Dog beds have many practical functions, such as insulating your dog from the floor. This is especially nice during winter months, especially if your dog is old, fat, or arthritic.



Dogs are pack animals, and need a sense of belonging and order. Dog beds give them a territory of their own, marked off by you, the pack leader. if you can't be there, your dog would like a comfortable den. This enables them to clearly define their own territory, and feel like proper pack members.

Choose dog beds carefully, as dogs sleep longer than people and in a greater variety of positions. Dogs are unable to sit down and chat with you about their preferences, and can't just go to the shop and try out a bunch of beds, either.

Choosing Dog Beds to Fit

Size matters when choosing dog beds. It should be big enough to fit your dog comfortably. This may seem obvious, but don't shop for beds without actually measuring your dog. Leave room for your dog to grow if your dog is young, and leave room for your dog to get fatter if he is older. Also, dog beds should leave dogs with enough room to turn and move around in them.

Measure your dog while sleeping. If your dog curls up, measure your curled up dog at his or her widest point. Also measure your dog from the top of his or her head to the point where the tail meets the buttocks. Add 15 cm to that and you will know the minimum size you need to think about when considering beds. If your dog tends to stretch out when sleeping, add another 25 cm to that.

Does your dog chew furniture? There are beds available that are specially designed to survive your dog's chewing fits. If your dog lives outdoors, you may need to shop for dog beds that fit in dog houses. Dog houses limit the size of the bed, but you should ideally choose one that is as big as possible without encroaching on dogs' feeding area within dog houses.

Types of Dog Beds Available

Standard dog beds are usually sorted into the following types: mattresses, balls, or nests. The style of bed that suits your dog depends on his or her sleeping habits. If your dog tends to curl up when sleeping, nests or balls are the best style of dog beds to choose from. Nests provide extra insulation, good for dogs sleeping outdoors.

Mattress dog beds are better choices for dogs that sprawl out whenever they sleep. By giving the dog room to move around, stretch, or sleep in whatever position they want, they are more likely to satisfy your dog's sleeping needs.

What's inside Dog Beds

Dog beds are stuffed with either stuffing or solid foam. Stuffing is made from poly foam, and you should look for dog beds with "high loft" stuffing. High loft stuffing is less likely to flatten or get misshape when your dog uses his bed. Stuffing is better for small dogs than large, heavy ones.

Larger dogs tend to do better with solid foam dog beds. So do healthy older dogs. For a dog with serious back or hip problems, you should look into orthopedic foam dog beds. Be aware of the firmness or density of the foam. Firmness indicates how hard or soft the dog bed is, whereas density is the springiness. Better quality foam beds tend to have higher firmness and density.

Lastly, make sure you choose a bed that is easy to clean. Dogs aren't self-cleaning pets the way that cats are, and dog beds get dirty.