Kong Dog Bed Review – A Couple of Complaints

One of the things we love to do as dog owners is to spoil our dogs. We love to buy them the best dog food, treats, and accessories to show them a little appreciation for the unconditional love they give to us each day. For those dog owners who have dogs that love to chew, trying to find a good, durable dog bed is hard to do. One well-known brand, Kong, makes a dog bed that is supposed to be chew-resistant, but there are some that have found some short-falls with it.

Kong has become well-known for its line of durable dog toys made even for the toughest chewing dogs. Dogs that often destroy toys in minutes have usually met their match when they are given a Kong toy. So when the Kong brand comes out with a dog bed, the reputation of the brand means that this dog bed will be of great quality and perfect for those dogs that love to chew. However, after reading several reviews, there seem to be quite a few unsatisfied customers (to be fair, a few were satisfied, but they were the minority).

KONG Chew Resistant Heavy Duty Pillow Bed

Features:

  • Large Size
  • Removable Cover for Washing
  • Carry Handle
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Click Here for Full Details & Price

The Kong dog bed is described as a chew-resistant dog bed made of durable, nylon material. The outer cover is removable so it is easy to clean. Note that that the manufacturer describes it as “chew resistant” and not “chew-proof”. Although nothing is chew-proof, it is hard to say something is chew-resistant and not have a lot of people interpret it a different way.

The main complaint with the Kong chew resistant dog beds is with the weaknesses around the seams. The seams are usually one of the first things that dogs chew on dog beds. They know that once they get the seam apart, the insides and all the fluff is theirs to create the biggest mess possible! The seams on the dog bed should be one of the things that is focused on for any future improvements to the bed design.

KONG Plush Lounger Dog Bed

Features:

  • Large Size
  • Removable Cover for Washing
  • Water Resistant Liner
Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details & Price

The other complaints with the Kong dog beds are just with durability. The majority of the reviewers state that the dog bed didn’t even last a day let alone a few months. Some of the dogs would chew off the tag or handle first then move to the seams or zipper. Some of them would chew holes right through the outer material first not even going for the ‘weaker’ areas like the seams or zipper.

The complaints with the Kong dog bed seemed to result from both big dogs and small dogs so they were not limited to the size or breed of dogs. On a positive note, it sounds like the stores and manufacturer were given good reviews on the ease of getting a refund for the dog bed when problems arose. That is great to hear because these dog beds cost a lot of money and when expectations aren’t met, who wants to deal with arguing with the store or manufacturer (or both) when trying to get your money back.

In conclusion, the Kong dog bed seems to be a disappointment to many of those who bought the bed with high expectations. The good news is that there are other options when it comes to durable dog beds.

Here are a few alternative durable dog beds that we found:

 

K9 Ballistics Chew Proof Elevated Dog Bed

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Click Here for Full Details
K9 Ballistics Round Orthopedic Dog Bed Nearly Indestructible & Chew Resistant

Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details
K9 Ballistics Tough Orthopedic Bolster Dog Bed

Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details
K9 Ballistics Round Dog Bed Nearly Indestructible & Chew Resistant, Waterproof

Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details
K9 Ballistics Tough Orthopedic Dog Bed

Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details
K9 Ballistics Tough Small Dog Bed

Find Out More
Click Here for Full Details

66 thoughts on “Kong Dog Bed Review – A Couple of Complaints”

  1. I was given a King lounger for my dogs for Christmas almost 5 years ago. I have 3 dogs that use it; a lab/mastiff. lab/golden and a Rhodesian/mix and other than washing the outside cover and adding stuffing, it has lasted all these years. The dogs range from 15-5 yrs. of age.

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  2. We’ve gone through a couple Kong Lounger beds and are very pleased with them. My only complaint is the interior cushions should be replaceable. We have a 2 y/o GS Pointer and a 4 y/o Lab Retriever, both were chewers as young pups and the Lab is an especially strong chewer. But keeping them exercised and using cheap chew toys that you knew would be trashed protected the beds. We’ve washed the exteriors multiple times with no problems. The interior cushions bunch up and eventually pick up a disagreeable odor that would require replacement, but I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Haven’t tried washing them but they look like they wouldn’t hold up well, and apparently can’t be put in the dryer. Suggestions appreciated.

