Take my word for it, no matter how much you want your new puppy to sleep with you, this is not the best option. Especially when youre dealing with a 75-pound behemoth thats scared of a little thunder. Your king-sized bed suddenly becomes half a twin-size bed. So next to food and a trip to the vet, a good dog bed should be one of your first major purchases. But what kind of dog bed should you get? There are literally hundreds of choices. For instance:

• Large dog beds for the type of dog mentioned in the first paragraph
• Outdoor beds for the pooch who prefers sleeping under the stars
• Fancy designer beds for the pampered pooch thats probably related to Paris Hiltons Tinkerbelle
• Travel and car beds for the dogs who spend a lot of time on the road
• Heated beds for the cold-natured little breeds
• Orthopedic beds for the pooches getting up there in age
• Iron beds for the decorating pooches in your household
• Chew-proof beds forwellyou know
• And waterproof beds for the little pups who sometimes get a little scared at nightyou know what I mean.

But no matter the bed you buy, there are a couple of rules you should be aware of. First, make sure every part of the bed is machine washable. No matter how many times you wash your dog, hes going to manage to smell up that bed. And if its a bed you keep in your own bedroom, the odors that will eventually emanate from that bed will give you nightmares.

Second, get a bed with cedar shavings or a thick foam pad as the padding. This will help immensely with keeping your favorite flea friends from becoming permanent residents of your dogs bed. Third, make sure you buy the right size dog bed. If possible, take your dog with you when you buy the bed. No matter how cute the bed is, or how well it goes with your home dcor, if your dog cant comfortably lay down in the bed, he wont use it.

Also, pay close attention to what the bed is made of. Wicker is cute and very stylish. But fleas love it. And for the dog that hasnt quite gotten over the chewing stage yet, a wicker bed is little more than the worlds largest chew toy. Beanbags are also popular dog beds because most people born in the late 60s still have one stowed away in their basements or attics somewhere (yes you do, admit it). But have you ever seen whats inside a beanbag? You will find out very quickly if Fido discovers how to operate the zipper that keeps the stuffing in the bag. You would be wise to leave the beanbag in the attic and open your wallet cheapskate.

So now that youve done the research, go out and buy your new best friend a great bed. Remember to get the proper size. Get one with cedar shaving or foam as the padding. Make sure all parts of the bed are machine washable. And most importantly, make sure Fido likes the bed or you will have an unwanted visitor in the middle of the nightespecially when theres thunder.