Gun Dog Forum

My pup keeps tearing up the doggy beds I buy him which is making it expensive to keep him warm. Any adivce on what to use to keep him warm during the night but discourage him from chewing or ripping it to shredds?

Thanks,

George

Straw!!

Marsh grass straw.

The only issue with straw is I cant find any around here. I live in North Hollywood in Los Angeles. Would a feed store have it?

kuranda bed, in LA it should be fine

they have bird dogs in North Hollywood?????

Do bird dogs in Hollywood hold their noses a little higher?

Redfishkilla wrote:Do bird dogs in Hollywood hold their noses a little higher?

I think so. They call it a crank. Some like it but it sure doesn't appeal to me.

Ezzy

Fox Feed in Santa Clarita carries hay and straw. Several years ago I found several feed stores in the area. Also look in the Burbank area. There's alot of horse in that area of LA.

Nitrex

"Marsh grass straw."

Whats that? Grass is what horses eat and straw is what you bed 'em down in. Straw is cut stubble left over from harvesting various cereal crops. I hate the stuff for dog bedding. It breaks down quickly, is usually dusty and harbors fleas. Cheap, but lousy dog bedding but is the only stuff readily available for many of us.

Northern native prairie marsh grass hay (Carex sp., Hierochole odorata, Spartina, Panicum sp., Rushes and Tallgrass sp.) if you can get it is the best I think. Holds it's loft and insulating qualities all season and smells great. The dogs love to burrow down and nest in it. You might try contacting some of the sporting dog shippers that go cross country to bring you a bale of it available at many of the northern tier states.

Thanks for the replies everyone, and yes we do have gundogs in North Hollywood and they do hold their noses high. This indicates that there is a bird in front for those that are not familiar. I have covered the floor of his house with carpet, would that suffice with his short coat?

gunner wrote:"Marsh grass straw."

Whats that? Grass is what horses eat and straw is what you bed 'em down in. Straw is cut stubble left over from harvesting various cereal crops. I hate the stuff for dog bedding. It breaks down quickly, is usually dusty and harbors fleas. Cheap, but lousy dog bedding but is the only stuff readily available for many of us.

Thank you....it is amazing how many people do not know the difference between hay and straw. I have used straw as bedding for horses, cattle, and dogs as long as I can remember. I now use wood shavings for my dogs, except for expecting females I still use straw. The wood chips stick to the wet pups and the moms cant get them dried off as fast.

BrittGSP818,

While lots of dogs lie around most of their lives on carpet, carpet strip samples in crates, on their resting platforms, etc without any harm I've heard from vets and others about the health problems particularly of the dog's gut and intestine once the long stong strands of the stuff are consumed. Some dogs may live through intensive surgeries, but personally I'd not want to go through it. There are better choices. I'd suggest avoiding carpet particularly with dogs that get bored and like to chew.

I cut squares of of heavy cushioned rubber livestock pads, available at Tractor Supply and other farm store, sometimes used to floor dairy barn stalls or horse trailers, and fit the dogs houses, travel crates and secure the cut pieces to the top of their houses. They rarely attempt to chew it, it keeps them up off cold and damp floors, it acts as a grooming mitt every time they lay on it, easy to wash off it it's soiled, keeping them dry and above any moisture and I think it helps cushion old joints and makes them compfortable. Insulating hay or straw can be put on top of it and dust and other stuff will filter down through and be seperated from the bedding by the mat for easier cleaning of crates.

in our Indoor/outdoor kennel we use Kuranda beds...the new style have metal frames.

In my dog boxes I use a cut down rubber horse mat, when it gets cold I put fresh switchgrass in the boxes.

Having the same problem with my pointer in her indoor kennel. Not sure what to do next.

I dont kennel my dog, he is only in his house when he goes to sleep at night. When I first put the carpet in, I nailed it so he couldn't take it out or chew on it. It has been in there for awhile and he doesnt chew on it. I wouldnt even put a bed in there if it wasnt for the women in the house, always nagging me that the pup is going to freeze out there. My previous dog wouldnt even sleep in his house and he never had a problem with the weather. So, would the carpet be enough since he is only in his house to sleep?

A rubber horse mat cut to size and clean prairie grass hay. You should have no problems.

Doug

BrittGSP818 wrote:My pup keeps tearing up the doggy beds I buy him which is making it expensive to keep him warm. Any adivce on what to use to keep him warm during the night but discourage him from chewing or ripping it to shredds?

Thanks,

George

If your dog sleeps in the house at night go with the Kuranda. It is a no risk purchase because they are guaranteed. The bed for a Brit is about $60 and you will have this bed for the next dog. I have one now that is 13 years old.