Julie A. Palm, editor in chief
Pet beds don’t represent a huge portion of sales for most mattress manufacturers, but they can be a nice add-on business that builds brand recognition and goodwill among the millions of pet owners who will spend a pretty penny to make sure their dogs and cats sleep well.
Just consider the size of the potential market for pet beds. According to a 2011-2012 report from the American Pet Products Association, Americans own roughly 78.2 million dogs, with 39% of U.S. households owning at least one. Americans have even more cats—approximately 86.4 million—with 33% of households including a feline friend.
My own pets seem perfectly fine sprawled on the floor, crawling into my bed or making themselves comfortable on every sofa and chair in the house, but I still make sure each has its own special bed. I did draw a line and stopped embroidering them with each pets’ name after my dog chewed through several while he was a teething puppy!
Pet beds are made with many of the same foams, fills and fabrics as those used in bed sets for people, including memory foam and microsuede.
Retailer Orvis offers a Tempur-Pedic Faux-Fur Deep Dish Dog Bed with a Tempur foam core that “provides your pet with optimal lounging conditions.” A version of the bed intended for large dogs (60 pounds to 120 pounds) sells for $450. (Yes, $450.)
There are even gel beds, like the Slumber Pet Cool Pup Bed I found at the Brookstone website. It wraps cooling gel packs with an air mesh layer. You can order that bed for a cool $129.99. (I particularly like that the Brookstone website calls the overall category “Dog Beds & Mattresses.”
Such fancy pet beds practically beg to be outfitted with equally fancy bed frames. You can buy pet crates that look like high-end furniture, but why do that when the editors at This Old House magazine will show you step by step how to make a Murphy bed for your pooch? This Old House estimates that the bed will cost you about $110 for materials and will take you seven hours to construct. I’m sure your dog will appreciate that you made it with your own hands.
Such fancy pet beds practically beg to be outfitted with equally fancy bed frames. You can buy pet crates that look like high-end furniture, but why do that when the editors at This Old House magazine will show you step by step how to make a Murphy bed for your pooch? This Old House estimates that the bed will cost you about $110 for materials and will take you seven hours to construct. I’m sure your dog will appreciate that you made it with your own hands.
