What types of pet bed are there?

A myriad of pet beds exist. Several of them overlap.

 

 

These are usually of good-quality foam and have an electric heater.

 

Some pets enjoy heat or are easily chilled; these ones will find a heated pet bed a comfort. It soothes older dogs, alleviating arthritic symptoms. It can also be handy to use as a whelping box. Many pets and most dogs prefer heated beds even through most of a non-air-conditioned summer. Most good quality beds can have the heater disconnected, turned off, or unplugged for those extraordinarily hot months.

 

You must make sure the pet bed cover is durable, stain resistant, and easily washable if you want it to last. You will have to wash this cover more often than other pet bed covers because the heat releases more odor. Being electric, there is also the slight risk of the bed being a fire hazard; you should lessen this by keeping the bed very close to the power source. Most are for indoor use only (no garage or porch use), having to be kept from water for risk of shortage or fire.

 

 

After size, the major factor to consider in this type of bed is filler. A nest or donut pet bed can have artificial, natural, or cedar filling.

 

Artificial and natural filler are very comfortable for your dog, providing support. Getting a bed with some cedar chips is suggested for odor control.

 

Cedar is not the most comfortable material to sleep on, and many individual animals are allergic to it.

 

 

This refers to pet beds designed with a theme or an expensive name brand.

 

They are another way to spoil or pamper your pet, if you are that type of owner.

 

These have a large price tag; their main purpose is pampering. They are a very bad choice for a puppy and clawed kittens.

 

Orthopedic pet beds are specially designed for our aging companions. Some are heated.

 

These are designed to provide extra comfort to pets in their declining years. They attempt to address discomfort regardless of it being caused by arthritis, joint problems, circulatory problems, or other things. Not only for elderly pets, they are also recommended for puppies and big dogs.

 

A number of "orthopedic" beds out there are not actually orthopedic but take advantage of orthopedic beds' popularity and reinterpret what is best for your pet. For heated versions, add see the cons under "heated pet beds" above.

 

Travel pet beds are designed to be portable. Make sure yours is moisture and soil resistant, having plenty of room for your pet.

 

They provide the health benefits of any pet bed. They are durable, portable, compact, and easy to maintain. You can buy a heated version that has adapters to both plug in to your cigarette lighter and plug into a regular AC outlet. They keep the floor and the pet from getting each other dirty.

 

Please review some of the cons of heated pet beds. Also note that the necessary length of the cord for heated pet travel beds makes them easier to knock out of place.

 

 

Also called "vetinary bedding" because of their advantages to ill or old pets, memory foam pet beds are a smaller variety of the foam beds for yourself that you can find while mattress-hunting. (The material was developed by NASA.)

 

These keep away moisture, conforming to the pet's form to provide maximum support with minimum pressure. The material is breathable, remaining cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

 

Wash the cover regularly for maximum use. The cover will wear away long before the bed.

 

 

These are the pet beds that have a price tag well above the specialty/designer variety. Some designs include precious metals and stones—in which case you should probably invest in a burglar alarm.

 

You get to feel nice for spending a truckload of money on your pet. Most are better made than your own bed.

 

Luxery pet beds are not necessities; buying one could put you in debt. Some necessitate burglar alarms. Looks are emphasized over chew-proofing; if your pet chews or scratches furniture, do not buy one! Again, this is not advised for puppies or clawed cats.

 

 

These beds are designed to continuously cool a pet, with better support and cooling than a tile floor. Make certain that it is machine washable and dryable.

 

Cold therapy can soothe inflammation. Like heat, it can ease joint and arthritic pain. Some pets prefer being cool to warm, particularly overweight ones, and the cooler beds are handy to help the pet get comfortable, since dogs and cats do not sweat.

 

A pet cooler bed should be kept out of direct sunlight for maximum efficiency. Some pets prefer heat over cold.