Dog Bed Buying Guide-3-10-10

“5 things you need to know
when buying a dog bed
that no one is telling you!”
Yippee!
Buying a dog
bed is fun!
TheUncommonDog.com
[email protected]
888.404.4076
Hi Fellow Dog Lover,
Congratulations on making it this far. Keep reading for a few more minutes
and you should be home free with your dog bed purchase. Also, make sure
you don't miss the special offer we have for you at the end of this report.
Ok, let's get to the details. Here are the five things you need to know to
make a great dog bed purchase:
#1 Know Your Dog.
It’s crucial that you measure the length of your dog.
Here’s how to do it: When your dog is lying down in a normal
sleeping position, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail.
Then add a few inches to this number, 8” - 10” inches is the typical
recommendation – just make sure you get plenty of length. Whatever this
total number comes out to is how long the bed for your dog should be.
When in doubt, get the larger size – this almost always works out for the
best.
Also, some beds come with weight recommendations so have the weight of
your dog handy. Either weigh your dog, or use the weight from your last vet
visit.
Not All Dogs Sleep The Same. Does your dog stretch out or curl up when
he sleeps? Younger dogs tend to curl up more when they sleep because their
bodies and spine are more flexible. Older dogs tend to stretch out. If your
dog curls up most of the time, you’ll probably want some type of bolster or
cuddler bed (see bed type descriptions below) that supports this sleeping
style but at the same time gives her enough room to stretch out if she needs
to.
On the other hand if your dog loves to stretch out, you probably want to
consider a flatter bed that gives him plenty of room.
Not sure what your dog’s sleeping style is? The best way to
figure it out is to watch them sleep (yes it’s that simple). Just
check in on them a few times over the course of a few hours
and you will pretty quickly figure it out.
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#2 Choose the Best Bed Type for Your Dog’s Unique Needs.
FYDO Bagel Bed
Caddis Beasley’s Dog Couch
K&H All Season Snuggly
Sleeper Bed
Bowsers Super Soft
Round Bed
Bagel beds, donut beds, and bolster beds have a
nice padded bolster surrounding the bed. This can be
great for your dog to prop his head on and to snuggle
into. As we mentioned above, these beds are great for a
dog who likes to curl up when she sleeps – most dogs
will use the bolster to support the spine. When choosing
a size for a bed with a bolster, make sure the usable
part of the inner pillow is big enough for your dog to
comfortably fit on.
Dog couches are similar to bolster beds. They are
great for support and for giving the dog a sense of
security as they snuggle up against the bolster. Make
sure your dog will fit comfortably on the usable cushion
– the bolster itself shouldn’t be used to determine
sizing.
Cuddler or nest beds are great for dogs who really
like to curl up and get a sense of security by being
totally surrounded by their bed. Generally speaking
smaller dogs are more suited to cuddler and nest beds.
One important thing to keep in mind is that with cuddler
beds, your dog will not get support from a bolster, but
will be supported by the raised edge or wall around the
pillow. For sizing, cuddler beds are similar to bolster
beds in that you use the size of the inner pillow, not the
size of the bed’s footprint, to determine your right size.
The inner pillow should comfortably accommodate your
dog in her preferred sleeping style.
Round beds that do not have a bolster are good for
dogs that curl up and stretch out, so long as the
diameter of the bed (the measurement from one side to
the other across the center) is long enough that the dog
can unfold the spine. The round shape inherently invites
the dog to curl.
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Big Shrimpy Original Dog Bed
Kuranda Chewproof Bed
Rectangle and square beds are great for dogs who
like to stretch out. Make sure the bed you choose will
completely accommodate your dog in his most
outstretched sleeping position. Some rectangle beds
have a pillow. Consider this when you’re determining
the size – sometimes a dog will want to stretch out with
her head on the pillow and sometimes not.
Elevated beds with frames are good for keeping your
dog up off hard surfaces and can be a cool spot in hot
temperatures. Make sure the bed you choose will
completely accommodate your dog in his most
outstretched sleeping position, without his paws or legs
touching the frame. If the paws or legs touch or hang
off the frame (unless by the dog's choice), there could
be unnecessary stress on the legs and joints.
Inner cushion and stuffing. Choosing the right bed is not only about
shape, you have to think about what’s inside the bed. There are some basic
types – polyfill, ortho foam, and memory foam. Most beds contain some type
of polyester for the filling. Medium and higher end beds tend to use higher
quality materials; the poly-fiber fill is densely stuffed, typically retains its
loft, and doesn’t bunch up. Be a little bit careful with the cheaper, low-end
beds – you’re paying less so the manufacturer is spending less on quality.
