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May 7, 2019

Big Barker Beds – A Six Year Review

Panic ensues when the dogs find a strange man in their bed I’m often asked to write product reviews but generally pass because most companies find my recommended testing period of “a few years or so” to be a bit much. But every once in awhile I like to offer an unsolicited review of a product I’ve found stands the test of time/Penny, and is worth your consideration. I have no affiliation with these manufacturers, but if you purchase products via affiliate links a portion of the proceeds goes towards Penny and Zero's college fund. Nearly a decade ago, when I was considering which dog bed to buy, I thought about the purchase as an expense. A necessary expense, but an expense nonetheless. I quickly bought an inexpensive foam bed and Eko seemed quite happy to sleep on it. Mission accomplished! Or so I thought.
Panic ensues when the dogs find a strange man in their bed

I’m often asked to write product reviews but generally pass because most companies find my recommended testing period of “a few years or so” to be a bit much. But every once in awhile I like to offer an unsolicited review of a product I’ve found stands the test of time/Penny, and is worth your consideration. I have no affiliation with these manufacturers, but if you purchase products via affiliate links a portion of the proceeds goes towards Penny and Zero’s college fund.

Nearly a decade ago, when I was considering which dog bed to buy, I thought about the purchase as an expense. A necessary expense, but an expense nonetheless. I quickly bought an inexpensive foam bed and Eko seemed quite happy to sleep on it. Mission accomplished! Or so I thought.

Over the months, an Eko shaped depression formed in the center of the bed. Eventually, the bed was so concave I realized Eko was sleeping with only the thinnest support between him and the floor. I went out and purchased a new foam bed for slightly more money than the original. It lasted slightly longer before deflating. At this rate, I calculated I would spend approximately $1000 over Eko’s lifetime to keep a comfortable foam bed under him each night. There had to be a better option.

That’s when I discovered Big Barker Beds. Despite my experience with cheaper foam beds (and slightly worried the same might happen with any foam bed), I hemmed and hawed about spending $200 on a dog bed. What helped me make the decision to buy the bed was understanding the purchase was not an expense, but an investment. Investing in a better bed means investing in better sleep, better joint support and better comfort for your dog.

About the time I realized Penny needed a Big Barker of her own

A quality dog bed is a worthy investment, especially for larger breeds in need of more substantial support. And what has been the return on my investment? In the six years since I purchased the Big Barker it’s been slept on every night, often by two dogs, occasionally by a sleepy human parent . It’s been across the country multiple times for vacations, laid out on sunny porches as often as indoors. It’s endured countless hours of Ridgeback roulette – the dogs spinning and pawing until finally flopping down for the night. Six years of washing/drying a cover that still fits and works just as well as the day I bought it.

Once it became clear how fantastic the Big Barker Bed is, I had no problem ponying up to buy Penny one as well. For some reason (I blame being a sleep-deprived new dad) I put Penny’s bed in Zero’s crate when he was still a puppy. Shockingly, he tore it up. I salvaged the remains to make a travel bed and then hopped on Amazon to see what the damage would be for a replacement.

I purchased a Big Barker in 2013 for $200, and imagined the word was out about their quality and demand had pushed the price up substantially. Much to my surprise, the price of a Big Barker in 2019? $200. The company doesn’t run sales, but I don’t think they need to – these beds are worth every dollar. If the company’s 10-year no-flatten warranty doesn’t put your mind at ease, you can check out this comparison between our six-year-old bed and the brand new one.

Human child for scale

The older bed has compressed by about ½ inch, but once covered it’s visually and functionally indistinguishable from the newer one. The dogs are quite content to stretch out on whichever bed happens to have the most sun.

If you’re in the market for a dog bed, I highly recommend you consider purchasing a Big Barker. The beds are a great investment in your dog’s health and comfort. If you have any questions about how the beds look/perform in person feel free to drop me a line anytime.

Comments for Big Barker Beds – A Six Year Review

  1. thanks for a comfy review… I think I will oder one for me and mark, we have no longer a place to sleep LOL

  2. We’ve got Big Barkers and I couldn’t agree more. The first was ordered 6 years ago for my then ailing German Shepherd, Lewis. I wanted him to be comfortable and was tired of buying foam and fiber fill beds that flattened so quickly. He had some incontinence issues so I also ordered the Big Barker liner as well and it worked great. A year later I ordered another Big Barker for our new pup, Zoe, a Ridgeback mix. After Lewis’s death, Kaylee, a terrier mix, came to us and became Zoe’s constant companion. Not only have they logged many hours of sleep on these beds, they’ve certainly spent a good deal of time jumping on and bounding across them. The beds have held up wonderfully to their shenanigans.

  3. Tracie McGuire says:

    I LOVE my Big Barker Beds!! Thank you again for mentioning how truly amazing these beds are. I’m not exactly sure when, but you previously discussed the success you had with these beds and after some further research i proceeded to invest in one. Although I have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, I wanted to give the Big Barker Bed a try before investing $400 into it bed my dogs may not like. I could not be more thrilled with my investment! So much so that after a few months, I purchased a second Big Barker bed.
    I was not aware of the Big Barker Bed company until you wrote about it in one of your previous blogs, where you specifically stating you received no compensation for your review. Although I’ve always enjoyed reading about your adventures and experiences, that fact gave me further confidence in your unbiased opinion. I cannot thank you enough for turning me onto such a wonderful company. I can rest easy knowing my dogs are fully supported and not millimeters away from sleeping on our hardwood floors.
    I write this extremely long (SORRY EVERYONE) response to your blog today to personally thank you for turning me on to this truly wonderful company. I rest easy every night knowing that my babies are sleeping on a mattress I feel comfortable sleeping on myself (and have ). I will forever be in your gratitude for the piece of mind you have given by enlightening me this company. I want to truly Thank you from the bottom of my heart. All the best to you and yours ❤️
    Tracie, Zeus, and Demi!

  4. Will (MarkingOurTerritory.com) says:

    We’ve napped on them on more than one occasion for sure!

  5. Will (MarkingOurTerritory.com) says:

    You don’t think of a bed as a family heirloom but this one really is! It brings me a lot of joy to know Penny and Zero curl up together where Eko and Penny once rested their heads.

  6. Now that’s a worthy recommendation to consider. I know I’ve suffered from the short sighted short term vision too. And I’m not even a sleep deprived dad! Thanks for sharing your experience.

  7. John says:

    Did you purchase the large or extra-large size?
    We also have 2 RRs, so I am torn between getting 2 Big Barkers or simply giving up the sitting area of our bedroom and buying a twin bed for the dogs.

  8. Will (MarkingOurTerritory.com) says:

    I have two larges that are next to each other and the dogs sprawl across both in various formations or go to an individual bed if they feel like. But if I was starting from scratch I would probably order one Giant-sized big barker. It would be a slightly smaller footprint but still enough space for my two to sleep comfortably

  9. Wanda W. says:

    We bought a Large Big Barker for our 10 y/o, 50lb 10 y/o Boxer after he developed.some neck issues. I told his doggy chiropractor about the bed and we are thrilled with the support. He likes it but was shoved out by our 16 y/o old Bostie and 2 other 5 y/o Boston Terriers. So we bought another one. The Big Barket beds are the Real Deal!

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