Anyone here make your own dog beds/dog bed covers?

[onelanerode]

What materials did you use? Was it a PITA?

I have one dog who chews on his beds if left crated for a long time, though he hasn’t yet touched his current bed (shredded memory foam instead of the usual poly batting).

The other dog is super easy on his beds, but his current bed is a few years old and is getting flat and lumpy. He spends most of his time “fluffing” it up or in the other dog’s crate on the shredded memory foam bed. So … probably time to break down and get him a new one.

I have a basic sewing machine and have made pillows and curtains before. Making a dog bed shouldn’t be that hard, right? It’s basically a big pillow.

I’d just like to find a filler that is more comfortable and durable than the regular polyester batting. Both my dogs are middle aged now; how much do “orthopedic” foam and memory foam really do for age-related stiffness/soreness?

[tarheelmd07]

Have you seen these “dog duvets”
http://www.mollymutt.com/shop/dog-duvets/
Basically looks like a big pillow cover, stuffed with whatever you want to stuff it with.

It looks like that type of “duvet” wouldn’t be to hard to whip up with a sewing machine and some basic sewing skills…and you could either fill it with old blankets, etc. or get some memory foam (or filler of your choice), then custom make the cover to fit

[PRS]

I have bought remnants of upholstery fabric from the fabric store and made doggie duvets for my Aussie pup who liked to chew his bed. So far it’s worked to protect the actual bed. It was cheap quick to make.

[Bicoastal]

Keep replacing fluffy or go un-fluffy

You can keep replacing fluffy beds or make your own Kuranda. Yes people even use them inside crates.

If you want to keep replacing fluffy beds and have a machine that can handle it, try a more durable outdoor fabric for the cover. Craigslist, yard sale, or dumpster dive for old mattress toppers for filling.

Maybe a compromise would be mats instead of fluffy beds or harder Kurandas. A mat’s durability would depend on just how determined your chewer and digger are.

[leaf]

If you have a sewing machine it should be a breeze! I wish I did, and knew how to use it. I’ll buy replacement covers from you!
My old ma made several for me years ago. She used uphosltery material that she got cheap. She also put heavy duty zippers in them. They were beautiful and lasted for a good long while. I wish she could still sew, I’ve got a young Aussie…
I buy the egg-crate looking foam toppers for human beds fairly cheaply at the dollar general store. Fold them to the size you need, and they’ll be thicker and cushier. I spend stupid big bucks just for the pet bed replacement covers that don’t last like my mom’s did. I wash the covers in the machine and hose down the egg-crate foam, or dunk them in the pond.
Seriously, I’ll buy covers from you!

[Bells]

Uphosltery material is great if you can find it on sale as it is $$ compared to other fabric. Most shops like Joanne’s, Hobby Lobby carry it and you can score w/their on-line coupons (usually 40-50% off) if you can’t find it on sale.

[EqTrainer]

If you started making custom dog beds you would have at least one buyer… Me. I need a HUGE bed for Noggin!

[onelanerode]

OK, maybe I need to do some serious research on this. :yes:

When I was looking things up for Winston’s new bed, I found shredded memory foam by the bulk bag for a reasonable price. I can also buy straight foam rubber sheets.

Now, how to keep the foam from getting (really) gross? I need some sort of fabric like what they use to cover mattresses and pillows for people with serious allergies. That could also be removable/washable. That should cut down on the amount of dander and dust mites that can get into the foam.

Then a regular removable cover over that. I’m wondering about wide-wale corduroy. It wears well and is softer than the heavier twills/canvas. All of the synthetic fleece fabrics get threadbare in a year or so, but the soft cuddly factor is nice.

I don’t think my machine can do multiple layers of heavy outdoor fabric, but I haven’t tried. However, I’ve been wanting to get a heavier-duty machine for other projects (sewing through nylon, for instance).

I’d have to (re)learn how to do a zipper and maybe how to do piping. But my mother quilts, so I bet she could show me how to do that, and how best to cut fabric if I started doing round or square beds with a side panel (so instead of a top and a bottom, you’d have a top, bottom and sides).

EqT, have you seen this place? http://www.mammothoutlet.com/big-breed-dog-bed.htm

We have one of the smaller beds, and it’s held up wonderfully. Just don’t believe that BS about the Velcro system being easy to work with. It is a PITA to take that bed apart and wash it. You’d be better off getting a full fitted sheet to put over it and just washing that.

[PiaffePlease]

Is this a bed just for the crate? If not, get a crib mattress or twin mattress (both dogs could fit) and use sheets for the cover. If you need to, you can put a waterproof sheet on it. Thats what I did and it worked amazing for my old dog. The mattress was supportive but not too hard. I put a thin egg crate foam over the mattress and under the sheet. It was amazing how much better she did on a mattress than on her very expensive memory foam bed.

I dont think it would be hard to make the dog bed covers though. If you know how to make a pillow and sew in a zipper, it wont be hard.

[Roxyllsk]

I made beds for my dogs - I made 3 of them for what it would cost to buy one quality bed.

I went to the curtain warehouse store and bought 1 king size flag sheet for $10. I cut this into squared for the ‘mattress’ - they are all a bit different in size but roughly 3.5 feet across. I sewed up the edges, then sewed ‘channels’ ~6 inches apart. I stuff the channels firmly then sewed up the ends. The channels keep the stuffing from migrating to the outside of the bed when the dog lays down.

Then got some heavy fabric from the fabric store - it’s a remnant and it was cheap, I think it’s cotton duck fabric. I laid this out on the floor and cut the size I needed for the covers. I slipstitched them on the dog beds. They can come off and go in the wash. You could also do velcro, zippers are not cheap LOL.

So 1 is downstairs (and I have an older one), and 2 are upstairs, and my pups are loving them.

For my young dog that gets crated, he doesn’t get a bed in his crate. I bought some of those no-sew fleece blanket kits on half price sale at the fabric store. He gets one of those. If he has an accident, it’s easy to wash, and if he chews it, not a biggie. He seems to be getting over the chewing up stuff phase.

[Guin]

I’ve made a couple of dog bed covers back when I had a sewing machine. I didn’t bother with zippers, just folded the material over and sewed up two sides, then added velcro on the third side to keep it closed. I always seem to have an old comforter around that is too worn out for human use, but works great as an insert when folded up a couple of times.

Right now the current insert is an old queen-size down comforter that got too many “flat” spots for use on a bed, but it’s nice and puffy when folded up into the dog bed cover.

[Bells]

My go to dog bed - futon (free from free cycle), cut in half, whip stitch end, cover w/vinyl, whip stitch closed. On top of bed I’ll throw bath mats or cuter cloth/sheets that I can easily wash. The vinyl keeps any accidents from penetrating. I also have one on the back porch that is in great shape even though it is exposed to the weather (mind you we don’t get much rain).

[trinityhill]

I had to make a bed for our two big dog kids (150lb big boy Rottie and 90lb rescue (I’m convinced Doberman but the vet said Rottie when she was a pup). Both would chew regular dog beds and even finding one bed to fit just the big boy was near impossible. So I went with a full size futon mattress and built a wood frame about 1’ off the ground. It has just enough room for the two big beasties to sleep without irritating one another. Cover with a waterproof mattress cover and sheets. When its dirty I just toss the sheets in the washer.