Electronic Collars
  • Collars and Leads
  • Dog Tracking Systems
  • Dog Training
  • Bird Launchers
  • Hunting Dog Supplies
  • For The Hunter
  • Should You Consider an Elevated Bed for Your Dog?

    August 15, 2020 6 min read 2 Comments

    Elevated Dog Bed

    Although many people believe that floors or giant pillows are satisfactory sleeping areas for dogs, the truth of the matter is, dogs need to have a bed just like humans do. According to research, your canine-friend sleeps or lounges up to 20 hours per day. It’s important to have a comfortable place for your dog to rest that prevents or alleviates joint and other health problems that can arise from poor alignment. Despite what one may think, dog pillow beds are not a suitable bedding option because these types of beds do not offer the firm, even support that your dog needs. Furthermore, stuffing-filled beds lack durability and are difficult to thoroughly clean. Generally, only the slipcovers are machine-washable. Should the interior also become wet, it can take a lengthy amount of time to dry if it is not dryer-safe. This potentially opens the door for mold or mildew taking root. If the pillow bed manages to survive being easily chewed through (and that’s a big if), the stuffing will eventually become lumpy and flat.

    Sleeping on the floor can result in pain and inflammation in pressure points, such as hips and elbows, that can eventually cause calluses and even sores (especially on elbows) after repeated getting up and down from a hard surface. As you can imagine, this can prove to be damaging to senior dogs that are more at-risk of health and mobility issues. Kuranda developed a solution – a cot-like bed suitable for indoors or outdoors that is built to withstand the most mischievous of dogs while also offering orthopedic benefits.

    Kuranda beds utilize a patented chew-proof design, making them the professional choice of many dog boarding and grooming facilities, kennels, and shelters. The key is in how the beds are structured. The fabric is stretched across and is attached to rods that are enclosed within the body of the frame rails with protective caps placed on top of the corners. This safely secures the edges, making it inaccessible to the dog. This prevents the fabric from being chewed through, but it can still be damaged from repetitive digging.

    Elevated dog beds are the equivalent of a cot for humans. As such, one major benefit to raised dog beds is temperature control in either too hot or too cold weather, ensuring that your dog will stay comfortable. With cushioned pillow beds, there is nowhere for the heat to go. This runs the risk of your dog overheating on hot days or if the bed is directly near a heat source. The structure of an elevated dog bed allows for cooling air circulation through the material and underneath the frame whereas traditional fabric bedding holds heat. The raised platform design also prevents your dog from laying on a potentially cold surface like cement or tile flooring and even the hard, plastic bottom of a dog crate. This can especially benefit dogs with joint and mobility issues, as keeping warm helps to relieve stiff joints.

    As mentioned earlier, foam or stuffing-filled dog beds are next to impossible to truly clean. Slipcovers are often machine-washable, but that is only a surface cleaning that ultimately does little to remove potential allergens such as dust, pet dander, and pollen that the filling retains. Elevated beds are arguably the easiest and quickest dog bed available on the market to clean – and clean well. The durable canvas (nylon or vinyl) fabric of the Kuranda elevated beds can be washed by hand or simply cleaned with a garden nose and then it's good as new.

    Because Kuranda beds are not only resistant to outdoor weather and are a breeze to clean, they are also very portable, being the ideal dog bed to take while travelling. This is especially true for outdoor destinations in which you may not want your dog rolling around on the dirty ground. Whether you are intending to place the bed in the backyard or go on an excursion, the Kuranda dog beds keep your dog from laying directly on dirt, mud, or wet grass. Traditional fluffy beds are bulky, making them difficult to move from room to room, let alone pack away in a car, but the Kuranda elevated beds are extremely lightweight and easy to assemble. If you’re strapped for space, simply break the bed down and reassemble upon arrival.

