Bed for an arthritic black Labrador aged 8.5

[nell15]

His precious bed was an old duvet cut in half and put inside a fleece cover inside a big plastic dog bed - we've downsized houses and the bed has got a bit manky - so new house, new bed: a firm mattress type dog bed. But he doesn't seem to like it - he doesn't get onto it unless he's told to and last night he lay on the carpet instead of going on his bed and most mornings he's whimpering and moaning at 6 o'clock to go out - he normally gets off his bed at about 7-8.

So I'm thinking I need to find him another bed that he's happier and more comfortable on - any suggestions wise mumsnetters

Sorry his previous bed

I have an arthritic lab. I just have two layers of the vet bed bedding. He loves it. Very cosy.

Umm could you not simply buy a cheap duvet and cover given that what his last one was?

Biteyshark yes I could get a cheap single duvet. I was thinking of getting rid of the plastic bed tho. Vet bed might be a good option too.

Bed recommendations

I'm looking for a new bed for our lab - what do you use for your Labrador? He currently has a plastic oval tub that I put a folded old duvet inside a fleece cover but it's getting a bit manky after much washing and wear

Sorry I've put the same or similar message up twice

I suspect if he likes the duvet he would like any soft squidgy cushion type bed or was he having issues getting up from it if too soft? My puppy is not arthritic but has a mix of beds dotted around the house including a duvet as I was going to throw it out until I turned it into a bed for him. The others he likes are cushion type beds.

I've heard good things about Berkeley raised dog beds - kinda look like a doggy camp bed. Their marketing blurb says that they alleviate the pressure on joints & can be topped with a duvet or vet bed to make more cosy.

Quite expensive mind but they look like they would last well & should be easy to clean.

Ive got an old arthritic 11yr old lab and a 8yr old lab. They both seem to prefer the plastic tub beds, I think they like the feel of the back of it to curl against, plus it keeps them out of droughts (our house is old). I use a waterproof thick pad in the bottom and a few cosy fleeces on top. On wet nights, when they've come in damp, I put a fleece rug on them overnight, with the aim of whicking off the doom and keeping them warm to help the arthiritis. The 8 yr old has always felt the cold, the elder one would've grumbled at a rug until last year, but seems to appreciate warmth more as she gets old.

Not a recommendation as such but TK maxx near me had absolutely loads in of all different brand so might be worth a look
They had some very very soft ones, memory foam type, plastic etc etc. The soft ones felt like chenille (sp?!) to stroke!

We have tried all sorts over the years incl tuffies, those raised camp beds, Orvis etc., etc..

My 12 year old lab has a bed I made - one of those plastic beds, inside is a double duvet folded in half and then in half again. I sewed a cover for it out of this (very surprised it is still there as I bought it a year ago.

Then a couple of fleece covers that get washed.

Have to say it is the best bed she has had, big and fluffy, I can wash every part of it.

Have now RTWT , interestingly I feel the same as honeyroar, loves something to curl up in/rest on.

I found that even the hoseable beds (tuffies) stank after a while and I couldn't get rid of it, muddy dog, smelly farm tracks. Orvis was lovely but wasn't washable = smelly eventually. She didn't like the raised camp bed.

I did cut a piece of memory foam for the bottom of the bed and made a cover for that too but it went mouldy and I haven't replaced it.

The beauty of the double quilt (£10 on offer in the supermarket) and the cover I made (another £10) is that I can wash the quilt and dry it in the drier. If the cover starts to smell I can just make another one.

All those years of ££££ beds and we have settled on something like this!

Christ my iPad is evil! Just re read what it edited!!

Our house is draughty and doesn't have droughts! And the fleeces whick off damp not doom!,

Thanks everyone. I bought a Tesco hollowfibre single duvet 4.5 tog and have put it inside his fleece washed cover and put them into his plastic bed - he slept much better last night than on the hard new bed I'd bought him a few weeks ago. The moral is- if it works don't fix it