How I made 6 dog beds/crate mats for $.50!

Now, I can't guarantee everyone can make them for this cheap. But if you do the same as me you can still make them much cheaper then what a normal dog bed costs. The first thing I did was scout local thrift stores for a cheap comforter. You can also check garage sales or see if friends/family have any they want to get rid of. The comforter I bought was marked $.99 but happened to be one of the half priced items for the day. I was VERY excited about this find! 

Now the first thing I did was to use safety pins to mark my lines after measuring the comforter for the sizes I wanted. I needed two that matched crates I had and then the others were various sizes. 

As you can see here there are two lines of pins. This was is because the comforter is really large and having a guide on each side made it much easier to make a straight line (Honestly though, your dogs won't care about a straight line. It's more for you.)

Also, try to make sure the pins go all the way through like the above photo. This is because comforters have two separate pieces of material plus a filling. The pins going all the way through will help hold everything in place so there's less chance of bunching. 

As you can see, Stormy and Monyah were ready for their beds! They slept on the part of the comforter I had draped across the chair while I worked on the beds. 

After I sewed the first line I then sewed a second parallel to it. The reason I did this was because I didn't want the fill to come out when I cut the sections. If you wanted to add fill you would have to leave one side open. 

The above is what it looks like after you cut between the sewn lines. I worked from one end of the comforter to slowly shrink it and make it easier to work with. 

The girls already staking their claim on the first two beds I finished. 

A tip for working with something this large is to roll the sides to fit through your machine after you have marked your lines. As you can see my machine isn't really made for large project but I made it work. 

As you can see I was able to make several sizes that would work for a large dog as well. 

I love the versatility of this project! I did not do anything to conceal the edges but you could easily fold them over and sew them or add a cute trim. Comforters come in many colors so you can find one to suit any decor. As mentioned before you can also add extra padding inside them to make them fluffier. I wanted some of these for crates so I didn't want them extremely padded.

Heart

Heart was born on Christmas Eve. She's very high energy and very smart. 

 Being Goofy!

Stormy

If you've ever fell in love with a breed of dog you know how hard it is to live without that breed. I grew up with poodles and and had always had one till about 6yrs ago. Having a poodle in my life was something I sorely missed. So by chance I happened to get this sweet girl! 

This is Stormy! My little poodle Princess! She's as sweet as she looks and has been attached to my hip since she met me. She's also a 5yr old retired champion. 

How to choose a groomer

It's not always easy finding the perfect groomer for your furbaby. Unlike hairstylists for people, groomers are so much more than just people who make your dog look pretty. Groomers often are the first to discover developing health issues. They do things like clean out ears and anal glands, remove mats and dirt to prevent health problems. It's often said that groomers are closer to their clients and are rated of higher importance to them than their veterinarian! Wow, that's an honor!

So what should you look for when selecting this very important person for your furbaby?

First of all, you should know that their is no official licensing for groomers. I tend to not see this as an issue because human hairstylists ARE heavily licensed, yet I have been cut and burned by different stylists and received many a poor haircut! To me the licensing does very little. However, there are many ways to help ensure you find a good groomer.

Here are some questions to ask:

1. Is your business insured?

Whether the groomer works from their home or a store front they should carry insurance. The last thing you want is something to happen to your furbaby and be stuck holding the bill for the incident. As a professional I pride myself on being able to cover anything that could possibly happen to a dog in my care. Even though I'm cautious, we do work with sharp objects and live animals so the possibility of an accident is always there.

2. Are you or your staff CPR & first aid certified?

Again, your pet's health is of utmost importance. Knowing your groomer has been trained to handle medical emergencies is vital. It's especially important if your dog is elderly or has known medical conditions. I feel every groomer should have this training.

3. Do you have an emergency preparedness plan?

It might seem overkill, but if a natural disaster hit what would happen to your dog? Would it be relocated? Where to? How would you contact them? Are you comfortable with this plan?

4. How do you deal with behavioral issues?

This is a personal preference question. But even if your dog has always been good you should ask. Dogs have bad days too, they may have injured a foot or developing arthritis. Some people are comfortable with their dog being muzzled or restrained certain ways and others are not. Know ahead of time what will be done if your dog decides to be a little ornery. Then you can decide if that is the type of groomer you want to use.

5. How soon can they get you in?

This may seem a strange thing to ask for an interview. But I prefer to do business with people that are booked up! It shows they have lots of steady clients. If every time you call they can get you in now or tomorrow, I hesitate. Why do they have so much room? Do customers try once and never return? Are they squeezing too many in? My exception is new businesses and an occasional quick opening that could be a last minute cancellation.

6. What do you do for continuing education?

Grooming and pet care is an ever changing thing, just like the rest of the world. And no one can know everything. If a groomer ever makes it sound like they don't need to learn, don't walk but RUN away! There are many types of continued education including books, videos, seminars, conventions, private lessons with top groomers, Master certification and competing. These are all important especially seminars and conventions because they teach all of the above that I have mentioned. They cover cpr, first aid, insurance, emergency preparedness, skin and coat conditions, signs & symptoms of medical conditions and so much more!

7. Do you have experience with my breed and do you have photos of the work you've done on said breed or similar?

Your dog doesn't need to be a show dog to have the breed look. If you're unsure of what your breed should look like then Google it. The best reference is show dogs, keeping in mind that unless your dog came from a show kennel the look won't be exact. But a good groomer can get close if you're willing to brush the hair and maintain it. If they cannot get close they should be able to explain why, such as your dogs coat lays differently, etc. Asking to see photos of other dogs of your breed they've groomed can also give you an idea of what they can do. This also goes for Asian fusion or creative if that's what you're looking for.

8. Is not a question but rather a warning. As with most things, you get what you pay for. If you choose a groomer solely based on price you probably won't get a very good service(there are exceptions but they are rare). A cheap groomer is rarely able to afford insurance, cpr & first aid lessons, seminars and educational material, good quality products and many other things a good groomer should have. None of these things come cheap  (just look up the price of grooming shears!), so groomers should be charging a price to make sure they can provide the quality you and your pet deserve.

So tell me, what questions do you ask your groomer?