The 7 Best Dog Beds of 2023 | Reviews by Wirecutter

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The Majestic Pet Suede Bagel Dog Bed and K&H Original Pet Cot remain favorites, and we’ve added five new beds, including the FurHaven Velvet Waves Perfect Comfort Sofa. Ghrp6

The 7 Best Dog Beds of 2023 | Reviews by Wirecutter

Like humans, dogs have individual sleep preferences, and with hundreds of different bed variations to choose from, finding the right one can be a head-spinning endeavor. If only they could take an online quiz, similar to those for people: “Are you a side-sleeper? A splooter? A curler? Do you prefer a warm dirt hole or a king-size human bed where you still manage to take up all the space?”

Even if you already know your dog’s sleep style, the bed-shopping journey might still involve trial, error, and a few returned purchases. We’ve researched and tested dozens of great options for all types of picky pups to get you started. Unfortunately, if your dog just wants to sleep in the bed with you, well, you may be out of luck.

This dog bed offers a low front opening for easy access and has one of the simplest covers to spot-clean of all the beds we tested. The mattress foam is soft and supportive, but it isn’t the highest-quality material.

Dogs who like to sleep curled up with their bodies pressed up against things will love this cuddler-style bed. The pillowy bottom and raised bolsters make a cozy nest. The soft, durable faux-suede cover can withstand normal digging—but as on our other top pick, it will wear out eventually.

This is the most expensive of all the beds we tested, but the ripstop-backed cover is designed to resist tears and punctures (or your money back), which may save you money in the long run. The two-layer foam mattress is comfortable and well constructed.

With more than two dozen colors and prints, this simple lounger can appeal to a wide range of tastes. The covers look great and clean up well under normal dirty-dog conditions, but the insert isn’t as supportive as that of our other upgrade pick.

If your dog runs hot or simply loves snoozing outside, this cot keeps them elevated and promotes airflow to help regulate their temperature. But it isn’t cozy, and it can be tricky to spot-clean.

Skip buying a whole new dog bed and stuff your old blankets and clothes into one of these duvet covers instead. Available in a few dozen colors and patterns, these 100% cotton canvas covers are durable and attractive.

This simple mat is similar to sleeping bag material and comes with its own stuff sack, so it’s perfect for traveling or camping. It’s easy to spot-clean—and even easier to throw in the wash with the rest of your dirty laundry.

If your dog runs hot or simply loves snoozing outside, this cot keeps them elevated and promotes airflow to help regulate their temperature. But it isn’t cozy, and it can be tricky to spot-clean.

I’m a staff writer on the pets team and a dedicated friend to animals. I’ve lived with cats for more than two decades, and I currently have a 3-year-old rescue dog named Dave (who is spoiled beyond belief).

For this guide, we scratched, stained, stripped, cleaned, and reassembled 19 different dog beds and interviewed veterinarians and animal behaviorists to learn about dog sleep preferences and how they relate to the various styles of dog beds available. We also spoke to several dog bed manufacturers to get insight into their research-and-development processes. The current guide builds on research and testing by Kaitlyn Wells and Nick Guy, dating back to 2017.

You can find a dizzying variety of bed types and designs, but every expert we spoke to said that you should base your choice on your dog’s individual sleep style.

“Look at what your dogs liked in the past and go based on that,” said Dr. Laurie Bergman, a veterinary behaviorist. Do they like to lean against things when they sleep? Do they burrow into a tight ball? Are they unapologetic dog-spreaders? Their regular sleep posture will point you toward a shape that will work best.

Armed with this knowledge, we considered five distinct bed shapes:

Some beds contain a polyester fiberfill, while others are made from thick layers of various types of foam. Several manufacturers claim that their beds are “orthopedic.” But that’s “a misused word for dogs,” said Dr. Leticia Fanucchi, a veterinarian and professor at Oklahoma State University. “There is no such thing as orthopedic bedding, specifically.”

If your dog has arthritis or other joint issues, most of the vets we spoke to agreed that the bed you choose should be easy to get in and out of, support your dog’s joints, and not create pressure points. These are “points on the body where there's very little soft tissue coverage over bones,” such as the elbow or the hip, where lesions can develop, said Dr. Barbro Filliquist, a veterinarian and professor at University of California Davis. But if your dog doesn’t have any health issues, pressure points aren’t a big risk.

Fanucchi told us that temperature is another important factor when you’re choosing a dog bed, and that you should consider your dog’s hair. Big dogs who have a heavy fur coat and are used to cold weather might not like a thick warm cover, for example, whereas less furry dogs such as chihuahuas or pitbulls may appreciate a bed that helps them retain body heat.

