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Take my word for it, no matter
how much you want your new puppy
to sleep with you, this is not
the best option. Especially when
you’re dealing with a 75-pound
behemoth that’s scared of a
little thunder. Your king-sized
bed suddenly becomes half a
twin-size bed. So next to food
and a trip to the vet, a good
dog bed should be one of your
first major purchases. But what
kind of dog bed should you get?
There are literally hundreds of
choices. For instance:
Large dog beds for the type of
dog mentioned in the first
paragraph
Outdoor beds for the pooch who
prefers sleeping under the stars
Fancy designer beds for the
pampered pooch that’s probably
related to Paris Hilton’s
Tinkerbelle
Travel and car beds for the dogs
who spend a lot of time on the
road
Heated beds for the cold-natured
little breeds
Orthopedic beds for the pooches
getting up there in age Iron
beds for the decorating pooches
in your household
Chew-proof beds for…well…you
know
And waterproof beds for the
little pups who sometimes get a
little scared at night…you know
what I mean.
But no matter the bed you buy,
there are a couple of rules you
should be aware of. First, make
sure every part of the bed is
machine washable. No matter how
many times you wash your dog,
he’s going to manage to smell up
that bed. And if it’s a bed you
keep in your own bedroom, the
odors that will eventually
emanate from that bed will give
you nightmares.
Second, get a bed with cedar
shavings or a thick foam pad as
the padding. This will help
immensely with keeping your
favorite flea friends from
becoming permanent residents of
your dog’s bed. Third, make sure
you buy the right size dog bed.
If possible, take your dog with
you when you buy the bed. No
matter how cute the bed is, or
how well it goes with your home
décor, if your dog can’t
comfortably lay down in the bed,
he won’t use it.
Also, pay close attention to
what the bed is made of. Wicker
is cute and very stylish. But
fleas love it. And for the dog
that hasn’t quite gotten over
the chewing stage yet, a wicker
bed is little more than the
world’s largest chew toy.
Beanbags are also popular dog
beds because most people born in
the late 60s still have one
stowed away in their basements
or attics somewhere (yes you do,
admit it). But have you ever
seen what’s inside a beanbag?
You will find out very quickly
if Fido discovers how to operate
the zipper that keeps the
stuffing in the bag. You would
be wise to leave the beanbag in
the attic and open your wallet
cheapskate.
So now that you’ve done the
research, go out and buy your
new best friend a great bed.
Remember to get the proper size.
Get one with cedar shaving or
foam as the padding. Make sure
all parts of the bed are machine
washable. And most importantly,
make sure Fido likes the bed or
you will have an unwanted
visitor in the middle of the
night…especially when there’s
thunder.
Copyright 2006 Allen Shaw
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