The Fur King 'Nap Time' Calming Dog Bed Review: A Closer Look

Does your dog have anxiety? Perhaps struggle with night terrors? Or do you have an excitable puppy on your hands that can’t keep still, even at bedtime?

Looks like you might need a calming dog bed. Today we’re reviewing a bed from Pet Parlour’s own brand, the Fur King Calming Dog Bed. I tested this bed with my two dogs Pip and Blue to bring you my honest opinion of how it could work for your dog.

Disclosure: This bed was gifted to me but this article is not sponsored. I will be giving my honest opinion of this bed, warts and all. If you choose to use our link to purchase the bed, we get a small kickback to support the blog. If you love what we do and this bed sounds like a good fit for your pup, consider supporting us by using our link.

Fur King Calming Dog Bed At A Glance

The Fur King Calming Dog Bed is designed for dogs with anxious dispositions. I have one such dog at home so he was the perfect candidate to put it to the test.

The bed is comfortable, warming and truly calming. The round cocoon shape allows your dog to sink in. The cover is soft to the touch without compromising durability.

Best of all, this bed is 100% Australian-made, well-reviewed and has free shipping within Australia.

The only (minor) gripes I have would be the firmness of the mattress, but sinking into the bed is a big part of the calming/hugging effect. Beyond that, this is a great all-rounder for any dog!

Who Is This Bed For? A Brief Explanation On Calming Dog Beds

And while anxiety can naturally ease with age and increased confidence, it helps to have the right tools on your side to help your dog feel less anxious.

Calming dog beds can be one of those tools. Having a good bed that allows your dog to feel comforted and supported can help ease symptoms of anxiety.

Initially, it will take more instruction from you to encourage your pup to use the bed as a calm space. It may take some time but you’ll find that your dog will gravitate to the bed when they feel stressed to self-soothe.

The Perfect Calming Dog Bed? Fur King Calming Dog Bed In-Depth Review

Having reviewed many of the best dog beds on the Australian market, we tend to use the following metrics to measure the quality of a bed.

Comfort level 4.5/5

So in theory, the main premise of a calming dog bed is the comfort level. After all, a calming bed has a tall order to fulfil. It has to be both conducive to a good’s night sleep and snuggly enough to calm your dog’s nerves. I can assure you that the Fur King bed covers both aspects beautifully.

The doughnut shape allows your dog to sink deeply. The bed envelops your dog with a slightly raised perimeter and holds your dog like a warm hug.

The star of the show when it comes to comfort is clearly the shag faux fur cover. It feels lush and dense. My dog absolutely loved burying himself in the fur and rolling around. He never seemed so comfortable as when laying gracefully on this bed.

So what’s the catch? Personally, I found the mattress to be a little lacklustre. This could be because my dogs and I are spoilt with orthopedic beds in our home. Orthopedic beds have strong, thick memory foam bases that make you feel you’re laying on a cloud. This bed didn’t quite give the same sensation. The central mattress is much flatter and less bouncy than a memory foam mattress would be.

That said, not all dogs need memory foam mattresses. My Pip has no joint issues whatsoever, despite his old age, so he found the bed perfectly acceptable for his needs.

He is also the more anxious of my two dogs. I found he did calm instantly if I instructed him to lay on his bed after a mad barking fit outside. So the bed does what it says it’s going to do.

I just caution that this probably isn’t the best bed for dogs with joint issues. My dog Blue, though she loves the cover, has a much better supported night’s sleep on an Ortho Bed as opposed to this one.

I would also say that the furry exterior is both a pro and a con depending on the dog. Pip loves it as he is a short-haired beast that can get cold at night. This bed provides the warmth he craves. On the other hand, Blue gets hot at night. So although she enjoys the feeling of this bed at first, she inevitably moves away from it when she gets too hot (although she does this with our ortho bed too).

Durability 3/5

Build quality is important when looking into a fantastic dog bed for your pooch. Overall, the build is good but could be better in some areas.

The cover is fabulous. We washed the cover and found no pilling or stray faux fur in the machine. We’ll come back to that later but provided the cover doesn’t melt in the wash, it’s a great cover in my book.

The mattress I think will wear over time. That’s not to say it isn’t plump and comfy when they arrive. It is! I just foresee a time when the pillows will need replacing as they don’t quite retain the same structure as other foam mattresses might.

Again, this is not a fault if your dog doesn’t need a foam mattress. I think lighter small to medium dogs will get more mileage out of this bed than heavy large and extra-large breeds will.

Sizing 5/5

When it comes to Fur King, you can always count on a representative size range! The calming dog bed does not disappoint. There are 4 sizes in total:

I was sent the XL and it was huge! Both of my dogs had plenty of space. They could even share the bed if they truly wanted to (but they rarely do).

