Unique Dog Beds: Going Beyond the Basics for Your Pampered Pooch

You can get the usual rectangular, round, donut, nesting, bolster, or orthopedic dog bed, but when ordinary just won't do for your best friend there is a world of unusual choices in dog beds to satisfy your craving for the unique.

You can find unique dog beds in every style and shape you could possibly imagine. If you are looking for a fancy bed, there are many designs. Among the more unusual are dog beds that look like cars, beds for tiny teacup dogs that actually look like teacups, four-poster beds, sleigh beds, dog chaise lounges, wrought-iron beds, environmentally-friendly dog beds, and beds that look like miniature elegant sofas, or high-backed chairs. Along with elegant bed frames, you can also purchase mattresses similar to what people sleep on-scaled down, of course.

Want to keep your pup off the damp or cold ground? Try a cot-style design. A well-made cot bed will provide firm and even support without the need for a pillow. They're ideal for keeping your dog comfy on the porch or patio.

Do you like to take your dog camping with you? Does he try to share your sleeping bag to stay warm? No need to, if you have a dog sleeping bag. Depending on the model, it comes with a waterproof thermal mat that you insert into the bag to help keep your dog toasty warm. You can even get a-you guessed it-pup tent especially for your four-legged pal.

You can spend $50, $500, or for a really unique dog bed, even a thousand dollars or more. But when it comes right down to it, what counts is comfort and support for your dog.

So what should you look for when you buy a bed for your dog? A good bed is a matter of construction and quality. Your dog's personality also plays an important part. Before you settle on a style, think about how he likes to sleep. Does he curl up in a ball, or does he prefer to stretch out. If he likes to curl up (many small dogs love to), then a bed that he can snuggle down into would be a good style for him. Typically dog beds are constructed with polyfil or foam. The baffled polyfil provides more uniform comfort than regular polyfil, which can shift around. The egg-crate orthopedic-style foam is a good choice for older dogs or those with arthritis. High end beds may even be constructed with springs and coils like the mattresses most of us sleep on. Whichever bed you choose, look for one with a zip-out lining so you can launder it.

Basic bed or fancy-whether he's stretched out on a doggie chaise lounge, curled up in a canopied bed, or lounging on a regular rectangular bed-as long as it's comfortable, your dog will feel happy and secure in his safe haven.

Valerie Goettsch is webmaster of http://www.My-Favorite-Dog.com featuring articles and information on unique dog beds, puppy training & more

 

Selecting The Best Beds For Your Cat

If you're one of those people who loves your cat, but would prefer it didn't hog the bed at night, it's own bed may will be the answer. Cats love comfort and warmth. A cozy cat bed, that can keep them warm in the winter and provide a soft, comfortable nest, is probably the best way to entice them off your bed, your couch and your overstuffed chairs.

There are so many different types and styles of cat beds that finding one that blends with your décor should not be too hard. You can look for colorful cat beds in fun pet prints that add a touch of whimsy to the room or you can shop for cat beds with plenty of designer elegance, instead. Of course, your cat will be more concerned with how the bed feels than what it looks like.

Cat beds often have fleece pillows to keep them feeling cozy. These beds may be oval shaped with high sides or they may actually be completely enclosed to form a cozy nest bed. Cats enjoy being able to snuggle up in a secure spot, which is why so many of them manage to squeeze inside sofas or other odd spots to nap.

Some nest beds are even heated to add more warmth. If you have a cat that spends time on the porch or in other chilly areas, you may want to consider providing him with one of these beds.

Cat mats protect your furniture and give your cat a special place to be. They can be rolled up and put away when the furniture needs to be presentable for company and they can save you extra vacuuming. A little cat nip sprinkled on the mat may help convince your cat that it's the perfect place for a nap.

A cat perch, which is a padded shelf, is another popular piece of napping equipment. Attach the cat perch to your windowsill so your cat can look out the window and dream of stalking the wild birds he sees as he naps.

