Choosing a Bed for Your Puppy

When you bring your puppy home, one of the first things you will want to do is choose the right bed. The good news is that the best puppy bed does not need to be expensive or take a long time to find. In fact, many of the best beds for puppies are relatively inexpensive if you know the right characteristics that make a great bed for your new puppy.

Basics of a Puppy Bed

In choosing a bed for your puppy, you’ll need to take a few things into consideration. This all starts with the growth-rate of your puppy as this will determine the size of the bed you purchase. Smaller breeds such as Cavoodles and Poochons will not grow as fast or big as a Groodle. Just like a growing child though, you’ll want to purchase a bed that will last longer than a month or two. However, be prepared to buy at least one or two more beds before they are fully grown for larger breeds such as Standard Groodles to keep them comfortable as they grow into their adult size.

• Durable: Remember that puppies tend to chew a lot
• Soft: Not too soft, but the floor of the bed needs to provide some support
• Machine Washable: In case of accidents and just to keep your puppy smelling fresh

Using a House Training Crate

Crate training your puppy makes it far easier to ensure that your home does not become their personal toilet. This form of training is quite effective, and you may want to make it the first bed for your puppy. You need to start off with a crate that offers more than enough room for them to stretch out, but not too much. This is important because a crate that is too large may indicate to the puppy that they can also use part of it as their toilet.
Once you have found the right size crate, all you need to purchase is some vet bedding. This form of bedding is soft, comfortable, and durable. However, the main advantage is that you can cut it to size, so that it fits the floor of the crate. You’ll want to cover the entire floor, so your puppy does not get any ideas. Vet bedding is machine washable, so any accidents can be quickly washed away.

A Bed with Sides

If you are choosing a specific bed for your puppy outside of a crate, then you’ll want to get one that has sides. Sides are important because it helps the puppy feel safe and secure while inside. When you consider that their early life is spent with their litter-mates in a nest-like space, a bed with sides offers the same comfort.
You can purchase a larger puppy bed with extra space and reduce the space by adding vet bedding or a small blanket or towel inside and securing it. As your puppy grows, you can remove the items from the interior until they become an adult, or you need a larger size bed. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect, just choose a bed that is large enough to hold the puppy, put in a chew toy or two, and be prepared to wash or clean the bed regularly.
At some point, your puppy may choose to sleep outside of the bed for different reasons. But until that time is reached, choosing a bed for your puppy is a task difficult to get wrong. Some dogs just love to sleep on the floor regardless of how much effort you go through to get they the perfect bed!