Best cushiony bed for older, arthritic Whippet (which the younger Whippet will share

[Dr_Doolittle]

My older Whippet is now 12, and has been showing signs of creakiness for awhile (he’s on Cosamin, which does help), and he lies on the couch, sleeps on the bed (memory foam), and uses the dog beds we have–in and out of the crate–he loves his soft places Though he has good rib coverage, his back and hips are getting bonier :(, which is typical of older Sighthounds, and they don’t have much “padding” to begin with!

I was checking out the Doctors Foster and Smith catalog, and they seem to have a lot of good options for soft, padded doggie beds (with sides, bonus):

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/beds-and-furniture-throws/ps/c/3307/1?start=93&count=23

Has anyone used these, and would you recommend them? Preferably nothing that would “break the bank” (as in over $100.) I’m a trainer at Petsmart and can get a 30% associate discount on everything in the store this weekend (which is how we’ve acquired a few good high ticket items, over the years!), but is the quality of the Foster and Smith beds better, and worth the extra $$?? TIA!

[RacetrackReject]

I haven’t used that one in particular, but I do have memory foam beds for my dogs and they love them.

It all started when I bought a memory foam topper for my bed. My JRT’s reaction to the foam was both humorous and telling. As I was putting the topper on my bed, he kept walking around it with these springy steps and you could see the OMG look on his face like “this stuff is amazing!!”. Then he laid down and sighed, then got up and flopped back down and sighed. Then back up and another flop, and again, then he rolled on his back and started to snore. The next day I bought a memory foam bed for him, and another for my elderly GSD.

The cat has since decided that the JRTs bed is hers, so they argue over who gets it. The cat will even drag it around with her. The JRT still does the flop and sigh thing when I let him in the bed at night, and my GSD loves her bed. She will 100% choose it over the other 2 beds every time.

So yes, memory foam would be my choice.

Oh, and I recently bought my JRT a different kind of memory foam bed, it has shredded memory foam inside of a huge circle bed that he can sink way down into. He likes that one better than his other one even.

It’s similar to this one, but his is deeper (and he has an XL size for little self)-

http://www.overstock.com/Pet-Supplies/Integrity-Bedding-Plush-Shredded-Memory-Foam-Oval-Dog-Bed-SM-XL/9603541/product.html?refccid=4DBB7H4DT7VL6EKAFS3ULO2FNA&searchidx=12

[PaintPony]

No advice here, but can we see pictures of your Whippets?

[VFT]

I got the XXL version of this bed for my dog and it’s really comfortable ( yep I tested it). It has memory foam and then a denser foam for support. If the bed was a little longer I would even nap on it, that’s how comfy it is! My dog is not a fan of dog beds, but he loves this one.

Here is the medium sized version, definitely worth the cost IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Orthopedic-Memory-Luxury-Washable/dp/B00H0LJ1C0/ref=sr_1_28?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1417808288&sr=1-28&keywords=luxury+memory+foam+dog+bed

[spotted_draft_x_fill]

I have this for my malamute/shepherd and she loves it. She actually snores now lol!

http://www.petsmart.com/dog/beds-blankets/top-paw-orthopedic-pet-bed-zid36-6128/cat-36-catid-100009?var_id=36-6128&_t=pfm%3Dcategory%26pfmvalue%3Dfaceted

[Canaqua]

Our ancient, arthritic, ACD has this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Orthopedic-Memory-Waterproof-Strong-Rewashable/dp/B001E3EC9M/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1417809759&sr=1-4&keywords=memory+foam+dog+bed

Which looks like pretty much the same thing VFT has. The dog loooooooves it and the young dog likes to get on it with her too (hence and extra large). It really does wash up well, the cover comes off and can be washed in the washer/dryer and the liner is waterproof.

[pompeiii]

I have this bed: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7310&prodid=13666&catid=45 in a large for my lab at night. She’s young but it’s held up for her sleeping on it nightly for over a year now. It’s large enough for the 72 lbs lab and 30 lbs mutt to share (when my little dog decides to leave the human bed because I move too much). I also have this one in the living room http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11920&prodid=23076&catid=45 in a large and both dogs nap in it daily. The lab fits though could use an XL if it was going to be her only bed. They both love the high sides and it’s a favorite napping/bone chewing location.

[Blinky]

The only caution I would give is getting one that is too thick. When our Rottie was 12 it was very hard for her to get on the higher beds (3" to 4" high). Her knees hurt, she couldn’t see as well, and her balance was off. For her the extra height was too much work so she would not go on it.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Thanks, everyone! I’m going to check out what beds Petsmart has available today (preferably ON SALE!), and see whether “with my discount” they are competitively priced. Petsmart tends to overprice everything :rolleyes:

I love Amazon–so may wind up going that way. Both Whippets prefer a bed with sides; I have an extra large Back on Track bed (really, just a big square about 2-3 inches thick), and they would NEVER use it! It’s up against the wall behind the chair. Anyone want it?? I need an extra large bed for the two dogs (since they lie together); they are each between 35 and 40 lbs., and all leg! Though the younger one does curl up like a little fawn.

Sorry, Paint Pony–can’t post pics with my membership–I would have to link to a Photobucket account, and all the pics on that account are of my horses!

[Romany]

I picked up a large-ish memory-foam pillow at Value Village (thrift store chain) and our funny wee older JRT podged around on it in total bliss! It seems quite thick - bit thicker than those memory-foam mattress toppers, certainly.

How about a beanbag? We used to have one for the dogs, and they luurved it. It warms up, too, to their body temperature, which is nice for creaky old bones.

