Here Come The Holidays -Part 3: Beds

Everyone needs a place to sleep. Pets are no exception and there are as many different styles of dog beds as there are dogs.
You can find pet beds in every size, shape, color and material. There are orthopedic beds for animals with arthritis or injuries. There are cooling beds for animals that get too hot when they sleep and warming beds for elderly, or sick dogs. We had one for the puppies when they were first born to keep them warm.



There are raised beds to keep your dog off the cold floor or ground.

There are beds that act like little hiding places for pets that like to get into corners or tight places to sleep. Morgan would love a bed like this one. She likes to get into tight corners or behind furniture. It's leftover from being born and raised in a dog house.
You can find pet beds in fabrics and designs to match your decor or just to please you pet.



This one is called a snuggle ball. I bought one for Lucy. I thought she'd like curling up and nesting in it and that it would be comfortable since she had arthritis. This bed became the most popular one in the house. Samba slept on it when she was pregnant and she even used it in the whelping box the night the pups were born. Between puppies she would curl into the snuggle ball, then get out to give birth to the next puppy.

The snuggle ball was Monty's favorite, too but for another reason. Monty usually slept on the floor or on a chair. Every evening after dinner Monty would disappear for about fifteen minutes. We discovered that he was going into the bedroom and using one of the dog pillows to get intimate. Yes folks, Monty was humping a pillow. Then he discovered Lucy's snuggle ball and I saw him carrying it up the stairs to the bedroom. It was the perfect size and it became his 'close friend'. The snuggle ball finally wore out, probably from frequent washings, but it was a very popular item.


At our house we have lots of dog beds. We have them in every room and there's a variety of styles.


Dog beds are easy to make and you don't even need a pattern.


Tsar doesn't like a bed, but he loves having a blanket to arrange and nest in. You can use an old worn blanket of your own or make a fleecy one like Tsar has. There are instructions online if you need help. Just google 'no sew fleece blanket'.


Rob bought one of this type for each of the dogs. It doesn't have a zipper, which is very important in our house. A zipper presents a chewing challenge to several of our dogs. These beds are totally washable, but you do need a fairly large washer for the larger beds.

These can also be made easily. Denim, canvas or corduroy are good materials for a dog bed. They're easily cleaned and they are strong enough to withstand the scratching some dogs do before lying down. Put a couple layers of quilt batting or several layers of a thick fabric, fleece or flannel in between the front and back and stitch them up. For a small dog, try using a couple of bath towels with a little batting in between.


Sky is demonstrating how much he loves his bed. As you can see, he's outgrown it, but dogs become very attached to their bed and he squeezes his 70 pound body into this little bed every night. He does get out and stretches out on the bathroom tile for most of the night, but he always starts off in his little bed.


We have three wicker dog baskets in the house. When I first saw them I fell in love with them and had visions of my dogs sleeping sweetly in their baskets. Well they are pretty, but let me warn you about them. The ones in the living room and office are fine, but there is also one in the bedroom and Morgan likes to sleep in it. Morgan is one of those dogs who has to turn around about a hundred times before she lays down. Wicker squeaks and groans. If you are a light sleeper, like me and you have a restless dog that changes position often, don't get wicker. I hear that wicker and wake right up.

If you have a fairly small dog you can make a pillow case of fleece and then tuck in an old bed pillow that no longer works for you. When our bed pillows get flat and we replace them, we always recycle the old pillow to the dogs.


This was Lucy's little chair. Rob came home with it one night when Lucy was a puppy. We put it in the living room near the couch and she had her very own chair. We've retired it so that the dogs we have now won't destroy it.

Most of my dogs think my bed is the very best place to sleep. Each of them has tried it and there are certain times when they're allowed to sleep with us. Usually, however, that place of honor is reserved for Morgan and Samba.


I'm sure they'd all think this was the perfect dog bed. Why do I have that awful feeling that I'd wind up sleeping on the little platform while they all shared my big bed?

You can find dog beds like these and many other styles at any pet supply store and places such as Target, LL Bean and many other stores. You'll be amazed at the variety available.