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  3. I’ve had 2 Kong beds for years. Never had a problem with either. I have 3 Neopolitan Mastiffs, 1 that was a chewer, but for some reason she left these beds alone. After she passed I kept the beds for my 2 pugs. They are still in good shape. I don’t even bother taking the stuffing out to wash. I put the entire bed in the machine & wash it whenever it needs to be washed. My only complaint it that there aren’t replacement covers or rather waterproof liners so I can just pull the covers off & just wash them. It is a little bit of a pain to wash the entire bed & then have to wait until it’s dry to use. All in all I’m satisfied with their beds. And no, I don’t work for the company.

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  4. Bought the bed and left my dog with it with a sheet tied around it and came home to find a hole in it. Next day she tore the zipper off. Waste of money.

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  5. I don’t have any problems with our dogs chewing the bed. My problem is that it’s not waterproof and when one of my dogs threw up on it, it soaked through the outer cover to the porous inner sack holding the stuffing. I laundered the outer cover but the inner and the stuffing smell like vomit. When I contacted the company their best response was to tell me I could buy more stuffing at a craft store and gave me several links to buy a different bed from a different company.

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  6. Add us to the one day club. Has anyone got refund. My dogs ripped the corners of in less than a day

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  7. With the Kong bed did anyone find yellow rubber disc in the stuffing the size of a quarter?

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  8. My 6 month old pit tore it up in less than 5 minutes….i cant seam to find anything for her to sleep on that she wont tear up! Done w kong toys also. Shredded in 5 minutes

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  9. My puppies are 3 months old and weigh 4lbs…this bed lasted 1 night before they managed to tear out the corner that had the Kong logo on it. Two 4lb puppies in a 30in crate who are only ever in there at night with chew toys. I am sorry but I paid Really good money for the name brand and quality this company claims they have. I bought the polyester fiber bed …very disappointing.

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  10. This bed lasted 3 hours. My 1 year old lab ripped the zipper out, and that was the beginning of the end. She got to the bolster and tore that up, and then moved on to the main insert. A huge disappointment An definitely not worth $79.00.

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  11. The bed is great until it came time to wash it – the inner pillows were dried on low heat and the covers melted. Not a happy camper ?

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  12. I have washed the outer layer in my washer just fine… I am just nervous about washing the inside with the stuffing. Any suggestions?

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  13. Need some advice on cleaning the interior bags and stuffing on our Kong Bed. Our 16 year old mix of what I have no clue of, had an accident and wet the bed. Washed the cover, but wasn’t sure about the bags and filler. Didn’t want to wash them and get the filling all over and ruin the bags. Also I love this bed, I also have a 1 year Doberman/Lab mix that will shred anything she can get a hold of, We have had this bed for 3 months now and it is in perfect shape.

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  14. kong bed for kennel… 🙁 $65 and he chewed through the corner in less than 4 hours… Very Disappointed… He has tons of toys in with him.. but found the corner.. it’s going back today.. I was extremely hopeful because a majority of his toys are Kong… But this didn’t work at all..

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  15. My boyfriend bought a Kong bed for our two pitbulls. Doc is about 60lbs and our pup Twinkie is about 35lbs. At first we were kinda worried they wouldn’t take to their new bed but after an hour of sniffing it they laid down and slept on it together. They both loved laying on this bed. It was soft and durable. Didn’t take much to fluff the inside up. Then one night my boyfriend got up and couldn’t find Twinkie anywhere. We ended up finding her in the sunroom looking up at us with that “I didn’t do anything wrong look” on her adorable face. She tore her new bed apart. What a mess. The stuffing was everywhere. Took about an hour to clean that mess up. I was going to sew it back together but she really destroyed it.

    The Kong bed is a great product but for the price, dont buy it if you have puppies that still chew.

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  16. Kong bed chewed to pieces in an hour. Not even agressive chewing, sleeping on it overnight, some midnight chewing! He had entertainment all day playing with another dog….

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  17. I bought 2 kong beds because I was so impressed with the strength of the kong toys. But the beds are nothing like the toys, my husky had chewed holes in them in a matter of hours. Not impressed, don’t waste your money.

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  18. Thank goodness my dog is not a chewer. But she is a scratcher – scratching around to get her bed just right before she lies down. This has eventually torn the fabric. Several times, I stitched the ripped pieces together – but this time… I am giving up and getting a new bed. I WISH the fabric on the bed top was way more sturdy – maybe canvas instead of the soft fluffy fabric! Or I WISH I could get a replacement cover!! I have taken the cover off and washed the cover a number of times with no problem. My dog loves to put her head on the side pieces like pillows.