    Now that we’ve discussed some pros of raised dog beds, let’s get into the heart of why these beds are so beneficial for your dogs’ overall health and wellness. Elevated dog beds, by design, eliminate pressure points on your dog’s hips, shoulders, and elbows with a fabric that is pulled taut across the frame. This provides support for your dog’s entire body, unlike pillow beds that do not offer a reduction in pressure. Also, by removing pressure points from the body, improved blood flow consequentially results in faster recovery time for sporting dogs in pressure point areas. More nutrient-rich blood flow can heal and restore working dogs’ muscles more effectively and at a faster rate, as opposed to traditional bedding or floors. Another benefit to an elevated bed is that getting into and off of a raised bed is easier on the knees of senior dogs that struggle to lay down and get up from lower surfaces. The Kuranda beds are especially great for dogs with hip dysplasia, arthritis, and general mobility issues, but they are still ideal for many dogs that are perfectly healthy.

    If you’re still not convinced to consider an elevated bed, Kuranda offers customization in the sense that there are various replacement fabrics available for purchase (separately) that have added benefits like extra durability or waterproofing. The Heavy Duty (40 oz vinyl) replacement fabric consists of a heavy duty, non-absorbent vinyl that is most suitable for heavier or destructive dogs. Its smooth surface is the easiest of the options to clean. The Outdoor Mesh replacement fabric is a waterproof vinyl weave, good for outdoor use when exposed to the elements and dogs with incontinence issues. The open weave style allows air and water to flow through with ease, making sure that dogs stay dry when lounging on it. It is protected against UV rays, though this specific fabric is not covered under Kuranda’s chew-proof warranty. Lastly, the Cordura replacement fabric is crafted with a durable, softer weave made with abrasion resistant high-denier nylon. The textured surface is an ideal fit for dogs that struggle with getting traction to get on or off a bed. It’s notably the best fabric choice between the options for dogs suffering from sensitive skin or allergies.

    Staff Tip: For added comfort of a very soft surface, you can add a cushion on top of the elevated bed.

    Kuranda offers two types of dog beds – the Aluminum Dog Bed and the Poly-Resin (PVC) Bed – each with their own unique characteristics to best fit your dogs’ weight and level of destructiveness. Both beds are manufactured in the USA and are available in three sizes (Medium, Large, and X-Large). Read on for more key features to see which bed is best for your dog.

    Kuranda Aluminum Dog Bed – rated up to 250 lbs.
    • All fasteners are stainless steel for strength and corrosion resistance.
    • Suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
    • Provides orthopedic support and comfort.
    • Easy to clean and guaranteed to stand up to repeated cleaning.
    • Chew-proof, high strength, lightweight aircraft grade aluminum frames.
    • Corners and legs are aluminum.
    • Equipped with 40 oz heavy duty vinyl, ideal for heavy or destructive dogs.

    The Kuranda Standard Poly-Resin Dog Bed – rated up to 100 lbs.

    • Stainless steel fasteners for strength and corrosion resistance.
    • Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
    • Provides firm, even support and comfort.
    • Easy to clean and guaranteed to stand up to repeated cleaning.
    • Chew-proof, high strength, furniture grade poly-resin frames.
    • UV resistant finish on frame resists fading.
    • Equipped with Cordura canvas, ideal for elderly dogs, dogs with mobility issues, and dogs with allergies and/or sensitive skin.

    Now you may still be thinking, “Elevated beds sound like they’re only good for older dogs,” but we at Lion Country Supply believe that dogs of any life stage should be able to sleep comfortably and painlessly. Skip the joint pain from sleeping on floors and hassle of replacing pillow beds and consider purchasing an elevated dog bed. Your dog doesn’t need to be sick, injured, or elderly to benefit from the Kuranda raised dog beds. Still not sure if an elevated dog bed is the right choice for your dog? Check out the LCS bedding overview that discusses orthopedic beds as well as Red Cedar bedding.

    Thank you for reading!

    2 Responses

    Michael - Lion Country Supply
    Michael - Lion Country Supply

    January 21, 2022

    @Afina, The smallest size we currently carry is the medium which is 35″ × 23″. Depending on the dog breed this would work for a puppy.

    Afina
    Afina

    January 21, 2022

    Do you have one for small to medium size for puppy?

    Leave a comment

    Comments will be approved before showing up.