Make You Pup's Crate Cozy With These Bumpers
Ruby, my precious perfect foster dog, has been through a LOT in her life. She was kept in a pen and used as a breeding dog, with no care for her comfort or safety, which led to a lot of health issues, including blindness. When she first came to my house, she would tuck herself back into the furthest corner of her crate and wouldn’t come out on her own.
@agemnamedruby A dog coming out of a crate might seem like NBD, but for Ruby, it is a very, VERY BD #bostonterrier #fyp #SeeHerGreatnes #rescuedog #bostonterriersoftiktok #bostonterriersoftiktok #blinddog #bostonterrierlovers ♬ Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
It took a lot of patience and observation, but after awhile I noticed that the sounds the crate made upset Ruby. She would bump into the side of the metal crate, it would make the classic metal crate noises all dog owners are familiar with, and it would make her a little nervous. I was considering buying an all plastic crate, or a wood one, but then I discovered crate bumpers.
Pet Dreams Luxe Velour Crate Bumpers are padded, soft bumpers that you attach around the inside of the crate, or give your dog a little extra cushiony comfort. For some dogs it’s to prevent them from sticking their paws out and getting stuck, for others it’s giving them a sense of security, for Ruby, it’s to make it less jarring for her to bump into the sides of her crate when she’s getting comfortable or doing her pre-bed ritual of wiggling around on her back while making little snorting noises.
The bumpers come in six sizes and six colors — I have the charcoal in 30” to fit this crate (that i wrote about here) — and they’re machine washable and dryable. It is a little tricky to attach at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very easy to reattach all the velcro tabs that hold the bumper to the crate.
I find the most secure way of attaching the bumper is to install it before any bed goes in the crate, and put the bumper all the way at the bottom of the crate sides. Then, when you put in your crate bed (I use this one), the bed will also hold the bottom of the bumper in place while the velcro holds the top.
This crate bumper is kind of expensive, and it’s definitely a niche product, but if you have a dog that needs it, it’s worth every penny. Ruby has come so far and been through so much, if I can make her crate cozier in any way, I’ll do it.
