Beds for dogs can be subdivided into five basic categories and which will be best suited to your dog is a decision that you will need to make before you embark on trying to buy one.

If you’d like cheap, cheerful and easy to clean then there are plenty of plastic beds available in every size and colour.  For those who want a bit of class and don’t want the bed to clash with the rest of their furniture a nice, traditional wicker bed will blend in perfectly.  Fabric beds come in all sorts of funky styles with lots of different patterns and colours.  Dogs who are prone to returning from walks all wet after jumping into streams and then flop into bed will benefit from a waterproof pet bed.

However, it is elevated dog beds that many people have never heard of and don’t know the advantages of.  These beds are a strong, steel frame covered on top with a tough, breathable fabric.  They are ideal for outdoor use as even if it rains on them they will dry out quickly because there is no cushion.  Also, the treated steel frame is resistant to rust and so will last a long time even when left out in the elements.  An elevated dog bed also allows free flow of air beneath the sleeping dog and so he is less likely to overheat in high temperatures and this, added to the breathable nature of the fabric, will also reduce how much he sweats.

It isn’t just outdoor use that raised dog beds are recommended for however.  If your dog has stiff joints in his legs then he probably finds it hard to get into or out of bed.  By being off the ground he won’t have to make so much effort to go to bed and you will save him from some pain.  In these cases the bed can be used indoors of even in a dog house if it is large enough.