16 Best Dog Beds Recommended By Experts · The Wildest

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16 Best Dog Beds Recommended By Experts

Our dogs sleep with us, too. But these trainer-recommended dog beds — from indestructible ones for puppies to orthopedic options for seniors — are the next best thing.

a human petting a dog on a dog bed
Courtesy of @thevelvethippo
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Your dog spends at least half of every day in bed sleeping, napping, and generally lazing around for a reason. Actually, multiple reasons. Behind that layabout exterior, a lot of regeneration of body and soul is happening. Finding the right bed for your dog’s individual needs is one big-impact way to help your dog be their happiest, healthiest self.

“Then, reinforcing it as a safe haven with positive training can take it from comfortable resting place to a go-to comfort zone whenever your dog (and you) might need it,” says certified dog trainer Melissa Dallier. “Teaching your dog to ‘go to bed’ — a reliable retreat full of high value rewards — gives you a tool you can count on in a range of potentially stressful situations, such as when guests come over, you’re on work calls, or during tempting family meals.”

Is your rescue pup the anxious type in general and could use a calming reset? Maybe your senior dog is feeling stiff and needs extra joint support. Or, perhaps your pup is a Dachshund or another breed who is burrower by nature. Beyond health needs and breed tendencies, dogs have personal preferences too — some sprawl out on their backs, all four legs up in the air, while others curl up into a donut. And, just like us, dogs can run hot or cold. Even if your pet sleeps in bed with you, a dog bed can be moved from room to room so they can comfortably take naps near you. We’ve rounded up the 11 best options, from indestructible dog beds for puppies and power chewers to orthopedic dog beds for senior dogs to elevated dog beds for outdoor use.

Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)

Best orthopedic dog beds

PAW BRANDS Puprug Memory Foam Orthopedic Dog Bed

Human-grade memory foam meets faux fur rug for a joint-supporting, pain-easing, orthopedic bed for your dog (and a luxe design for you). The faux fur cover is easily removable for machine washing, and the core’s water-resistant lining ensures an easy clean-up in case of accidents. Plus, the bottom is made from anti-slip rubber, so your pup can stay safely in place while they chase squirrels in their dreams. And just in case you’re tempted to join your dog for a supportive nap, yes, it is available in “giant” size. —Cory and Jane Turner

Big Barker Orthopedic Bed

Big Barker’s founder was inspired to launch the brand when he was told that his dog may need hip surgery at age seven. He decided to try a supportive, rehabilitating bed before putting his pup under the knife. The memory foam top and bottom pads perfectly mold around your dog’s shape, and the high-density core guarantees that their joints will never press against the floor. Sound too good to be true? Try it and see for yourself — the company promises a replacement for any bed that sinks or sags within 10 years of purchasing. —CT and JT

Best hypoallergenic dog beds

Jax & Bones Bumble Terra Lounge Bed

Jax & Bones’s Bumble Terra Lounge Bed is designed like a sofa, allowing your pet to snuggle against whichever side they choose — perfect for dogs who like to curl up in corners. The filling is both eco-friendly and hypoallergenic, so you can feel proud that all creatures benefit from your pup’s stylish choice of nap pad.

The company reimagines waste materials like plastic bottles and fabric scraps into functional works of art that discerning pet parents will appreciate. “I started Jax & Bones in 2004 because I couldn’t find products on the market for Jax that were safe and stylish,” founder Tina Nguyen tells The Wildest. —CT and JT

Best memory foam dog bed

casper dog bed

The Casper Dog Bed has won the hearts and snuggles of interior designer Philip Mitchell’s two pups, Jacob and Wylo. The dogs love the bed’s comfortable, soft-yet-supportive memory foam, while Mitchell appreciates their simple, unobtrusive design. “They come in three neutral colors which make them easy to add to any interior space — either traditional or contemporary,” he tells The Wildest. “And the fact that the cover is removable and can be thrown in the washing machine and dryer on a gentle cycle for easy cleaning is a huge bonus.” —CT and JT

Best indestructible dog beds

ToughChew® ComfortFill-Eco™ Bolster Dog Bed

Chewing isn’t just for puppies. Whatever your dog’s age, size, or reason for chewing, Orvis has you covered with this “guaranteed” indestructible bed: Its lack of visible zippers and seams discourages your dog’s chewing instincts. It’s made from two layers of nylon, plus a bonded micro-velvet, rip-resistant top layer, but don’t be fooled by its ironman reputation — it’s still a softie with all the fill and bolster comfort your dog needs. The ComfortFill-Eco cushion is designed to keep the most digging-prone pup cozy without flattening or clumping. And if your dog’s particularly possessive about their napping space, you can opt to embroider a personalized name for a fee. —CT and JT

Kuranda Standard Almond PVC Dog Bed

Kuranda’s elevated dog beds are basically chew-proof, with the vinyl-coated fabric neatly contained in its metal frame. Even more importantly, the design is great for your dog’s health, since the raised style relieves pressure from your pup’s joints while they nap. Its also a great option for allergy-prone dogs, since there’s no stuffing to gather dirt or allergens — not to mention, this makes Kuranda beds stink-free and easy to clean. —CT and JT

