Online Dog Resources

Archive for the ‘Dog Beds’ Category

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
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I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote recently about how pleased I was to discover the Big Shrimpy line of dog beds, dog bed replacement parts, and dog landing pads. Now I’m adding many of these products to the website. I’m planning to get some myself as soon as I need a new dog bed, which will be pretty soon. Not only are they sturdy, the company that makes them is exceptionally environmentally conscious. Dog beds need to be long-lasting, and these are.
Read the rest of this entry »

I recently discovered the Big Shrimpy dog beds, made from recycled materials. Not only do they make ultra-comfortable dog beds, but the beds can be taken apart completely and all parts can be machine washed. These beds last a long time as they are very sturdy. I like the motto of this company: Earth friendly dog beds that last. Being both frugal and environmentally inclined, I think one of these beds may be in my dogs’ future. Or maybe two of them. Our current beds are definitely on their last legs. I was impressed by a blog I came across where the person said that he had several different kinds of dog beds, and the Big Shrimpy was the one his dogs would seek out.

The Big Shrimpy comes in three models for dogs, plus there are some cat beds that would work well for very small dogs. (The dog bed in our logo above started its life as a cat bed, till our Basenji stole it from the cats.)

Here are some examples. I imagine that the dog is belongs to the manufacturer. Nice work if you can get it, pup! The original bed is their (duh) original product.

The nest bed looks very comfy:

And their basic bed is the most economical while still having the feature that you can take it all apart for washing:

They also offer something called a Landing pad. I can see a use for these things around the house! It’s easy to carry around and like the other items, it can be washed and dried, even an inner cushion that is easily removable.

Something called SmartFill is used for the stuffing in these dog beds, it a recycled polyester fiber, pre-consumer — that means it comes to Big Shrimpy as leftovers from other manufacturers. This stuffing is very dense and comfortable. One of the benefits of all the dog beds made by Big Shrimpy is that you can get to the SmartFill and fluff it up if you want to. It can be run through your washing machine and your clothes dryer, like the rest of the bed, but the manufacturers do recommend using a laundromat for the stuffing because there is so much of it tucked into the beds. No matter, you won’t need to do that very often, most likely, and I suppose you could wash and dry the SmartFill in batches if going to a laundromat was not a good option.

Here’s a comment from the manufacturer: “We build products that are practical and durable. Durability is one of our three approaches to building products that benefit the consumer as well as the planet. Our beds are durable, washable (all components, even the filling) and environmentally sensitive (by utilizing recycled fiber for the filling). These three principles guide us.”

Click on any of the images to go to Amazon.com.

Sitstay has them too — click on this button:

and then choose Beds and then choose manufacturers.

Outdoor dog beds have to be comfortable (or else what’s the point?) They also have to stand up to all kinds of weather.

So they are built with tough materials that will stand up to being out in the rain, snow, or months of blazing sun. They need to be easy to care for; typically, you can just hose off an outdoor dog bed. For some kinds, you can throw any but the very largest ones in a washing machine.

It’s also typical to see these dog beds in a cot style, raised off the ground some six inches or more. Dogs often like the height as it makes it easier to get on and off the beds — at least for all but the toy breeds,who may be left outside less often anyway. (No matter, you will find these beds in all sizes.)

There are other reasons for the raised style, though. The beds are more likely to stay dry and bug-free if up off the ground. They are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Of course, if your dog sleeps outside in the winter, consider the temperatures. You may choose to put an old blanket or a soft style dog bed on top of the outdoor one for added comfort. Since dogs are such comfort lovers, we humans may not realize that many breeds can withstand extremely cold temperature that would have us shivering! Your dog will probably let you know if he is warm enough. There are also heated models if electricity is nearby and your dog isn’t the chewing type.

Outdoor dog beds are meant to be used outside but also work well in doghouses, basements, garages, sheds, porches, and similar spots.