Medical grade orthopedic or ortho foam is egg crate foam. It’s fantastic in a
dog bed, gives a lot of support, and is super-comfy. Memory foam acts like
the human-grade Tempur-pedic foam. It’s really supportive and can give
relief to painful joints and muscles. Make sure the memory foam is thick
enough so the dog doesn’t sink down to the floor, or that there’s another
type of pillow underneath. All 3 types of fill can provide long-lasting sleeping
comfort and lots of support.
Outer fabric. Wow, so many different fabrics! Let’s boil it down and look at
the basics. The majority of fabrics used for a dog bed cover are cotton or
some type of polyester (including nylon). Cotton is cotton – it’s a natural
fiber, it may be dense and really durable like canvas, woven like twill, or it
may be lighter weight like soft denim. Cotton takes on color differently than
polyester, so what you see in a swatch may not be exactly the color that you
get, but it’ll be darn close. Polyester (and its relatives) is man-made, and it
can come in a number of different types, weaves, densities, and softness.
Microvelvet or microfiber is very popular – it’s ultra soft, easy to clean,
durable, and retains color. Nylon is part of the same family and can be
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woven into very strong denier fabrics (like the Cordura and Ballistic fabrics in
the chew-resistant beds). Different nylon weaves have different
characteristics, but they’re basically all about being strong. Sleeping surfaces
are sometimes made of Sherpa fleece or Berber fleece, both of which are a
soft, warm in winter, poly fabric that dogs typically love to snuggle into.
#3 Special Features You Need to Consider.
Ok, so by now you probably have a good idea of the size, shape, fill and
fabric you need for your dog’s bed but what about other special features?
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself:
•
West Paw Organic
Bumper Bed
•
•
Snoozzy OrthoAir
Therapeutic Bed
•
•
•
Carolina Pet Co. Protector Pad
Bolster Bed w/Memory Foam
Has your dog chewed up their bed in the past?
If so you should consider a chew resistant, or in really
tough cases, a chew proof bed.
Does your dog sleep in a very hot or cold area?
If so you may want to consider a cooling or heated bed.
Are you an environmentally conscious person?
If that’s a big yes then you are in luck. There are now
many, many very good quality eco friendly dog beds.
Does your dog suffer from incontinence or do they
sleep outside? If the answer is yes, check out water
resistant, water proof and outdoor beds.
Is your dog elderly? Elderly dogs often suffer from
aching joints and incontinence so it’s good to consider a
bed that has many of the special features mentioned
above including water resistance, heat and orthopedic
support.
Is your dog allergic? Many dogs are allergic to their
bedding, so you might want to consider the ones that
are made from hypoallergenic materials.
#4 How Much to Spend and What to Spend it On?
The prices of the beds on our site range from a low of around $30 to well
over $500 for a few of our super-fancy heated beds. Not every dog needs a
$500 bed and at the same time the $30 one won’t cut it for all dogs either.
When working with a budget, first and foremost, make sure the bed has the
proper shape, size and support for your dog. Once you’ve satisfied those
areas, the rest is gravy. Then you can decide about style and special
features that you and your dog want and how much to spend for them.
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#5 Carefully Consider YOUR surroundings.
Ok, so now you know what the perfect bed is for your dog but how about for
your décor? With the numerous style, fabric and colors options that are
available your dog can have everything she needs and at the same time you
don’t have to sacrifice on style. Think about where you intend to place your
dog’s bed in your house. What colors and fabrics would go well in that area?
If you can visualize what you want, chances are that you can find it. On our
site alone we have over 10,000 different color and fabric options so dare to
dream and don’t limit yourself!
That’s it – you’ve made it to the end of the dog bed buying guide. We hope
you liked it, and most importantly that you feel you can make a great bed
choice for your precious pet.
We have a special offer for you.
If you have any questions about buying a dog bed or would like some
personal help in finding just the right bed, we invite you to contact us. We
will personally help you find the bed that is best for you and your dog. You
can email us at: [email protected] and in the
subject line put “I Need Help Buying a Bed!”
Also, if we can put in a brief pitch here for TheUncommonDog.com. When
you’re ready to buy a bed, you will probably do a little comparison
shopping. Give our dog bed selection a really thorough look. We have over
375 beds which is one of the largest selections online. We’ve hand-picked
every bed we carry and we’re super fussy about the quality of beds that we
put on our store. We also offer a Best Price Guarantee, free shipping,
and we would proudly say the best customer service in the pet industry.
To help you feel even better about your purchase, we give 10% of our
annual net profits to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (ASPCA). We’d love to have you as our customer and help a good
cause in the process.
Best of luck to you in your dog bed buying adventure!
The Uncommon Dog
I need help
buying a bed!
TheUncommonDog.com
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