cold fabrics? Fabric divas need your help

[lady4feet]

K folks here's the background story. I recently just got a St. Bernard (His name is Bear, he's a big sweety  ) he's a large dog to say the least, almost 200 lbs large with a lot of fur. We live in AL and he seems to prefer to sleep on the bathroom floor cause it's cooler. I'd really like him to have a bed cause I know when he gets older he's going to need one (they have joint problems).

Are there any fabrics that seem to not hold the heat in as much as others? I was planning on getting some thick foam, wrapping that in an old blanket/comforter and making a removable slip cover (drool folks lots of drool) out of some nice cool fabric. Any suggestions on what to use? Or if this is a crappy idea what to do. *sigh* it was so much easier to make a bed for my maltese.

Thanks!

[Kaos]

I would suggest some kind of mesh maybe...so air could move through it. Or if you want something absorbent, maybe some cotton jersey. Good luck! I'd love to see what you come up with!

[butterbean]

Unfortunately the foam itself will hold in the heat.  Figured that out on my own bed LOL.  How about just making him a big ol' blanket with some nice fleece?  My dogs always liked that... they liked to dig around on it and worry it into the shape they wanted, plus it's easy to wash either at home or at the laundrymat.

Holly

[lady4feet]

Thanks for the input guys. I may forgo the foam, especially after I priced it the other day. I'm leaning toward a nice big fluffy blanket.

[mamastar]

I made a huge round bed for my doggie. one side is a thick twill and the other is a heavy duty, nubby fleece. For the inside i made a pillow out of cedar shavings and a bunch of leftover fabric. i covered that with the cheapest fabric i could find then put a zipper on the outer cover so i could remove and wash it. and when the inside gets nasty, i just toss it and make another one!

[Eliea]

I've been doing research on dog beds and it was recomended to use a crib matttress for the inside. you can get them off freecycle if you're a member. which I think you are. I too have a big dog but she's not going to be that big. (lab and goldie) and I'm hoping to make her a bed at some point using this method. As for cold fabrics I can't really help but I just thought I'd throw that in.

[MissCara]

Have you ever grabbed a nylon winter coat after wearing it outside and realized that that sucker stays cold?  Nylon!  It's not the best wearing fabric but it certainly stays chilly for a while.  For that matter, tiles do warm up after a period of sitting on them.  You might want to try nylon over fleece or something of that sort.

[erikau]

There are raised dog beds available which are made out of really big (2-3 inch?) pvc pipes, 3 way joints and caps.  They have short legs-6 inches-with a cap on the bottom.  The 3 way joints shouldnt be the t shaped ones, the legs all need to be at 90 degree angles to each other so one points down, one points toward the length side, and the other points toward the width side. (hard to explain.  imagine it as being one corner of a cube).  The hammock part is usually made out of one of the outdoor mesh fabrics.  The manufactured ones have casings sewn in  (with the corners cut out and bound), the casings should be a little shorter than the pvc sides, which are inserted before the joints are cemented into place.  I think on a homemade version grommets and rope lacing underneath might be be a good way to go, you could tighten it up as it loosens, or replace it completely.    These beds allow air to circulate, but get the dog off the hard floor. (you can also scrub them like patio furniture) With a Saint, you might want to put an extra pair of legs in the middle of the longer side for added support.  Try googling for raised dog beds or pvc dog beds for pictures.

You could always put the blanket *under* the bed to soak up the drool!

erika


edited to add:
I just googled pvc dog bed instructions, the first two (nonsponsored) links have very good instructions. 

[lady4feet]

Thanks for the responses guys. It seems Bear has been content to take over our giant bean bag chair for now. I like the idea of the raised bed idea. Maybe I can try it for the bedroom and the bean bag can stay in the living room.