How to Avoid Buying the Wrong Dog Bed - What Every Dog Owner Should Know!

If you are like many dog owners who are concerned about the health and general well-being of their dog (or dogs), you may be considering buying a bed for your dog. However, if you are new to the market of dog beds and are not sure what you should avoid, you can end up buying a bed for your dog that at best leaves them no better off than they were before they started using the bed you have bought, and at worst actually ends up hurting them more than helping them.

So if you want to buy a bed for your dog, but you are not sure what potential pitfalls and traps are out there, here are some things you should definitely avoid when buying a bed.



1. A discounted dog bed, or a dog bed from a wholesale outlet. When you buy a bed for your dog, apply this general rule to your decision-making--am I getting the best quality bed for my dog that I can possibly afford? If the bed you are considering purchasing does not fit into this category, you should avoid it. In particular, you should avoid buying a bed from a discount dog bed seller or from a wholesale outlet--whether they are online or in person. Here's the reason why--many discount or wholesale dog beds use cut-rate materials in the bed's construction, from the wood frame to the actual mattress material. In many cases, the mattress in a discount or wholesale dog bed will not only not be made of material that makes your dog more comfortable than he was before when he slept, but some discount or wholesale beds can actually use materials that can be toxic to some dogs. So do yourself and your dog a favor by avoiding these kinds of beds at all costs.

2. A dog bed from a company with either no reputation or a bad one. In your search for a good dog bed, you may find a bed that looks acceptable and has a price that seemingly can't be beat. However, when you try to do your research on the company, you either come up with no credible information about the quality of their product and their business practices, or the information that you do find is not positive. In either case, a red flag should go up in your mind immediately. Ask yourself the following--why can't I find any positive reviews on this company online or in publications that deal with pets and pet products? If you can't find any information, it does not automatically mean that the company in question is not trustworthy, but it does mean that, at the very least, if you buy from them, you are taking a significant risk, because they do not have a trustworthy reputation. In other cases, if you find more negative than positive reviews of the product, move on immediately. Buying from a company with an unknown reputation is risky; buying from a company with a bad reputation is just dangerous.

3. A bed that lies flat on the floor. If you are looking at dog beds and notice that the bed has no elevation off the ground of any kind, this should be a warning sign, for one reason--temperature. As humans who sleep on elevated beds, we don't think about the difference in temperature between ourselves and the floor when we go to sleep at night. However, when a dog bed lies directly on the floor, your dog can end up uncomfortably cold because of the downward draft he or she may be experiencing at the lowest possible point in the room. A bed that does not contain any measures to contain or control temperature should be avoided (see the next point for more information about this issue).

4. A dog bed that does not contain memory foam. This might make some of you raise your eyebrows. You may ask, "are there no quality beds for dogs that don't contain memory foam?" Here's the simplest answer--a bed with memory foam is much, much better for the health and well-being of your dog than a bed without it. Memory foam is a unique material that can be used in mattresses for dog beds. The material conforms to your dog's shape and size when he or she lies on it, and unlike dog beds without memory foam, memory foam beds for dogs remove pressure points on your dog's joints and bones, which allows them a far greater degree of comfort when sleeping. A memory foam bed is perfect for keeping your dog healthy in this area of his or her life, or aiding in easing bone and/or joint pain if you dog is already experiencing them. Also, memory foam uses what is known as "open-cell" technology, which means that each individual cell in the mattress of the bed allows air to freely flow through it, warming up your dog in a cool room, or cooling down your dog in a room that has become too hot. In short, it allows your dog to sleep at a well-regulated temperature at night. And when your dog is no longer experiencing pressure points on his or her joints and/or bones and also experiencing a naturally-regulated temperature at night, your dog will be enjoying a sleep experience that simply cannot be beat.

If you are looking to avoid the problems above and want to buy a high-quality bed for your dog, consider a memory foam bed from Buddy Beds (www.buddybeds.com). Buddy Beds is a well-regarded company with a solid reputation in the dog bed community. They pride themselves on producing a quality product for your dog that will help him or her achieve maximum comfort and health benefits while sleeping. If you want a top-of-the-line bed for your dog that will last a lifetime, check out the beds offered by Buddy Beds.