Lastly, we looked for customer-friendly return policies and warranties. “Don't feel insulted if your dog doesn’t want to use the dog beds you provide,” said Bergman. “You can encourage them to use it, you can give them treats on the bed … but if they’re not going to use it, they’re not going to use it.” Most of the beds we picked are available on Chewy and Amazon, which also have generous return policies. And while there’s no such thing as a truly chew-proof dog bed, we tested a few models made with more durable materials—and with even stronger warranties—for dogs who treat their beds like a tasty snack.

After considering 32 well-reviewed dog beds, we tested 19, enlisting the help of my 65-pound mutt, Dave, and a 67-pound dog named Hunter. We evaluated each bed according to five key criteria:

Durability: We took a gardening claw (to imitate dog paws) and sharp meat shredders (to replicate puppy teeth) and scratched each bed cover 50 times with each tool to see how it held up to digging and chewing. We also yanked on and generally abused each bed’s zippers to see if anything broke or got caught.

Ease of spot cleaning: We made a concoction of cheap, smelly dog food mixed with water to simulate vomit. We poured this gag-worthy slop onto each bed cover, letting it sit for about an hour. We also rubbed globs of mud on each cover and let them dry. Then we spot-cleaned both areas with wet paper towels, a wet sponge, and in tough cases, a toothbrush. We also sprayed Nature’s Miracle on the “vomit” spots to try to remove any lingering odors (unfortunately, it mostly just covered them with its own hyper-perfumey smell).

Appearance after machine-washing: We spent a day in a laundromat machine-washing each bed cover, according to its instructions, three times. If drying was indicated, after each wash we sent the cover through a low-heat drying cycle until it was fully dry.

Ease of assembly (and reassembly after washing): For each bed that required initial assembly, we noted how difficult it was to put together in comparison with the other beds we tested. We also evaluated the difficulty of putting the bed back together after machine washing.

Quality and feel: Though my dog, Dave, tried out each bed, he wasn’t the best barometer since he would happily sleep on just about anything. Unlike Dave, I have a bad back and a high bar for comfort. I weigh about the same as an average mastiff or Saint Bernard, so I lay on each bed for five to 10 minutes, taking note of how soft it was, whether I could feel the floor beneath me, and how the cover material felt on my skin.

We also considered each bed’s attractiveness, the water-resistance of any included mattress covers, and the location of any zippers.

The FurHaven Velvet Waves Perfect Comfort Sofa’s soft, comfortable foam, easy-to-clean cover, and affordable price make it an excellent choice for most dogs. We tested the memory-foam version (the brand also offers a bed with cooling gel foam and two types of so-called orthopedic foam). You can buy a replacement cover or foam insert, as well as an optional water-resistant mattress liner.

The accessible design allows most dogs to get in and out. As a sofa-style bed, this FurHaven model has a front opening that is several inches lower than the other three sides (the exact height depends on what size you get), so it’s more accessible to puppies or to adult dogs who might have a hard time stepping over tall bolsters. “If it hurts to lift up your leg and kind of flex all your joints, we don’t want a high edge on it,” said Dr. Barbro Filliquist.

The supportive foam conforms to your dog’s shape. The memory-foam version we tested has a full slab of so-called orthopedic foam as a support base, topped by a layer of viscoelastic foam (PDF) that is supposed to contour around the dog’s shape. It was comfortable when I lay on the bed, especially the Jumbo size, which has 4 inches of foam versus the 3 inches of the smaller sizes. The mattress was supportive but also had a good amount of give, so it wasn’t overly stiff. The foam insert has been certified by CertiPUR-US, a foam-industry nonprofit that tests for ozone depleters and common chemicals that may worsen indoor air quality and harm human health.

The cover is soft and easy to clean. The 100% polyester cover felt soft and was one of the easiest to spot-clean among the beds we tested. Dried mud and fake vomit slid off the fibers with just a few wipes of a wet sponge, and the white fake fur of the mattress section allowed us to easily see when it was clean. After three rounds in a washer and dryer, the material still looked great, and it didn’t mat or clump together like that of some of the other furry beds we tested.

Assembly is straightforward. This FurHaven bed arrives compressed in three pieces: the mattress, the bolster, and the cover. It was easy to assemble, but the mattress foam took a few days to fully expand. Because the cover material is loose and floppy, you need to hold it taut to keep it in place when zippering it closed.

The cover doesn’t protect the foam from crud. Though the polyester cover cleaned up easily in our tests, fluids, dirt, and fur passed through it and collected on the top layer of the foam mattress. You can spot-clean the foam but not machine-wash it. If your dog is prone to liquid accidents, we recommend getting FurHaven’s water-resistant mattress liner, which will help prolong the life of the bed.

