Last week I was running late, but this was just too cute not to stop and photograph. I walked into my bedroom and said, "kennel up"... but, in my haste I failed to say, "Hush, kennel up" and didn't specify which dog I was talking to. When I'm not home, Milly is loose in my bedroom, but her term is "Milly, go to bed," and she lies quietly on her dog bed until I leave. This said, there was a point in time, many moons ago, when Milly was crated, and "Kennel up" was her command to go in her crate. So, now with some back story, you can imagine when I said, "Kennel up," and looked up from tying my shoes, I was completely shocked to find both Milly and Hush in the crate.
After a lot of research, I have selected the dog bed I will be getting for Hush. I have always had the traditional dog bed, the ones that are a giant pillow with a slip cover, round or rectangular, that sit on the floor. Milly actually has two of these, and while I like them, I want something that is a bit more sturdy and able to be disinfected.
As you know, Hush will be my first show dog, and once I get her, I would like to get a third Golden Retriever when she is a year old. With this in mind, I want to start buying products that will last a lifetime, so I don’t need to replace them with every new dog. The Kuranda dog beds have an incredible reputation. They are durable and made with furniture grade frames, the elevated beds give your dog orthopedic support and comfort, chew-proof fabrics make them long lasting, the beds can easily be cleaned and disinfected, and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The way the bed is designed provides dogs with a firm, even support, which no pillow-style dog bed could match; this is great for growing puppies and elderly dogs! You can order machine washable slip covers to give them more of the appearance of the traditional dog bed, and there are optional pads available for added comfort.
I’ve spoken with many people who exclusively use Kuranda beds, and the word on the street is these beds will last for years, and the life of the bed will easily outlive the life of the dog. These are great for houses or kennel situations, and provide plenty of support for the dogs. I know Hush will probably go through a jaws phase, and I want a durable bed that she won’t chew! This is perfect.
Now, to pick a color and fabric for the bed, and which slip cover! They all look so nice! Of course, I’ll be getting mine monogrammed! Here are a few of my favorite slip covers, I love the stripes and knots the best. But, the traditional cinnamon would be nice and neutral in any room. Which is your favorite?
These beds are not the cheapest on the market, but also not the most expensive by any stretch of the imagination. They start at $36.95 and go up to $159.95, with slip covers and optional pads costing extra. But, for a bed that will last me 20 years or more, this is a worthwhile investment, and shipping on all orders is just $5!!!
The company is a fantastic company that gives back to shelters. Don’t have a dog? Just go on the Kuranda website, and you can order a bed for your local shelter! How great is that? I would love to get a group of people together to go in on some beds for a couple of shelters, especially those with low budgets.
As you know, I just got back from a great vacation in Vermont with Milly and my human family! Vermonters really care about the environment and using eco-friendly products, so it’s no surprise hemp is a fiber of choice for many. Hemp has been getting hugely popular, and is no longer just for hippies and necklaces. Hemp is an eco-friendly, durable material being used to make a variety of products from pillows and hammocks for the two legged variety, to dog leashes and collars for our furry friends.
Unlike many other dog leashes and collars made from synthetic fibers, hemp leashes are 100% biodegradable so they won’t just sit in a land fill when you’re done with them. The hemp used in most leashes and collars is grown without pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals so you will not have to worry if your dog puts it in their mouth.
While in Vermont, I met someone with the Earthdog hemp leash, which comes in a variety of colors, and can be purchased at Robbins Pet Care, a great eco-friendly website for pet-owners with an array of different hemp collar brands to choose from. The person I met that used this lead absolutely loved it! I initially thought a hemp leash or collar would be scratchy and rough feeling, but was surprised to find the material is soft. I was told that with time the collar softens even more. For dogs with lots of allergies, hemp collars and leads are hypoallergenic. When the collars or leads get dirty, simply through them in the washing machine, and you can even put them in the dryer!
The hemp leashes come in a variety of sizes (many are 1” thick with the option for 4’ or 6’ lengths), and are available in a large assortment of vibrant colors and prints,
Environmentally friendly hemp leashes, collars and toys are all the rage this year, and you should definitely give them a try! Find them at Robbins Pet Care and be sure to snag both a collar and matching leash while you are there! Also check out The Good Dog Company for a huge selection of hemp leashes and collars! There are so many options to pick from, and truly something for everyone!
Don’t stop making your pup green when you purchase your hemp collar and lead. There are tons of toys on the market like these, which come with squeakers!