When you buy a cat bed, don't be surprised if your cat ignores it completely for a while. If he refuses to explore the bed, you may want to add a catnip toy to the bed to attract his attention. Placing the bed in a cat friendly location will also make it more appealing to your cat. Cats do not care to nap in low places. Instead, position the cat bed on an end table or platform that is a few inches off the floor. Also, be sure the bed is not in an area that receives heavy traffic. If your cat feels as though he can never let down his guard and relax, he won't want to nap in his bed.

Cat condos, vertical carpeted structures designed for cats, are perfect if you have more than one cat or don't want a lot of cat beds throughout your house. Cats are natural climbers and seem to recognize the condo as their terrain. The perches and dens make perfect napping spots and the carpeted poles are designed for scratching.

About the Author

For more info, see Cat tips or Cat health. Ron King is a webdeveloper; visit his website Authoring Articles.

Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

 

Pampering Your Pet with Gold Dog Tags

By Alison Cole

Why would your dog care what her tag is made out of? Well, that's not the point.

You want to pay all the attention you can to your dog. Seeing a gold dog tag on your pet will remind you that your dog is precious, and let others know exactly how much you care for him. Just think about it: if you had guests over, and they saw a piece of cardboard with illegible ballpoint scrawls, hanging by a natty piece of twine wrapped loosely around your dog's neck, your guests will feel rather sorry for your dog. They will think you probably feed him empty soda cans for breakfast and a bowl of insects for dinner. They will think that you sometimes chain him to the trailer hitch of your truck and drive away just for kicks. And then how could they respect you as a dog owner? They might call Animal Protection on you.

If you can afford gold dog tags, why not pamper your dog? A gold dog tag is indeed one of the finer things in life. Just as you would dress yourself up to go out, you can add sparkle and class to your class act dog.

Gold dog tags come in various karats and qualities. They come as small as a stud earring, or as large as the gaudiest of necklaces. Gold dog tags generally range from $225 to thousands of dollars, depending on the quality. You can get a simple yet beautiful yellow gold tag $300; or you can go all out, with an 18-karat tag with embedded jewels or diamonds. No matter what your taste or budget, a gold dog tag can give your dog a touch of elegance that also reflects well on you.

Dog Tags Info provides detailed information on dog ID tags, free dog tags, and custom dog tags, including gold and diamond dog tags and other dog tag jewelry. Dog Tags Info is the sister site of Pet Tags Web.

 

Tips On Selecting Hamster Cage

Choosing a suitable cage for your hamster(s) should be one of the most important decisions for each hamster owner. Bare in mind that the cage is like house same as for us human. All of us want to live in a safe, comfortable and clean home. Your hamster(s) should have the same rights and it is your responsibility to provide them with suitable living place to keep them happy, active and healthy.

There are several factors to consider when selecting hamster cages:-

Cage Size

The cage should have ample room for the hamster to do their favorite activity... exercise! For a solitary Syrian hamster, the cage should at least able to fit an exercise wheel and some extra space to live and doing other things. A small box that could act as a bedroom also recommended as the hamster usually prefers to have privacy when goes to sleep.

Dwarf hamsters should need a bigger space as we need to take into consideration that dwarf hamsters prefer to live in groups. So we need a cage that at least could cater for two of them plus spaces for them to play and sleep.

If you are planning to allow your hamster to breed, a bigger cage will be needed. Provide enough room for the hamsters to have their private spaces especially for a pregnant or nursing mother. There are cases when the mother attacks her companions due to overly protective reaction to their litters or maybe due to stress of feeling too crowded. Stress could also cause the mother to eat their litters.

Safety

Barred cages are commonly used as a hamster cage. For this type of cage, make sure the bars are close enough so that the hamsters couldn't slip through. This problem commonly occurs to dwarf hamsters or baby hamsters due to their small body size.

