Which Dog Bed Should You Choose?

Have a new puppy? Or an older one that just needs a new bed? Unsure of what kind to get? Dog bed with sides? Flat dog bed? Cave dog bed??

If you've ever walked down the dog bed aisle at your local pet store, or did an internet search trying to find a new dog bed you likely encountered an overwhelming amount of options. There are so many kinds of dog beds! I have tried a variety of different beds, and have finally settled on the following 3 for different reasons and different parts of our home.

When I got my first German Shorthair, Bentley, back in 2014, I just had to purchase the best there was of everything for him. So naturally, he got a $100 plush camouflage dog bed. I cringe thinking about that now. Because as soon as our 2nd GSP, Berkley, came along in 2017, he destroyed it in seconds. After that I struggled to want to purchase an expensive dog bed and set up to find other options that would work for much less money. That way, if they were to be destroyed again, I wouldn't feel such pain in my wallet.

Option #1 is a flat pillow style. This dog bed has no sides and allows our dogs to just sprawl out without any confinement. We keep this dog bed in our living room by the fireplace. It was only $15 at menards. And while there isn't a ton of cushion, it is just enough for the pups to get cozy and take a snooze.

Option #2 is a hooded cave style. This dog bed is similar to the more expensive "cozy cave" you often see influencers showcase on instagram but is only $55. Berkley, my younger GSP, loves to go under the covers in our bed at night. So I originally purchased this bed thinking he would love to burrow under the hood and would be just as content sleeping there rather than in our bed at night. Boy was I wrong. There is a hoop that holds the cave open and that was torn out within seconds, and now part of the hood has been torn off. Check out my YouTube video to see what I mean... At any rate, they sleep on this one like the do the flat pillow style.

Here is a link to a Cave Hooded Dog Bed that is similar to the one we have (and is shown in the video): https://amzn.to/3FvqN0s

Option 3 is the a cuddler style. We keep this dog bed in our bedroom. At night, I find that our GSPs like to feel cuddled. They will often curl up real tight and get into the corners of these cuddler style beds. This helps them feel safe and cozy. I found mine at Target for just $20. We purchased 2 of these so that each dog could have their own bed at night.

To see a side by side comparison of the 3 dog beds mentioned above - head over to my YouTube channel to watch this video: https://youtu.be/TaD9MRH_fNE

To see day to day antics between me and my dogs, follow me on instagram at www.instagram.com/tammy_bashore.