Its low price comes at a cost. The foam and the cover aren’t likely to hold up as long under normal use as the materials of some of the higher-priced beds we recommend. We’ve also seen a few negative reviews online that mention the zipper breaking, while others claim that the quality has declined recently. We’ll be keeping an eye on these issues in our long-term testing to see if they persist.

Sizes: four (a fifth size, the small, was recently discontinued) Colors: three

The Majestic Suede Bagel Dog Bed has been a pick since 2017 thanks to its overstuffed insert, durable cover, and cuddly shape. The Bagel Dog Bed comes in four sizes, is machine washable, and has a water-resistant bottom that keeps liquids from seeping through to your floor.

The cozy shape may appeal to a dog’s nesting instincts. Cuddlers and other doughnut-shaped bolstered beds like this Majestic model “mimic that dirt hole that [dogs] used to have before they were inside homes, so you see them curling up and sometimes even fluffing it up with their paws, trying to rearrange the nest,” said Dr. Leticia Fanucchi. This shape works well for dogs who like to sleep curled up into a ball, another instinct held over from before dogs had access to indoor heating that helps them maintain their body temperature, according to both Fanucchi and Dr. Barbro Filliquist. But if you get the right size, the Bagel Dog Bed can also accommodate other sleeping positions; on frosty nights, Dave curled up with his back and shoulders against the bolsters, but on warmer days, he sprawled out with his head hanging off the bolster.

It’s overstuffed to accommodate digging and settling. The polyester-fiberfill insert and bolster are overstuffed in comparison with other doughnut-style beds because “within a couple of weeks after the nesting starts happening, it goes down to the level it should be,” said Matthew Ziemnicki, sales manager for Majestic Pet Products. The polyfill is flexible enough for a dog to dig around in, so they can prepare their sleep spot without damaging the insert.

The cover is soft and durable. In our tests, the polyester faux-suede cover held up well to repeated swipes with the meat shredder and garden claw—it didn’t pull or tear after 50 hard passes of each. The meat claws initially left some stripes, but they turned out to be only variations in the direction of the suede, and the lines vanished with the swipe of a hand.

No assembly necessary. The Bagel Dog Bed arrives preassembled, unlike other beds we tested. We simply took it out of the box, fluffed it a bit, and put it on the floor. Dave was snoozing in it within minutes.

The Majestic Pet Products Suede Bagel Dog Bed provides your pooch with a long-lasting place to sleep.

A dog bed in this price range won’t last forever. Eventually, the materials will wear out, especially if you wash it regularly or your pup is tough on it. But you should expect to get at least a couple of years out of it as long as your dog isn’t a big chewer, and possibly longer if you're handy with a needle and thread.

The cover may still show traces of dirt or discoloration even after you spot-clean it. But stains are largely dependent on your color choice—the navy bed we tested helped disguise most marks, but under a flashlight, we could still make out a faded spot where we had soaked it with Nature’s Miracle to bust up lingering odors.

It’s annoying to take apart and reassemble when you have to wash the cover. The bed’s two zippers, one for the bolster and one for the mattress, are located deep in the crevice between those two sections, where dirt and debris also collect. And the bagel shape is not for every dog. For “dogs that have osteoarthritis affecting their joints, it may actually be uncomfortable and they may not be able to get into a tight curl position,” said Filliquist.

Sizes: four (suede version) Colors: seven (suede version)

The Orvis RecoveryZone ToughChew Lounger Dog Bed has a damage-resistant cover, a comfortable mix of foams, and a rock-solid warranty. We tested the ToughChew Lounger as well as Orvis’s pricier bolstered RecoveryZone Couch Dog Bed with standard fabric. Both beds earned high scores in nearly all of our tests. If your dog isn’t a big chewer, Orvis’s regular-upholstery lounger is less expensive than the ToughChew version of the lounger and just as nice.

Two types of foam make this bed feel great. The dual layers of foam offered the best combination of softness and support in our tests. The upper layer conformed to both my and Dave’s bodies in separate tests, while the 4-inch base kept us from sinking through to the floor. The upper layer is a proprietary foam that “shares a lot of the same properties as memory foam … but it doesn't hold heat the way memory foam will, or cold,” said Brandon Jorgensen, senior product designer at Orvis. We didn’t test for temperature regulation, but I can say that the RecoveryZone beds were the most comfortable dog beds I tried.

The cover is soft and durable, and it hides fur. All RecoveryZone dog bed covers use a weave designed to camouflage fur and dirt. In our tests, after a few weeks of dog-fur build-up, the covers didn’t look pristine, but they did look better than many of the other beds we evaluated. The ToughChew cover has an added ripstop-nylon layer adhered to the underside that is meant to resist chewing, digging, and punctures; Orvis backs this claim with its ToughChew Guarantee. The standard fabric is still durable enough for regular use, and both versions of the cover withstood our meat shredders and garden claws. But if you have a particularly destructive dog, the ToughChew fabric might be worth the additional expense.

