Luxury Microsuede Cozy Cave Pet Bed for Small Dogs & Cats - Ultra Soft & Warm Anthracite Gray - Perfect for Indoor Use, Crate Training & Cold Weather Comfort

Our rat terrier is getting on in years and suffers quite a bit from the cold--for a long time he was fine as long as we put on a doggy sweater or vest for going outdoors, and he definitely needed a blanket to cover him at night even though his bed was located in the warmest spot in the house...if anyone forgot to tuck him in or didn't get around to it fast enough he would stand and glare at the offending party until the matter was settled!I saw these last winter and thought one of them would be great for him, but we hesitated because of the cost, and also because I wasn't sure how well he would take to a new bed (he is a bit of a stubborn old cuss) and I wondered how durable it would turn out to be--so ended up not doing anything until this year. As a short-haired dog, he has always been sensitive to the cold, but this year has been worse; his coat has gotten thinner and he has been quite miserable, shivering more than usual and even while wearing a thick and heavy wool Chilly Dog sweater, so we decided to go ahead and take a chance on this bed. I ran across this model (the luxury has the microsuede fabric vs the basic cotton blend on the regular version) at a great price. I read many of the reviews to help determine which size to get and ended up ordering the large size bed...it arrived yesterday and looks much nicer than I expected (I have to admit I was a bit concerned about ordering this sight unseen simply because we have purchased so many dog beds that turned out to be cheaply made or would fall apart in no time) but this one seems to be very well constructed. It is nice and thick and I like that the cushion can be removed so the covering can be washed. The fleecy part seems warm and cozy. At first, he didn't realize he was supposed to get inside of the bed and he insisted on laying on top of it. Even when we held it open and tried to encourage him to enter, he wasn't having it. I read some of the reviews of people with similar problems and was worried that I had wasted a lot of money on something that wasn't going to get used. Finally, my husband just gathered him up and deposited him inside--he was disgruntled, but then it took him about 3 seconds to decide he really liked it in there! The next time, he wanted to get in by himself, but he was a still a bit reluctant and someone needed to hold the cover up--the inner support doesn't hold it open as far as it appears in the picture (it looks a bit like a slightly collapsed tent--hard to tell how generous the opening really is) but he got used to it after a couple of tries and now he is in and out whenever he wants. Outside of the opening, the bed looks exactly as pictured--the cushion is really thick and soft (he just kind of burrows into it) and the fleece is is also soft and very plush. This is a great dog bed and he is absolutely reveling in it...one of our other dogs is a bit jealous, and she wants to get in, too, but so far he has been resistant to inviting guests to share his new bed. He is a fairly small dog and only weighs about 15 or 16 pounds so there is more than enough room for him. There is space for the other dog, too but it would probably be a pretty tight fit for the two of them (she is about twice as big--perhaps 35 or 40 pounds, and I think this large size bed would be perfect for a dog of her size). Initially I thought the small model might be best, but the large was on sale for only two dollars more, so that's the one I bought, and it was the right choice. We have yet another dog--an Akita, pretty good sized--maybe 80-85 pounds or so and he would not even come lose to being able to comfortably fit in this bed (in case this information helps anyone else choose a size). Luckily for my budget, the other dogs are content with their current dog beds + they have plenty of fur to help keep them warm!