What Should I Look for When Choosing the Very Best Dog Bed?

Waterproof Dog Bed or not?

Without a doubt the only way to go is with waterproof dog beds. Your dog will inevitably come in wet after a walk and soon the dog bed will be smelly if it is not waterproof. Washing a large, non-waterproof dog bed is almost impossible, so the bed is soon heading for the bin. Tuffies dog beds are all 100% waterproof and easy to hose down. You can get soft, machine washable covers in addition if you prefer to wash that way, but the base product is always waterproof.

The Best Fabrics.

Sadly many dog beds claim to be waterproof and great, but they are made from an inferior polyester fabric with a PVC waterproofing. A polyester fabric can not stand up to much wear and tear from dogs, who spend a lot of time on their beds. Any digging will soon destroy even a heavy duty polyester. As for PVC waterproof coating it is a disaster: PVC is full of plasticisers that leach in to the grease in a dog’s coat. This renders the coating brittle and hence it cracks, leaving the dog bed leaking. Tuffies has been making dog beds for 25 years based on real textile expertise and dog knowledge. The main textile used at Tuffies is the Durasoft fabric. This fabric is a 1000 denier ballistic Nylon for extreme durability. Tuffies commissions their own coaters to apply an extra thick Polyurethane coating, which remains subtle and waterproof for many years.

The Mattress.

Loose stuffing is a no-no as it will migrate out to the sides and leave nothing in the middle to support the dog. Memory foam feels nice, but be alert to gases coming off memory foam. Dogs’ noses are extremely sensitive and the chemical smell might not agree with your dog. At Tuffies all beds contain a carefully crafted orthopaedic mattress made from hollow fibre that is held in place in channels.

Summary:

Make sure you choose a waterproof dog bed made from top quality textiles. If soft, machine washable covers are available it is even better. Make sure the mattress is supportive and firm.