I shred newspapers and use them for our outdoor dog as bedding. Shredded newspaper also makes a great fire-starter.
By amy from Brazil, IN
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What would be the best kind of bedding for an outside dog kennel? I heard somewhere not to use pine straw. Are wood chips or hay good to use?
This is something I did years ago after pricing doggie beds. I noticed that a lot of the upscale beds were zippered pillows filled with cedar chips. I checked one out and it had two pillows - a zippered one you could remove and wash and one sewn up that was filled with the chips. I needed a large one for my Golden Retriever and they wanted over a hundred dollars for it! Well, I made a large zippered case (I discovered later I could have bought one pretty cheap), then went to the gardening department of a big discount chain store and bought a bag of cedar chips for about 12 to 15 dollars.
I use a baby crib mattress with a waterproof mattress cover and baby crib sheets. This way I can change it whenever and it stays clean. Also it's better than any dog bed. Ever laid down on a dog pillow or bed. It's terrible!
I have two dogs who are girls. They have this thing where they like to dig on my bed and rips the sheets. I need to find out where you can get sheets that they can't destroy.
Thanks.
This is a tough one. Some flannel sheets are sturdier but after a number of washings, they weaken.
Can you keep them on a fleece blanket away from the sheets? Can you keep their nails trimmed close so they do less damage?
My Carmel was a sheet scratcher when she was a pup and she out grew it. I was starting to work on rewarding her when she stopped digging, saying stop and giving her a treat when she did. We didn't get too far in when she just stopped on her own. Maybe yours will out grow it or you can train them to stop.
Post back with an update!
I think the question might come up - do you want the girls to keep getting on your bed?
That said; I do not believe they make a material that normal people can afford that a dog cannot destroy in a very short period of time.
Perhaps it would be easier to train them to stay off the bed by providing other places for them to get/sleep.
I once read about a person having a similar problem and she taped large pieces of aluminum foil on her bed to deter her dog from wanting to sleep there. Just pieces in close patches I think... Maybe it worked (I know cats do not like it but not sure about dogs).
Maybe piling stuff on the bed in the day time and closing the door at night might work.
I have never had a large indoor dog so I just cannot think of a good answer to your question - hope other answers are more useful.
I was given rice hulls and was really curious if I could use them in all my dog kennels for their bedding.
This is a very bad idea and normally the rice hulls are used for building material, insulation, fertilizers, or even used to make fuel. Some farmers use these in the horse's stalls with straw or hay over the top of it.
Around the home, the best use for these is in your garden. It is a proven fact that rice hulls mixed with soil in your garden help to prevent weeds. They are very lightweight which makes them the perfect component to mix with your soil to make your soil light and airy. This helps your plants to draw in more oxygen and promotes growth.
