I have to wonder if winter is ever going to be over. Mother Nature is playing cruel tricks, with days that feel totally spring-like followed by blasts of winter weather when the nights can get pretty chilly.
Of course, I snuggle up with Janice and Leroy at night, so we all manage to stave off the cold. I feel sorry for people who don’t have dogs to keep them warm at night. I feel even sorrier for the dogs whose people won’t let them share the bed!
If you’re one of those people, I think you should do a bit of shopping. A heated bed would go a long way toward helping your dog stay warm on those cold nights. Of course, there are other reasons, as well, and things to consider when shopping for the best heated dog bed for your pet.
Best Heated Dog Bed On Amazon
Last update on 2024-03-08 at 16:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Advantages of Heated Dog Beds
The best heated dog beds are very comfortable, and also have a host of other benefits. For instance, a heated dog bed can be an absolute godsend for a dog that has arthritis, or other problems with his joints or muscles. It can also provide comfort for a dog that’s been injured.
If you’re looking for a solution to the problem of a puppy that’s crying at night, one of the best could be a heated dog bed. It’s not always practical to have a puppy sleep on the bed with you, and besides, if you’re not planning to allow it when he becomes an adult, it’s best not to set a precedent. A dog bed close to you is a good solution, but the best is a heated dog bed; it provides an extra level of comfort
Sometimes, too, dogs actually prefer to have a place of their own. So, if your dog actually doesn’t want to sleep with you, don’t take offense. The best move is to get him his own heated dog bed. You can put it next to your bed, and that way you and your buddy can be together throughout the night, while each enjoying your own space.
So those are some good reasons why you might want to start shopping around for the best heated dog bed. Now, let’s take a look at some of the questions you should ask yourself before committing to a purchase.
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Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed in Terms of Safety?
Most heated dog beds are very well made. After all, no company wants to cause harm to come to your dog. The best heated dog beds are either cordless, or come with cord protectors so that your dog can’t chew through the electrical cord when the bed is plugged in. With some models, though, you have to buy the cord protector separately.
You can also buy dog beds that are battery-operated (make sure, though, that the batteries are inaccessible), microwavable, or even solar-powered. You’ll pay more money for these options, but they’re better in terms of safety than a corded model.
You should also check out the thickness of the mattress. It probably will sink over the course of time, at least to some extent. If the padding sinks to the point where it’s too close to a heating coil, the bed could be damaged, or your dog could sustain painful burns.
Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed for the Way Your Dog Sleeps?
Dogs can have very different ways of sleeping. Janice, for instance, insists on curling up on a pillow that’s next to my pillow. Leroy, on the other hand, prefers to stretch the full length of the bed. So, even though they’re both Boxers, and both pretty much the same size, if I were to kick the two of them off my bed (as if!) the same type of dog bed wouldn’t work for both of them. Janice would probably be happy in a round bed with a bolster for her head. Leroy would need something long and flat.
Fortunately, heated dog beds come in a wide range of shapes and sizes so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that would work for your dog.
Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed for My Dog’s Size?
As I’ve just suggested, Leroy would not likely be able to fit himself into a bed that would suit Janice, even though they’re very similar in size. This is because of their different sleeping styles.
Of course, the actual size of your dog matters, too. Certainly no one would ever think that the best heated dog bed for a Toy Poodle would also be well-suited to an English Mastiff. You might be surprised, though, at how many people would do the reverse.
The thing is, a small dog is going to be perfectly happy in a size-appropriate bed. There’s very little point in spending more money than you have to in order to ensure your dog’s comfort, and the fact is, across the same brand and style of bed, a bigger bed is going to demand a bigger price.
Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed in Terms of Cleanability?
There is little or no point in buying a dog bed that isn’t easy to clean. If you’re anything like me, you want cleanup to be as easy as possible. You don’t want to be dragging bedding off to the dry cleaner, or taking it out into the yard to hose off. So, the best heated dog beds should be made from machine-washable materials. If they can be machine-dried as well, that’s even better.
Dog beds made of materials that are machine-washable are probably the best choice, since you can throw it in the washer and not stress about spot cleaning. Keep in mind, too, that it’s usually easier to clean synthetic materials than it is to clean natural ones – choose polyester over cotton, for instance.
Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed in Terms of Portability?
This might not be a factor for you if you have a small dog;their dog bed is likely to be as portable as your dog! Owners of large breeds, though, may have to make a few sacrifices if portability is an issue. For instance, a rubber bottom will make the bed less likely to slip on smooth floors, but on a large bed, it can add quite a bit of weight. This makes it more difficult to move from room to room, as well as more difficult to fold up for travel.
Is This the Best Heated Dog Bed in Terms of Price?
Obviously, you don’t want to sacrifice quality for the sake of price; after all, a low-quality bed might not be all that safe for your dog. Also, if you go too cheap, you might find that you have to replace the bed every couple of years, and you could actually end up spending more over the long run than you would have if you’d simply bought one of the best heated dog beds in the first place.
That said, you don’t want to break the bank, either. So, shop around for a good deal. The best heated dog bed for your dog could very well be somewhere in the mid-range, although if you plan to use the bed for many, many years, you might want to go higher-end.
Four Good Choices
I hope that these selections will help you to choose the best heated dog bed for your dog. Of course, there are dozens of other brands and other configurations out there, but these four are different from one another in significant ways, so I think they offer a reasonable representation of what you might be looking for.
1. K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Bed
Of course, there’s no such thing as a real “outdoor” heated dog bed. For that matter, there really shouldn’t be any outdoor dogs (see Can Dogs Live Outdoors Full Time?). What’s meant by “outdoor” here is that this is a good bed for a dog that occupies a porch, garage, barn, or other unheated enclosure during the night. You can control the temperature of this bed by means of a thermostat, up to 102 F. It’s cord-controlled, but the cord protector has to be purchased separately.
2. Puppy Kitten Washable Bed
This is a very simple device, not even really a bed as such – more of a heating pad for dogs. It has a removable cover that is removable for washing. The great thing about this mat is that you can use it with pretty much any standard puppy bed; just stick it under the mattress.
3. Pawhut 24″ Indoor Electric Heated Dog Pet Bed
This is a low-voltage bed that consists basically of a heater covered with thick padding, and when the padding gets dirty you can machine-wash it. It’s inexpensive and low-maintenance, and ideal for small dogs (or even cats).
4. K&H Thermo Snuggly Sleeper
This indoor dog bed is very thick – a good 5 inches of padding – so even if your dog is heavy, it probably won’t thin down any time soon. The cover is removable and washable, and the heated pillow portion of the bed is also removable, so you can forego it in hot weather.
All four of these beds, you’ll notice, have removable, washable coverings – something that I think is essential in the best heated dog beds.
Best Heated Dog Bed On Amazon
Last update on 2024-03-08 at 16:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Related Content:
9 Tips for Choosing the Best Dog Bed
5 of the Best Elevated Dog Beds
My Dog Pees on My Bed!
The Final Word
As humans, we love being warm during the cold weather, and appreciate a nice heating pad when our muscles or joints are sore. Our dogs deserve the same level of consideration, so if you’re not going to let your dog sleep with you, then do some shopping and choose the best heated dog bed for your little (or big) buddy. After all, he’s worth it!