Attention to the details is clearly evident. Both the ToughChew and standard RecoveryZone covers have a strong, smooth zipper that tucks neatly away, safe from curious dog mouths. Both beds also have two hidden sleeve-like handles that make them easy to move around and don’t give dogs yet another thing to chew on. Each model came with clear instructions for assembly, though we found the directions especially helpful when putting together the couch bed: The mattress insert and three bolsters were labeled with a letter that matched a corresponding spot inside the cover. The inserts are covered by water-resistant liners, which kept the foam underneath pristine during our spill tests.

The company has a generous replacement policy. Orvis protects all RecoveryZone beds with its storewide Great Catch Guarantee, which covers at least one no-charge replacement if your dog damages the bed. The ToughChew Guarantee goes even further, qualifying for two replacements and then a refund if those don’t hold up to your dog’s best (or worst) efforts.

The RecoveryZone beds cost a lot. With the standard fabric, Orvis’s RecoveryZone lounger is far more expensive than our other top picks. If you opt for Orvis’s ToughChew cover, the price rises to almost five times that of the FurHaven bed. The couch versions are even more expensive.

It can be hard to know if the bed is clean or dirty. In our spot-clean tests, we had difficulty determining whether we had removed all the dirt and vomit because the weave was almost too good at masking filth. We recommend regular vacuuming and washing, no matter how clean the bed may look.

Sizes: four Colors: four (ToughChew), seven (non-ToughChew)

The Lay Lo Dog Bed is a stylish bed with lots of cover options, including limited-edition collaborations with a variety of designers and artists. The company offers a generous 30-day “no questions asked” return policy, so you can try the bed at home and send it back if your dog snubs it.

Some covers are constructed from recycled material. Lay Lo’s covers are made from a polyester knit, and the company has started to use threads made from GRS-certified recycled materials on its newest designs. The company says that the process of fully switching over to recycled materials could take between six months and a year, so many of the in-stock patterns may still use yarn made without this certification. We tested the red and white checkered design, which is made from recycled bottles (but doesn’t yet have GRS certification), as well as the green grid pattern, which is a standard polyester knit.

You have a wide variety of designs to choose from. Lay Lo has more than two dozen cover designs, including terrazzo, houndstooth, and chevrons. It also does limited-edition collaborations; partnerships have included fashion designer Joseph Altuzarra and singer-songwriter John Legend. If you’re drawn to more than one design, you can buy extra covers separately.

It’s easy to set up and easy to clean. The Lay Lo bed arrives in three pieces—a vacuum-packed mattress, a folded cover, and a leather handle cover—and was one of the simplest beds to assemble of those we tested. This also made it one of the easiest models to undress (and re-dress) when we washed the cover.

The zipper wraps around a nonslip bottom. The three-sided zipper on the bottom of the bed opens like a book, making it easier for you to access the mattress than most of the other beds we tested. You’ll also find a small pocket to hide the tempting dangly pull tab away. The cover has a grippy bottom that helps keep the bed from sliding across bare floors. And the mattress insert is covered with a water-resistant fabric that kept the foam beneath clean and dry during our liquid tests. The company offers an additional waterproof liner, which might be a good option if your dog has frequent bathroom mishaps.

It has a thinner mattress. The insert of the Lay Lo bed is on the thinner side in comparison with our other picks, so it might not work as a primary bed for large breeds or chunky pups. It’s made of two layers—a so-called orthopedic support foam topped by a soft layer of polyfill—that held up in testing but weren’t as comfortable as our other picks.

The cover isn’t as soft as those of our top picks. It’s not quite as plush as the material on other beds we tested, but it also isn’t rough or prickly. It’s a stretchy woven fabric that did well in most of our durability tests, with the exception of a small pull appearing after we worked it over with the meat shredders. The pull never grew, and it’s so small that it’s easy to overlook, but it’s still an indicator that this bed may not be the best choice to expose to sharp puppy teeth.

Tiny bits of dirt can get stuck in the weave. During our spot cleaning tests, getting the mud and fake vomit out of the Lay Lo bed’s stretchy fabric took a little extra work, as tiny bits were stuck in between the threads. We got most of it out with some vigorous scrubbing with a toothbrush. After a round in the washing machine, the cover was spotless again.

Sizes: four Colors and designs: 27

If your dog runs hot or simply loves snoozing outside, this cot keeps them elevated and promotes airflow to help regulate their temperature. But it isn’t cozy, and it can be tricky to spot-clean.

