20 May
20May

The latest marketing craze seems to be 'Calming' Dog Beds.
Calming dog beds
A quick internet search reveals many sizes, shapes, and colors of calming dog beds. Beds that are -
circular or oval with faux fur linings.
have a central base and stitched or foam-supported sides
calming dogs and reducing anxiety.
Many claim to be'self-warming,' machine washable, and waterproof/non-slip.
Calming dog beds?
Long pile and deep soft filling mimic the feeling of your dog being comforted by their mother and/or pack members, contributing to a calming sensation. The dog lies deep in the bed, boosting security.
We could find little scientific evidence to support this, and we're not convinced the beds reduce anxiety. Reducing anxiety is more about 'active' remedial measures like stimulation / boredom reduction, exercise regimes, regular routine, and training than a dog bed manufacturer / retailer's 'cure-all' claims.
We tested a store-bought and an online-ordered Calming Dog Bed. Amos, one of our working Labradors, Finn, a working Cocker puppy, and Tina, a cute Yorkshire Terrier, participated in our less-than-scientific test.
Even the Cocker Spaniel could push and pull both beds on a tiled surface.
Both beds were soft, fluffy, and synthetic, which initially pleased all 3 dogs.
Amos and Finn struggled to position themselves centrally on the beds, and their sleeping positions looked very restricted. Both dogs spent a lot of time 'half in and half out' of the beds and'swam' to get comfortable on the soft bedding.
Both beds had thin, unstructured middle filling.
The larger bed was marketed as'self-warming' and contained Memory Foam chips with a strong chemical smell. Our views on Memory Foam and Flame Retardants are well-known (see other blog posts), but the thought of our dogs nuzzling into the bed and inhaling it worried us.
The combination of Memory Foam and the deep sleeping position may cause overheating in long-haired breeds.
We were concerned that this bed was labeled 'Orthopaedic' without any justification.
Both beds had waterproof bases. Moisture protection should be between the faux fur and the filling, not on the floor, where it would only prevent condensation.
Both beds were machine washable, which is fine, but active dogs shouldn't use them. You may check by bestcalmingdogbeds.com .The fact that the beds could be bundled into a machine suggests they lack structural integrity and could break down quickly.
Invest in calming dog beds?
Our beds cost £70 and £140. We felt that little material cost and much hype went into determining these end prices.
We use high-end faux fur in our Luxury Faux Fur Blankets, but the long pile faux fur on both sample beds was mediocre at best.
Both beds were'squished' to fit in shipping containers from the Far East to UK retailers.

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