[MistyBlue]

An inexpensive trick for big dogs beds…look for crib mattresses. Support, water-proof, don’t absorb smells. They can be found pretty cheap. You can make or buy really inexpensive covers for them. I can’t sew for crap, so I make dog bed covers with a big length of fabric, a hot glue gun and one side is closed with the Velcro tape you can buy. That way I can slide it off and wash it.
A bonus is you can get cheap fabric from a fabric store to match whatever room you want to put it in.

It won’t have sides, and the thinner coated dogs do like the warmth of bed sides. But 2 whippets should fit on that. Maybe make bolsters on the lower wall in a corner and shove the bed against that?

I’ve had mostly big fuzzy dogs, so try to avoid overly warm beds because they overheat and won’t use them. (the bed hammocks are great for those)

[Dr_Doolittle]

Thanks for all the tips! I bought a bed from Petsmart today; it is VERY soft in the middle and has sides (I wish they had LARGER sizes; the “large” barely accomodates one of them!), but they will literally not lie on anything without sides–all of our existing beds have low sides (like a slight “bowl” shape), but the padding is getting thin from use.

My older Whippet sleeps with me on my mattress topper memory foam (with gel), and he loves it. Settles right down into it Maybe my next investment will be for something self-warming, they are practically hairless so need all the warmth they can get in winter (we throw blankets over them, even when they are lying on the couch!) I am utterly “un-handy” and would never even attempt to make something myself Luckily there are many alternatives available!

[MistyBlue]

This guy makes dog beds for huge dogs…which aren’t easy to find, LOL! Might fit two big whippets?
http://www.k9ballistics.com/Extra-XL-Dog-Beds_c_19-1-3.html?gclid=CN_7_peHtMICFcXm7Aodi20AFQ

I was looking around…how about a twin mattress, heated mattress pad and adding a full body pillow as the bolster/sides?
The combo would come to about $150. Not cheap, but not ridiculous considering the size and that it would be heated.
http://www.wayfair.com/Deluxe-Comfort-Comfort-Body-Pillow-COMP-001-01-L1227-K~DLX1016.html?refid=GX50899272540-DLX1016&device=c&ptid=75691015380&gclid=CMXjobGItMICFTFp7AodPykAUg

http://www.kmart.com/essential-home-twin-size-mattress/p-9990000025779411P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://www.kmart.com/cannon-heated-mattress-pad-white/p-070VA79365512P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Finding actually big dog beds isn’t easy. I’ve always had big dogs and had to look forever to find beds that are big enough for them. So many places that state they have XLarge beds have a funny idea about what XLarge is for a size. Especially when they show an 80 lb dog curled up into a little ball on it. Doesn’t help when you have a dog that weighs over twice that and likes to sleep not all balled up, LOL!

Hope this helps!

[Dr_Doolittle]

[QUOTE=MistyBlue;7895892]
This guy makes dog beds for huge dogs…which aren’t easy to find, LOL! Might fit two big whippets?
http://www.k9ballistics.com/Extra-XL-Dog-Beds_c_19-1-3.html?gclid=CN_7_peHtMICFcXm7Aodi20AFQ

I was looking around…how about a twin mattress, heated mattress pad and adding a full body pillow as the bolster/sides?
The combo would come to about $150. Not cheap, but not ridiculous considering the size and that it would be heated.
http://www.wayfair.com/Deluxe-Comfort-Comfort-Body-Pillow-COMP-001-01-L1227-K~DLX1016.html?refid=GX50899272540-DLX1016&device=c&ptid=75691015380&gclid=CMXjobGItMICFTFp7AodPykAUg

http://www.kmart.com/essential-home-twin-size-mattress/p-9990000025779411P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://www.kmart.com/cannon-heated-mattress-pad-white/p-070VA79365512P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Finding actually big dog beds isn’t easy. I’ve always had big dogs and had to look forever to find beds that are big enough for them. So many places that state they have XLarge beds have a funny idea about what XLarge is for a size. Especially when they show an 80 lb dog curled up into a little ball on it. Doesn’t help when you have a dog that weighs over twice that and likes to sleep not all balled up, LOL!

Hope this helps![/QUOTE]

Ha–big enough for a Great Dane–with room to spare! :eek:

I agree, the pet beds I see (that are not the big square type) are ALL undersized; the one I got was a size “large”, and I’m not sure what they mean by “large”?? My dogs are medium-sized, I can’t imagine a BIG dog fitting into the bed…The big pillow beds are indeed large enough for a bigger dog, but the ones with sides? Not so much

HOWEVER (drum roll), he LOVES it! He’s lying in it as we speak–and he’s usually averse to new things (prefers his crate bedding, the couch, the big chair, etc.), but I put it in the middle of the living room and he’s been going right to it and curling up in it, so…SUCCESS!

[MistyBlue]

Woohoo! That’s most of the battle won right there!

I can’t remember how many times I’d be following a dog around saying, “Just TRY it! It’s orthopedic! Memory foam! It’s nicer than MY bed! Do you have ANY idea what that cost? Please try it???” :lol:

[Dr_Doolittle]

[QUOTE=MistyBlue;7896263]
Woohoo! That’s most of the battle won right there!

I can’t remember how many times I’d be following a dog around saying, “Just TRY it! It’s orthopedic! Memory foam! It’s nicer than MY bed! Do you have ANY idea what that cost? Please try it???” :lol:[/QUOTE]

:lol: :lol:

I know, right? Right now the CAT is in the bed, but Mr. Dr. D ASSURES me that the dogs have been using it all day Whew!

[Bicoastal]

Sounds like you found a bed. The whippet folks I know swear by the big cave beds. Orvis makes seriously cushy beds with bolsters. I scored one on sale. :yes:

My sister is in ME, near the Orvis outlet. She snapped a photo of the dog bed aisle. Shelves and shelves and more shelves of big cushy, washable beds. My old man Joey would think he died and woke up in heaven.