Sweet Dreams Furry Friends

You can find environmentally friendly alternatives for pretty much anything these days if you look hard enough. Even your dog’s bed—an item you probably don’t even think about from day to day—is no exception.

It’s true—nothing says you can’t go green and go comfortable at the same time! With these tips, your dog will be thanking you for improving his nightly rest with an eco-friendly alternative to his usual bed.

Organic materials and recycled materials are the two major things to look out for when shopping for dog beds.

If your dog is a chewer, you may find it beneficial to invest in a bed with a non-fabric cover. Tougher materials, such as plastic, will be harder for him to bite through and may save you the unhappy shock of waking up to find stuffing all over your floor in the morning. If this is the case, look out for beds with recycled plastic covers.

 West Paw Design, for example, makes a soft but sturdy pet bed out of material made from plastics taken from recycled soda bottles. You can check out their design here and there's a photo of our favorite bed from that line in the slideshow at the top of this post.

If your pet prefers a more delicate nest for the night, keep an eye out for all-natural fabric covers, such as organic cotton or even hemp. Cotton is the softer material, but hemp is more durable. In any case, either fabric provides a natural and safe material for your dog to curl up on.

You can check out an example of an organic cotton bed that’s also made with left-over materials from manufacturing life jackets from Colorado Kayak Company or an example of hemp beds that are simply fabulously designed check out See Scout Sleep Beds.

On the flip side, always try and avoid non-recycled plastics and other synthetic materials when shopping for beds.

There are a few other creative ways you can go green when setting up your dog’s sleeping quarters.

Many dog beds are made with a thick cover that encases a softer mattress-like interior. Often, you can even purchase bed covers separately, without the filling. To save a little money and do your part in recycling, try purchasing a dog bed cover and then going home and filling it with recycled items. One great company that produces dog bed covers is Molly Mutt. Their Molly Mutt Dog Duvet’s allow you to recycle existing beds or fill them with other materials. Soft rags or shredded old newspapers are a few examples of materials that you can reuse for your dog’s comfort instead of discarding. Think outside the box—you never know what you might have lying around the house, just waiting for a new purpose!

Regardless of the material or style of bed, the most important thing to consider is your dog’s safety and comfort. With that in mind, sweet dreams and happy hunting!

Sharon Harvey is owner of Charleston Naturally an eco-chic boutique specializing in natural, organic and sustainable products and gifts for home, pets, baby and beauty located online at www.CharlestonNaturally.com and 918 Lansing Drive Mt. Pleasant, SC.