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  19. We have a two year old newfoundland (140#) and a seven month old newfoundland…they each have kong chew resistant beds. The puppy is a big time chewer. Neither dog has damaged this bed and it is standing up to their weight/size just fine. Our dogs do have chew toys in their beds and throughout the house. We are very happy with this product…and I assure you I do not work for kong…I’m a stay home mom of 5 kids, and my hubby works in construction.

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  20. Pits just chew. It doesn’t matter if mine is tired from her walks or not. She habitually chews. And she’ll only chew when you’re not around. So, if I go to the bedroom, she’s busy chewing. When I come back, nothing. I go to the kitchen, she’s chewing. I come back, nothing. She also has a habitual licking problem. We got her from the shelter 3 yrs ago and this is a problem we haven’t been able to solve. We also have an English Mastiff who has the same bedding for a yr. She doesn’t chew. They get the same amount of exercise. In this case, it’s not the owner but the breed.

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  21. I have a BIG 4 year old Doberman, weighs almost 100 pounds and he is very active. I was worried about what he might do to his Kong bed because he destroys stuffed animals in minutes and devours raw hide bones in a matter of hours. But he doesn’t chew on the bed at all. Possibly it is because we give him a lot of other things to chew on.

    By the way, he absolutely loves this bed. We took him up north with us and we threw his bed into the back of the truck. He rides in the cab with us but he tried to climb into the back to stay with the bed. Any time we move it he stays with it like glue.

    I think it is a pretty good bed but if he decided to chew on it I think he could destroy it in minutes. Probably not good to describe it as “chew resistant”, it really depends on the dog and the owner.

    Reply
  22. Same thing here, but ours was taken out by a 5lb puppy Havanese. The plastic zipper, I can understand that she just chewed until it broke. What I don’t understand is how she got the metal zipper on the inside pillow unzipped. Hmmmm.
    Washed, will probably take it back to PetsMart and see what else they can destroy…

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  23. My Frenchie tore the bed apart in one day, it was the zipper that went first then the guts. Not worth the money!

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  24. My boxer dane mixed chewed the zipper and removed the stuffing one night. She is bad about chewing pillows. I realize nothing is dog proof but it would be nice if there were repayment parts.

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  25. We had a few for both or German shephards. They weren’t the greatest design ever, squished flat fast. Lasted two monthes no zipper and flattenned out. It was covered with a huge pillowcase. Hoped for longer since they just sleep on the floor in our bedroom. Play mats seem to hold up if you don’t have a chewer

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  26. I have a Great Dane , maltipoo and redbone coonhound puppy. Puppies do chew ,so I found that buying cheaper beds( after a lost slight fortune) until they are at least 3 years old is a wise choice. We have had a few issues with the kong bed but I must say the manufacturer warranty is incredible.Save your receipt and tag then return to where purchased.( petsmart has been very compliant) the label on the bed states if not completely satisfied return to place of purchase along with reciept for a refund.I simply do an even exchange and over time have noticed the material getting stronger.Good luck!

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  27. I have just bought a new kong bed(2nd one) and my complaint is that the zippers are garbage. My boxer doesn’t chew through the bed but tears the zipper open and proceeds to gut the bed like a fish. I don’t have a lot of money and cant afford to buy another one. hopefully my money will be refunded since I had this one less than a week. Guess my dog will have to sleep on an old blanket.

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  28. bored dogs chew beds or ANYTHING.Tired dogs SLEEP on beds.in other words try to cure a behavior problem and it will save you TIME & CASH.

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  29. I fell for the, ” strong and durable enough to be called a kong”.
    Shull Bit. 4 freaking hours with chew toys, and it has a hole in it. It is going back to the store…ha ha ha on Black Friday! They are going to love me. I am so mad I could chew nails!

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  30. I bought the best and biggest most durable Kong bed available at PetSmart…over 65 bucks. Sargent Babykins tore a hole in it first day and then proceeded to shred it to pieces over the next few weeks. Why don’t they use Kevlar or something that a knife cannot penetrate? I would buy it and pay the extra money if needed.

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  31. My german shepherd mix at 90lb loves her Kong bed. She is no longer a chewer so can not comment on that BUT would love to replace the filling. It is flat, no amount of “fluffing” will do and would almost like to try something else. Have washed the cover several times without an incident and expect it will last a bit longer. Help!

