This review is for TWO ITEMS that I purchased on Amazon and I use them together to care for a handicapped pet. Since I use them together, my review is for both of them and this identical review is posted on both product review pages. The two items are: MidWest Quiet Time Fashion Pet Bed - https://amazon.com/gp/product/B00063KG7S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 AND FurHaven NAP Pet Bed Crate or Kennel Pad Dog Bed, Water-resistant Outdoor Indoor - https://amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPENRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I also have some words to say about the use of a Graco Pack-N-Play in caring for a handicapped pet. AND NOW, FOR MY REVIEW: Recently, one of my dogs ruptured two spinal discs and was instantly a paraplegic. He had emergency surgery to repair the discs and thankfully the spinal cord had only suffered bruising, so the paralysis is temporary. He is expected to make a full recovery. BUT. We have a long hard road to full functionality and for the time being, we are caring for a paralyzed animal. Until we experienced this, we didn't realize what that entailed, but let me tell you that it isn't an easy road for the pet or the owner. One of the issues is his ability to control his body functions. Peeing and pooping are suddenly not the "voluntary" actions they used to be. It didn't take long for us to learn his "cues" and take him outside when needed. However sometimes (often) accidents happen in his bed and there is plenty of clean up to do. Not only normal elimination, but vomit as well. Our regular doggie beds weren't doing the job. Something had to be done. Another issue we encountered was that he was too fragile to stuff him into a dog crate and pull him out. It was hard on our backs to do this and it was hard on his back as well. We needed something where he could be gently lowered into a confined area and gently lifted out. First, we got a used Graco Pack-N-Play from a neighborhood online swap meet. My neighbor sold me a VERY NICE Pack-N-Play that had been stored in her garage for years and therefore was too dusty for most moms to want it for their infant. But it was in great shape and perfect for our Max! I only paid $5.00 for the Pack-N-Play and he was able to sit in the middle of the den with his family all around him. He is in close proximity to our feisty Border Collie (who is his best friend), but the Pack-N-Play protects him from being injured by her incessant playfulness. It also confines him so that he doesn't have the opportunity to drag himself around the house while his spine is healing. The Pack-N-Play has wheels, so when he has to go outside, we can easily roll him out to the deck and save our aching backs from the task of carrying him outside. Once outside, we simply lift him out and place him where he can relieve himself with the use of a simple supportive sling made of cut up strips of microfiber bath sheets. Also, he likes being outside and he can sit safely in the Pack-N-Play in the shade of a large tree, and enjoy the breeze, this sights, smells and excitement of watching the world go by. His regular doggie bed fit perfectly in the Pack-N-Play! The problem comes in when we miss his "cues" and he has an accident in his doggie bed. It is a heavy, thick affair that is a monster to clean and wash and we found ourselves rushing around to clean all the parts in the laundry and getting it all dry before he could have a comfortable surface again. After a few days of that kind of continual clean up we realized that something had to be done. Amazon to the rescue! I did a search for doggie beds and pads that would fit the dimensions of our Pack-N-Play and created a system for keeping him clean, dry and happy while saving our sanity and reducing the stress on our washing machine. After looking at all the possibilities, I ordered several of the inexpensive and relatively lightweight "MidWest Quiet Time Fashion Pet Bed" in size 36 X 23 inches. https://amazon.com/gp/product/B00063KG7S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This gives me the freedom of light surface cleaning the soiled bed and tossing it into the wash on Sanitary Cycle. This pad is SO EASY TO WASH AND DRY - in just a few hours, it is cleaned, sanitized and ready for use again. And because I have several of them, it is a simple matter to replace the soiled one with a fresh one. It washes up beautifully and to my surprise, it does NOT hold onto stains but comes out of the laundry as clean, fresh and fleecy as new! But the MidWest Quiet Time Fashion Pet Bed is not thick, luxurious and supportive like his regular memory foam dog bed and this little cozy topper needed a foundation that was therapeutic and cushy. So I ordered the FurHaven NAP Pet Bed Crate or Kennel Pad Dog Bed, Water-resistant Outdoor Indoor. It can be found here: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPENRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This made a great foundation for our fleecy pet bed topper. It is the perfect size for the Pack-N-Play AND it is moisture resistant, so anything that soaks through the upper pad will not penetrate the FurHaven NAP Pet Bed. It is a great system. All we have to do is toss the MidWest Quiet Time Fashion Pet Bed into the wash, wipe down the FurHaven NAP Pet Bed Crate or Kennel Pad Dog Bed with a disinfectant and place a fresh Quiet Time on top for a completely clean, dry space for out dog. It is perfect! The Fur Haven is a thin-ish foundation pad that is intended to go into the bottom of a dog crate and makes a great bottom layer in our Pack-N-Play. Because it is so thin (about 2 inches) I don't think it would make a good stand alone dog bed, but in combination with the Quiet Time Fleece topper it makes a thick, soft, cozy bed. Caring for a seriously ill pet is an extremely taxing job, but this system has cut our work and stress load in half. I love The NAP Pet Bed because it is a snap to clean and can be dry and ready for the next topper in minutes. Meanwhile, we have saved precious energy to spend on rehab exercises. Doing things in an efficient manner makes a huge difference in being able to get through a very trying episode in all of our lives.
