Grass hay for bedding? - Page 1

Hay works, but straw has better insulating value. In a pinch though, hay will do. You'll have to change it more often than straw.

Some dogs actually prefer hay because it's less prickly... some dogs like to chew on it because it's grass. I don't know if chewing on it's the best thing for them, but I've never known a dog to deliberately eat it.

~JC

It depends on the grass.  We would not use our local grass hay  do to seed heads and some weeds, fine for the ponies and mules but not the dogs bedding.  If you can find a nice orchard grass type, softer stems and no seed heads, you're probably okay.

I get grass hay for my horses and use it for the dogs' bedding outside - in the dog houses.  Works fine.  I like straw too but hay is what I have and so hay is what I  use.  It's softer than straw and packs down tighter (is not as loose as straw) so stays in the dog house better, and seems to provide a better bed.  I don't think it would hurt any dog that chewed on it.

molly

Grass Hay rots fast and stinks to high heaven. Oat straw irritates the dogs and will cause bad rashes. For winter, Wheat Straw has no equal.  I always keep plenty laying around for bedding.

Have grass hay in my dog houses and chicken house too, all year.  I change it once/year - it isn't rotten and doesn't smell bad - as long as it's dry.  If it gets wet it must be changed, but that is the same for straw.  Hay does get "wetter" if it does get wet, because straw is "fluffier" - it gets just as wet but the water seeps to the bottom better.  Hay works very well if it stays dry.  I've found straw gets dragged out of the dog houses very easily - the dogs just walk it out and it ends up outside.  Hay stays in the houses better, so in that way it is better for bedding.  I like the bedding to stay dry and inside the dog house :)

molly

The key word is DRY. If the hay is inside a building I guess it would be OK, but for outside dogs, Hay is a mess. Even wet straw holds its shape and texture. It doesnt turn into stinky soup. To each his or her own.

I have tried different hay over the years and now have used Grass Hay for about 10 years and prefer it. Have never had a problem with it rotting or stinking. Soon as the weather warms up I remove it.

my doghouses are in outside pens, the hay stays inside the houses much better than straw does, and stays nice and dry.  I haven't had wet hay in the houses for a long time.  And since it stays inside the houses better than straw and therefore provides a better bedding that stays put, is thick and settles better than straw, and stays dry, rarely needs to be changed - it is also less dusty and needs to be added to less often - I prefer hay to straw.

molly