Best Dog Beds UK: Which One Is Right for Your Dog

Written by The Stylish Dog Company.

Last updated 3 October 2026. Product details and sizes taken from our own product pages on that date, with welfare guidance from the RSPCA and PDSA. About a 14 minute read.

The best dog bed is the one that fits how your dog sleeps, how big they are and how often the bed needs washing. Dogs who curl up want raised sides to lean on. Dogs who stretch out want a flat cushion with room to spread. Muddy dogs and puppies want a bed that goes straight in the machine. We sell dog beds, so of course we think ours are worth it. Here is our honest guide to which one suits which dog.

How do you choose a dog bed?

Four things decide it: how your dog sleeps, how big they are, how the bed washes, and what it is filled with. Get those right and the colour and fabric are the fun part.

What kind of bed do dogs like best?

Watch your dog sleep for a few evenings. The RSPCA points out that dogs sleep in lots of positions: stretched out, curled up, on their back, even flat on their belly with their legs out like Superman. Its advice is that a bed should be large enough for your dog to lie comfortably in all of them.

• Curlers tuck into a ball or push up against something. The RSPCA says round or oval beds with a side are great for dogs who want to curl up, and that box beds with a side let a dog really cosy down and help keep them warm and protected from draughts.
• Stretchers lie flat on their side with their legs out. The RSPCA says mattress beds can be good for lying flat. Walls just get in their way.
• Leaners like to rest their chin on an edge. A bed with a raised bolster on at least one side gives them that.

If you are not sure, the RSPCA’s tip is to give your dog a couple of options, so they can choose. It also advises at least one bed per dog in a multi-dog home.

What size dog bed do I need?

Measure your dog lying stretched out, from nose to base of tail, and add room to spread. Our dog bed size guide explains how much, with a chart by breed. One thing catches people out on high-sided beds: the walls take up room. Where the product page gives a lying space or inside size in its Sizes section, compare your dog with that, not the outside size.

How easy is it to wash?

The RSPCA says dog beds should be easily washable. Look for one of two things: a cover that unzips and goes in the machine, or a bed that washes whole. A sewn-in cover you cannot get off is the bed you end up replacing. Our guide on how to wash a dog bed covers temperatures and drying.

Where will the bed go?

The RSPCA advises putting the bed somewhere warm and draught-free, ideally with one bed in a quiet part of the house and one in the room where the family spends time. It also says everyone, children included, should know to leave a dog alone while they are in their bed.

What are the best dog beds in the UK? Our picks by sleeping style and need

This is not a ranked list. Each pick below is the right answer to a different question, and each comes with its honest downside. Every detail is taken from the product page on 3 October 2026, and prices are given as bands because they change.

Best for dogs who curl up: Grey Bobble Fleece Slumber Dog Bed

A high-sided bolster bed in a soft bobble sherpa fleece, made in Leeds. The raised walls give a curler something to lean into and rest their chin on. The filling is recycled PET fibre and fire retardant to British Standard 5852. The whole bed goes in the washing machine, and the central mattress lifts out for a quicker wash in between.

Sizes: Medium (61cm), outside about 61 x 50 x 23cm, inside about 42 x 35 x 14cm. Large (76cm), outside about 80 x 65 x 26cm, inside about 53 x 42 x 16cm. X Large (89cm), outside about 90 x 75 x 29cm, inside about 61 x 51 x 19cm. Price band: from under £50.

Verdict: the easy, washable answer for most dogs who sleep in a ball. Trade-off: the walls eat into the lying space, so a dog who sometimes sprawls will hang over the edge. Measure them curled up and check the inside size. If you want more of a statement piece, our donut beds in velvet and weave, with covers handmade in Yorkshire, sit in a much higher price band. For other colours and fabrics in this shape, see the bolster bed range.

See the Grey Bobble Fleece Slumber Dog Bed

Best for dogs who stretch out: Retreat Navy Eco-wellness Dog Pillow

A deep, flat cushion bed made in the UK, filled with recycled PET fibre. There are no walls, so a dog who sleeps on their side with their legs out gets the full surface. The navy cover comes off and is machine washable, and the inner can be hand washed or machine washed on a cool cycle. With a Large lying space of about 126 x 74cm, it gives a big dog room to spread out.

Sizes: Medium 71 x 98cm, lying space about 92 x 61cm, 21cm deep. Large 87 x 138cm, lying space about 126 x 74cm, 22cm deep. Price band: £50 to £100.

Verdict: plenty of room to spread out, with a cover that comes off for the wash. Trade-off: nothing to lean on, so a dog who likes to rest their chin on an edge may prefer a bed with one raised side. Only two sizes, so very small dogs are better on something smaller.

