Unusual Dog Beds: Some Fun Ideas

Dog beds have come a long, long way since the first days when the "bed" might just have consisted of the rug before the fire, or perhaps a pile of towels in a corner. Many people also consider their own bed to be the "dog bed," with the dog curled up at their side at night, or perhaps sleeping at their feet. However, some people give their dogs very distinctive beds of their own. The dogs may not care what the bed looks like, but unusual dog beds give their owners a lot of entertainment or enjoyment.

Take the canopy bed, for example, or one of its variants. Yes, you heard correctly: there are canopy beds for dogs. A company called Lulu Jane makes very high-end pet accessories, and has created what it calls the Crown Royale canopy bed. This has a metal frame of faux antique gold, with four posts at the corners and a jewel-encrusted crown being supported above the center of the frame. A regular human pillow can fit into this frame, giving the dog the same comfort its human gets during the night. Other types of indoor canopy beds can be embellished with extra luxury items like feathers and materials like satin.

There's an outdoor version of a canopy bed as well, which is less elaborate and decorative. It has a decidedly utilitarian feel, being more of an outdoor cot with a waterproof canopy held over the bed to guard against damp or sunny weather. When you see these unusual dog beds, you get the impression that they're not necessarily meant to be the dog's overnight bed, but serve rather as a shady place for it to get some fresh air when it joins its owners on the patio or in the yard.

Some people have created little gazebos, complete with cushions, for their dog to sleep in. Some beds can be shaped like cars. Others have wooden cabinet frames with cushions nestled inside. Some are built of bamboo frames and have little drawers under the bed, for storing toys, collars, brushes, or other small items.

But one of the most unusual dog beds has got to be the Murphy bed. Like the human version, this consists of a bed that is folded up against the wall during the day, but which is unlatched and lowered to the floor at night, revealing the mattress and bedding that were concealed in the wall cabinet. This type of bed, first of all, serves the owner's utilitarian purpose of saving space in the daytime. However, the Murphy cabinet itself can be much more than utilitarian, perhaps being designed to match the other furniture in the room. It can be part of the decor as well as being "just" a dog bed.

Other options you may want to consider include an organic dog bed with a sustainable hemp cover, the Fab Imperial bed which is meant to resemble a Faberge egg, or beds which come in the shape of space ships or cars.

Unusual dog beds tend to be quite stylish rather than boring or ugly. The owners are not just looking for something different, but something to add a little extra pizazz to their life and their dog's. If there's going to be a dogs bed in the house, it might as well add something interesting to the room. And after all, everyone's animal companion deserves something a little special, right?