Mumsnet Talk

So I have a very long (over 4ftincludingtail) lurcher who is 4ish, a curly coated retriever who is 5, and has a bionic leg! And a 1 year old chihuahua x. The two big lads weigh in around 78kg between them.

I am looking at getting them a decent bed finally, they currently have a 6.6 horse rug sewn up and stuffed with duvets, topped with blankets, fleeces and cushions. I want to get rid of this now as it is old and tatty. So my questions do I splash out on an orvis is bed for the pair of them? The thing is, historically when they have been left they have, although not for a very long time, played tug of war with thebed and pulled out all the stuffing. Would they be able to do this with a or is bed? The curly had a gun dog cushion (that he still uses overnight) and that was great, so I got a truffies bed for downstairs but neither of them usedit, ever. They like soft and squidy.

If not an or is bed, can anybody recommend another one to look into please.
Sometimes they curl up together, other times independent. They have stolen the beanbag from the play room and really love this. The space that the horserug goes is where the new bed will go, and it is between the end of the sofa and an internal wall, so enclosed on three sides,they like to been enclosed.

Anybody got any opinions on the orvis beds?

Anybody, please ,y beaties are getting desperate! Also a shameless bump.

And another one!

My concern not just with Orvis but with the padded beds is how do you stop them smelling of dog. I know you can wash the covers but in my experience the mattress or stuffing always has a slight wiff of dog about it.

This may be my hygiene problem and not one others may have .

I have bought the padded beds kept them for a season washed the covers then had to throw away the beds as they are so smelly - at Orvis prices that would bankrupt me!

I am a vet bed addict - hot wash them and they are sweet smelling for years and years.

We have an orvis one for our Springer and had one for our previous dog as well. Really hard wearing, very pleased with them

FlowerytaleofNewYork how do you manage to keep it odour free?

I see your point but to be honest my house just wouldn't be right with the eau de Chein! At the moment the horse rug doesn't get washed at all so having a removal cover would be a bonus! Their upstairs beds don't really smell that bad, they are washed reguarly and hung out on the line on really windy days.

They have never really had a proper bed, I have always looked for cheaper alternatives like the horse rug, because of their habit of tug of wars games when left, but seeing as they having done this for several months now I don't think this will be a problem, finally they are growing up!

odour free (I have had too much time with my DMother!) I mean how do you stop it stinking of wet muddy dog etc

Flowery, which one do you have? How do they come up size wise and are they heavy?

Wet, muddy dogs aren't allowed on their beds until washed and dried. Takes more time to wash and dry them this time of year than it does walking them!

Ok so I just have slatternly habits and will change in 2013! (maybe)

We have this one and had the same for previous dog.

Springer only goes on it at night, preferring the sofa or floor wherever we are during the day, and if he comes home very muddy he gets a bath. He's curled up on me post bath as we speak

So his bed doesn't really get very dirty. Previous dog didn't get muddy very often at all so his wasn't a problem.

Cover is washable anyway.

Sizes are given on the link. We've got a small I think. Quite heavy but I can move it about easily.

Thanks flowery, just thinking if they did return to the tug of war days it needs to be heavy so the can't drag it out of its place to shred it!

The one you have is out of stock in large, but i quite fancy the deep fill one.

This one. Think ds might get in it with them given half a chance!

I've got a labrador/pointer cross and a cairn terrier. They have a fleece blanket under the radiator in the lounge that gets changed daily and one of the xl plastic kidney shaped beds with a cushion shaped to fitin for their night time and when we're out of the house bed. The cushions are very padded and were reduced in pets at home I brought severalto allow for washing and the have a very soft blanket that goes on top that gets washed every few days.

The beds linked to look lovely but too big to be washed in a normal domestic machine?

They can go in a normal machine as it is just the covers. Personally I can't stand the plastic beds, mainly due to not being able to tolerate the noise of claws on the plastic!

I think I will stick to the orvis beds as the gang are quite heavy and I don't think the cushions that you get in the pet shops will stand up to it.

We also only have original floorboards so they don't get any cushioning from carpet etc. I worry about my curly as he is getting old, in curly world and has a bionic leg that is also arithic so want him to be comfy.

www.orvis.co.uk/store/product.aspx?pf_id=1E52. This is the one I like.

That is the right link!