Hard wearing dog beds

Hi All

Ive got a 17week old black lab who seems to take a fancy to humping & then destroying his bed cushions, ripping out the stuffing & trying to eat it!!!

He's demolised 2 so far in the 10weeks ive had him!!

Im looking for a hard wearing dog cushion to fit an oval hard-plastic dog bed, any suggestions please?

I have 2 bed-eating monsters... sorry, Boxers!

I've found that the best idea is blankets or vet bed in reality.

Murphy and Max (between them) have gone through about 10 dog beds (8 soft, 2 hard) and 4 quilts, so we gave up as it was costing us a fortune.

We now have 4 large sheets of rubber backed vet-bed, which are rotated, and a number of fleece blankets, which are machine-washable and also rotated.

The boys have a single quilt to share at night, but it's taken away in the morning, as they will just kill it.

Maybe the vet bed will work. Otherwise Labs are safer in a bare crate when you can't watch them. You can love your dog to death by providing bedding it will shred.

When you are around, you may need to keep a careful eye on the puppy, giving it an ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and offer it a chew toy every time it starts to chew it bed. About the time we get one trained not to chew its bed, it goes off to service dog school and we are starting with another 7 week old.

Other dogs may not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with. Still your house and dog will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.

Hi Dai agree with Isochic a dog blanket or 'vetbed ' is the better option for a puppy.
Also make sure your puppy has plenty of safe things to chew to satisfy his need to chew/teething .

Shamus has an old blanket to chew and suck, and we just keep an eye on him re. bedding. He`s now learned that he must only rip up his `own` blanket.
Your dog sounds perfectly normal - any youngster will play with whatever is to hand. The trick I suppose is to teach them what is OK to play with.

Alternatively, Tuffies make beds that are more durable - they even have one that is chew proof with 100% money back guarantee if chewed. Expensive though!!

When we got Bubble I decided not to go all out on buying her a bed as it would only get wrecked so she got one of the cheaper (but still nice and cosy) beds I had in stock... it's still absolutely perfect she's not attempted to chew it at all... the other two dogs' beds however (which are worth around £40 each and in perfect condition til Bubble arrived)... now have puppy holes all over them!!

Little swine!

£145 for a dog bed (that will only fit 1 of my dogs in!?!?)

Blankets from charity shops are cheaper if they are going to end up being destroyed. I find some dogs so better on a fleece type blanket rather than padded beds that are filled with stuffing.

Vetbed works well for alot of dogs, but some love pulling at the "fur" on it.

Have alternative chews around. Nylabones, kongs (stuffed with appropriate food NOT pure peanut butter please!) and rope toys can help keep chewers happier.

If you are interested in using a crate they can be useful when used correctly. I would not recommend following any of Labman's instructions on their use however. Young animals need some form of comfort if possible and def access to water. Never left for long periods of time.

At least you'd never have to wash it as it would be replaced so often lol

I'm a big Tuffies fan!

Bo my Slovakian is chief shredder in this house, but thus hasn't made a dent on our Tuffie.

www.tuffies.co.uk