Dog beds
Dog Beds Worth Buying
Most dog beds are a pillow in a cover. A good one is built like a mattress. Here is what to check.
By Joel Wood. Picks and specs last checked .
The complaint
“It was thick and plush in the photo. Three months later it’s a pancake and the dog sleeps on the floor next to it.”
That’s the number one dog-bed review, across every price point. The second is smell: a bed that’s been peed on once and can’t be fully washed. The third is the cover that doesn’t come off, or comes off and doesn’t go back on.
And underneath all of that, the one nobody writes about: the bed is enormous, beige and quilted, and it’s the first thing anyone sees in the living room.
Why it fails
A dog bed is a mattress that gets more abuse than a human one and costs a tenth as much. The savings come out of the parts you can’t see.
- Low-density fill. Polyester fibre and open-cell foam under 4 lb/ft³ (64 kg/m³) compress within weeks under a dog that lies in the same spot every night. Once compressed, they don’t recover.
- No liner. A washable cover only protects against what stays on the surface. Anything that soaks through hits the foam, and foam can’t be washed.
- Sized to the box. Beds are sold by “small, medium, large” with no relation to the dog’s length. A large dog stretched out overhangs most “large” beds by 8 inches.
- Slippery bases. A cotton or polyester underside on a hard floor moves every time the dog circles. The bed ends up in a corner and the dog ends up on the rug.
- Designed for the shelf, not the room. Bright quilting and faux fur sell in a pet store. They don’t sit well next to a sofa.
A bed that lasts is built like furniture: dense foam, a waterproof liner, a washable cover, and dimensions taken from the dog rather than the packaging.
What to look for
Check every one before you buy. This is the part the pin couldn't fit.
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Foam density stated, at least 4 lb/ft³ (64 kg/m³)
Polyfill and cheap foam flatten in weeks. Density is the number that predicts how long a bed holds its shape, and if the listing doesn't state it, assume it's low.
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A cover that zips off and a waterproof liner underneath
The cover gets washed. The liner stops what gets through the cover from reaching the foam. Foam that gets wet smells forever.
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Length at least your dog's nose-to-tail when stretched out, plus 8 inches
Dogs sleep stretched out more than curled. A bed sized to the curled dog gets used with the head on the floor.
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A non-slip base
A bed on hardwood or tile slides when the dog circles. Slides become skids, and skids become a dog that sleeps on the rug instead.
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A colour that hides the dog
Matching the bed to the coat colour hides hair between washes and stops the bed from being the most visible thing in the room.
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For an older dog, at least one low side to step over, not climb
Stiff hips don't clear a bolster. A bed with one side no higher than the dog's wrist gets used. A bed with four high sides becomes the thing the old dog sleeps beside.
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Match the shape to how they sleep: a bolster for a curler, a flat mat for a sprawler
Watch where the dog sleeps now. A dog that curls against the sofa arm wants something to lean on, so a bolster. A dog that lies flat on its side across the floor wants room, so a flat mat, and a bolster just takes up the inches it needs.
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At least 4 inches of loft, more on a cold or hard floor
Loft is the thickness that's left after the dog lies down, not the height in the photo. On tile or concrete, 4 inches of dense foam is the minimum that keeps hips off the floor; 6 is better for a heavy or an old dog.
Where the bed goes
Out of drafts, so not under a window or by the door. Off the main walking path, where a sleeping dog is a trip hazard and knows it. Against a wall, because a dog rests better with something at its back. And in sight of where you sit. Dogs ignore beds in rooms they're alone in, however good the foam.
Are firmer beds better for older dogs?
Yes, up to a point. An older dog needs foam that holds its shape under weight, at least 4 pounds per cubic foot, so hips don't sink to the floor. It also needs one side low enough to step over, not climb. A very soft bed that folds around the dog feels cozy in the store and is the hardest thing for a stiff dog to get out of.
The fixes
Products that pass, and where each one falls short
Every card below lists the product's known flaw. If we can't name one, we don't list it.
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Dog Bed
Casper · $250–600
- Dense, layered foam that holds its shape past the point most beds have flattened
- Cover zips off and machine-washes; the bolsters are real foam, not fill
- Plain colors and a low profile that sits well next to a sofa
Known flaw
The cover is prone to pilling and the fabric loosens after a few washes so it never looks quite as tailored as day one. There is no waterproof liner included, and the price is high.
Link to Casper coming soon
Orthopedic Dog Bed
Big Barker · $600 and up
- Very high-density foam with a ten-year shape guarantee — it does not flatten
- Sized for large and giant breeds, which almost nobody else does properly
- Cover is washable and the bed is made in the US
Known flaw
It is huge, heavy and expensive, and it only makes sense for a large dog. Color options are limited to a few neutrals, and the cover fabric feels utilitarian.
Link to Big Barker coming soon
Memory Foam Couch Dog Bed
Orvis · $250–600
- Memory foam over a support layer, with a real waterproof liner included
- Bolster shape that dogs actually lean on
- Cover fabrics chosen to look like furniture, not pet-store quilting
Known flaw
Heavy and slow to move, and the memory foam sleeps warm, which some dogs hate in summer. Canadian shipping is slow and expensive.
Link to Orvis coming soon
Get the dog bed spec card
The foam density number, the liner and the sizing rule, so you can read a listing in thirty seconds. We'll also email you when something in this category actually passes, which isn't often.