BIG dog bed!!

 Great idea!

I just washed all the dogs bedding today and was wondering why in the world was it so hard to put Joker's cover back on his bed if it's meant to be washed.

Now Im gonna hit some yard sales and see if I can get a couple crib mattress for my guys. If not I will go get some at Wally world.

My dogs have had a crib mattress for about five years now.  It's still in perfect shape, and all I have to do to "wash" it is slip the sheet off and put another one on.  Best dog bed ever.

 Hmm...in a couple of years I'll have 2....lol

Great idea!  Most thrift store have a good stash of mattresses of various sizes, so I'm sure they'd have crib mattresses too.

Joyce

I have been looking for someone to get even a used crib mattress from.  I had the same problem when Dublin was a puppy tearing up his beds.  So I think I had put in google "Indestructable dog bed" and I found this lady from Kentucky who makes dog bed covers out of duck canvas.  She even stenciled his name on it.  I got the big great dane sized one.  So they suggested using at least six bed pillows or a crib mattress to put it on.  He had been unable to ruin this one and I had the pillows in it but wasn't happy with the way they moved about.  So I am searching again for a crib mattress but they are about $75.00 here so I hope to find a used one in good shape.  Our state doesn't allow resale stores to sell them.

 I came here to share my "new" info and see that others have already done this. My great dane was having a lot of anxiety switching from his plastic crate to a larger wire one and I was on the hunt for a big huge bed that he could not tear up but would make the scary wire crate more comfortable and appealing to him. I thought how great it would be if I could just stick a mattress in his crate, LOL. Then I realized that a crib mattress would be a perfect fit for him and the big crate, it is waterproof and I could trade out crib sheets, which are easily washed, to keep it fresh every day.

 His new bed only cost me 36.00 for the mattress at Wal-Mart and has held up better than any of the much more expensive pet beds he had before but tore them up in a week...or less. I bought velour crib sheets in chocolate brown to cover it and it looks like a huge expensive dog bed. It is super easy to clean and I rotate 4 crib sheets. Since it is not the fluffy texture of a lot of dog beds he has not yet been tempted to chew. I think because it is more like our mattress (which he has never tried to chew on) instead of feeling soft like a stuffed animal?

 The only down side? He spends a lot of time laying around now on his bed (in the crate he used to HATE :) ). I really do think it is the greatest thing I have ever bought him. I love that he loves it so much. I have three big dogs and I wish I would have thought of it years ago. I hope that this might help someone else though that has been looking for that perfect bed for their giant dog.

 We have a Kuranda bed. A big one, as it was bought for a doberman. It's Luke's stashing place. Most treasured items are stored there.

 so here's an update - baby mattress for Sheba worked pretty well in the beginning, but the thing seems to have 'air' in it, so when she steps on one part another part kinda blows up. I know its weird. So I took it out, it just seemed to difficult for her at times. So the other day ( baby mattress is in the garage after being in the dog run for a bit, took it out cuz I knew Zoey would tear it up) ;I was trying to find something soft for he to lay on ( other than the couch! lol she's getting so old, she gets up there but has a hard time getting down.   I grabbed two patio chair cushions and brought them inside, perfect! cushy, but not so cushy she couldn't get on them & lay down.

I even shoved one in a crate for Amber ( she's having a house training senior moment lately), the whole thing barely fit, but its nice & snug & cushy.

so is this my new perfect dog beds?? LOL i can take them out and pressure wash them & dry them in the sun. Only $15-20. hmmmm!!

I was telling my BF the other day about how perfect they might be. I get mad that the big expensive dog beds only the cover is washable. I need the WHOLE thing to be washable lol.

 Good idea.

 Dog beds are often way to overpriced. I go to the thrift store and buy giant pillowcases (the ones with the opening in the back) then I stuff them with old blankets for cushion. Total cost: $5. Not so great for large breeds but great for smaller ones!