Most Hygenic Bedding? - Page 1

Hello, what bedding do you use for your dogs, i've used various bedding including, some i've bought from the local pet shops "sponge padded" they don't last long, i've made my own from old duvet's & lined it with a waterproof sheet that did'nt last long, i've used old blanket's but they tend to smell after a few days  i was thinking of using Straw/hay but not sure if any good, How often would i have to change the Straw/Hay if i use that, thanks for any advice

i use anything that can go into what washing machine. old blankets or stuff that is purchased at the pet store.
most of the time, my dogs prefer to lay on the floor becasue its cooler.

Sheets dried with Bounce on top of a sealy posturpedic pillow top mattress in the master bedroom.  Most hygenic for her, not so hygenic for me.

I buy old quilts and blankets at the thrift store. They are easy to wash, and when they get too many holes chewed in them (I run a boarding kennel, but one of my GSDS is a champion chewer, too!) I just toss 'em!

I buy fleece (synthetic) pads from a medical supply store (used to prevent bed sores) for about $15 each. They last forever (going on 1.5 years now), are easy to clean, and come out of the washer almost completely dry (hang outside or put in the dryer for ~10 minutes). However, neither of my GSDs are bed chewers. My mom works in a nursing home and she suggested I buy one originally since Senta was getting calluses on her elbows (calluses disappeared the first month).

I don't recommend straw or hay, as it's too hard to keep clean. It provides a great place for fleas to breed, too!

When my ex-business partner had her puppies here, she used pine shavings for their outdoor bedding. They were absorbent, and really helped to keep down the odour.

I have yet to spend a nickel on bedding.  Old blankets, quilts and sheets are more than sufficient. 

Add a capful of bleach to the laundry for sterilization.  The other obvious is to keep the dog's coat reasonably clean and parasite free.

I have a few brands that I like. I have 2 or 3 Molly Mutts beds. These are basically a duvet type bed. You buy the cover and you buy an inside nylon type bag. Then you can stuff the inside bag with whatever you want. I use old pillows, towels, clothes, whatever. You can wash the "stuffing" if you need or you can toss it and start again. I like these because the covers are very nice looking (not like the cheesy crap at big box stores which for some reason think all big dogs are hunting lodge dogs and all small dogs need pink leopard print).
I also love the Big Shrimpy beds. We have 3 in our house and they have lasted for years. I bought a few extra covers just to change the look and have a back up if I need it. The covers I have are microfiber so don't tend to stain or wear out like most. They are pretty pricey beds, but honestly I've yet to replace one, whereas I've thrown out a dozen of the cheaper ones from Petsmart or Costco over the last couple of years.
We have 8 GSDs and one Lancashire Heeler that are in the house regularly, which is why I have so many :).
These are just beds we have around the house, I don't put anything in crates.

cheers for that, i have read that straw or hay is good flea prevention,  

With one house dog, who is a chewer - and often swallows what he chews - I did not give any bedding at all for years ;  but he started to get elbow sores from lying on floors and the bare plastic in his crates.  So a couple of years ago I
put a rubberised board into his car crate, and then a friend gave me a 2nd hand 'duvet' style bed for the house, when she upgraded hers.  Don't know which petco made it;  it comes with two zippered cotton covers, so one on & one in the wash.  Much to my surprise he hasn't chewed that up, and seems happy to have a softer surface now he's older  (still likes lounging around on my none-too-thick carpet some of the time, though).
For outside kennels bedding, if you can get a suitable supply,  I have always liked shredded paper.  Not always cheap exactly, especially in decent quantities, but dogs seem to like it better than straw or wood shavings;  and they can burrow into a pile of paper, unlike a flat bit of vetbed or blanket.

You only hoick it all out and replace it every few days or when it gets wet (or soiled if your dogs are not kennel-clean);  so the frequency kind of depends on your local weather.  While clean & dry, it will 'fluff up' again a bit for re-use. As someone else said above, fleas etc depend more on your pest preventative measures on the dogs.  I have not known paper harbour anything particularly - except occasionally the odd beetle that wanders in (& then out again).  I have found it 'walks' less than straw - although some bits inevitably stray outside the kennels.
IMO Also a good bedding for whelping / raising pups on, though aware not everyone will agree with me on that.  Then you have to clean it out more often, obviously.