When you’re dealing with an older pet or one that has problems with their joints, you want to try to make their lives as easy and comfortable as possible. When discussing dogs this may mean that you’re looking at investing in an elevated dog bed. But are elevated dog beds good?
Though an elevated bed may not be necessary for all pups there are definitely a few that will benefit from having one. As we said, those that are older and have problems with their joints might find the less than cushy option better for their joints.
Elevated beds will help protect your pup’s elbows, hips, and shoulders from the uncomfortable pressure placed on them by lying on the floor. But there are also some negative aspects that we should take a look at as well. So keep reading and we’ll discuss in-depth why we think elevated beds are good for a majority of dogs out there.
What is an Elevated Dog Bed?
Before we go to undo the positive aspects of why an elevated dog bed is good for your pup, we thought we’d do a quick breakdown of what exactly an elevated dog bed means. An elevated bed is one that is situated on legs. This allows for air to circulate around the bed and keeps your pup up off the floor.
Why Should You Invest in an Elevated Dog Bed?
Though as we said above there are a few things that make an elevated dog bed a bad choice and could be looked at as disadvantages, there are many more advantages that come with investing in another dog bed than disadvantages.
Here are some of the reasons that you should actually consider investing in an elevated dog bed.
Orthopedic Support
Because the bed is elevated off the ground, the bed offers firmer and more even orthopedic support to the entire dog’s body. This will reduce the pressure on their joints. There are many different types and some of these elevated dog beds even have mattresses that are similar to the ones we sleep on. If you have a bigger dog this might be a great option when it comes to choosing your elevated dog bed.
Arthritis
A pup that is suffering from arthritis might have issues in a standard dog bed when they go to change positions. An elevated bed takes away this challenge and that could help alleviate some of the pain from moving around.
Less Mess
If you’ve had a traditional dog bed then you know that it is full of stuff that your dog loves to play with. But when you invest in an elevated dog bed it is cushioning not because it’s filled with stuff but rather because of the fabric and tightness of that fabric.
This means that you won’t have to deal with the mess when the dog rips up and throws stuffing all over the place. On top of this, stuffing sometimes gets eaten which can cause health issues and so not having it involved in the process makes it even safer for your pup.
Reduces Chewing
With the loose fabric of our traditional bed, it is quite easy for your dog to get a good grip on it with its teeth. That means that oftentimes these beds don’t last as long because the dog begins chewing on them again. But with an elevated dog bed, the fabric used in its design is stretched tighter and there is no way for your dog to chew on it.
Improves Smell
Because the dog bed is elevated, the dog will not sleep in hair and dried mud because these will fall through the mesh and onto the floor. Because these bits of debris will not accumulate it is often found that an elevated dog bed smells a lot better than the traditional type. Also, if your pup has allergies the fact that these items will not be left in the bed can help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with this issue.
Ease of Clean Up
Sure you can remove the cover and wash it when you’re looking at a traditional dog bed. But cleaning up other than that is quite challenging. However, because the bed is elevated, the hair falls through and is easily swept up without having to try too hard. This means that an elevated dog bed will lead to an easier cleanup and that’s never a bad thing.
Portable
Most elevated dog beds are lighter than your typical dog bed. This means that if you have to move them around because guests are coming, or you need to do a deep clean, it is much easier to do so with this type of bed.
Potential Disadvantages of an Elevated Dog Bed
So to be fair we also should look at, as we said above, the disadvantages that may be present when dealing with an elevated dog bed. Not all of these will occur all the time and it may depend on you as a dog owner whether they are actually disadvantages or not.
That being said here are some of the potential disadvantages of an elevated dog bed.
Assembly Required
With a standard dog bed, all you have to do is go to the store, buy it, come home, place it, and let it go. But with an elevated dog bed, there is some assembly required. That means if you’re someone who is not super handy this could be an issue.
May Need Replacing
When you buy a traditional dog bed, the covers can be easily replaced. However, when you’re dealing with raised beds not all of them have the option to be replaced when destroyed. This may mean that you have to spend more money in the long run when you utilize an elevated dog bed.
Final Thoughts
Though an elevated dog bed might not be great for large breed dogs or dogs that are expecting, for the most part, every pup will benefit from an elevated dog bed. So to answer the question are elevated dog beds good? Yes, they are. In fact, they may be better than the traditional option in a lot of situations.
Further Reading:
How To Wash A Dog Bed With Stuffing