for buddy

 

(Buddy, this morning, napping around the corner from my desk.)

Buddy, the best dog in the history of all canines, is now over 12 years old. He is starting to slow down a bit and has some arthritis developing in his hips. (I am going to stick to the facts here because this is more upsetting to me than I care to delve into right now.) I had planned to make new dog beds for the winter and I want some feedback on my new idea.

For background, I made the beds that Buddy and Maggie currently use. They have "upstairs beds" in our room made from eggcrate foam covered with fleece. The "downstairs beds" used in the family room are made from thinner foam covered in thin-wale corduroy.

In any event, geez Louise, memory foam dog beds are in the $300 - $500 range. I have to get two identical beds or the dogs will just jockey for position on the favorite and Budddy would lose that contest these days. I do not have a $1000 dog bed budget (does anyone?) so I am going to be making this baby myself.

Here's the plan: Overstock.com has 2-inch memory foam toppers in California King size (70 x 80 inches) for $39.99. Cut in fourths, I can make two 35 x 40 beds with four inches of foam (spray adhesive -- and its accompanying bad attitude -- in between -- Curse you, spray adhesive!). Put the memory foam sandwich on a 2-inch pad of regular (cheap) foam and anchor the stack with still more spray adhesive. Then, make a cover. My dogs are partial to polar fleece for winter, just because they are spoiled that way.

Tada! Success -- at least in my head -- means two memory foam dog beds for less than $75. If I am missing some glaring reason why this won't work, please tell me now. Can I cut memory foam with an electric knife, just like regular foam? Does it soak up spray adhesive in some weird way of which I am unaware? If it is really this easy, why are people spending $500 for these beds?

There's a catch. I'm sure of it.