If you have other types of pets such as cats or dogs in your house, choose other types of cages such as aquarium or plastic modular cages rather than barred cages to prevent any unwanted circumstances.

Easy to clean

Choose a cage that will not give you headaches to clean up. A tedious cleaning job could make some people bored and might end up doing improper cleaning or even didn't do the cleaning job regularly enough.

Expandability

Some cages are designed to allow future expansion possible. Usually these types of cages are quite expensive. A simple cage could be expandable up to being just like a castle for hamsters. Unless you can afford it, this feature is rather optional.

Jalte Aimal is the owner of site MyHammie.com. You may freely reprint this article as long as nothing is changed, and bio is included with all links intact. Hamster Care Guide The most recent version of this article could be found at Hamster Cage

 

A Designer Dog Collar for the Pampered Dog

For those of you who spare no expense when it comes to your dog buying a designer dog collar is just another way to spoil their four legged family member. Sure it's a little extravagant, but nothing is too good for your dog. Here are few things to think about when it comes to buying a designer dog collar.

Designer dog collars come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Many times these types of dog collars are based on a theme. These themes can be based on a number of things but most of the time it is related to the breed of dog or what country your breed of dog came from. Or it may be a combination of the two. For instance an Irish Sheep Dog would look good in a collar specific to Ireland. A collar made of green leather with shamrock shaped golden studs inlaid in it. A Scottish Terrier may sport a collar with a plaid design to match his plaid hat and coat. Designing a collar to match where his breed came from is one of the more popular ways to outfit him.

Of course some owners are more interested in making a personal statement about their dog that matches their own personal tastes. While these tastes may not appeal to everyone for the owner it is a perfect reflection of who they and their dog are. Let's look at poodles for instance. If the woman owner of a poodle likes pink she may look for a designer dog collar in that shade. The collar may also have ornamentation that matches the woman's own collection of jewelry. Then there are the more hardcore biker types who outfit their dogs with black leather spiked dog collars that match their own biker wardrobe. There's a designer dog collar out there for just about anyone with any type of dog. Some people even get multiple designer dog collars to match the different outfits they like to dress their dogs in. Dressing their dog takes just about as much time as they themselves take dressing themselves.

No matter what your taste there is s designer dog collar that will no doubt give your dog the look you think he should have.

To find out more about a designer dog collar for your four legged friend check out the web site Designer Dog Collars.

 

Dog Carriers For Your Pampered Dog

By Eric Hartwell

Dog carriers are bags especially designed to carry your dog around when you are out in town and do not want to leave him behind. But since carrying dogs is also fad nowadays, you can carry your dog around with you just for fun! Dog carriers look very much like big bags, but they function as small havens for your beloved pets. They are padded on the inside and have a removable and washable bottom pad for easy cleaning. The bottom is sturdier and more secured and the straps are attached more securely when compared to the common bag. All these are specifically designed to carry a small dog around the city. These dog carriers also come in different styles, colors and materials. You can choose from a wide range of bags to suit your dog and even yourself!

Tips on Buying Dog Carriers:

When buying dog carriers, make sure that the bottom of the bag is sturdy enough to hold your dog inside of it. The removable pad at the bottom should be washable and should also be made of a material to which the fur would not stick. The inside of the bag should also be padded to provide your dog with comfort and warmth. There should be no protruding plastic or any hardware that could harm your dog.

Since there are a wide variety of dog carriers to choose from, it is usually wise to buy not just one of them. Some celebrities wear bags which match their clothes. If you also have the luxury of purchasing more than one dog carrier, do so. You can also try matching the dog carrier with the clothes you're wearing. But if you think just one is enough for you, try going for dog carriers which are made of leather. Leather suits almost any color and style of clothes.

Last but not the least you should make sure that your dog is comfortable when inside the dog carrier. He should first be trained to stay calm while inside it. One tip on training him is by giving him kindly praises when he stays put or giving him doggie treats when he does not try to jump out of the carrier.

