill stuffed bed. My big guy didn't use it much, but my littlest girl did look an awful lot like "the princess and the pea" perched on it - way cute.

[Guin]

A regular human baby crib mattress. You can get them at Walmart for about $75. A package of crib sheets is cheap cheap cheap.

[Bells]

I take old futon mattresses (freecycle always has them), cut down to size I want, use duck tape to edge them, cover/sew on heavy vinyl (in case of accidents) cloth in a color to match the room, and the on top of that throw a bath mat or whatever washable cover that I want to use. These last forever.

For above ground snoozing they have an old mini trampoline that they love:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=mini+trampoline&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=2246935181&ref=pd_sl_31x4u2y6f_e