A family member has recently had an addition to the family in the form of two Great Dane puppies, ‘Nellie’ and ‘Wilf’. She rang us to tell us the exciting news and was asking for advice on which dog beds to choose for a large dog. She had been down to her local national pet store to find that most dog beds don’t seem to be available in a size much larger than 36” and those that are available in a larger size looked of very poor quality.
I thought it best to put together some suggestions for everyone to see. Where a lot of people go wrong is thinking a bed for a large breed is just a larger version of any standard product. If you buy a bed like this you will find it won’t support your dog enough, won’t be comfortable and won’t last very long.
What to look for
A large dog breed means extra weight so the type you are looking for needs to be a quality branded product with plenty of support for the extra weight. It must be large enough for how your dog likes to sleep and also to stretch out in.
It’s also important to know that even though the lifespan of a Great Dane is only around 6 years (on average) they still would need a number of dog beds in their lifetime. One common mistake people make is to buy a large bed from the outset so for the first few months this is way too large. We think that the best way is to buy a smaller dog bed for the first 4-5 months and then buy a larger one at the stage when the dog has outgrown it.
Recommendations
One design I would recommend for all large breeds is a raised dog bed. Larger breeds have the added bonus of great support on raised dog beds, as well as being raised high up from the cold draughts and condensation from a cold tiled floor. If you do decide to buy a raised dog bed then please steer well away from the cheaper imitations as these can struggle to take the weight loads of a large dog and they can break over time. Probably the best make of raised dog beds is the Kuranda beds and the aluminium version will last you for years.
Another great brand for large dogs is the Country Dog beds which are very strong, very supportive and they also happen to be fully waterproof so even a really muddy dog is not a problem as they are so easy to clean. They are available in three basic styles, oval, rectangular and pad, all of which are perfect for larger dogs especially the pad which enables your dog to really stretch out to their hearts content.
If you were looking for a softer squashy bed then we would highly recommend Creature Clothes Dog Dozas. These beds are the ultimate comfort for dogs with two thick duvets inside they support the larger breed’s entire body. Coming in several colour ways there’s bound to be the perfect one for your dog and these look fantastic in any home.
Whatever large dog bed you decide to go for we would recommend that you take advice before making such a significant investment. If you need any help in choosing your beds then please contact us on 0845 180 1010. Make sure your large breeds are as satisfied as Nellie and Wilf.
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