Mattress Style Dog Beds - Page 1

Seriously, does anybody use these?? I was gifted one by a neighbour a few months ago, and decided to use it, because my older female likes to lie in the front hallway while I'm at work. She'd been sleeping against the front door, and it was looking a bit grungy from her leaning against it.

It's a round bed, about 30 or so inches in diameter, and quite heavy. There's a fleece cover on the top, and the bottom and sides are plain fabric. Now, I've never cared much for these beds. They take up a lot of space, and I tend to trip over them. They are also very hard to keep clean. When I ran the kennel, I used to ask people NOT to bring them in, because I prefered to used my own freshly laundered blankets and quilts. The response often was, "Oh, they're EASY to clean! You just take the outer cover off." 

Yeah, right!  

I had a couple of visitors over the other day, and I noticed one of them holding her nose as she was leaving. That gave me a very clear message! Guess I tend to let the cleaning slip in the wintertime, when everything is frozen, and the dogs aren't tracking in much in the way of dirt!

First, I washed the lightweight runner that's in the hall. Then, I tackled the dog bed. I removed the outer cover, and underneath was a second zippered cover. It was white, and badly stained, and smelt just as bad as the outer cover. (see photo).

I unzipped it, and found it was stuffed with synthetic wool of some kind. It looked a lot like sheep's wool, but was softer. I started pulling it out, and found the centre of the bed had its own zippered compartment, stuffed with more of this wool. I pulled it ALL out (see photo) and got enough to stuff 2 green garbage bags just as full as they would go! As I was stuffing it into the bags, there was a definite doggy odour to it.

Now this bed probably weighed close to 10 lbs. when dry. Can you IMAGINE what it would weigh if I tried to wash it?? There's no washer on earth that could possibly cope with something this big, and even if it did, it would be impossible to get the stuffing dry!

I have a rectangular bed that Eska tore open when she was a pup. I restuffed it with a very thin batting that can stand up to being washed. It's about 1/2 thick, and I double the strip over numerous times to give the bed enough thickness to be comfortable, and that works quite well.

I don't know if I'm going to try to salvage this round bed. The extra compartment would make lining it with something washable difficult. I could just save the outer cover, which has only the one compartment, and stuffing it with something similar to what I have in the other bed. Or I may just go back to using fleece blankets, which are SO much easier to wash and keep clean!

I wonder how many of us just don't realized how bad our house smells. It's like the Febreeze commercials: we've gone 'noseblind' to the odour!

(Yes, I'm in the middle of painting the living room, thus the drop sheets!)

SS! That inner stuffing was never intended to be washed. Throw it out and go to your local sewing and fabric store and buy new stuffing. Repackage it, and after laundering all the other components, put it all back together. You could hide cedar chips or other aromatics that a dog won't object, within in guts, too.

I have found older dogs past the destructive stage who don't already possess a favorite couch, do enjoy these beds.

Make a habit of washing the outer cover only.... a few times per year or as needed, and your company will not be holding their noses!

Have used that type of bed (inner cover filled with quilt batting/comforter fill, outer cover washable) for over 20 years.  In fact, I still have the original one I purchased back in the late 80's.  Have two plain ones that are in the bedroom and a nicer one in the living room.  Sometimes I put a fleece blanket or old sheet on top to make laundering easier.

 

I think the thing with such bedding is the age of it ? When 'febreezing' and washing the outer cover is no longer enough to eliminate that doggy odour, the bed is too old and its time to get a new one. Just as we change our mattresses every few years (except when we are extremely poor). Agree that in washing the inner bed the flock or whatever stuffing is too heavy for most washing machines, even left sewn into the inner shell ! Maybe if you are getting a few more years VFM out of such beds they are okay for an outside kennel, as long as they can be kept raised and fairly dry. Depends if their outer case is water resistant. With some beds there certainly is 'built-in obsolescense' and the aging process is too fast for them to be a great choice.

@Zwei Love the family group shots! Even kitty gets in on the snooze Fest!

Keeping the stuffing fresh is the key. I have replaced it several times over the years.

Mine love their beds. They do not go on any human furniture.

Bee - The cat was a little perturbed in that pic. He was there first and was not happy that he had to share with both dogs. Usually only one will go on it if he is there already.

Love the photos!

My German Shepherd sleeps on a large dog bed comprised of 2 layers of foam and a washable cover with fleece on top. I use a sheet to cover it and change that once a week which is a lot easier than taking the cover on and off and the bed stays clean and smells fine.

Sun, I do understand your problem!
Those beds are nice, but not suitable for dogs used to have fun outside everything day, no matter the weather, no matter the coat...
Those beds will start to smell, and it's almost impossible to clean the inlet ....
I don't like them..
I tend to use some kind of foam matress for the dogs like the underground of cattle or a stadium, soft enough for the ligaments, easy to clean-the dogs love it.
We are used to "dog odor", but visitors think different... 😎

My dog sleeps in my shower stall.

 

She has a deep foam bed; a vetbed bed; and access to carpet ... but 9 times out of 10, she snoozes in the shower tray.  Who'd a thought old bones would prefer this cold, hard (but at least not draughty) surface ?  Must be a truly hard GSD

Longevity probably depends on the quality of bed also. Mine weren't cheap but they have lasted.

I'm on a farm with horses and chickens so my dogs have plenty of manure, mud and sand to play in. Two of my older brothers (definitely not dog people) would never miss the fun opportunity of telling me that there was an odor hanging around the house.

They may not be for everyone but they have worked out well for me.