What to know before buying a dog bed.  Prior to purchasing, you'll ask, "Where should the dog sleep and what should be the bedding?" If you have a young puppy it's best to wait until housebroken/potty trained, and out of the serious chewing stage for obvious reasons. When you and your buddy are ready to graduate from crate training to a bit more trust and room-to-room freedom, it is time to consider a comfortable resting place.

What's the best sleeping area NOT for the dog? Rephrased: What in the house should be off-limits to the pet? Sofa, futon, favorite over-stuffed lounging chair? Your house-Your discretion. Ideally, pets should not sleep on our beds. Alpha position should be established from the get-go or confusion sets in. Once you begin the habit it is a difficult one to break, isn't it? Well, for those of you who have been pondering where to place the pet, here's a bit of information to make an educated decision.

Wanna snuggle-snuggle? Know LittleLegs could be crushed upon an adult rolling over in dreamland in the middle of the night. When Little Legs grows and becomes LongLegs YOU are the one that could be crushed. Bunk beds are meant for kids, before allowing your new puppy to romp in the covers with the children consider the danger of the fur kid dropping to the floor.

There are many well-made, inexpensive beds available for your first purchase investment. Not too cheap now, some fillers will flatten faster than a so-called bargain pillow. Look for insulation and cushion from the floor that will endure a few months of comfort. Once you know for sure that your pet will lay on it, you can always look for fancy, designer pet furniture or a luxury dog bed.

Hygiene. Ease of cleaniness is of utmost importance to avoid doggy odors. Removable, outer shells are favorable. Washing and/or vacuuming is recommended as needed or about every 3-4 months, (I prefer to clean up the pet's sleeping area weekly, when house cleaning).

Comfort. A simple soft, comfy flat cushioned style bed may be all you need for your dog. Senior citizens with joint issues may experience a more healthy sleep patterns on orthopedic padding. Some puppers prefer bolsters to hang their head and support their neck. Others like to curl up in a burrowed nesting position. Sleeping styles vary in canine just like humans. Before you buy a mistake purchase, study how your buddy likes to rest.

Temperature. Various stuffing materials insulate differently; cedar chips, synthetic, or foam for example. Consider climate, your pet's age, and coat. Will your dog will be warm enough or cool enough to accept the invitation to the new sleeping quarters. Options also inlcude electric heated beds and cooling mats.

Personal Experience. Yep, we kitchen crate trained until we could trust our male black Lab. Purchased our first dog bed when he turned about 16 months old. Proved he would actually use it and respect it in the corner of our bedroom for 4 months. By then the medium quality stuffing flattened in the middle leaving little support between his body and the floor.

At 20 months old I donated the pet cushion, purchased a better quality dog bed to last longer. Now placed in the corner of the living room is our choice: a bolstered orthopedic with an old comforter for added plush. Yes, we had to take away the night-night blanket in the morning a few times until he understood it was not a new shredding toy. Preferring the added blanket, he naps here on occasion during the day, sleeps here during the night. New sleeping arrangements took about 2 weeks to accept. I offer this personal experience as general FYI only, your results may vary.

Where to buy a dog bed? www.fordogowners.com/DogBeds.html