See the Retreat Navy Eco-wellness Dog Pillow

Best for crates: Dog Crate Bedding Set, Grey

A fitted crate mat, a padded bumper that wraps the inside of the crate, and a cover that rolls down over the top and sides, with roll-up doors. It is made in the UK, comes in five sizes from Small to XX Large to match standard wire crates, and the mat, bumper and cover all come off for the washing machine.

Sizes: mattress about 59 x 42cm (Small), 74 x 47cm (Medium), 89 x 56cm (Large), 105 x 71cm (X Large) and 120 x 74cm (XX Large). Each size’s full cover and bumper measurements are on the product page. Price band: from around £80 for the Small, rising with size.

Verdict: the tidiest way to turn a bare wire crate into a proper bed. Trade-off: it is priced as a full set. If you only need the floor covered, a fitted crate mattress on its own costs much less, from under £20, and its cover also lifts off for the machine. Either way, measure your crate before you order. The RSPCA says a crate should be big enough for your dog to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch, and that it should never be used as a punishment. Our guide to crate training a puppy at night covers the first weeks.

See the Dog Crate Bedding Set or the Grey Dog Crate Mattress

Best for muddy dogs and easy washing: Trojan Cosy Waterproof Dog Bed

Made in Yorkshire with a heavy-duty ballistic nylon outer that is fully waterproof, so wet coats and muddy paws stay on the surface. Everyday cleaning is a brush and a sponge with warm water. When it needs more, it goes in the machine at 30°C. Inside, a polyester ball-fibre filling has a raised bolster edge for dogs who like to lean.

Sizes: Small 56 x 56cm, Medium 72 x 72cm, Large 86 x 86cm and Giant 100 x 100cm, plus two longer Cosy Plus shapes for dogs who stretch out, 56 x 72cm and 72 x 100cm. Price band: from around £80, rising to over £150 for the largest.

Verdict: the bed for a working dog, an outdoor dog who comes home wet, or the boot of the car. Trade-off: it feels like a tough technical fabric, not a fleece. It needs reproofing now and then to keep the water-repellent finish, and it must not go in the tumble dryer.

See the Trojan Cosy Waterproof Dog Bed

Best merino wool bed: Luxury Merino Wool Cream Dog Pillow Bed

Of the merino wool beds we stock, this flat pillow bed is the one for dogs who stretch out. The cover is 100% natural merino wool with a faux suede backing, made at a working mill in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The covers come off for a cool wool wash, and the inner is cotton, filled with ball fibre polyester, and machine washable at 30°C.

Sizes: Small 50 x 70cm, Medium 70 x 100cm, Large 90 x 120cm, Giant 100 x 150cm. Price band: from just over £100, rising to nearly £300 for the Giant.

Verdict: a 100% merino wool cover that also looks good in a room. Trade-off: it is in the top price band, and the wool cover needs a cool wool wash rather than a quick hot one. For a curler, look at the merino and tweed wool bolster beds in the strip below instead. Our post on why a merino wool dog bed goes into the wool itself.

See the Luxury Merino Wool Cream Dog Pillow Bed

Best for puppies: Luxury Puppy Bed (My first bed)

A small, soft, enclosed first bed made in the UK, with fire retardant filling to British Standard 5852. The whole bed is machine washable, which is the feature that matters most in the first few weeks.

Size: one size, outside about 50 x 50 x 27cm, lying space about 42 x 42cm, 14cm deep. Price band: £50 to £100.

Verdict: a snug first bed for a small breed, or for the settling-in weeks. Trade-off: the product page is plain that most medium and large breed puppies outgrow it within the first few months. Small breeds such as Chihuahuas, Miniature Dachshunds and Yorkshire Terriers may use it into adulthood. For a breed that will grow, our size guide’s advice is to buy the adult size now rather than a small bed you will replace within months.

Before your puppy comes home, the RSPCA advises having a crate, hiding places or a cosy bed ready in a quiet, draught-free place where they can rest undisturbed, and bringing a blanket from the puppy’s first home so they have something familiar to snuggle in. PDSA suggests putting something that smells of mum where they sleep each night.

See the Luxury Puppy Bed or browse all puppy beds

Best for older dogs: Luxury Wool Mix Grey Dog Pillow

A flat, low-profile mattress-style bed made at a working mill in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The low profile makes it easy for an older dog to step onto, with no wall to climb over. The covers come off and the inserts are separate, and it is machine washable at 30°C.

Sizes: Small 50 x 70cm, Medium 70 x 100cm, Large 90 x 120cm, Giant 100 x 150cm. Price band: from under £50 for the Small, rising with size.