You can use any outdoor dog bed inside the house as well. I would say that my idea of the ideal situation for my two indoor-outdoor dogs would be to have a memory foam dog bed for each one inside my house and to have an outdoor dog bed such as a Coolaroo or Kuranda outside… but to save money, many people use just one bed or if the dog is inside a lot, they don’t have one outside. Whatever you do, you will know how your dog likes it by where he spends his time!

Here is a popular outdoor pet bed, the Coolaroo, at Amazon… clicking on the image takes you there.

Kuranda dog beds are comfortably off the floor, and sturdy enough to withstand years of use in dog shelters, kennels, and homes.


Quite a few of the other dog beds I’ve written about on this website wouldn’t last nearly as long, specially if puppies or dogs who loved to chew happened to attack them.

The Kuranda dog bed is cleverly designed to withstand many such attacks. How? The fabric edges are not available to the dogs for chewing, as they are tucked away from sharp teeth inside the frame, which is made of very sturdy PVC pipe.

That will deter most chewers. I have known dogs who could destroy practically anything and the Kuranda people must have too, because you can order individual parts of the bed from them in the unlikely event that you should need to. Since the beds are sold worldwide and used in many dog shelters, it must happen sometimes!

How large a dog can be supported by this thing? The dog shown here isn’t a Chihuahua! The fact that the bed is up a little off the floor gives it advantages of comfort and support, plus there is really no place for fleas to make a home. In hot weather, this design is great.

The fabrics used come in a variety of types, with varying abrasion resistance, breathability, and porosity. Of course, the fabrics could be destroyed by a dog who was determined to keep working on one particular spot, but then you can order a new fabric for the dog bed.

Kuranda dog beds are made to out-last other dog beds, and they are very easy to maintain and wash.

The Kuranda company has an excellent program where they will sell the dog beds at a discount to animal shelters. For example, the well-known Best Friends animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, has some 600 such beds. They acquired them through a dog bed sponsorship program that Kuranda offers.

But no need to have a shelter to benefit from the Kuranda dog beds! Anyone can! Click on the image to see this one at Amazon:

Foam dog beds can be made of a variety of kinds of foam, with memory foam being the best. All kinds are are widely available.


Foam dog beds are what we have used for years now. I made our own once or twice, using leftover foam from some other household project and sewing covers, but most often we buy them. It’s easy to get a foam dog bed online — in any price range, in any size or shape, and in any color you want. There is a range of coverings too.

PRICE RANGE: By and large, the price variation in any one company’s line will reflect the quality of the foam used in manufacture. There are very open foams, which provide less support, up to high density foam, which provide a lot more.

A special kind of foam dog bed that is higher in quality is the memory foam dog bed. Memory foam is wonderful stuff and provides some of the very best support you can give a dog, providing ease and comfort for any aching joints that the dog may have. It’s also said that memory foam can help a dog keep from developing the pains of aging. Seems likely to me as I love sleeping on it and feel I sleep better myself. I have to say that it is my very favorite foam to use, for dogs and for my own bed!

SIZES AND SHAPES: It’s easy to find dog beds in all sizes, since dogs come in all sizes themselves! As for shapes, the most popular shape is probably the rectangular one, as it accommodates dogs who stretch out while they are sleeping or if they want you to rub their bellies. Round beds are fine for dogs who curl up a lot. That’s our Basenji Sunbeam on the logo of this site, and she loved to sleep all night in the bed you see her in. (She pre-empted that bed from our cats, but that’s a different story!)

COLOR: If you shop online, you can find a wide variety of colors and designs to choose from. Sometimes you might want a plaid, while at another time, you might prefer a design. Solid colors are always versatile in terms of fitting into the decor of a room… not that the dogs care, but we do! If you go to a local pet store, your choice will be much more limited.

COVERINGS: You will see sturdy cotton, good for dogs who tend to chew, as well as fleece, velour, and more. Just about always, the covering on a foam bed will be removable so you can toss it in the washer and dryer.

Here’s a foam dog bed a lot like the one my Basenji loved so much. Click on it to go to Amazon: