Dog Beds

I like my dogs to have nice beds. The fact that several are not house trained means all our beds need to be very washable. It is also the reason I've not had carpeting for many years. So, I'm always on the look-out for reasonably priced, washable dog beds with enough support for my arthritic seniors. Tough.

Recently, I found used coffee bean bags. I buy my regular whole bean coffee from Dynamite Coffee (shop local!), but get my decaf from Puroast, a company Schnucks carried for awhile, but no longer, thus I buy from them online. As I perused their site, I saw the coffee bean bags. Curious, I ordered two. At first, I had no idea for what I would use them, till I looked around and noted the need for more substantial bedding.

The coffee bags are HUGE. They fit a Great Dane size dog crate. My next dilemma was, with what do I stuff them? The dogs have pretty much destroyed one of the couches, with some usable foam remaining. My first attempt used this foam in the bag to the satisfaction of several dogs.

Dazzle, #DazzleFoster, a VERY adoptable , house trained dog, enjoying his new, thicker dog bed

Squishy Beagle and Archie the Tyrant take over the apparently very comfortable dog bed from Dazzle while Rosie Rat Terrier watches behind on another smaller thick bed.

For several years, I had a couple huge rolls of "lambswool" in a back room, always meaning to use as crate pads but never sure how it would wash and hold up to lots of use. This was the perfect time to cut out a double thickness, stuff it into a coffee bean bag, and check it out. My next attempt will be smaller. While Justus enjoyed the new pad (poor Dazzle out of the loop for awhile!), Annie, Squishy, and Remi Beagles decided the edge of "lambswool" which peeked through the open end of the bag was very good for a chew toy...until they fell asleep.

Note, this is not as thick but is more even in support, at least for Justus.

As you can see, Remi and Squishy partially removed the "lambswool" cushion, with Remi Pocket Beagle now in dreamland.

My plan is to finish filling the other four bags I have with the "lambswool," and then, see how well they all hold up. I'm hoping the dogs enjoy the rough burlap as well as a thicker dog bed. Another thing I do with dog beds is take out the inside stuffing (if it's contained in an inner liner: you may notice some loose fluffies around the crate in the photos from a donated dog bed which had no inner liner), place it in a plastic garbage bag, then re-insert it into the cover. This way, when a dog has an accident, I only need to wash the cover and not the insert; many times, they pill and get very misshaped in the washing process.

How do you manage your dog(s)' bedding? I also use and greatly appreciate used hospital blankets. They will fit any crate and are very washable.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!