[opus987]

Has there been any scientific study of crate pads, which might be best? There are lots of pads that look comfy, but who knows whether the dog really likes it... Any recommendations?

[OC_Spirit]

I just use folded up olb blankets in my crates It''s effective, the dogs can move them around to suit their liking and if one gets chewed up or soiled beyond washing its cheap to replace!

[sydney-the-cattle-dog]

I first tried a lovely fluffy dog pillow which worked great till Sydney ate it!
So I put another one just like it in there and well, he ate that one as well.
(I guess I'm a slow learner)
So I decided to just leave the crate bare with just the plastic pull-out tray and you know what, he at that too!

Puppy hood has been a rough ride in the destructive chewing dept.

Well now that he is a bit older (18 mos) I have given him a new crate pad which is about 1 1/2 in thick and this one is doing just fine.

In the end I think anything that is a bit soft will work, just as long as it doesn't get eaten.

[britishbandit]

My dogs hate pads and blankets...LOL. I've tried to use all kinds because of the calluses they get on their elbows from being big and always resting on hard surfaces (which they seem to prefer). But put anything in the crate, and the kick it up so its smooshed up the back. No point, so they just go in the crate as is. But hey, they like it.

[opus987]

Originally Posted by sydney-the-cattle-dog

In the end I think anything that is a bit soft will work, just as long as it doesn't get eaten.

Yes, but how do we know this? Could be that the dog is miserable, but he's trained to use the crate so he'll go right in regardless of what bedding is in there.

[RonE]

We did a very unscientific study when Esther was regularly crated.

We tried the commerical fitted pads. We tried a couple of tied rag rugs. We tried old beach towels. Esther trashed all of them and I'd be pulling long pieces out of her butt for my trouble.

We removed some avocado green wool carpeting out of a house we're renovating (very good quality, but terminally ugly) and she loves it in her kennel. She lies on another peice of it in the garage to watch me doing chores. Yet another piece is in the back of my van for her. There's more going into a basement room where she hangs out sometimes.

[Curbside Prophet]

This looks like some basic science was put to good use, but it also looks very expensive.
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