Or these, sustainable, brightly colored hemp bones from Harry Barker!
Don’t stop there; you can pick up a variety of hemp dog beds, too! My personal favorite is the Harry Barker hemp beds, but they are a bit costly, and there are cheaper alternatives on the market.
You can even find clothes for your pooch made from hemp, like this pink hemp dog dress!!
You can even buy bars of hemp soap for your dog! This hemp pet carrier is perfect for traveling with small dogs!
Isn't this pillow the cutest? Hand stitched from the finest needlepoint. When they had this sale they had a variety of breeds.
As a dog lover, I am always excited when I find cute ways to incorporate my beloved Golden Retriever and her accoutrement into my home decorating, while maintaining function, and not breaking the bank.
There are some beautiful, classic and preppy dog beds by Harry Barker on One Kings Lane right now. Act fast, the sale ends on March 12th at 11:00am.
Harry Barker was started on a kitchen table in a New York City loft by Carol Perkins. Perkins, an ex-model, made her Broadway debut as a fire-eater with Penn & Teller. She began creating dog beds, toys and robes for friends while recovering from a rare type of brain tumor. Harry Barker, named after her Super-Sheltie, came to be. These cozy, eco-friendly canine beds are as warm and unique as the woman who created them.
My personal style is very preppy, and the toile bed is my favorite! It comes in red, blue, green, brown, and black toile so there's an option for every style!
The beds are eco-friendly, durable, mildew-resistant, antibacterial, anti fungal and grown-pesticide free. Made from hemp, with the padded insert made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles, these are very sustainable. Though the beds come in various shades, they’re “green” in every hue. They come in solids, stripes, toile, and even silhouettes in a variety of colors and sizes ranging from 25 inches to 45 inches. The beds range from $59-79, and are marked up to 45% off.
If you are not already a member of One Kings Lane and would like and invitation leave a comment with your email address, and I will send a personal invitation your way right away!
I ran home at lunch to get something my landlord left for me. While I was home I checked on Milly, made sure her fans were on, she had plenty of water, played fetch, etc. Milly stays in my sun room while I'm at work, and the sun room attaches to our fenced in backyard. This way she is able to come inside whenever she wants, but still can play outside if she so chooses. I find this set up to be much nicer than leaving her in my bedroom or crating her while I'm away.
Anyways, so I get home, open the sun room door and notice something odd looking on her bed. At first I'm thinking is that poop? But as I get closer it looks like it has different colors, and I have no idea what it is. I finally get with in a few feet of the dog bed and see little feet (no pun intended) attached to a black and red mass. Turns out my bird dog decided to indulge on a baby bird today. I cleaned up the bed, removed dead baby bird and gave Milly a plush toy to keep her occupied.
I know that this instinct is bred into her, and therefore I cannot punish her, but boy was I grossed out! Nothing like going home to play with your pooch and finding a baby bird carcass (guts strewn across the dog bed) to make you lose your appetite.
This morning I over slept, and woke up in a zombie like state (many nights I suffer from a combination of muscle spasms from a shoulder surgery I had a few years ago and insomnia – last night was one such night). On days that I over sleep I usually find a way to put myself together as quickly as possible, and often opt to endorse a sense of contrived sloppiness. The hair, though disheveled is neatly pulled from my face, simple blue jeans, a beautiful Lilly Pulitzer shirt, un-tucked, and slightly wrinkled, and simple flats. I decided to wear “no-makeup” and simply smeared a little bit of tinted moisturizer and concealer across my face, as I said, no makeup. Haha. In order to tie it all together I hastily selected a pair of earrings from Tiffany & Co. my brother and sister-in-law gave me a few years ago for my birthday. I took one quick look in the mirror to approve of my contrived sloppiness, and whistled to Milly to get up from her bed and together we happily walked to the kitchen for our breakfast.
I got a few compliments on the earrings today, and was thrilled. I love wearing them, even though they clearly scream Tiffany & Co., they are the classic silver open hearts. Despite the commercialization of Tiffany’s, and the huge amount of reproductions and counterfeit products out there, there is nothing like being presented with that little robin’s egg blue box, so neatly tied with the satin ribbon.
So why not be a bit over the top and entirely too indulgent for this economy, and share this blue box with your dog on a daily basis! This “Sniffany & Co.” dog bed will keep you smiling, have guests laughing, and is soft enough to have your pooch snoring in no time. You could even consider pairing it with a diamond chew toy! Or, perhaps your pooch would like a nice “Hairy Winston”??