You can find out more about dog care here or you can share your opinions at the world's best homepage.

 

Pet Clothing

By Stephen Pappalau

Pet animals like dogs are very much like us humans – they want and need lots of attention from us and they also want to feel warm and cozy during winter seasons. That is why Dog clothes are so regular and common nowadays and because they do really help to keep your pet dog warm, they most positively draw great attention also. So if you can afford to budget and spend some extra cash for your pet, then definitely show some love to him by buying him a gift of fashion clothes.

Most owners love their dogs very much and also treat their pet dogs like they are members of their own family. In bigger cities such as Washington and New York, some research has proved that dogs are substitutes for children. In the year 2004-05, American people have actually spent more money on grooming their pets and buying them all types of supplies, than they spent on their own children's toys. So if you truly love your pet dog as every other true dog lovers, then you will probably budget and invest some bucks for your dog's clothing and make them comfortable and happy.

If you are staying in some state where winters are real bad or is very cold, then buying a winter coat for your pet dog is a necessity. You should choose and prefer to buy him a coat which is strong, sturdy but is very comfortable and made from easy to wash material. If it is so, then your dog can now take stroll with you even on those very cold winter days without feeling chilled and risking to fall sick. So good colorful dog clothing will not only make him feel fine, it will also make him look fashionable.

Dogs are lovely companions and they really love to wear jersey shirts which make them look attractive and cute. You may even embroider his name on it, but make sure it feels comfortable to him. There are even some clever dog shirts available in specialty dog shops which have funny messages written on them. They can look good on your pet, are also much cheaper and also will attract a lot of attention from passerby people who are walking. Sometimes it is also a nice idea to try your kid's shirt; it may fit your dog properly.

Dog accessories are not really a must, but it will definitely help to make your pet dog stand out from the rest of the pets. There are also some very nice dog collars available in many sizes from these specialty shops. Most of them are made from different materials including very colorful leathers, chains, plastic, and some are even made from real crocodile skin and coated with some semi-precious colorful stones. You may even order these lovely personalized dog collars, and make sure that your beloved pet dog will have this exclusive unique accessory which will really set him apart from others.

www.petsupplies4ypc.com www.mycoolestpetplace.com

 

A Reflective Dog Collar Or Reflective Cat Collar Could Be A Lifesaver For Your Pet

You know it happens every day. Someone is driving down the road at night and without warning, a dog or cat comes out of nowhere. With no time to stop, someone's pet has just become another tragic statistic. A paper published in 2001 reported that 1 in 5 persons have hit a dog or cat with their vehicle. 25% of those people said they did not stop to check on the animal or report it. That means that millions of dogs and cats die on the road every year, with some left to suffer first.

A reflective dog collar or a reflective cat collar is an affordable level of protection that every responsible pet owner should consider. You could very easily be saving your pet's life. With a reflective dog or cat collar your pet becomes more visible at the critical 100-600 foot braking range.

When considering a reflective collar for your dog or cat, keep in mind that there are two variations. One type of reflective collar is just what it says it is. It is a collar that reflects light that shines on it. The other type of reflective collar not only reflects light, it also glows in the dark after being exposed to light for a period of time. This added feature increases the visibility of your pet even if a light is not shone on it.

Matching reflective leashes are also available with many reflective dog collars. For early morning or evening walks or jogs or on days when the weather is rainy or foggy, a reflective dog collar along with a reflective leash will add visibility not only to your pet but to you as well.

Reflective dog collars and reflective cat collars should never take the place of good safety practices. You should never let your dog or cat run loose unattended. When the unthinkable happens though, and your dog or cat escapes or is lost, a reflective collar could not only save your pet's life, it could also help you locate him when it is dark.

About the Author:

As owner of MyPetSpecialties.Com Karen Mclean has focused on providing painless training aids and pet safety products like our reflective dog collars and reflective cat collars.