Dog beds

Milford_Cubicle

We'll be bringing our labrador puppy home in a few weeks. To start with she'll be sleeping in a crate but I know she'll have outgrown it by the time she's 6-8 months old, so what to do?

I was considering a plastic dog bed with blankets etc, but after reading some posts on here, people have said they're pointless as the dog either chews it to bits or refuses to sleep in it. My next thought was buying a single duvet and some 2nd hand blankets to make a type of 'nest' on the floor or within a 'squishy' dog bed. She's not going to be allowed in our room overnight.

So, where does your dog sleep? And in what type of bed? Was it trial and error?

proudmum_3

My lab has had about 10 different beds in the past!!
I agree that the plastic ones aren't very good. They're not particularly comfortable either!
I found that the 'big cushion' type are best. Nice and cosy for the coming winter. My dog is old and a bit incontinent now (previous post), and i have found that by putting a training pad on top of the bed with a small dog fleece on top will prevent any accidents spoiling the bed. The fleece then comes off & goes into the wash.
Avoid those with polystyrene beads as they can be dangerous if your puppy was to chew through the material.
Just wanted to say one last thing. I hope your lab brings you as much joy and love as ours has brought us. Good luck and hope you have a long and happy relationship. xx

mrcol1000

I brought my dog £30 one from Argos which was a doughnut shape with a big cushion in the middle and she didn't like and use to sleep half on and half off it. Then I went to our local market and brought a huge dog cusion for £3 and she loves it. She plonks herself down on, curls up and loves sleeping on it. I brought 2 or 3 extras incase she ruined but loves it too much. They also go in the washing machine! Its just basically a small quilt with a cotton cover (its all sewn in so you can't get the quilt out). She has had in for months and never chewed it (touch wood) although did chew the tag off it.

Milford_Cubicle

So essentially, cheap is better? I like that idea!

Agutka

I've had my GSD cross pup for six years and have never found a bed she likes. And it hasn't been a cheap experiment either. Her favourite places to sleep are cool and hard . Or the sofa obviously. I have even tried putting any dog beds in her favourite spots, she just stops going there. I use her bed now to store her toys, though she still clambers in at the 'in your bed' command. If only for a moment.

Hope you find a comfy bed for your pup.

mrcol1000

Maybe you should keep the bed in one place? We stayed with family and put Trixie's bed by the window and she was okay for one night then got spooked by a noise outside so we moved her bed away from the window but she just went to sleep on the floor next to the window where bed was. I think dogs get sort of use to where they sleep. Although Trixie does try and sneak onto the sofa if we tell her to go to her bed before we got to bed.

Beebop

For your pup, a cardboard box to start off with in the crate if you are going to use one. Put some snuggly blankets in the bottom of it - when the pup is outgrowing box, replace with a bigger one (free from supermarkets!)
I think they feel safe with the highish sides, they can make a cosy nest in them, plus, if they start to chew them then it's no big loss! Then when they're bigger you can get them a grown up bed!
Would just like to say that I did hear of a person who lined their pups bed with a training pad and couldn't understand why the pup had accidents in it's bed.......doesn't take a genius to work out why does it? However, I agree with Proudmum - when they get older and bladders aren't quite as strong then it is a good idea!
Good luck with your new pup!

mirrorimage0

we have bought beds of off http://www.beanbagbazaar.co.uk/dog-bed-beanbags/k9-couch-xl-big-dog-bean-bag-bed-x--lar/prod_100252.aspx we bought the large ones, although not that cheap but still i think reasonably priced, they have bean bag fillings and you can wipe them over to clean them, great support for the dogs too, we have a gsd and a rottie and they love both thier beds, i think you can also go through quidco for cashback