For context, Pip is a Podengo so about the same size as a Basenji. Blue is a Flat Coated Retriever. She’s a similar size to other retrievers her age.

Related How To Choose The Right Size Dog Bed?

On the Pet Parlour website, you can see previous reviews with images of  Chihuahuas, Saint Bernards, Terriers, Labradors and Alaskan Malamutes enjoying this bed.

Best of all, Pet Parlour has a handy sizing tool on the website where you can indicate your dog’s breed and they’ll match you with the perfect size.

Rest assured the size of your dog is no object here. All dogs are welcome!

Cleaning and maintenance 3.5/5

Cleaning was incredibly easy. It takes maximum of 10 seconds to whip off the cover after carefully unzipping it. The cover is lined with a water-resistant inner layer to prevent any leaks or spills from reaching the mattress. This will maintain the cleanliness and integrity of the mattress over time.

Washing the fur cover on a cool wash presented no issues. We air-dried the cover after washing. It took roughly 3 hours in the hot sun to dry fully. It also wasn’t too heavy when it came out of the washing machine which I did fear. It could’ve been like washing a rug where the fur absorbs all the water and becomes a sloppy mess. This cover seemed to avoid that fate.

So why the average score? Putting the cover back on! Maybe putting covers back on beds is just not one of my talents. It’s probably easier with two pairs of hands, but solo, it was a struggle.

Shipping 5/5

Shipping is fast and completely free within Australia! The bed comes prepacked and ready fresh out of the box. I let the bed settle and puff up slightly after being so tightly rolled in its tube cardboard package. It only took about 20mins to settle into its full form.

Value for money 4.5/5

Of course, “affordable” is a relative term. You also might measure the value for money differently depending on your criteria. Here’s my take:

If you’re looking for a true calming dog bed that appears to soothe the woes of your anxious pup in no time? It’s worth every penny. This bed lives up to its promise and I would highly recommend it to any pet parent with a pup that is constantly on edge.

If you are looking for a bed that is going to provide your dog with supreme comfort, this is still a good choice. But personally, I would prefer a firmer mattress (although ortho beds are far pricier).

If you’re looking for a bed that will last you years and years to come, I think the Fur King both excels. The bed cover seems indestructible. My dog has scratched, jumped and rolled all over this bed and it’s showing no sign of damage. However, I do think the mattress and pillows will give out over the years if my dog continues to roughhouse it. If your dogs are better behaved or lighter in weight than mine, then it should last longer for you.

Fur King Calming Dog Bed Is Not For Your Dog If…

Nothing is perfect! Here are the reasons you may want to skip this product.

You want a dog bed with extra orthopedic support

This is a fabulous standard dog bed for your pup. There are no frills with this mattress. It’s simple, bouncy enough and well-shaped. However, for those looking for a mattress with more firmness and support, this is not the bed I would recommend.

You are on a tight budget

Dollar for dollar, this bed packs a punch. It’s a great bang for your buck to purchase an Australian-made bed with free shipping and a well-made cover. That said, you will likely spend over $100 for the smallest size and that’s not accessible to everyone. If you’re on a tight budget, there are cheaper alternatives you can look into.

Your dog has long hair and gets hot at night

As previously mentioned, this bed is an excellent warming choice for short-haired breeds. Some long-haired breeds may be fine with it too. My dog Blue doesn’t like to be too warm when she sleeps so it seemed uncomfortable for her during long sleep periods. The fur cover was more appreciated by my short-haired dog Pip who adored the extra warmth. I can see this bed being a hit during cold winter nights.

The Final Verdict: Should You Buy This Bed?

While it’s not perfect, in this reviewer’s eyes, this bed is pretty damn close! With the Fur King Calming bed you can expect a bed that does exactly what it describes. It’ll wrap up your dog in soft, soothing material and help keep the peace. Add to that an excellent size range and durable cover and you’re onto a winner. I can look past the annoyance of putting the cover back on and acknowledge how spoilt my dogs are when it comes to memory foam mattresses  which this doesn’t have. For those reasons, overall I highly recommend this bed.

Thank you to Pet Parlour for sending us this bed to review. If you want to grab your own, you can use our links to support the Gentle Dog Trainers blog!

References:

1. Kriss, R. January 15, 2021. “Understanding, Preventing, and Treating Dog Anxiety”. American Kennel Club. Retrieved August 23, 2022. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/treating-dog-anxiety/
2.  Horwitz, D & Landsberg, G. “Separation Anxiety in Dogs”. VCA Hospitals. Retrieved August 23, 2022.  https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/separation-anxiety-in-dogs
3. Grzyb, K. January 19, 2016. “7 Signs of Dog Dementia”. PetMD. Retrieved August 23, 2022.  https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/5-signs-dog-dementia