Verdict: a low, easy step on and off, in a fabric that washes at home. Trade-off: no raised sides, so a dog who has always slept curled against a wall may miss one. If your older dog has started having accidents, the RSPCA says changes in toileting are something your vet can advise on. For the bed itself, the waterproof, wipe-clean Trojan bed above is easy to keep clean.

The RSPCA’s advice for older dogs is somewhere quiet where they will not be disturbed by other pets or visitors, a soft, cosy bed away from draughts, everything they need, bed included, within easy reach, and a rug or carpet on smooth floors so they have something to grip.

If your older dog is stiff or slow to get up, read when to talk to your vet before you choose a bed.

See the Luxury Wool Mix Grey Dog Pillow or browse all senior dog beds

Best value

Two of the picks above already start under £50 in their smaller sizes: the Grey Bobble Fleece Slumber Dog Bed and the Luxury Wool Mix Grey Dog Pillow. If you want to know what the top price band actually buys, our handmade luxury dog beds guide explains where each range is made.

When your dog may not need a new bed

Sometimes the honest answer is not to buy anything. Before you order:

• If they sleep well on what they have, leave it. A bed that works is the best bed.
• If it just looks tired, a wash may be all it needs. Several of our ranges sell spare covers and spare inners, so a flattened cushion or a stained cover can often be replaced on its own.
• If they ignore the bed, the cause is often the size or where it sits rather than the bed itself. Our guide to why your dog won’t sleep in their bed goes through the usual reasons.
• If they have claimed the sofa, a washable throw over their spot may be what they actually want. Our main range of faux fur dog blankets for the sofa is made to order in England.
• If you have a growing puppy, a folded blanket and a crate mat can see you through until you know their adult size.

Plenty of dogs sleep happily on a clean, folded old duvet in a quiet corner. A good bed earns its place by fitting your dog, staying clean and lasting, so buy one when it will do that better than what you have.

When should you talk to your vet?

A change in how your dog sleeps can be the first sign of something that needs a vet, not a new bed. The RSPCA says that if your older dog seems stiff or has trouble with things like getting out of bed and going upstairs, you should talk to your vet, as there may be treatments that can help. It also says that if an older dog’s sleep cycle changes, it is important to ask your vet to rule out a medical cause.

PDSA’s advice is the same from the sleep side: if your dog’s behaviour changes, or they are not getting enough sleep after you have tried the usual tips, contact your vet, who can examine them for problems such as pain or breathing problems that can affect sleep. Its guidance on stiffness is to contact your vet if your dog is limping or appears stiff.

Still deciding? Browse the full luxury dog bed range, where every product page lists the sizes and washing details.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dog bed for my dog?

The one that matches how your dog sleeps, how big they are and how often the bed needs washing. A dog who curls up suits a bed with raised sides, a dog who stretches out suits a flat cushion or mattress, and a muddy dog suits a waterproof or fully washable bed. Measure your dog before you choose a size.

What kind of bed do dogs like best?

It depends on the dog. The RSPCA says round or oval beds with a side are great for dogs who want to curl up and mattress beds can be good for lying flat. It also advises giving your dog a couple of options, so they can choose.

What dog bed do vets recommend?

There is no single bed that suits every dog. The RSPCA’s advice is about fit and place rather than a brand: a bed large enough for all your dog’s natural sleeping positions, nicely padded, easily washable, and somewhere warm and draught-free. If your dog has a health condition, ask your own vet what they need.

What type of bed is best for a large dog?

Many large dogs sleep stretched out, so a deep flat cushion or mattress with plenty of lying space usually suits them better than a bed with high walls, which take up room. Measure your dog lying stretched out and compare it with the lying space, not the outside size, on the product page.

Should a puppy have a dog bed?

Yes. The RSPCA advises having a crate, hiding places or a cosy bed ready before your puppy comes home, in a quiet, draught-free place where they can rest undisturbed. A fully machine washable bed makes the early weeks much easier.

What type of bed is best for a puppy crate?

A fitted crate mattress or crate bedding set made for your crate’s size, with covers that come off for the wash. The RSPCA says a crate should be big enough for your dog to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch, and for a puppy, big enough to grow into.

How many beds does a dog need?

At least one per dog. The RSPCA advises a minimum of one bed per dog to avoid competition, and suggests one bed somewhere quiet and another in the room where the family spends time.

Sources and further reading

1. RSPCA: Choosing the perfect dog bed
2. RSPCA: Creating a good home for your dog
3. RSPCA: Playpen and crate training a puppy
4. RSPCA: Caring for your puppy, 6 weeks to 12 months
5. RSPCA: Caring for older dogs
6. PDSA: Dogs and sleep, our top tips
7. PDSA: Your puppy’s first day and night
8. PDSA: Limping and stiffness in dogs