Dogs who run hot or love snoozing outdoors will enjoy K&H’s Original Pet Cot, a pick since 2017. The mesh is breathable and supportive enough to ensure a comfortable resting spot.

It’s great for the outdoors and helps keep dogs cool. The K&H hammock offers a great balance of sturdiness and springiness. A water-resistant heavy-denier fabric makes up the outer edge where the material connects to the frame, while the inner section is made of a flexible mesh. This material is designed to allow air to flow through from below, which can help keep your dog cool in hotter temperatures. Both fabrics held up well to our digging and chewing tests; though the mesh occasionally got caught on the sharp, pointy edges of our meat shredders, the material always bounced back and showed no visible damage.

The sturdy frame is light. The metal tubes of the frame and legs are held together by plastic corner connectors, so the cot is fairly easy to put together and take apart. The frame is strong enough to hold weights up to 200 pounds (or 300 pounds for the XL) yet light enough that most people can move the cot around with relative ease.

The company has a dog-friendly return policy. Elevated beds are not for every dog. Dave and Hunter both refused to get on it at first, as neither of them are allowed on “elevated” people furniture. If your dog rejects it—or worse, figures out how to destroy it—K&H offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee for the first 60 days if you bought the cot directly from the company’s website. If your dog chews through a plastic corner on day 61, or the fabric gets irredeemably filthy, K&H sells replacement parts and other accessories.

The assembly process is more involved than a standard dog bed. The K&H cot arrives with two of the frame poles already inserted into the hammock piece, so you just have to insert the long ends and attach the corner connectors and legs. For the larger sizes (we tested a large), you then need to tighten the hook and loop flap on one end to pull the fabric taut. We found that this was the hardest part, and it took us a few tries, each resulting in a cockeyed frame, with one foot not touching the floor. K&H recommends placing something heavy on the cot to level it out—I lay on it instead (it was comfy), and that did the trick.

Mud and fake vomit can get embedded in the mesh fabric. Removing all the filth via spot-cleaning with a toothbrush was difficult. The gunk didn’t fully come out until we hosed the cot down outside. We let it sit in the sun after that, but it took several hours to dry. When all else fails, you can toss the cover into a washing machine, but not a dryer.

Due to the bed’s height, getting on and off might be a big step for some dogs. Since the cot sits 7 to 9 inches off the ground (depending on the size you purchase), it isn’t well suited for dogs with arthritis or other mobility issues.

The Molly Mutt Bed isn’t actually a bed at all: It’s a customizable duvet cover and fitted mesh stuff sack that you can fill with soft things you already have lying around. While the company does sell a complete bed with a wool-stuffed insert, we think the duvet system is a better choice, as it helps reduce waste by letting buyers upcycle items that might otherwise end up in a landfill.

You can choose your own insert. You can stuff practically anything soft into the Molly Mutt cover: salvageable foam from a previous dog bed whose cover wore out, a pile of old clothes, or even a second-hand crib mattress. We took a few worn-out pillows, a comforter, and some clothing we’d been meaning to donate and shoved it all into the cover. In less than five minutes, we had a fully functional dog bed (and more room in our closet).

You can mend the cover yourself—or the company can do it for you. The 100% cotton canvas cover material handily withstood our clawing, scratching, and yanking. But as with many things dogs regularly use, it won’t last forever. The Climate Neutral Certified company helps customers get the most mileage out of their covers through its in-house repair service, for a fee; it also sells fabric patches so that you can match the material and stitch up any rips yourself, if you prefer. The covers are Oeko-Tex certified, which means they’ve been independently tested and found to be harmless to human health; the company says it plans to certify its covers with the Global Organic Textile Standard for cotton in the next year.

Molly Mutt offers great designs and useful accessories. The covers come in a variety of creative designs, and the result resembles a couch cushion. The Molly Mutt Bed package includes a cover and stuff sack, but you can add an optional water-resistant liner (which we recommend if your dog is prone to leaking, though it makes a crinkly noise when your dog moves around on it) and a stuffable bolster attachment. You can also get the company’s wool mattress insert if you don’t want to stuff the cover yourself. It was one of the coziest we lay on, but it initially gives off a distinct farm-animal smell. The odor dissipates over time, so if you think the initial smell won’t bother you, the company’s Sheepy Wool-Filled Bed, which comes with both the cover and insert, is another great option.

A bed filled with old clothes and blankets gets heavy. Once stuffed, the Molly Mutt bed was harder to move around than similar-size beds filled with foam or polyfill. But since the Molly Mutt bed doesn’t have a nonslip base, the extra weight also stopped it from flying across the floor whenever Dave woke up with a sudden burst of energy.