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  32. I have a Kong soft chew Lounger L. Reg.# 97168 KL2939 x 320 We and our dog like the bed fine, after I added a 3 inch foam to it. The shredded stuff doesn’t stay in place at all. Our complaint is that our dog has shredded the top by pawing (like she’s digging to the bottom). We would love to be able to replace the cover. If that’s not possible, I’ll look for some fairly tought fabric that hopefully my sewing machine can sew through and sew it over the top. What a pain that will be, but we don’t need the whole bed.

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  33. Confession time: I live these beds SO much, I’ve bought THREE in the last two years. In fact, I’ve found that they last longer and look prettier than their cheap counterparts. My Doberman likes to drag the others around, but she doesn’t even mess with this one, except to sleep on it. I like that it’s simple to clean, and doesn’t collect the shed fur like the softer beds. 🙂 I’m ultra happy with this product and I understand that NO bed is safe if a dog wants it. HECK! I know of dogs that tore through Sheetrock! 0.o

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  34. BTW……It’s not fire resistant either. Burns faster than a match stick soaked in gasoline. That’s more hazardous than your dog chewing it up.

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  35. For those of you who are having problems with the bed, here is a quick solution. had the bed for 3 months… of course some chew here and there but nonetheless very durable with this combination. Take out the cover, turn it inside out. spray the hell out of it with bitter yuck or no chew spray and flip it out again. The solution will stay both in and out of the bed resulting in not chewing. of course it will only last for a couple of hours. This has help major! So while the bed is not indestructible… it will last for a long while if you make sure you to the correct thing!

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  36. WHAT A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY………THIS BED LASTED 2 HOURS BEFORE IT WAS IN TATTERS.
    I HAVE TOTALLY LOST FAITH IN “KONG”……….

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  37. I purchased one of your “Kong” 24×36″ pet bed for a dog crate from Pet Smart in Medford Oregon on or about March 26th 2012. It took my dog no less than 1 month to destroy it. It is far from what was advertised on the tag as chew resistant. I would have expected more out of a Kong product that I spent over $20.00 on.

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  38. I bought this bed. Put 2 out Monday morning at 9. Came home from work at 5 and my 2 mastiffs had shredded them in little pieces. I have awesome pictures of them sitting amongst the fluff in the backyard. Thankfully petsmart took them back. They’re nice beds/ just rename them. Kong comfy beds. Don’t leave unsupervised.

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  39. Why don’t they sell replacement covers? I have a dog that sheds something terrible, and washing only goes so far. Replacement covers would be great!!!

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  40. I have a Pit a Shepard mix she has torn up everything we have gotten her expect the Kong bed and believe she has tried time and time again. I just wish we gotten one from the start I would recommend this bed to anyone and if i eve need a new dog bed believe me it will be a KONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    • Ty Thank you so much I have a Pitt/Lab mix who like to destroy everything her mouth touches but she is only 8 months old. Yes still a playful puppy. I have been looking for a bed for her for over a year. What you wrote has just help me make a decision on spending the money and getting her a Kong Bed. Thanks again

      Reply
  41. Kong beds for dog’s……The WORST bed ever. I have a 1 1/2yr Grate Dane he likes to chew things and beds. So i got him a kong bed. it lasted 24 hours not even. Got home and the bed was ripped open……DO NOT GET THIS BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  42. If you’re dog is chewing something that much, he needs a release… like a walk. My Great Dane has had the bed from the time we got her and still uses it at 7 months. We have both the inside and outdoor Kong beds and haven’t had any problems.

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    • I have 2 pit mixs that would go to the dog park almost everyday and would get a lot of attention at home, and they both chewed through beds like crazy until they were about 2 years old.

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      • I have a 1 year old Redbone and this pillow lasted about 4hrs. He runs/walks everyday 4 miles with me, and goes to dog park three times a week.

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        • This is quite simple, if a dog is trained it will not eat its bed, sure not taking them out could lead to a dog eating furniture but even if you take them out like you do but when at home they can do as they please, well that’s not good and not the fault of Kong.

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  43. I bought this bed for my boxer. It is one of the best built dog beds on the market, period. Some points have been made about the zipper that may make sense, yet if an animal wants access to something made out of CLOTH, they will get through it. I am sorry that there are idiots out there who do not understand the meaning of “resistant” over “proof”, but IMHO they can continue going through life in agony over their petty expectations. Seriously, they couldn’t look at the bed and say, “Hmmmmm it is cloth, and even though it is a heavier material I know cloth is not indestructible.. and my dog can chew through bones, and wood, and rubber toys, and more.”

