Vetbed?

LillyJ

After having my dog rip up endless duvets (doesn't chew anything else, just duvets and only if we have a visitor and he is shut away in the kitchen ), I have today invested in some vetbed.

He sleeps in a big oval plastic bed, which we used to stuff with old duvets. I read about vetbed and it sounded good and less fun to chew for him if you see what I mean.

So I brought it home today and it seems awfully thin. Is it ok for him to sleep just on this inside the bed?
I had a notion that we might be able to get rid of the plastic bit of the bed altogether but I think that might be too cold and exposed for him. I was going to try putting the vetbed on the carpet in the lounge (normally sleeps in kitchen), but I know he would just sleep up on the sofa as soon as we had gone to bed.

He occasionally gets to sleep in the living room when it's really cold (warmer in there), and just sleeps on the sofa, which he loves.

So what do people think of vet bed? Is he less likely to chew it? Is it too thin? Is it OK to get rid of the big plastic bed or not? Should we just let him sleep in the lounge on the sofa??

I'm fed up of buying bloomin duvets every time we have a visitor and he decides to throw a paddy!

Waterfalls

we use vetbeds in the vets as our first choice of bedding, it is lovely soft warm and comfortable for them. can be easily doubled over for extra padding if required, and very quick/easy to wash and dry.
havent seen many be shredded but i guess that depends on how determind/skilled they are.

Hintza

Not that ours sleeps in his crate much, but all we use is vet bed. Also good for the back of the car to keep the muck levels down.

You don't need anything else and if he sleeps in a really cold area then it would be best to use a raised bed anyway.

elsien

I sent off for a vetbed sample after I posted a thread about mine chewing her blankets. I showed it to the mutt to check her reaction, and she immediately started trying to shred it, which was a real shame as it looked lovely and warm.
If he's chewing when you have visitors or when he's shut away, it sounds like boredom (or sulking for being shut out!), could you give him a kong or something to keep him occupied?
I'd say letting him sleep on the sofa would be a bad move, unless you don't mind the dog hairs and don't mind the battle to shift him off it everytime you want to sit down.
To go slightly off topic, mine (now 10/11 ish) has never been allowed on the furniture, but has just taken to sneaking onto my chair everytime I go out or am upstairs for too long and it's driving me nuts. I'm having to put things on the chair and settee everytime I go out, to stop her.

snowman2_2

Vet beds are great, they are warm, dry (they wick liquids(!!) away) and easy to wash. I am sure they can get ripped to shreds though, they are not indestructible. Saying that we don't lose many at work - none for 5 years so far.

MRSCARNEY

A cheaper alternative to vetbed is Profleece, it works on the same principle and washes well. We have it in the kitchen and in the car for our 3 and they haven't destroyed it. We did buy vetbed when our dog had puppies and despite them being little nibbling machines they didn't damage it at all.

snowman2_2

There are a number of different brands, all made on the same principle - a nylon fleece material. The quality does vary so this is one of the things it is best to get hands on if you can (or make sure you can return it).

LillyJ

Thanks everyone, but....too late! The vet bed is well and truly ripped.

I don't know why but he did it last night after he went to bed - he has never done that before! Saying that though he must be used to it now as I put what was left back in the bed and he went back for a snuggle this afternoon.

It isn't boredom that leads him to rip his beds - he doesn't do it if we are out, or if we are upstairs, just if there is someone else in the house that he can't play with. He doesn't bark or anything just wags his tail like mad then eats his bed. Sometimes he is only in there 5 mins, like if the man comes to read the meter - but he will rip his bed everytime. We always give him a chew as well. It's his only annoying house habit. He can be left in the lounge if we go out and he wouldn't dream of ripping anything in there.

We have tried to make people visiting less exciting for him - ie by the people that aren't scared of him ignoring him when they first come in, but nothing stops the bed ripping.

If we let him out to see the people are friendly, then put him back, he still does it, so I don't think he is scared of the visitors.

I am lost as to what to do now - it's going to have to be back to ripped tatty duvets leaking stuffing all over the house.

MRSCARNEY

LillyJ wrote: »

Thanks everyone, but....too late! The vet bed is well and truly ripped.

I don't know why but he did it last night after he went to bed - he has never done that before! Saying that though he must be used to it now as I put what was left back in the bed and he went back for a snuggle this afternoon.

It isn't boredom that leads him to rip his beds - he doesn't do it if we are out, or if we are upstairs, just if there is someone else in the house that he can't play with. He doesn't bark or anything just wags his tail like mad then eats his bed. Sometimes he is only in there 5 mins, like if the man comes to read the meter - but he will rip his bed everytime. We always give him a chew as well. It's his only annoying house habit. He can be left in the lounge if we go out and he wouldn't dream of ripping anything in there.

We have tried to make people visiting less exciting for him - ie by the people that aren't scared of him ignoring him when they first come in, but nothing stops the bed ripping.

If we let him out to see the people are friendly, then put him back, he still does it, so I don't think he is scared of the visitors.

I am lost as to what to do now - it's going to have to be back to ripped tatty duvets leaking stuffing all over the house.

Oh dear :eek: What kind of dog is he???

LillyJ

MRSCARNEY wrote: »

Oh dear :eek: What kind of dog is he???

He is a lab x rottie.

He is impecably behaved in the house other than this one thing, and as long as he doesn't get shut away when there is a visitor in the house it's fine! I think he might just have got his way and we might just have to let him sleep in the living room on the sofa.

The problem is I can't just remove his bedding when a visitor comes because the kitchen floor has laminate and he would have no where to sit.

Nomad25

Labs can be a bit like that. However, for anyone contemplating purchasing Vetbed, seems expensive, but lasts ages,I can thoroughly recommend it. Have had my pieces for 10 years, washed over and over, peed on, puked on, occasionally chewed - light yes, warm yes, pets love it, I think its great.