Some dogs like luxurious dog beds, some are more Spartan. Some dogs like to burrow into their beds and make a nest, others are happier dozing on top of the kennel with a layer of snowflakes covering them . . .
I know because I have a Whippet who thinks almost exclusively about her own comfort, and Border Collies who have coats designed to keep them warm in a blizzard on a Scottish mountainside.
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You need dog beds that are serviceable and easy to wash for the working dogs in the family and beds that are cosy and warm for the lapdogs (for when there is no lap available!).
The advantage of having a dog bed that your dog actually likes is that you can position the bed where you want your dog to be when he’s switched off, then you don't have to be tripping over him every time you turn round.
I have beds under one of the worksurfaces in the kitchen instead of cupboards. That's where the crate goes too, when we have a new dog in the household.
Keep it clean
I think the most important factor of a dog bed - from the owner’s point of view - is its cleanability. You don't want nameless stains showing up on your carefully laundered bed! That's where a patterned finish is handy. A removable machine-washable cover is ideal, and I find the fleece that you can buy by the yard is excellent. You can bio wash it or hot wash it in the machine, and it dries in no time. Great beds for dogs who like to bundle them up, carry them to their preferred spot, and hide their toys in them. You can easily fit them into a car crate too.
I have hard floors downstairs, so the 2-metre lengths of fleece double as beds and non-slip walkways. These can be very useful at corners where puppies and old dogs in particular are likely to slip in their haste. This can cause serious ligament damage.
Also in the car you can have tough plastic-backed blankets or even fully fitted dogproof seat covers. Just imagine how much time that's going to save you picking up hairs and mud! But your best option for the car is washable beds inside a fitted crate. See this post for more info.
It all depends on the dog
Tunnelling dogs will appreciate a cosy bed to dig down into. They tend to be thin-coated dogs, like Terriers and Whippets. Cricket the Whippet took some time to learn how to get herself under her duvet without needing help every time she wanted to get into her bed. But now she’s a pro and can whoosh herself in and under in seconds.
Such dogs often like to sleep in heaps. A pair of noses peeping out from a pile of lambskins is very appealing, as you can see here with Sky and Bolt.
As to the wicker basket so beloved of artists and birthday card designers . . . well, they may look good, but don't put your dog in one till you're quite sure he won’t chew it to shreds. Not only will it make a mess of your costly bed, but lengths of willow are not easily digested!
Instead, get one of those hardshell dog beds which are easy to sweep out and hose down. They can take up a lot of space but are excellent for keeping the dog’s bedding in one place.
That’s MY bed!
The important thing about your dog’s bed is that it’s his! He must know that he can rest there in peace without being trodden on, badgered by children, hugged by affectionate toddlers, or shoved off it onto the floor by another dog (or cat!). He needs somewhere he can relax and treat as his den.
If you have multiple dogs be sure you've got a bed per dog plus one extra so you never get arguments over beds. It’s easy enough to teach them to share - either to share a bed together, or move round to a different bed - though this can result in some comical sights when the cat commandeers the big dog bed and the big dog tries to squish into the cat donut!
In my own household of four very different dogs, we have flat memory foam beds for the hot dogs (Collie and English Shepherd), and heat-reflective bed with duvet for Cricket the Whippet - along with tunnel beds and soft cushionbed-on-armchair for her, so her majesty can select the right bed at the right time! Coco Poodle is happy in his fleece-lined bucket bed at night, and chooses to perch on lambskin-covered footstools in the day.
At the last count there were 14 dog beds here and 3 cat beds, though these are often shared.
What bed do you find best for your dog?
