A dog bed is one of the most valuable things you can get for your lovely pooch. Not only they make for a warm and soft surface between your dog and the cold, sturdy floor, but they're also great to ensure a familiar and secure space and keep your pooch away from anxious thoughts when travelling and visiting new places. And since we all want only the best for our little furry friends, we put together a couple of tips to help you choose one from the many luxury pet beds on the market.
Types of Dog Beds
Before you hit your favourite pet store and explore the huge range of luxury pet beds, it’s essential to get to know the different types so you can choose what’s most optimal for your lovely canine.
Standard Dog Beds
This is the most basic type of beds for dogs, without featuring any special rims or edges. In fact, they only have two parts- pillows and cushions that can come in many different sizes, shapes, styles and designs- from the most popular round ones to the different square, oval and rectangular shapes.
Standard dog beds are one of the cheapest variants on the market, and they’re also great for every dog. But have in mind that if you’re a parent of an aging or senior dog or your lovely pooch is diagnosed with any musculoskeletal condition, then it might be better to choose an orthopaedic one.
Doughnut Dog Bed
These fancy dog beds are one of the most popular types since they make for an extremely cozy and comfortable surface for every pooch. This is due to them (obviously) being shaped like a doughnut that is very soft and comfy to curl inside for hours, while being surrounded by this doughnut’s soft rims.
But same as the standard ones, such fancy types may not be the best option for your aging or weak furry friend, since the raised rim may seem a little bit high for them.
Elevated Dog Beds
An elevated dog bed is one of the preferred options among dog parents for a couple of reasons. First of all, as their name states, the soft sleeping surface is elevated from the floor using metal frames, which keeps your dog away from the cold or dirty ground. Such elevated surfaces are also great to protect your canine from annoying insects and even pests.
But however, have in mind that elevated beds aren’t good for dogs that are prone to back problems, especially some breeds like Bulldogs, King Charles Spaniels, Pugs, Pekingese and Beagles.
Orthopaedic Dog Bed
As we mentioned before, these beds are intended for senior dogs and dogs diagnosed with musculoskeletal conditions, but they also make for a great choice for puppies that are born skinny or the ones suffering from hip dysplasia or arthritis.
This is due to them being made of specialized foam padding that follows the natural shape of your pooch’s body and distributes its weight evenly to relieve the pressure from vulnerable areas such as bones and joints. They can also feature heating elements inside to provide the most comfortable sleeping surface for puppies suffering from joints pain or muscle spasms.
Kennel Dog Beds
If your lovely puppy wants to spend most of its time inside its crate or kennel, then a kennel dog bed might be the best option for you. Such beds typically look like your dog’s ordinary kennel, with the difference that they have a soft sleeping mattress included. Not only they’re great to give your puppy a secure feeling while sleeping, but they’re also the best option for travelling with your dog.
Materials
Your dog’s sleeping surface can be made of many different materials, but to ensure maximum comfort, it’s always best to get a luxury puppy bed made from soft and comfy materials only.
So, starting from the dog bed replacement covers, polyester is one of the best materials. Not only it’s one of the cheapest variants out there, but polyester is known for its hypoallergenic properties, which makes it a great choice for dogs suffering from different allergies. Aside from that, polyester is one of the rare materials that trap heat to keep your dog warm and feel extremely comfortable at the same time.
The bed’s padding should always be made of foam, without compensating for it. This is due to foam offering maximum support for your pooch’s body without worrying that it’ll compress the surface. But talking about foams, there’re many different types.
For instance, you can choose thick and dense foam to ensure proper support for your pooch, but know that nothing can replace the comfort of memory foam. Such foams are orthopaedic, feel softer and help to release pressure, which makes them ideal for dogs suffering from conditions such as arthritis.
Size
But even if you choose the softest and most comfortable surface, know that it would be in vain if it doesn’t fit your pooch’s body size, since it can be very uncomfortable to lay curdled or stretched out on the side or its back.
At this point, you should know that dogs mostly sleep with their bellies on the mat and legs out in front (in a ball), so make sure you measure its diameters side to side and top to bottom while it’s sleeping. If your pooch is a side or back sleeper, measure from the tip of its nose to his rump and from the crown of its head to its pads. Once you get the right measurements, make sure you check your manufacturer’s sizing chart to get the right picture of the bed’s perfect size.
But if you’re having any doubts, or your dog is in between sizes, make sure you go for the larger one. But this doesn’t always mean that you should necessarily get the biggest size unless your dog is of a bigger breed. At the end of the day, it’s best to choose with your pooch’s comfort on your mind, so make sure you invest in the right one.
Shapes
Finally, choosing the right shape also plays a big role in your dog’s comfort while sleeping. And even though some types of luxury dog beds, such as the doughnut ones are (obviously) only round or oval-shaped, the other types may as well come in other shapes.
While we’re at round shaped beds, they’re perfect if your dog just adores making a couple of right circles and plop down curled into a ball. But even though a round bed might be the comfiest option for your little puppy, know that they’re not that suitable for senior dogs.
So, once your canine starts showing signs of ageing, then it's best to go for a rectangular dog bed since mature dogs don’t feel comfortable sleeping in a curled up position. Aside from that, rectangular beds are also great for dogs that sleep sprawled on the side with legs positioned straight or flipped over on their backs.
Once you choose the perfect option for your lovely furry friend, you can rest assured that you provided it with maximum comfort and a great night’s sleep.