We know how much you love your new pup and how you want the best for them. If you could, we’re sure you’d buy them sheets of Egyptian cotton and a bed made out of clouds; so let’s get as close to that as we can with our guide to the best puppy and dog beds around!
Getting the right puppy bed is most definitely one of the first things you’ll find yourself doing; we’re happy to help you with it…off they’ll go into the land of nod. You can look forward to getting a good 8 hours at night too, if their bed is comfy enough. This is the stuff of dreams right here.
Firstly, let’s look at why sleep is so important for puppies? Do you know how long puppies need to sleep for?
Well it’s A LOT, probably more than you realised, actually around 18 hours a day, more if we can get them to… I know you’re jealous, we all are!
The time they spend sleeping is super important, it allows their body to rest from all of the energy they exert through the day. All of those growth spurts are seriously tiring! When they sleep their brain processes all of the cool stuff they’ve been learning with you and turns it into memories! So finally they remember pee does not belong on the hall carpet!
Studies have also shown sleep enhances learning – no wonder we humans say ‘let’s sleep on it’ before we make a big decision – so a well rested puppy learns faster… clever clogs!
Puppies who don’t sleep often enough can struggle with the following
- Biting and mouthing – this is so common in overtired puppies
- Irritability – just like us puppies get cranky if they don’t sleep enough
- Hyper activity – this is often a stress related behaviour and there’s nothing more stressful than being sleep deprived right?
- A weakened immune system – the body needs sleep to heal and stay healthy
By the way, if you were wondering how to get your puppy to sleep through the night, we have a great article to help you with that here.
What makes a great puppy bed? Top dog beds tips.
So now you know how important your pups sleep is, you’ll need to find the best puppy bed. We thought we’d give you our best tips for finding the perfect puppy bed, what to look for, where to put your dog’s bed in the house and some simple dos and don’ts to make sleep times well… dreamy!
- Choose a soft and cosy puppy bed
The best puppy bed will be
- Padded and soft – a hard floor or stiff plastic bed is not comfortable for your puppy to sleep in, a cosy bed feels a bit more like they’re still with their Mum and littermates, warm and comforting for the perfect peaceful sleep.
- Den like – puppies typically sleep on top of each other, having a bed with sides means they can nestle in.
- Washable covers are a must!
You probably don’t need us to tell you, that
- Puppies may well have accidents in or on their bed..pretty much like the rest of the house right?
- Puppies drool when teething
- Puppies shed hair or bring dirt from their coats into their beds
All of these mean washable covers are a really good idea when thinking about what bed is best for your puppy. Check if they can go in the machine or not too.. Makes life so much easier if they can.
- Enough room to stretch out in
Too often people buy beds that are too small for their growing puppy. As a good rule of thumb measure your puppy from nose to tail then add on 20-30cm to get the correct diameter or length for your puppy.
- Find out if your puppy runs hot or cold
Every puppy is different, so when considering what type or bed you get for your puppy do consider their breed. (This extends to training too, which is why we developed our Zigzag puppy training app to have dedicated breed specific programmes, but I digress…)
A breed of dog developed to live in cooler climates such as a Husky is probably going to ‘run hot’ so will prefer a more mattress style of bed to stretch out in, or even just a piece of vet bed on the floor Vs a short haired Chihuahua who ‘runs cold’ and will want a more nesty style of bed.
Similarly some dogs really appreciate being off the floor with a flow of air underneath, it keeps them warm and away from draughts, and also allows for good air flow to stop them feeling too hot.
- Is your puppy a chewer?
If your puppy has decided they want to chew their bed, then you can either get a chew proof bed, check out our guide below for the best one of those, or get a reasonably cheap bed for now while they go through the chewing phase, and then upgrade them later when they’ve stopped chewing.
- Where should you put your puppy’s bed?
This question is also asked a lot, puppies need somewhere that is
- Away from high traffic areas like hallways
- Dark at night so outside noises, or creatures don’t wake them up
- Away from draughts but also not on top of radiators, particularly if you have a puppy who ‘runs hot’ (see above)
- For a daytime bed, then in the room you spend most of your time, your puppy should be able to see you, as they’re more likely to go to sleep then.
The best puppy beds
We’ve taken the legwork out for you and compiled a list of our favorite dog beds for puppies and for dogs.
Hi-K9 Raised dog bed
We love the Hi-K9 range of beds, available in all different sizes depending on how big you need them to be. They also have slip-on covers and nests to go on them. Being off the floor is much more comfortable for dogs. It allows for air flow underneath and keeps them out of draughts coming in from under doors. Dogs always seem to seek these beds out when they come to my house, which should tell you something!
Buy Hi-K9 Raised dog beds online here.
Casper Dog Bed, Plush Memory Foam, Small, Gray
This top of the range memory foam bed, comes from the makers of the human mattresses. Dogs really do look very comfortable lying on them, bound to be a winner we say.
Buy Casper dog beds online here.
Y’ALL Calming Dog Bed – Round Moon Shape
This is one of those super fluffy donut style beds, which look dreamy to lie in. Puppies can really snuggle up in these!
Buy Y’ALL Calming dog beds online here.
Rosewood Jumbo Cord
This is a very cosy bed at a great price point, and you can put it in the washing machine. A great value option which still gives your puppy some luxurious comfort.
Buy Rosewood Jumbo Cord beds online here.
Ellie-Bo Waterproof Dog Beds
Ellie Bos padded and waterproof dog beds are the perfect size to go in their crates which we reviewed in our top puppy crates article – available in 3 sizes, you can also buy the covers separately too.
Buy Online
Pet Fusion Memory Foam Mattress
Dogs just love this super comfy bed, it’s really practical for owners too, removable covers that can be machine washed or wiped and replacement covers available, so you can always have a spare to hand.
Buy Pet Fusion Memory Foam Mattress online here.
Veehoo Chew Proof Elevated bed
Elevated and chew proof, this bed is a win win for large dogs that love to chew but run hot so prefer the air circulation of a raised bed.
Buy Veehoo Chew Proof Elevated beds online here.
All Pet Solutions Dexter Bed
This bed does it all, hard wearing and made from super strong fabric to fend off the strongest of chewers, comfy, waterproof, washable… and great value for money.
Buy All Pet Solutions Dexter Beds online here.
Maximum Pet Products waterproof bed
This is a tough bed, strong enough to withstand chewing (allegedly) and also super waterproof. These beds are designed for the muddy, diggy, active and outdoorsy kinds of dogs. Comes in a great choice of colours too.
Buy Maximum Pet Products waterproof beds online here.
PawHut Pet Sofa
Last but definitely not least we have the PawHut Pet Sofa. This ones definitely for the pampered pups out there, and you can choose one that matches your interior aesthetique too!
Buy PawHut Pet Sofas online here.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about what makes a great puppy bed, and also learnt something too.
Are you considering using a crate for your puppy? We have a great guide here on how to crate train your puppy, or also a review of the best dog crates to help you find the perfect one for your puppy.
Don’t forget to check out the Zigzag puppy training app for more tips. You’ll get access to our team of Puppy Experts. They’re wonderful and are full of advice and support to help you through this tricky phase,and help with any other issues you might be having with your pup’s behaviour and training. Don’t be afraid to sink your teeth into it.
(in Google Playstore)