How to choose the best pet bed for your dog

It’s January, which means snow, cold weather, warm food and a lot of cuddling in the bed (that is if you live somewhere cold). Your pooch might be looking for the same. Dog beds are great for such occasions, but you need to know how to choose the best pet bed for your dog whom you’d like to be just as comfortable as you are.

You’d be surprised how many different dog bed types there are available for our canines to enjoy today. Seriously. There are probably just as many different kinds of beds offered to dogs as there are for humans, possibly even more. It’s crazy! Take a look at the list below to see what we consider to be the best dog beds available today, but you can also make your own pick based on the helpful tips on how to choose the best pet bed for your dog I provide below in this article.

Video: How To Choose A Dog Bed

Classic dog bed

This is your very basic, regular mattress-type of dog bed that comes in a variety of sizes, designs, colors, shapes, and made out of different kinds of materials, all of which are manufactured to meet certain needs of your dog. There are expensive ones, very expensive ones (such as luxury dog beds) and more affordable, regular, economical polyfil dog beds and solid support foam models. If you look around, you’ll find chew resistant, waterproof and all kinds of other -proof dog beds.

As an example, here’s a popular classic dog bed on Amazon: Pet Dreams Plush Sleep-eez Dog Bed.

Bolster dog bed

Most bolster dog beds (or donut dog beds) are used with medium to large, or even extra-large dog breeds. Although, you’ll find plenty of dog owners who love to spoil their smaller canines or even puppies with these beds. Most of them are low-profile, similar to nesting dog beds, and they come in a variety of different styles: from half-bolsters to a complete 360 degree bolster support, which puppies love. Certain brands will have either removable pillows, or built-in pillow pads. Even I can sleep in one of those!

One of the more popular bolster dog beds is the K&H Bolster Couch Pet Bed.

Orthopedic dog beds

While slightly more expensive, orthopedic dog beds are worth every penny (if you buy the right one!) These pet beds are built to slow down deterioration of bones and joins in your aging dog by providing the best possible support for their bodies. Certain types of dog beds, like the Big Barker mentioned below, come with ultra-expensive designs and foams- other orthopedic dog beds will have medical-grade foam alongside box springs. Most veterinarians will recommend one of these 9 times out of 10.

The obvious winner of not only orthopedic dog beds but simply a best pet bed in general is none other than Big Barker 7″ Pillow Top Orthopedic dog bed for larger dog breeds. K9 Ballistics also create great orthopedic dog beds.

Dog beds for travel

Certain best pet bed for dogs can travel with you! These dog bed kits will have everything you need for an easy travel and adventure while also providing your pooch with a great sleeping place. Car liners, roll-up sleepers, patio dog beds, and even any weather cots: those are different types of dog bedding which you can take advantage of when traveling with your pet. Perfect after a long day’s journey!

My favorite travelling dog bed is Kurgo Wander Dog Travel Bed, but I can’t vouch that it’s the best one out there today. Better do some research!

Dog beds for nesting

You don’t necessarily have to buy a new best pet bed for your dog when she is pregnant, but it would be very helpful for your dog and very nice of you. These dog beds for nesting provide your female Fido with certain degree of depth, so that your dog can feel safe, comfortable and secure while sinking deep into a high-walled nest of a bed. Normally, you’ll see smaller dog breeds using these, but if you look around, you can find something for most medium to large sized dogs.

Here’s a great example of a perfect nesting dog bed: Snoozer Luxury Cozy Cave – this is an all-time dog owners’ favorite!

Hammock dog beds

Hammock style dog beds aren’t best for arthritic dogs, naturally, as they don’t provide the support that foam-based dog beds would. However, these elevated dog beds are very easy to clean and care for, and while a few of them take a little more to set up (for some beds, you need something to attach the hammock to- other hammock beds come with metal/wood frames setup already), it’s really not that complicated at all. The material holding your dog is always sturdy and durable, and most hammock dog beds frames will be either wood or metal (occasionally, PVC). It’s great to pick up the dog either off hot or cold floor, but it’s best for warmer climates.

Dog sleeping mats and pads

Lastly, such things like sleeping mats and pads for you dog also exist if a dog bed is not an option. This is a quick, sure and cheap way to turn your dog’s “corner” into a more comfortable “place” of their own. Some of those dog mats look really stylish, and usually provide sufficient support for the dog. Some of those are also made with same foam as regular dog beds, but they have less of it stuffed into the pad, ergo, it’s cheaper.

If you’re looking for a good dog mat for sleeping, look into Comfort Pet Crate and Nap Mat.

Tip: Washing your dog bed

A quick tip here. At this point you already know what construction types of dog beds exist, and what categories you have to choose from. With that being said, I believe one of the utmost important factors about choosing a dog bed is how easy it is to clean it, and even wash the dog bed. Let’s talk about this for a second.

Dogs are dogs – they get dirty, smelly, bring bacteria, fleas and other nasty stuff that you don’t want around your house. Dog beds must be washed, and with some, all you’ll ever need to wash is the dog bed cover. How often? I would say at least twice a month would be a good. The very lazy ones wash it monthly, but your dog must really be a princess of cleanliness.

If you have any more tips on how to choose the best pet bed for your dog, let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to add your advice to the article for others to read!

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