Written by The Stylish Dog Company.
Last updated 2 October 2026. Facts from the mill in Keighley, West Yorkshire, that makes our wool beds. About a 4 minute read.
A dog bed gets slept on for ten or twelve hours a day, dragged about, dribbled on and washed more often than anything else in the house. Wool copes with that better than most fabrics, which is why our Cosy range has been made from it for years. Here is what merino and wool mix beds actually do for a dog, who they suit, and how to look after one.
- Wool holds warmth in winter and stays cooler in summer, so one bed does the whole year.
- The merino beds are 100% merino wool pile on a tan faux suede backing. The Cosy wool bolsters are a wool and polyester mix with antibacterial fibres.
- Covers tear off with velcro and go in a domestic machine on a cool wool wash, even the giant size. The inner cushions wash separately.
- Bolster beds suit dogs who like to curl up and lean. The flat mattress beds suit older dogs who need a low step on.
- Four sizes, from a small square bed to a giant, plus rectangles for dogs who stretch out.
- Made in a working mill in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Spare covers and inners are sold separately, so the bed lasts.
Why wool for a dog bed?
Wool is a natural fibre with a crimp to it, which traps air. That trapped air is what keeps a dog warm on a cold floor in January, and the same structure lets heat and moisture move away from the body when the weather turns, so the bed does not get clammy in July. A synthetic fleece does the first job and not the second.
It is also a forgiving fabric to live with. A wool pile springs back after a dog has turned round on it a hundred times, it does not pill the way a cheap fleece does, and it washes well at a cool temperature. For a puppy who is still learning where to sleep, or an older dog who feels the cold, it is the fabric we would choose first.
Merino or wool mix: what is the difference?
We make the Cosy beds in two fabrics, and the choice comes down to feel and budget.
The merino wool bolster bed is a heavyweight 100% merino wool pile on a tan faux suede backing. Merino is the finer, softer wool, and the pile is deep enough to sink into. It is the one we recommend for anxious dogs and puppies, who settle better with something soft to burrow into, and it sits at the top of the range on price.
The Cosy wool bolster beds, in grey, chocolate brown and cream, are an extra heavyweight pile that blends wool with polyester and antibacterial fibres. They keep the warmth of wool, wash at 30 degrees, and have an anti-slip backing so the bed stays where you put it on a wooden floor. They are the everyday choice, and a good deal less than the merino.
Bolster or mattress: which shape for your dog?
The bolster beds have a raised, padded rim on three sides. Dogs who curl up, lean their head on something or like to feel enclosed choose these every time. The square Cosy Original is the classic shape; the Cosy Plus is the same bed in a rectangle for dogs who stretch out.
The merino wool mattress bed and the wool mix pillow beds are flat and low. That is the one to buy for a senior dog: a stiff or arthritic dog can step on without climbing over a rim, and the even wool and fibre fill gives steady support for ageing joints without sinking flat over time. The flat beds are also the cheapest way into the range, starting under £50.
Which size do I need?
Measure your dog curled up, nose to tail, and add a hand’s width. The square Cosy beds come in small (56cm), medium (72cm), large (86cm) and giant (100cm). The rectangular Cosy Plus comes in medium (56cm by 72cm) and XL (72cm by 100cm). The mattress beds come in four sizes too. If your dog is between two sizes, go up: a bed that is slightly too big is used, a bed that is slightly too small is slept next to.
How do I wash a wool dog bed?
This is the part that sells the bed to anyone who has tried to wash a one-piece dog bed. The cover tears off with velcro, so even the giant size goes into a normal domestic washing machine on its own. Wash the merino covers on a cool wool wash, and the wool mix covers at 30 degrees. The inner cushions wash separately at 30 degrees, and the polyester cluster fibre inside is made to come out of the machine and plump back up. Dry flat or on a line, not in a hot tumble dryer, and the pile keeps its depth.
When a cover is finally past it, you buy a new cover rather than a new bed. Spare covers and spare inners are sold for every size.
Where are they made?
In a working mill in Keighley, West Yorkshire, by the same people who make the fabric. The covers are cut and sewn there and the inner cushions are filled there, which is why we can get spare parts for a bed we sold years ago. It also means a bed ordered this week was not sitting in a container for three months first.
Frequently asked questions
Is a wool bed too warm for summer? No. Wool moves heat and moisture away from the body as well as holding warmth, so dogs use the same bed all year.
Which bed for a puppy? A Cosy bolster in the size they will be at a year old, or the merino if they are a nervous sort. Buy the washable one you will not mind being chewed; the covers can be replaced.
Which bed for an old dog? The flat merino mattress or a wool mix pillow bed, in a size they can stretch out on. The low edge is the point.
Can I tumble dry the cover? Better not. A cool wash and air drying keeps the wool pile deep. A hot dryer will felt it.
Do you sell spare covers? Yes, for every bed and size, and spare inner cushions as well.
See the whole range in luxury dog beds, or go straight to the merino wool bolster bed.