Certain soaps can cause some of the fabrics to fade. The Molly Mutt duvet cover is strong and durable, but we saw a tiny bit of fading where we had spot-cleaned one of the organic cotton fabrics using dish soap. Molly Mutt’s site has a list of detergent ingredients to avoid in order to prevent fading or discoloration, which is not something that everyone pays attention to (us included). It didn’t fade in the spots where we used only water and elbow grease. The Molly Mutt bed was also one of the longest beds to machine-dry.

The FurHaven Trail Pup Packable Pet Pillow is a simple, portable dog bed that is great for picnics, camping, and backyard hangs. It resembles a single layer of a sleeping bag, and its slick outer shell makes spot-cleaning a breeze.

The slick fabric resists liquids and cleans up easily. Unlike on most of the other beds we tested, the fluid from our wet mud and simulated puke mostly pooled on top of the Trail Pup bed’s polyester outer layer, making it easy to dab up with paper towels and a sponge. The dried mud required a little extra oomph from a wet toothbrush, but after we put in a minute or two of scrubbing, no visible trace remained. The slick surface doesn’t trap fur, dirt, or grass, even after spending a few days outside. And since the bed has no insert to remove, you can just throw it in the washer and dryer if it gets really mucked up.

You can take it almost anywhere. This bed’s simplicity makes it versatile. It comes with its own stuff sack, so you can pack it into a backpack or throw it in the car. The bed provides a great temperature barrier between your dog’s body and the ground, but it can also serve as a crate mat or blanket when the weather starts to get chilly.

It doesn’t provide support. The Trail Pup bed is filled with polyester batting, which provides a touch of cushioning but isn’t supportive at all, so we don’t recommend this model as your dog’s main bed. It’s also thinner than a similar travel bed we tested, and its slick surface, while easy to clean, isn’t especially cozy. So if your dog prefers soft fabrics or has thin fur, this model might not be the best choice.

It’s not puppy-proof. The Trail Pup bed suffered some punctures from our meat shredders, so it probably won’t hold up to the teeth of a puppy or any dog who likes to chew. The bed also has a little nylon hanging loop and a few paper care tags hanging off the edge that we caught Dave lightly mouthing on (even though he’s usually a very good boy). These flappy things may be attractive to your dog, too, so you might be inclined to cut them off.

If you want a striking, durable dog bed that you never have to machine-wash: Le Dog’s Le Bed has a full-grain, slightly textured leather cover that will last longer than most fabrics, which may make it worth its steep price tag over time (the smallest size costs around $270). The cover doesn’t need to be machine-washed; in our tests, both mud and “vomit” came right off with a paper towel and a wet sponge. Nature’s Miracle neutralized a faint odor that lingered in the seams.

The zipper performed well, but its two pulls are dangly and exposed, which may be irresistible to dogs who like to mouth on things. The bed also lacks handles, so it’s annoying to move around the house. The leather is soft and supple, yet it stood up to our clawing and shredding tests, exhibiting only the faintest of marks. But because the material is slippery, it might slide around bare floors if a dog jumps on or off it.

The interior has two layers of foam, consisting of roughly 3.5 inches of support layer topped by about 2 inches of cooling gel memory foam. In our tests, the foam had a slow springiness that helped make this bed one of the most comfortable we tried, on a par only with the Orvis beds. If your dog prefers plush or furry fabrics that keep them warm at night, this bed isn’t a good fit, but otherwise it’s an excellent option if you aren’t bothered by the high price or the use of animal products.

If you want a bed made specifically for large dogs: The Big Barker Orthopedic Dog Bed is a thick, multilayered bed made in the USA and designed for large and giant-breed dogs. We’re skeptical of dog beds touted as orthopedic, but this one offers plenty of support with three layers of foam, totalling 7 inches overall, more than in any other bed we tested. The foam is light but dense and durable. This model is noticeably firmer than the other beds we tried, so it might be too stiff for lighter dogs.

The bed is made from CertiPUR-US–certified open-cell foam, which is supposed to allow air to move through it to help with temperature regulation. The cover, which is made of upholstery similar to microsuede, initially showed distinct lines where we dragged our claw and meat shredders over it, but those marks vanished when we rubbed a hand over the surface. The fabric was easy to spot-clean. We could initially make out a darker shade where we had saturated it with Nature’s Miracle, but that disappeared after the first wash.

The optional waterproof liner was a pain to put on because which side was up wasn’t entirely clear to us (we’re still not sure), but it prevented liquids from penetrating to the foam layer, so we recommend springing for it.

The Big Barker bed is expensive, around $240 for the smallest size (which is still large enough for a golden retriever), but the company offers a 10-year warranty against the foam flattening. Damage to the fabric is not covered. If your dog doesn't like the Big Barker bed for any reason, you can return it during the first year for a full refund.

If you want a versatile, portable dog bed with lots of extras for traveling or camping: The Timberdog RuffRest is like the Transformer of dog beds. At $260 for a size small, it’s not cheap, but it has several features that make it a great option for anyone who travels a lot with their dog. It’s made of a 900D nylon shell and a Sherpa bed surface. The medium and large sizes pack up into a tight, portable roll that you can carry with a grab handle or shoulder strap, but the small size is too little to fold up.

When it’s in bed mode, a zipper around three sides lets you open it like a book to reach a hangable insert with several zippered pouches for organizing things that your dog may need on your trip. Picture the dog version of a rollable garment bag—except instead of putting in a suit, you can fill it with kibble and toys.

The pillow area hides a mini blanket that you can zip over your dog if it gets chilly. And a clip-on shoulder strap, hidden in a pocket, can do double duty as a leash in a pinch.

The foam isn’t thick, but in our tests it still felt dense and cushy under the Sherpa top layer. While the Sherpa withstood most of our violent attacks, our sharp meat shredders carved up some of the soft material, leaving a slight dip in the surface. We also saw some discoloration from the mud and “vomit” left over on the white Sherpa after our spot cleaning, but that came out after the bed went one round in a washing machine. The outer nylon shell is durable, but it makes a plasticky crumpling sound whenever a dog moves around on the bed, so if you need absolute silence at night, this bed might not work for you.

If you want a rugged, elevated cot that can stand up to most destructive dogs: The Kuranda Silver Aluminum Dog Bed is a durable indoor/outdoor cot with tough fabrics and a thick aluminum frame meant to stymie even the most determined chewers. Made in the USA, it’s heavier than the K&H cot and costs three times as much, but it might be worth the investment to avoid continuously sending damaged beds to the landfill.

The frame and three of Kuranda’s four available fabric types are guaranteed to resist damage for up to a year after purchase, or the company will replace it. The only fabric not covered is the Outdoor Mesh, which we tested along with the Heavy Duty Vinyl version, the company’s best seller.

The Outdoor Mesh version’s open weave allows air to pass through, as on the K&H cot, making it a great option for dogs who run hot. Some mud and fake puke got stuck in the fabric, but most of the mess came out with a toothbrush and a strong jet of water from a hose. This model dried in 30 minutes under the sun, while the K&H cot took more than two hours. The Heavy Duty Vinyl version was easier to clean than the Outdoor Mesh cot—everything wiped right off its nonporous surface. But it was also stiffer and less comfortable than the Outdoor Mesh model.

This Kuranda cot is the only dog bed we tested that requires tools (a wrench and a screwdriver) to put together. So if you’re handy and want a cot that can resist harsh treatment from dogs and weather, it’s a great choice.

The Casper Dog Bed used to be a pick in this guide, but the quality has been inconsistent, and this bed no longer justifies its price. The two sample beds we tested each had a foam bolster that never fully expanded. Some owners have noted similar issues. Overall, the bed felt comfortable, and the main foam insert was both soft and supportive. The soft, suede-like cover did well in our torture tests, but it trapped fur and looked dirty after only a few days. It also retained a faint water stain where we had soaked it with Nature’s Miracle, even after we machine-washed it three times. Still, if the Casper Dog Bed’s style appeals to you, and you think your dog will like it, the company’s generous 30-night trial allows you to try it risk-free.

Another former pick, the FurHaven Ultra Plush Luxe Lounger Pet Bed has a soft cover and a supportive slab of foam inside, but it didn’t hold up as well in our durability and wash tests as our newer picks. We were able to claw some of the fake fur loose with the meat shredders, and getting the mud out was more difficult here than on most of the other beds we tested. Liquid and water passed easily through the cover, staining the foam underneath, and the cover shrank a little in the washing machine, which made the bed hard to reassemble. The fake fur felt weirdly crunchy in the areas where we had spot-cleaned it, even after three rounds at the laundromat.

The PetFusion Ultimate Dog Bed, another former pick, is still a decent bed, but its poly-cotton twill cover held on to stains in our testing, even after being washed three times. (The bed does come with a waterproof liner to protect the foam, however.) The foam mattress felt great at first, but it fully compressed under our weight after a few minutes. That squishiness and lack of support may make it hard for a dog with mobility issues to get in and out of this bed, and it’s heavier than most of the other models we tested.

The insert on Approved by Fritz’s The Fritz Bed felt cheap, like an oversize airplane pillow. The fill never quite settled or spread out evenly. And the bed is available in only one size. The cover, however, is durable, cleans up easily, and comes in three stylish designs, so if you don’t mind the price, you can buy the cover separately and fill it with your own stuffing.

