Dog Beds?

[SoonLee]

I have never owned a "dog bed" for my Chows. My previous Chows always just slept on the floors (carpet or tile or basement floor). They had the run of the house, so they just slept where ever they wanted to. I will be getting a new puppy next week and was wondering what most other people did. They have some very nice looking doggy beds at Costco. Would a nice comforter folded up do? Where do most people put these beds?

[Boogie and Linda]

When we got Boogie as a puppy I gave him an old comforter to sleep on that he did more playing with and ripping the stuffing out of so we switched him to a regular blanket folded instead. I still don't think he did much sleeping on it. Then it was summer so I bought him one of those elevated hammock style beds that he rarely used. After that I gave up on beds all together. All of my fosters came as adults and I figured they wouldn't like beds so I never offered them any. At Thanksgiving, my senior foster, Fozzie, had to get shaved and I felt bad for him so I bought him a dog bed at Walgreens (since he is a smaller chow) and he absolutely loves it. Teddie, my other chow, saw it and he rolled all over it so I bought him the bigger one at Costco and he loves it. He does get hot sometimes and sleeps on the tile but otherwise he is on his bed either rolling around or sleeping. My beds are in the livingroom but that is where Teddie and Fozzie sleep for now. Will you be crating your new puppy? If so I would line it with a blanket until your new puppy is past the chewing stage.

[Mountaindogs]

We have had two sets of chow pups at two different times. We bought dog beds for the first two when they were pups... they just chewed on them...never slept in them. They ended up sleeping whereever the felt like in the house. Usually the one slept on floor by front door and the other on the floor next to our bed.

We tried the bed things with our second set of chow puppies as well. The female took it upon herself to use the bed instead of the pee pads when we were potty training her. She never really took them on as "beds"... she insisted on using them as pee areas. They both slept on the floor in front of the front door. After washing the beds several times and her insisting on using them as litter pads... we eventually just got rid of them. I'm thinking that they pretty much like the basics of a hard floor with rug. They always end up finding one of my dirty socks to have near them when they sleep. Go figure?!?

[Sirchow]

We bought a big flat furry pad bed for Bramble when she was a puppy and she carefully moved it from behind the door where she sleeps and slept on the concrete so we gave it to Alfie and he loves it and gets curled right up - but he is a spaniel not a chow! So we got her a big flat pad that is about 4 x 2.5 feet and she scorned that as well till the cat took to sleeping on it and that annoyed her, at first she used to chase the cat away and still not lie on it but now they have reached an agreement and they both sleep together on it...sometimes. Sometimes she just sleeps behind the door on the concrete. I certainly wont waste any more money on a bed for her till she is old and creaky.

[Judy Fox]

We bought Milly and Mabel beds when they were younger and they slept in them sometimes and other times they slept on the floor. Now we have Matilda, she has inherited Milly's bed and she curls up in it at night. Mabel sleep in hers most times but sometimes they both just lie on the floor. I love to see them tucked up in their beds. I expect when summer comes again, they will sleep on the floor.

[SoonLee]

Thank you all for the replies. I am getting the impression that Chows' generally do not want a dog bed. Maybe they find the beds too warm? I have carpet in most of the house and I know that I would often have the dogs come up from the unfinished basement in the morning.

[ilovemysmoothie!]

I bought the Costco bed for Little Bear, but it hasn't gotten much use... she seems to prefer the real bed instead!
Totally my fault... I consider her to be my life sized stuffed animal!!

[Auddymay]

I don't have a bed persay. I found Pip liked one when she took over Chris's GSD's at woofest. I owe this to her age and sore joints. She still hates the beds (human) as does Lily except as a prop. Lily loves towels, and had a little hand towel she slept with her head on. I look a blanket sized piece of fleece and folded it so it has 6 layers, then put a bath towel on it. Now both girls sleep on it, though not at the same time.

[mischyf]

My first chow tore up a big fluffy bed. I had pieces of the foam in my house for 2 years. I bought him a second one that was flat and he never used. I gave the new puppy the flat pillow to use and he only uses it to hide his bones and toys under. Both dogs like to sleep under the bed on the carpet. I figured it was a chow thing to sleep under the bed.

[DOHMAN]

Mine lay next to their big fluffy beds

[chowpups]

Nikki loves her water cooler pad bed.. at first she looked at it like are you nuts.. Then I did as they said I put a treat on it and once she got use to the feel I had her sit and then lie down and then she was fine with it.

[SoonLee]

Thanks again for all the very interesting and informative replies. A question to "Chowpups"...what is a water cooler pad bed ?

[chowpups]

It is a pad you fill with cool water and the gel pad inside keeps them cool and comfortable. I was told by Nikki's trainer to try one cause she overheated alot at training class when they had open play.. We can also put this in the back of our suv and she will just lay there and not move. If you google canine cooler bed it will come up with them Iam sure. If not pm me and I'll send you a link I don't know if they like us to post that on here. ???

[Zhuyos mom]

I have four of the dog blankets they sell at CostCo for around $15 max - one was for my boy, Zhu, another for Miss PB, then Tiggy, then our houseguest, Bruin. My chows love them and used them from the moment I took it out of its package. When I tell them it's time to go to bed, they go to their respective blankets. It is also useful for the back seat of the car. I lay them on the seats when we take a ride. Leaves the back seat less furry after the ride and they just like sitting and laying on them. Easy to wash in the washing machine too.

[kingalls]

We tried the big fluffy Costco beds and Costco blankets. My two liked them for a week or so and then the "thrill was gone"...Shiloh has been more consistent with laying on her blankets...until recently - she's approaching 7 years and in the last few months she has found a new favorite spot (look away Zhuyo's mom )



She has been crashing on the sofa lately. She'll go to bed on her blanket but when I come downstairs in the morning, there she is - snoring on the sofa...

[Tippsy'smom]

We tried a dog bed with Tippsy when she was a pup but she never used it, but as of late she's decided she loves sleeping on anything comfortable and soft. I've given it up to her age and sore joints. She sleeps in my bed with me and gets on the couch as well, but she prefers the dog bed. It's just a big rectangle one we bought at Walmart for our boxers years ago.

Jasper has always loved his bed. He took over the yorkie's when we we got him and since then, we've bought him a big round one at Petsmart. I put it in his kennel, but he has a tendency to pull it out into the livingroom and sleep on it there. He likes the sofa and my bed just like Tippsy.

[Judy Fox]

Tilly Fox is certainly comfortable with my chair - I hope she does not start on my cross-stitch!!

This is Milly in her first bed.

and when she had wrecked that one, we bought her a Mabel new ones.

[bellachow]

As young chowlings mine loved to lay on the hardwood and on the air vent but anytime I had dirty clothes on the floor they would go for that first. The only time Leo would lay on a bed or couch was when we shaved off his hair in the summer. Now that they are old (12 & 13) they love the memory foam beds I made for them (bought a bag of shredded memory foam on ebay cause Iggy likes to scrunch up his bed before laying in it). Yeah, they might be a little spoiled.

My suggestion is to by a cheap bed to give it a try. Then if you find the puppy like it you can go for the better bed.