How big should a dog bed be?

Measure it in five minutes

A tape measure, a sleeping dog and five minutes of patience. That is all you need to know how big a dog bed should be. Yet it often goes wrong, and almost always in the same way: the bed is chosen by feel in the shop, by the dog's weight or by the spot in the room. At home the dog then lies with his head over the rim, or lost in a bed twice as roomy as he needs.

In the atelier we get this question every week. So here we explain how we measure ourselves, why the rim of the bed matters as much as the base, and how your dog's sleeping position tells you which size he needs. With a table for Ø50 and Ø60, and the mistakes we see most often.

Why the size of a dog bed matters more than you think

A dog uses his bed differently from the way we use ours. He turns a few circles, digs at the lining, pushes his back against the rim and only then settles. That rim is not decoration. It is the point he leans against, rests his head on or tucks his nose under. A bed that is too small takes that away: he still fits, but his head or his hindquarters hang over the rim and the bed loses its shape.

Too big has a different effect. A small dog in a roomy bed still seeks out the rim and lies in one corner, with an empty expanse beside him. He misses the boundary he was looking for. That is less of a problem than too small, but it is not what you chose it for either.

The right size sits in between: enough base to lie the way he likes to lie, and a rim within reach on every side. That is how a round dog bed with a raised rim becomes a place he chooses himself, not a place you send him to.

How to measure your dog for a dog bed

The back length, in sleeping position

Wait until your dog lies the way he usually sleeps. Do not measure him standing: a lying dog is shorter or longer than a standing one, depending on his posture, and it is the lying measurement that has to fit in the bed. Run the tape measure from the base of the neck, where the neck meets the shoulders, to the base of the tail, where the tail begins. That is the back length.

Add about 5 cm. That margin lets him turn and find room for his head, without the bed feeling a size too big straight away. For a dog that sleeps on his side, measure the width across the shoulders as well. If that measurement is well above the back length, it is a sign that he is looking for space.

From back length to bed size

Our Pooch Pouch dog beds come in two sizes. The stated size is the outer measurement, given as a diameter. Inside, the rim takes up a fair amount of room, which is exactly why you compare the back length with a margin.

• Back length up to 48 cm: Ø50 cm.
• Back length up to 58 cm: Ø60 cm.

The sizing page has a breed list per size, with the guidance we follow ourselves: if you land right on the boundary, take the larger one.

How big should a dog bed be for your dog: Ø50 or Ø60

The table below sets the two sizes side by side. It is meant as a help when measuring, not a replacement for it. There is a lot of variation within one breed, and it is your dog who has to fit the bed.

For a large dog, think of a Labrador or a German Shepherd, we do not make a bed. A back length above 58 cm does not fit in a Ø60. For those dogs we make dog blankets of 70 x 100 cm, for the sofa or the crate. A place of his own with his own scent does not have to be a bed.

Watch how your dog sleeps before you choose

Measuring gives you the size. The sleeping position tells you whether to go to the snug or the roomy end of it. Watch for a few days, at different times, and look out for three things.

Does he curl up, nose by his tail and back against something? Then he wants a boundary. Choose the size that fits snugly, not the one above it. A curled-up dog in a roomy bed feels less enclosed than in a bed that fits.

Does he stretch out, on his side or on his back with his legs in the air? Then the base counts. Take the larger size, or consider whether a blanket on the sofa is not more logical than a bed. Why dogs sleep like this, you can read in our article on dogs that sleep on their backs.

Does he crawl under a blanket, a cushion or your coat? Then an open bed may not be his first choice. A dog sleeping bag of 60 x 70 cm, which he crawls into himself, suits a dog that prefers to burrow.

Young dogs curl up more often, older dogs stretch out more often. A dog who lies in a Ø50 at five may want more room at ten. That is not a fault of the bed, that is the dog changing.

Too big or too small: the mistakes we see most often

The first mistake is choosing by weight. Two dogs of the same weight can have a very different back length. A Whippet is light and long, a Corgi is just as heavy and a good deal shorter. Weight puts you on the right track, back length decides. The exception is compact, heavy breeds such as the Pug and the French Bulldog: they struggle to make themselves small, so there weight wins over back length and it becomes the Ø60.

The second mistake is choosing by the puppy in front of you now. A Cocker Spaniel puppy lies happily in a Ø50, but not in a year's time. Look at the back length of the breed when fully grown. If you still want a bed that fits now, plan on a second bed later, and wait with upholstery fabric until the chewing phase is over.

The third mistake is choosing a dog bed by the room. A Ø60 is a circle 60 cm across. In a small living room that is noticeable, and then the temptation is to go a size smaller. Do not. Look for another spot instead: a corner of the room where the dog lies out of the way is a better place for him than the middle of the space. The RSPCA explains well why a bed should be large enough for all of a dog's natural sleeping positions, and why a quiet spot away from draughts matters.

The fourth mistake is easy to fix: forgetting that your dog can move house with you. A bed with handles goes from the living room to the bedroom, into the car and to the holiday cottage. Then the size does not have to suit one spot, but the dog.

What the size means for everyday use

A bed that fits gets used. That sounds obvious, but it has consequences for everything around it. A bed that is dug in and turned around in every day has to hold its shape. That is why our beds are made in one piece, with a rim that stays up when it is pushed against.

A bed that is used every day also has to go in the wash. All Pooch Pouches go into the washing machine whole at 30 degrees, the Ø60 included. How to do that and how to dry the bed is on the wash and care page. The fact that the whole bed fits in the machine is also the reason we dare to make light colours.

And because the bed is made of upholstery fabric, in colours you would also choose for a curtain or an armchair, it does not need to be hidden away. A Ø50 in a light chenille sits in a corner of the living room the way a side table does. All versions, in both sizes, are in the Pooch Pouch dog beds.

Conclusion

How big should a dog bed be? As big as your dog's back length in sleeping position, plus about 5 cm. Up to 48 cm you choose Ø50, up to 58 cm you choose Ø60, and when in doubt you take the larger one. Then watch how he sleeps: a curler wants a bed that fits snugly, a stretcher can have room. If you would like to run through the choice breed by breed, our article on what size dog bed you need takes you further.

Frequently asked questions

How big should a dog bed be for a small dog?

Measure your dog's back length in sleeping position, from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, and add about 5 cm. For a small dog with a back length of up to 48 cm, a round bed of Ø50 cm fits. If he curls up, a bed that fits snugly is more comfortable than a roomy one.

Is it a problem if a dog bed is too big?

Too big is less of a problem than too small. A dog in a bed that is too roomy seeks out the rim and lies in one corner, so he misses the boundary. If you are between two sizes, still choose the larger one, as long as the bed fits in the room.

What size dog bed does a puppy need?

Choose by the back length of the breed when fully grown, not by the puppy of today. A puppy of a medium-sized breed outgrows a Ø50 within a year. If you want a bed that fits now, plan on a second bed later.

How do I measure my dog's back length?

Wait until your dog lies the way he usually sleeps. Run a tape measure from the base of the neck, where the neck meets the shoulders, to the base of the tail. Add about 5 cm. Up to 48 cm you choose Ø50, up to 58 cm you choose Ø60.

Which is better for a dog, a bed or a cushion?

It depends on how he sleeps. A dog that curls up and seeks out the rim is more comfortable in a bed with a raised rim. A dog that stretches out full length, or a large dog, gets more out of a cushion or a blanket on the sofa.