Hi there

We are planning in advance to purchase the necessary kit for our 'yet to be chosen' German Shepherd puppy.

Being new to the whole process we are looking to purchase a bed that has the necessary requirements and more (comfort, posture support, maybe non destructible, and isn't patterned with dog paws!). I've been reading about the pedigree dog sofa bed but not sure about it.

What is the best bed for a GSD?

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

There is no "best" bed for your dog, it all depends on your dog, your circumstances etc etc

http://www.kudospetproducts.co.uk/orthopaedic.html

I use kudos pet orthopaedic beds because they are comfy for the dogs, easily washable/scrubbable and have one for indoors and the car cage.

For a puppy you might be better off starting with some vet bed because this lets water through keeping the puppy dry and is easy to wash and dry.

Not found an indestructible bed yet!

All depends on your dog and how much it likes to chew etc.

Thanks very much, will take a look at the link.

Our GSD used to have an hard plastic bed with a blanket in when he was a puppy (they are easy to clean etc) and when he was an adult I used to buy him those fibre filled beds with a waterproof washable cover on.:-)

Thanks Anna, Did your GSD sit on the waterproof bed with or without a blanket?

Hi Maplecottage,

When he was an adult he didn't really need a blanket because he had a really thick coat (although most of it was floating round my kitchen floor I think LOL)  I have a picture of him in his bed when he was about 16 weeks old and he was lay on a blanket and was covered up with another blanket, he looked so snug :-)  I think the waterproof fibre filled beds are good but a puppy will probably rip the waterproof cover so you may be better with one of those hard plastic beds and get a few fleecy blankets (I got mine from Argos, I think they were only about £5.99 each and are quite big and black with brown paw prints on and they wash and dry really easily) :-)

Thanks Anna, Apologies my name is Ingrid. Thanks for the information will go in search for one on the internet!

Ours tended to destroy dog beds so I found it cheeper to have a plastic bed with a human quilt and cover in it. about £10 to £15 in Dunelm it is easy to shove in the washing machine and can be coordinated with your furnishings. 

cheaper to get stuff from the oxfam shop etc.

I've got a fleecy blanket from Argos it looks awful as the dogs hairs are attracted to it and no amount of washing removes them. I tend to buy a cheap single quilt cut it in half and cover it with half a quilt cover this seems to work well and the dogs are nice and cosy.

All my throws are fleece, my winter clothes are all fleece, tumble dryer removes the dog hair, I have 7 labs and do not have a problem, However, all my dogs bedding is vetbed. same applies, throw in tumble dryer and majority of dogs hair is sucked into the vent.

The Argos fleeces must be different as yes washing and the tumble dryer do get golden retriever  hairs out of all of our fleecy clothing but not the Argos fleece.

And another question if that's okay with you all...When washing the fleeces or duvets in the washing machine what detergents should be used - is there a special washing machine liquid or powder that is suited to pets? I'm uncertain to whether pets may have allergic reactions to the liquid..afterall my husband is allergic to many of the washing powders etc so would assume it could happen to animals too. Can anyone shed some light?

Regards
Ingrid

I use non bio liqui tab thingys and dont add softener when washing the dog and cat stuff ( yes, I know, so careful with washing their beds and then what do I do but go and wash the cat in disinfectant :rolleyes: )

Ingrid,

Your dog should be okay with any of the washing powders.  However, avoid any that say they leave the clothes softer and avoid adding any softners or dryer sheets.  What you want is a detergent that rinses out and does not leave any residue.  

If you are really worried, once washed you can put the dog bed through a short cycle wash, this time without adding any detergent.   This should get any remaining soap or fragance out of your dog's bed.

Oh, I find the best bed is a superking if sharing with two humans.   A king with one human.  And a standard double if alone. :-)

Stacey

Is that one dog - sharing with the humans - or two  ;)

Daisy

Thanks all, this has been exceptionally helpful - I wouldn't have thought to check for fabric softeners so this is great information.

Thank you!

You should use a non bio as the enzymes in biological powder can irritate the skin.

Also do not use fabric softener, urine reacts very badly with this...........