Car Mats/Beds - Page 1

I finally figured out where my dog is getting her elbow callouses (I think anyways… 99% sure). At home she has a large, memory foam dog bed that she lays on most of the time, and when she is not lying on that, she is either lying on the couch or on my lap, lol, so I couldn’t for the life of me figure out where she was getting them. At first I thought it had something to do with her crate, because whatever kind of padding I try to put in there she moves out of her way to lie on the plastic surface (probably cooler that way). That also didn’t really compute though, because she is rarely in there – certainly not long enough to develop callouses. Well it finally dawned on me, that the back of my SUV has that rough, carpet- y type stuff, and I believe her lack of traction back there when I’m driving is causing rug burn of sorts on her poor little elbows. She comes to work with me every night and hangs out in the back, so that HAS to be where it is coming from. I know people have said to use coconut oil to help grow hair back, but it seems to be a moot point to try treating it without actually resolving the problem first.
 
I was hoping someone had an idea of a mat or bed of some sort that I could get. First priority is something soft enough that it will not cause any more callouses… I would also like something fairly weather-proof, or at least washable because we are out in the elements quite a bit, and I do take her swimming when it is warm enough (our swimming spot right now is being used for ice hockey).  “Lake” is not an easy smell to remove, and my car smells bad enough  right now.
 
I was looking at http://www.activedogs.com/product/450/rubber-crate-floor/ , as I was planning to place an order through that site soon anyway. Something similar to that would be nice, as I believe the rubber would be heavy enough to stay down on it’s own, unlike the blankets that I have tried, that don’t stay down for nothing when it comes  to an excited GSD. Also, I could cut it down to “custom fit” the back of my car. I don’t know how that would be on her elbows though.
 
Something like this - http://www.activedogs.com/product/1447/sherpa-mats-and-rolls/ - could be velcroed down, perhaps, but it would soak up liquids and black hair like a sponge (but I suppose it IS washable).
 
I dunno. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with these products? I this point I could use a few extra brain cells, lol.

PS- Admins, could you PLEASE fix the issue where half my post disappears half way through my typing?!

I would not do rubber, because rubber gets slick when wet, so she's going to slide around after swimming. I have a bed that is an outdoor bed, with an inflatable insert and a removeable, weather-proof cover. I got it at Costco. 

Remember, the dog's body forms those pressure sores for protection. Qira's elbows are unstable, ie, she has no anconeal process in either elbow, thus, her excellent muscle tone is really all that's keeping those elbows stable. It's easy to forget that she has a lot of elbow instability because she's never really limped or been limited by it, but for that reason, I'm not surprised that she has them despite your best efforts. They're pressure sores, so think about all her elbow landings on hard floors over time, plus the SUV as you say that seems to be making it worse. 

Zinc deficiency is another thing to consider. How does her nose look? Being overweight will make them worse, too. I recall the judge commenting during her HIC test that she was heavy, so give that some thought. Has her calcium intake gone up? That can absorb zinc, thereby creating a deficiency. 

Food for thought...I'll look up that bed I'm talking about and see what brand it is. 

She has lost a few pounds since her HIC. Her ribs are easily felt, and when she turns sideways they poke out a bit. Her undercoat is getting thick so it's a bit more difficult to tell. I need to make it out to Petsmart one of these days and borrow thier scale again, but last time I was there, about a month ago, I BELIEVE she was at 63, and she's pretty likely lost a pound or two since then. I cut her back quite a bit on her food... now to get my PITA dad to quit giving her tablescraps constantly and we'll be good!

Zinc deficiency? Her nose looks like a nose... it is black yet... a bit dry at the moment, but not crusty by any means. Should I add more to her diet?

Jewel has some pretty big elbow calluses from lying on their hearth all the time. The hard floors is something I considered, but  our house is almost completely carpeted (save for the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room) and the only place that's not that she lays is the kitchen... but she is only in there when I am, and I usually wind up sending her to the couch because she's lying in the middle of the floor and I'm sick of tripping over her. We do practice Obedience on some hard surfaces, but I notice that when she platz's, she "walks into it"/slides down rather than just belly flopping like many dogs, so I do not believe that would stress her elbows too terribly much.

That is a good point about the rubber mat. So as of the moment that Sherpa roll seems like a good way to go. I don't want something TOO big in there, that could slide around under her.

I honestly feel bad that she's gotten these callouses.... they are small though, so I have a feeling that if that coconut oil thing DOES work, that they would go away... I just really want to get something down in the truck for her to lay on, to cushion the inevitable slidings and bouncings of driving.

I'm trying to remember where I bought the bolster-sided cargo area beds I have in my wagon...they have a bolster pillow on the sides and at the back of the bed, with the front open, and the bed pad itself is faux shearling; the inner padding is removable, and the outer shell can be tossed in the washer.  They've held up great, the dog hair doesn't ionically attach itself to the materials, and the dogs love them.  Of course, I've had them for about 6 years and can't remember where I ordered them from. I know I didn't pay more than $45-50, which is why I bought two of 'em.

In the meantime, while searching for those, I found these options; the second one is similar to mine, but without the shearling on the bed.
  Sure Fit® Deluxe Reversible Suede and Sherpa Cargo Mat
Sure Fit Suede and Sherpa Reversible Cargo Mat for Pets keep your vehicles cargo area looking its best. Easy to clean, this reversible cargo liner features faux suede with box stitching, lofty 4 oz filling that reverses to fluffy Sherpa with two looks in one. The Sure Fit Suede and Sherpa Reversible Cargo Mat keeps your cargo area free from pet fur, spills, messes, and wear and tear.

Features:

• Designed to fit most vehicles
• Waterproof liner with no slip bottom grip
• Quilted soft suede fabric
• Seat belt slots
• Elastic headrest straps for easy installation
• 100% polyester
• Machine washable
• ____________________________________________________________

Snoozer Pet SUV Pet Pad

 

The Snoozer™ Pet SUV Pad and Bed covers the floor of the back cargo area and provides your dog with a cozy, traveling den. Water and hair-resistant nylon keeps your interior clean. Bring one along on your next road trip.

 

Features:

 

· Protects interior from pet hair, dirt and moisture

· Removable 2” foam cushion absorbs vibration and keeps your dog comfortably off the floor

· Low profile bolster design offers back, head and neck support around 3 sides

· Durable quilted nylon fabric

· Fits in the back of most SUVs

· Expandable to accommodate any size pet

· Machine wash

 

Hexe, I like that second one! *the more expensive one, naturally lol* Thank you for sharing, I will definitely keep them in mind!!

Dawulf, don't forget to check CL for this kind of thing- you know how many people buy stuff like this, never use it, and then sell the vehicle it fits? I've done it myself....

Dawulf, this version is on sale for $39.99 @ Kohls.com, and it's got the shearling on the bed, which will be less abrasive on her elbows... Don't know if they do free ship-to-store, but they apparently have them in at least some of the stores, too, which would eliminate the shipping entirely.

This site also has the same one Kohls has, for $34.99, and offers free shipping for all orders over $75 [in case you find something else you like on that site...]   They also have a cheetah-print furry bed version of it, @ $69.99, that's looks like it's got a denser cushioning, and the cushions are removable for washing separately from the outer covering [would fit in the washer more easily...] Oh, wait, they've also got a version of the first one, but with removable bolsters as well as a removable bed cover, for $39.19.  Wow...

Actually, that second site, Designer Living, looks to have an awful lot of pet stuff for in the home...geez, Simmons Beautyrest Channel-topped dog beds, 35" x 44" for $55?  That's a darn good price for a big-dog bed...I may have to spend some more time browsing this site.....

[Whatever I end up buying I will blame you for it, Dawulf...oh, wait, I don't have to justify my dog purchases to anyone anyway! Hooray!!]

Costco had AWESOME memory foam (THICK) beds at Christmastime. I've never seen such good quality for a pet bed. No way would even the heaviest dog w/the pointiest elbows be getting to the bottom of that memory foam. It was expensive mattress-style foam. It was only $45. I honestly don't have a dog who will lie on one like that or I'd have bought one. Capri and her kids refuse any bed, and Simon likes to nest. I'd have bought one for someone for a gift, but it was so heavy, shipping would've been astronomical. 

<sigh> I have no Costco stores within hundreds of miles of where I live, sadly...My friends who are lucky enough to have them nearby are always talking about the dynamite dog beds they carry, especially great for senior dogs who are getting into the 'achy bones' stages.  Jealous much? Yes. Yes, I am. <shakes fist>

The bed in the picture of my kennels http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/forum.read?mnr=768945-ava-and-ciscos-new-kennelsa-converted-horse-stall is one of those memory foam beds from Costco. I also bought the bed Jenni's talking about for my senior girl and she LOVE's it.

Dawolf....I drive a Nissan Murano and Nissan Xterra.....both have the typical slick SUV carpet in the cargo hold. I take my dogs everywhere with me and they also hang out in the back while I'm running errands and such. I went to Lowe's and bought a piece of thick/plush house carpet and carpet padding (come's off of the rolls of carpet they have) and cut both to fit in the cargo space. It works great for traction, neither dog has any rug burns or wear spots, I didn't spend a lot of money on it. I like it because the carpet blends with the rest of the interior of the vehicle and doesn't get in the way when I need to fill the cargo space. You can alsofold it in half or roll it up and remove it when you don't want/need it in the vehicle. This works great for me....just a thought :)