DIY Pet Bed

First of all, big news: we got a puppy! Meet Finn, the newest member of our family, enjoying his new bed. We’ve been wanting a dog for a very long time, but the timing has never been perfect. Although Kalyn and I really weren’t planning to get a puppy, we decided- why not? On a bit of a whim, we went to “look” at the little guy and the next thing I know he’s in my lap and we’re headed home, totally unprepared. We’re talking no leash, no food, no bed, no crate… nothing. With zero essentials, a trip to the pet store on our way home was necessary. Long story short- we made it home and I realized we just paid a lot of money for an ugly pet bed at a big box store that he will most likely grow out of in a few months. Until our puppy is older and we want to invest in a higher quality pet bed, I decided making my own was the way to go.

I went into the fabric store hoping to find a really cool southwestern print, but of course no luck! I settled for a basic black and white heavy duty flannel because it’s soft and durable, although not as trendy as the print I was hoping for.

I used a tutorial from Design Sponge; you can find it here. I went by this DIY exactly. If you have basic sewing knowledge, you can definitely make this, it’s really easy and there are step-by-step photo instructions. Decide which size bed best fits your dog, select your fabric (I used 3 different kinds), cut your template, and start sewing! The entire process only took me a couple of hours and was pretty inexpensive; so if it gets ruined, it won’t be too painful to make a new bed.

I made my bed extra large because Finn is a giant schnauzer and will grow to be around 100 pounds. The bed may look too large now, but he’ll grow one inch taller every week! Today, he is 12 weeks old and already weighs 26 pounds; we’ve got ourselves a pretty big puppy. Nonetheless, he seems to look comfy and like his new bed.

I’m sure you all will be seeing plenty of Finn in the future. He’s too cute not to take photos; I can’t resist. We start “Puppy Kindergarten” (obedience school) tonight, so I’m sure I’ll have some funny stories. Pet and dog tips appreciated, please send them my way!