Can anybody recommend a good bed for a pointy hound?

[PacificDogwood]

After much deliberation we are (maybe) close to getting a greyhound

I've been looking at large, well-upholstered dog bed and keep coming back to Orvis - they look so comfortable I want to sleep in one and they come highly recommended.

But they are £££. And come from the States, I think? Is there a UK equivalent? I am happy to spend that kind of money for quality that will last but would of course not mind spending less .

Soo, pointy owners, what do you hounds sleep on?

Excitedly yours,

PD.

[LoathsomeDrab]

Our lot (three whippets and a BC x) have Tuffies beds. We've got two woven nests and a woven mattress. The mattress has one of their luxury fleece covers.

I really hanker after a Charley Chau bed for them but currently I wouldn't trust DWhippet3 not to chew one

[PacificDogwood]

Oh, thank you - will follow your links later, Lost.

Must do bedtime for human puppies just now

[CMOTDibbler]

My lurchers like big, flat bed they can lounge around on and really stretch out. For purposes of keeping everything nice, I like to have beds filled with folded up duvets which can then be washed - ours are a size to take a double duvet in quarter fold
Our bed covers came from the local country shop

[PacificDogwood]

Wow, Loathesome, both your suggestions look fab - Charley Chau is rather top-end, isn't it?

CMOT, yes, I was wondering about the stretching out vs. curled up tight preferences. All these dog bed 'nests' look v cosy but I can see that a stretched out hound would not like that.
Hm. I won't know until I know what dog is likely to come home with us…

Decisions, decisions.

[TheCunnyFunt]

Orvis, without a doubt. I was incredibly lucky to get a second hand (immaculate condition) one for my Greyhound. He loves it. It's so comfy, yes I have tried it :o It's this one that he has.

[PacificDogwood]

Cunny, you are not helping!

He does look v comfy. And so handsome

And DH is going on wobbly on me whether a dog is right or not - we've been through this! Sigh.
Anyway, I am enjoying looking at beds and collars. And jackets. And toys. And food options. And doggie books. And finding classes.
I is very happy

[TheCunnyFunt]

Wrt stretching, my boy is slightly larger than the average male Grey, the bed is a size Large and he can stretch out in it, and curl up impossibly small :o

[PacificDogwood]

He looks bored by whatever is on the telly

[TheCunnyFunt]

Best place I know for coats is Milgi Coats, it's run by an MNer and their stuff is fantastic quality. The blue coat Sprocket is wearing is one of their housecoats :) he has rather a collection of bandanas too!

For collars I will now always use Meggie Moo, again, fantastic quality. The lady that runs it spends a considerable amount of time in a lab getting the collars tested for strength and durability.

[TheCunnyFunt]

Plus Meggies velvet leads might seem a bit too luxurious for dog walking, but actually they're really hardwearing and so comfy to hold.

He's always bored :o

[TheCunnyFunt]

For toys, my best advice would be to trawl charity shops and buy old soft toys. The majority of Greys don't 'do' playing, unless it's deading a soft toy...

[LoathsomeDrab]

Silver Peacock do lovely collars. I just kitted my four out in new ones as the youngest was ready for his first grown up collar.

Equafleece do good basic jumpers which stand up really well to loads of washing and do a great job of keeping the worst of the mud off in bad weather.

I've not got mine yet but I would still heartily recommend Forest Fleece for more interesting jumpers. I'm getting a set of custom made fleeces for my lot based on their superhero ones

[Wolfiefan]

Squeeeee!
Totally off topic but a new pointy is so exciting.

[PacificDogwood]

Oh thank you for the support, Wolfie - I am very, very excited!!

I knew that getting a pointy hound would be a great shopping opportunity - thanks for all the suggestions, Cunny.

[LostyTheSnowman]

The best bed apparently is the sofa, or your bed or the nearest soft spot close to where you are . I really want a cave bed or something glorious from Charlie Chau but they eat everything so my mini greys (whippets!) sleep on old pillows and duvets inside fleece covers I made for them. Soft and warm is the way to go.

Silver Peacock is my favourite place to waste money on my hounds, also the fabulous Scuttlebutter makes adorable coats for the pointy hound with style. Milgi coats. Milgi is Welsh for a sighthound.

[PacificDogwood]

Ooooh, I've got Silver Peacock book-marked already .

I wonder whether I should start with fleece-covered folded single duvets and then see what my hound likes?
Ah, feck, I don't even have a likely prospect yet, but am phoning/making contact with lots of rescues this week.

[LostyTheSnowman]

Where are you looking? Are you after a Grey or a lurcher/whippet/grey/ pointy of any sort? They are just the best dogs, soft and kind, run like the wind then sleep like a cat and adore you like nothing else on earth.

[PacificDogwood]

I'm looking in Scotland as I want to be able to meet the dog/rescue before committing.
Also have a fencing issue (done a thread on that too ) that needs sorting before I can actually take a hound home.

I'm not that set on the breed and have kind of surprised myself at arriving at sighthounds - I've lived with dogs before (grew up with them), but never had a pointy. I want to get this right rather than get a dog quickly IYWKIM. DH has never owned/lived with a dog and has reservations based on uncertainty. I respect that, but wish he'd make that leap of faith.

[Nesspot]

We used a folded up single duvet for out grey when we got him at first - handy as can be easily washed! He now has a flat bed we bought off eBay although I can't remember what kind it is. Our wee lurcher has a 3 Peaks bed (it's waterproof as she can sometimes be incontinent) however the grey will sometimes squeeze his giant gangly frame into it as she reclines on his massive bed!
Incidentally, we're in Scotland too and got both our hounds from the Greyhound Awareness League so definitely have a look on their website!

[PacificDogwood]

I spoke to an experienced grey owner today who did the folded-duvet-in-fleecy-cover thing and I think that's what I'll start with - cheap and cheerful until we know each other a bit better

Ness, GAL is my main contact and I've been going to their monthly walk (we were there yesterday but I think it was not one - maybe because it was still the last day of the school holidays?). I've seen some lovely hounds there and I think our future dog is likely going to come from them. I am going to be doing some dog walking for their kennels

[silverjohnleggedit]

We use Molly mutt duvet covers - my hound loves it and they look more like a lovely big stylish cushion as opposed to a dog bed.

[TooOldForGlitter]

I've a big greyhound and not much cash! On the suggestion of a poster on here (can't remember who, sorry) I got an off cut of memory foam mattressy stuff, it's about 3ft by 2.5ft (he's a big boy ) and it's covered with an old cot bed mattress that doesn't really fit! Over that is two single duvets stuffed inside a single duvet cover and folded in half. The lot cost me less than £45 and he sinks into it and loves it

[TooOldForGlitter]

I meant an old cot bed sheet not mattress, sorry.

[TooOldForGlitter]

Oh and it looks fine in the room as all you see is the brown/cream duvet cover so it looks like a big, neat, bed. I'll shut up now!

[Nesspot]

Aw, exciting stuff Pacific! They are great. I help out sometimes at the shows and can collections. They have some great homeless hounds just now as well.
You won't look back if you get a grey - they really are fantastic dogs!