Dog Beds: Now That You Have Your New Pooch, Where's He Going to
Sleep?
Copyright 2006 Allen Shaw
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 d