How to Choose a Dog Bed: The Complete UK Guide

A good bed is one of the very few things your dog uses every single day. Dogs sleep for 12–14 hours in every 24 — and puppies and seniors a great deal more — so the bed isn't a nice-to-have, it's where most of your dog's life quietly happens. Get it right and you'll have a dog that settles quickly, sleeps deeply and stays off your sofa. Get it wrong — too small, too thin, impossible to wash — and it ends up ignored in a corner. This guide covers everything that actually matters so you can buy once and buy well.

First, watch how your dog sleeps

Before you look at a single product, spend a few nights noticing your dog's natural sleeping style. It's the single biggest factor in whether a bed gets used.

• Curlers — the majority of dogs (and almost all cats) — tuck nose-to-tail and like to back into something solid. They feel safest in a bolstered or donut bed with a raised rim to rest a chin and spine against.
• Sprawlers stretch right out, lie on their sides or flip onto their backs with legs in the air. A donut will frustrate them; they need a flat, generous mattress-style bed with room to spread.
• Burrowers dig at blankets and like to disappear underneath. A covered cave bed gives them the enclosed den they're hunting for.
• Leaners like their back or head propped. A bolster bed with a higher side on one edge suits them.

Plenty of dogs do all of these depending on the season — warm in summer (sprawled, cooler floor) and curled in winter. If in doubt, a bolster bed with a soft, flat centre covers the most bases.

Getting the size right

This is where most people slip up, almost always by going too small. Measure your dog nose-to-tail while they're lying down in their most stretched-out position, then add 15–25cm. A bed that's slightly snug feels secure; one that's cavernous can feel exposed, and a sprawler with a leg hanging onto cold floor won't be comfortable.

A few size pointers:

• Measure the internal sleeping area, not the outer dimensions. A chunky bolster can eat 8–10cm off each side, so a bed that looks big on the listing can be small inside.
• Buying for a puppy? Size for their expected adult weight rather than buying a tiny bed now and a big one in four months. A crate divider is a cheaper way to "shrink" a big bed while they're small.
• Two smaller dogs who pile together often want one big shared bed, not two mediums.

When you're between sizes, size up — you can always add a blanket to make a big bed cosier, but you can't make a small one bigger.

Match the filling to the dog

The right filling depends far more on age and joints than on price.

• Young, healthy dogs: a good-quality foam or recycled-fibre fill is plenty. They don't yet need orthopedic support.
• Older dogs, large breeds, or any dog showing stiffness getting up: choose genuine orthopedic (memory) foam with real depth. Once a dog is past about seven — sooner for big breeds — pressure points (hips, elbows, shoulders) press into the floor through a thin pad and rest becomes broken. Supportive foam is one of the cheapest things you can do for an ageing dog's comfort.
• Anxious or nervous dogs: a deep, sink-in calming bed with high faux-fur sides gives a feeling of being held and physically muffles a bit of household noise. Pair it with a quiet corner — there's more in our guide to calming an anxious dog.
• Chewers: no bed is truly indestructible, but a tougher, tightly-woven cover and supervised early days save a lot of stuffing on the carpet.

Washability is non-negotiable

If you can't wash it easily, you'll quietly resent it within a month. Dogs bring in mud, hair, the odd accident and a general doggy smell, and a bed that has to go to the tip because it can't be cleaned is a false economy.

Look for:

• A removable, fully machine-washable cover with a sturdy zip (cheap zips are the first thing to fail).
• A water-resistant inner liner so accidents and damp paws never reach the foam itself.
• Fabric rated for a 40°C wash at least — useful for shifting allergens as well as dirt.

A simple trick: keep a spare cover or a [washable blanket](/shop/dogs) on top, so there's always a clean bed ready while the other is in the machine.

Where you put the bed matters as much as the bed

You can buy the perfect bed and still have it ignored if it's in the wrong place. Dogs want to rest *near* their people but *out of* the through-traffic.

• Back the bed against a wall or into a corner — dogs feel safer when nothing can approach from behind.
• Keep it out of draughts and away from the front door's noise and cold.
• Avoid the middle of a busy room and the hoover's regular path.
• Many homes do best with two beds: one in the living room for daytime company, one where the family sleeps for night-time security.

A quick buying checklist

Before you click buy, run through this:

• ✅ Suits how my dog actually sleeps (curler / sprawler / burrower)
• ✅ Internal area is dog length + 15–25cm
• ✅ Filling matches their age and joints (orthopedic for older/large dogs)
• ✅ Removable, machine-washable cover + water-resistant inner
• ✅ I've got a spare cover or blanket for wash days
• ✅ A quiet, draught-free spot already chosen for it

Frequently asked questions

How often should I replace a dog bed? When the foam stops springing back — press it with your hand, and if the dent stays, the support is gone. That's typically every 1–3 years depending on the dog's size and the bed's quality. Wash covers every week or two.

My dog won't use their new bed — why? Give it a few days and make it smell of home by adding a worn t-shirt or a familiar blanket. Double-check the size and style genuinely suit how they sleep, and move it somewhere they already like to settle rather than where *you* want it to go.

Are calming beds actually worth it? For a genuinely anxious dog or an older one, the deep, bolstered, sink-in design does seem to help them settle and sleep more deeply, because it mimics how they'd naturally den. It's a comfort aid, not a cure.

What size bed for a puppy? Buy for their adult size and use a crate divider or a rolled blanket to make it cosier while they're small — it saves buying twice.

Is memory foam worth the extra money? For young, healthy dogs, not especially. For large breeds, seniors, or any dog with stiffness or joint history, yes — genuine orthopedic foam noticeably improves how well they rest.

Can two dogs share a bed? Often happily — many bonded dogs pile together. Buy one large bed sized for both stretched out rather than two mediums they'll squabble over.

A quick note: Everypaw is a pet-supplies shop, not a veterinary service. This guide is general advice to help you choose everyday kit — if your dog is stiff, sore or reluctant to lie down, please see your vet, as that can signal pain that needs treating. The PDSA and Blue Cross also publish free UK pet-care advice.

Ready to choose? Browse our dog beds, calming beds and the full beds & furniture range.