Best sustainable dog beds

PLAY Daffodil Yellow Outdoor Bedd

This is the perfect bed for dogs on the move: It’s waterproof, UV-resistant, and comes with grommets to secure it to almost any surface for windy days or bumpy boat rides. The performance fabric is commonly used in camping products, while the eco-friendly PlanetFill® filler is made from 100 percent post-consumer, certified-safe recycled plastic bottles. The brightly colored chevron print — designed exclusively for P.L.A.Y. by SF artist David Collins — is pretty cool, too. But the best part? Thanks to P.L.A.Y.’s Warm Bellies Initiative (in partnership with Petfinder Foundation), for every bed purchased, another will be donated to a shelter dog. —CT and JT

The Foggy Dog Indigo Mud Cloth Dog Bed

TBH, they had us at “Indigo Mud Cloth.” But wait, there’s more: Everything about these beds is beautifully done and carefully chosen, right down to the zippers. The Sustainafill™ insert is designed to stay fluffy for years — but it’s also fully removable, so you can stuff the anti-ripping cotton cover with any of your dog’s favorite cushions or blankets. Each bed is made of 100 percent recycled fiber sourced from plastic bottles, and The Foggy Dog donates food to rescue shelters for every purchase. And yes, we would like to design our house around this fabric please. —CT and JT

John Legend Laylo geometric bed

Gabriela Baiter co-founded Lay Lo four years ago. It began on Etsy as a home-grown solution for pet parents who wanted more design-forward offerings. Since then, the company has created capsule collections that are locally made (sometimes with upcycled, low-waste, or recycled materials), including collaborations with textile designer Warren Aldrich, French fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra, and this year, with musician John Legend

“I found that choosing from many of the best pet products meant sacrificing on the style of my small apartment,” founder Gabriela Baiter says. “With that as my spark, I started with a mission to make products for my pets that I’d be proud to display in my home.” We love Lay Lo for many aesthetic reasons, but also that each bed comes with orthopedic mattresses. —Sean Zucker and Charles Manning

white floof dog bed with dog sitting in it

Most faux fur is made of virgin plastic and feels far from luxurious — but then there is UnHide’s faux fur, or, as they call it, “faux chinchilla.” This stuff is seriously soft, its fleece-y fibers so densely packed that you’d almost think it was genuine fur. But it’s not. It’s polyester. And it’s 100 percent recycled. 

Plus, the bed is seriously plush. It has raised sides, allowing your dog a place to rest their head and edges to burrow into, and the faux-fur cover is removable, machine washable, and dryer-safe, so you can keep it looking its best. It comes in three sizes — small, medium, and large — and three colors. —CM

Velvet Hippo Canvas Hex Cushion

Velvet Hippo was founded by partners in life and work, product designer Shalina Chen and award-winning furniture designer (with work in the Smithsonian Museum) Jason Horvath — making for a uniquely intimate collaboration. A few years ago, as they were decorating their Brooklyn apartment, they faced a challenge when searching for a dog bed that would complement their aesthetic without sacrificing the comfort of their Pittie rescues Lola and Rasta. They decided to solve the issue in-house and Velvet Hippo was born, a tightly edited line of hexagonal-shaped, stone-washed canvas beds stuffed with recycled poly-fill.—SZ

Best small dog bed

Best calming dog beds

modernbeast pod dog bed

Modernbeast’s Pod beds are the softest surface your dog can get their paws on, wrapped around a form-fitting core that’ll give them the feeling they’re hopping into quicksand made of clouds. Beyond that, having an extra comfy bed like the MD Pod can help ease separation anxiety by acting as a safe space for your dog while you’re out. It can even help when you’re around, as well. “Teaching your dog to ‘go to bed’ — a reliable retreat full of high-value rewards — gives you a tool you can count on in a range of potentially stressful situations, such as when guests come over, you’re on work calls, or during tempting family meals,” dog trainer Melissa Dallier explains to The Wildest. Plus, the bed’s inner fabric is comprised of 100 percent recycled high-loft fiber, each pound of which diverts roughly seven plastic bottles from lingering at landfills. —SZ

Best cooling, elevated dog bed

coolaroo elevated pet bed

This elevated dog bed is perfect for keeping your dog cool and comfortable in the warmer months. The woven synthetic fabric allows air to circulate under, as well as around and over your dog, so they aren’t just sweating away atop an increasingly muggy and overheating cushion. It’s high enough that you don’t have to worry about resonant ground heat — especially relevant at the beach — but low enough that it’s easy for even small or less mobile dogs to access. —CM

cory and jane turner

Cory and Jane Turner

Cory and Jane are daughter-mother partners in just about everything including co-founding Dogly, a platform for pets and their people to live well together. They’re parents to a family full of magical rescue dogs and a bossy street cat from Shanghai who are their resident muses, testers of all things, and advisors on the meaning of life.

Charles Manning

Charles Manning is an actor, writer, and fashion/media consultant living in New York City with his two cats, Pumpkin and Bear. Follow him on Instagram @charlesemanning.

Sean Zucker

Sean Zucker

Sean Zucker is a writer whose work has been featured in Points In Case, The Daily Drunk, Posty, and WellWell. He has an adopted Pit Bull named Banshee whose work has been featured on the kitchen floor and whose behavioral issues rival his own.

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