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Before I bought Apollo a bed, I did a lot of research on it because some of these options are not cheap. Sure there’s a plethora of options at every pet store known to mankind, but I wanted to invest in something that would last longer than 6 months. I wanted something that would be machine washable, good on an aging large breed dog, and most importantly something he would use! I came up with two options that worked for Apollo after some research – but dog beds aren’t a one size fits all kind of item, so I’ll be sure to list other options that have received high reviews below!
Casper Dog Bed – was my bed of choice for a couple of reasons, some I already mentioned above. For starters I have a Casper Mattress for myself, and from experience I can tell you that Apollo enjoys sleeping on it. I also observed that he liked to snuggle into things, which is what the puffed up edges are for in Casper’s design. Lastly, this mattress is machine washable and the cover really does live up to machine washing. I wash this mattress probably once a month if not every other month to keep it clean and fresh and it still looks like it did when I took it out of the packaging. Another thing that I love about this mattress is that it’s great for aging dogs providing a lot of support for their joints while they catch some zzz’s! It is a little on the pricey side, but considering I’ve had mine for 5+ years now and it’s still in excellent condition I’d say it’s worth the cost.
But what about hot dogs? No not the food. For dogs who sleep hot, or live in a warm climate, it’s recommended that they have an elevated dog bed. I have to be totally honest; I did buy one of these for Apollo but he did not really like the sensation of stepping up on to it. So do be aware that sometimes while things look great on paper, in practice your doggo just might not be a fan. That being said there are plenty of dogs who love this option so I wanted to share in case your pup might like to try!
The solution for my hot dog ended up being this cooling mat. I like the ARF Pets brand because I am familiar with it. It’s easy to clean, there is a nice thick gel layer, and it folds nicely for storage in the cooler months of the year. I seem to get around 5 years out of these cooling mats.