    If you need a durable – NOT indestructible – bed, I have yet to find one that matches to this. A+++ to KONG

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    • I agree, the bed is the best I’ve found yet. I have a 3 month old Rhodesian RIdgeback/Pit mix. He is 25 lbs already. He managed to chew the handle a little and the name badge off but a month of trying hard to destroy it was fruitless and so he gave up.. He still drags it around and slings it.. hehe.. The ONLY complaint I have are no instructions on how to wash the INTERIOR container. Urine does get through and it’s become stinky. I suppose I could pull the stuffing out and wash it as I looked and the stuffing doesn’t look all that washable but not sure.

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      • Because my Huskie had an accident in her crate, I took off the outer cover and washed it in my washer at home. I put the inside container in the mega washer at the laundromat because my washer was not big enough. I have the XL size bed. The only problem was that the zipper came undone so the stuffing was all over the washer. I gathered it up and stuffed it back in the casing. Next time I’ll be sure I have the zipper secured with a safety pin!!

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      • It took my 8 Week 11lb Belgian Malinois all of 3 days to destroy this bed…. Hoping they back their product and replace or refund!

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    • I purchased a Kong bed for my shepherd/hound mix. He tore it up in a matter of hours! F to the Kong bed!

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        • Really guy? Some of us work for a living and don’t leave our dogs locked in a cage all day out here in the middle of the country.

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      • I bought one of the chew resistant kong kennel matsfor my German Shepard pup (6months old) and he shredded it in 45 minutes. Very disappointed as had hoped was a good solution for his crate. Definately not impressed. He just flipped it over and shredded the foam out of the back of the mat.

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        • I agree- my 9 month old feist mix did the same thing- she had it in her crate for 3 days before realizing that she could shred it the same as her previous mats. I will be seeking a refund, along with the kong crate pan (plastic) that she just chewed up today as well.

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        • Exactay what my dog did. Had it for 24 hours. He was in his kennel for 3 hours today and came home to a white fluff mess in and around his kennel.

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          • I just got home after leaving my dog in the Kong crate with a Kong crate bed for ONLY 2 hours and found the same white fluff mess. Very disappointed.

        • That is exactly what my 5 month old mastiff puppy did! I have to be able to leave her in a crate while I am gone. She flipped it over and had it shredded in minutes. I was literally gone from my house for 10 minutes just to run to the gas station.

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      • My 9 month old collie did it within a matter of a few hours too. I am not impressed at all with the KONG beds.

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    • People beware, most people that recommend or say good things about this kong bed may probably work for the company. I just know that there is no such thing is a chew resistant bed. Cus if it made out of clothes like material then it can be rip or chew through. If your dog doesn’t chew through this kong bed, it probably becus they are not really a crazy bed chewer or maybe they just desider not to do so. Or whatever the reason may be. Just know that is not the bed fault. Company lieing on their product to make money, we are know that. So is just be smart and do fall for this kind of fault advertisement.

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      • *snorts* I don’t work for the company, but I like the bed. Kong says that their beds are “chew-resistant” and I don’t see any problem with them making that claim. Why? Because I’m not an idiot. If my dog loves to shred things made out of cloth, I won’t buy them a Kong bed and expect it to last forever. I may not expect it to last a day. Why? BECAUSE MY DOG LOVES TO SHRED THINGS MADE OUT OF CLOTH. All dog beds are made out of some sort of cloth. Duh. It’s not rocket science. Luckily, my dogs prefer to chew on bones and leave their beds alone. If they were super-destructive and tore through beds like it was their job, I would stop buying beds (I refuse to baby them–if they eat everything I give them, then they’ll just have to lie on the carpet), no matter what the manufacturer claims. I like Kong beds because they’re good quality and sturdy (not cheap, flimsy things), NOT because my dog can’t eat it. Because trust me, any dog who really wanted to destroy something (not just a dog bed) would prevail eventually.

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    • I bought a memory foam Kong bed for my ailing 13 year old American Pit Bull Terrier. Before he died, I got a Russell Terrier. My Russell Terrier has been trying to dig through the center of this huge bed, and hasn’t yet! Yes, tags on the front are a little worn, but her NON-KONG small bed in her crate already has a hole dug through the center and fuzzies everywhere. I will soon be investing in a Kong Crate Mat for my little one! She is four and a half months old.

      Reply

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