I always buy vetbed but have to renew it often, as one of my dobes is a chewer.
Is it the thick vet bed you use? I have vet bed also but it's not as good as the Pro Fleece, the dogs have shredded it to bits!. It is quite hard to find especially at shows. I was lucky enough to find a stall at LKA that sold Pro Fleece. You can buy it online quite easily.
Yes Vicky it is the thick vetbed i use - can get two good sized pieces for ?14 at most shows - but have to get more most months, so dont see the point spending much more on it… when i put my youngest dobe girl in the kennel during the day, she always drags her bed out into their run and lies on it having a good chew. have tried putting straw in their beds in kennels, which was nice n warm for them in winter but im still finding bits of it floating about!
My Katie is a digger, then rips as soon as a speck of fluff appears. The only bed I have never replaced is Duluth Trading Company dog bed. Outer shell is like iron!! Washes well and is water/pee/skunk smell proof so the inner shell has never been damaged. I replace the innards every couple of years with some cedar chips (small bag of rodent bedding from a pet chain) and batting from walmart just to keep the bed fluffy and warm. I go to Salvation Army or Goodwill for baby blankets to cover it with (50 cents apiece and I don't care if the digging/nesting damages it:))
They cost a bit more than your average dog bed, but in the long run I've saved a ton of $$. I replaced 6 of Katies beds before the Duluth. Best thing, it's big enough for the 2 Basenjis to share so it saved space as well.
The one necessity I can't live without is the pint size stainless water bowl. Not big enough for the all-day fresh water, but perfect for my bedside table and keeps the dog spit out of my bedside water glass.:D I just have to figure out how to keep them from walking on me if they get up for a midnight slurp;).
I love this thread. Of course I already have my puppy and then some, but I love the different ideas. Thanks all.
Gotta say - the bed is sounding like a super important bit of the Basenji world. Which is fair enough really!
All the advice and tips are most welcome and i'm confident we shall not be missing anything come the hoped for day of arrival…...............
Now, where did I put my prized antique priceless family heirloom stuffed squirrel toy?
Alan
Gotta say - the bed is sounding like a super important bit of the Basenji world. Which is fair enough really!
All the advice and tips are most welcome and i'm confident we shall not be missing anything come the hoped for day of arrival…...............
Now, where did I put my prized antique priceless family heirloom stuffed squirrel toy?
Alan
Hopefully you put that prized antique pricelesll family heirloom stuffed squirrel in a real, real, real safe place…gggg
The one necessity I can't live without is the pint size stainless water bowl. Not big enough for the all-day fresh water, but perfect for my bedside table and keeps the dog spit out of my bedside water glass.:D I just have to figure out how to keep them from walking on me if they get up for a midnight slurp;).
This is so funny! Our cat sleeps on the bed with us and stands on my head to drink out of my glass of water on the bedside table! 
This is so funny! Our cat sleeps on the bed with us and stands on my head to drink out of my glass of water on the bedside table!
You must be more tolerant than me Vicky - my cats used to be allowed in the room - but being woken up by Bourneville - a 14 year old chocolate point Siamese with Kitekat breath- standing on my face then coughing up a furball on the pillow - got them banished.
On the subject of crate's - what is the ideal size for a puppy?
Do I need to get bigger one's as he grows?
Alan
Dwaf,
I got Otis, my 5 mo old a medium sized crate, all wire style, about 30"L x 21"W x 26"H (=77cm L x 54cm W x 66cm H, ballpark). The crate I bought came with a divider panel, so you can make the crate smaller while the puppy is potty training and then make it larger as the puppy grows. We don't use the panel anymore, Otis is OK without it. The crate is large enough for him to move around and it will stay roomy enough for when he is fully grown. Mine has 2 doors, one on the short end and one on the longer side, that way it is easier to place in a room and yet be simple to open up.
Hey, I've just discovered what a 'snugglepuppy' thingy is. We found a cuddly teddy in a charity shop years ago which had a ticking clocks as it's tummy. We bought it for our puppy coming home and it worked wonders. Have used it with puppies ever since. 