The Chuckit Travel Pillow Dog Bed is softer and thicker than the FurHaven Trail Pup bed, but it won’t do so well if your dog has an accident on the go. Though the material on top is cozier, it didn’t clean up as well as that of the FurHaven Trail Pup in our spill tests, and it came out of the washing machine with a small stain.

Best Friends by Sheri’s The Original Calming Donut Dog Bed in Shag Fur had thinner, flimsier inserts than the Majestic bagel-style bed, and the fill moved around so much that it left empty spots where we could feel the floor beneath. The zipper arrangement is more convenient than on the Majestic bed, but the cover also got gross quickly and was a pain to clean up in our spot testing. It didn’t fare any better in the washing machine, where the shag material got matted and stuck together.

The Pendleton National Park Pillow Dog Bed often pops up in gift guides and magazines, and while this bed is attractive and cozy looking, it’s not as durable or supportive as our picks.

In our 2022 round of testing, panelists said that the FurHaven Orthopedic L Chaise Dog Bed with cooling gel foam had an abrasive polyester that their dogs wouldn’t get near. And the bed sizes were too small for their long-legged pups to enjoy.

The Orvis ComfortFill-Eco Couch Dog Bed is a well-made, plush option that retains its shape nicely and is easy to wash. For the price, however, one of Orvis’s foam-based RecoveryZone beds would offer more support and is a better buy.

The canvas fabric on the Tuft & Needle Dog Bed helps with durability but sacrifices comfort in the process, making this one of the “rougher” beds that our 2022 panelists and their dogs tested.

We liked the way the BarksBar Orthopedic Dog Bed looked, as well as the rubber dots for grip on its underside. But we encountered problems after washing and drying this bed, as dozens of those little dots fell off in the dryer—on the delicate cycle. And restuffing the bolsters and getting the bed back to its original shape was difficult.

In our 2017 testing, L.L.Bean’s Premium Dog Couch was the most difficult bed to reassemble, with interior zippers and notches in the bolster that had to be put in place just so. For the price, we had expected nice materials, and though the denim exterior fit the bill, the stuffing was just polyester fill, rather than memory foam or a similar premium material found in similarly priced competitors. L.L.Bean used to have a lifetime satisfaction guarantee, but it now offers a one-year warranty, so if you do have issues with this bed, keep that in mind.

We’ll be testing a few options from Costco in the future, namely the Kirkland Signature 40″ Round Nest Pet Bed and the Brentwood Originals Waterproof Memory Foam Faux Fur Pet Mat.

We also plan to do a deeper dive into crate mats, a specific kind of dog bed that’s thinner and meant to fit inside a crate for a bit of comfort. Since such mats are portable and easy to throw in the wash, they’re great for travel, even if you’re not taking a crate. The MidWest QuietTime Deluxe Ombré Swirl Bed used to be one of our dog bed picks, but technically it’s a crate mat, and we still stand by it in that category. And though we dismissed the Pendleton National Park Pillow Dog Bed, we plan on testing the brand’s crate mat option, the Pendleton Dog Comfort Cushion, which features the same popular national park designs.

This article was edited by Joshua Lyon and Harry Sawyers.

Eric Shannon, founder, Big Barker, phone interview, October 30, 2023

Helen Sullivan, communications counsel, CertiPUR-US, phone interview, October 24, 2023

Leticia Fanucchi, DVM, PhD, clinical assistant professor in the department of veterinary clinical sciences, Oklahoma State University, video interview, October 16, 2023

Laurie Bergman, VMD, DACVB, veterinary behaviorist, Hickory Veterinary and Specialty Hospital, phone interview, October 12, 2023

Brandon Jorgensen, senior product designer, dog category, Orvis, video interview, September 27, 2023

Tucker Kimball, PR/corporate communications, Orvis, video interview, September 27, 2023

Matthew Ziemnicki, sales manager, Majestic Pet Products, phone interview, September 26, 2023

Barbro Filliquist, DVM, DACVS, associate professor in small animal orthopedic surgery, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, phone interview, September 25, 2023

Jaynie Gablehouse, director of product development, FurHaven Pet Products, video interview, September 20, 2023

Molly Mundt and Art Simon, co-owners, Molly Mutt, email interview, September 18, 2023

Drew Downie, co-founder, Lay Lo, email interview, September 18, 2023

Leena Chitnis, founder and CEO, Timberdog, email interview, September 18, 2023

Volunteers (and dogs), Friends with Four Paws rescue group, email interviews, February 2022

Barb Lenahan, dog trainer, K9 Connection, in-person interview, June 26, 2017

Dr. Danelle Capobianco, veterinarian, City Creatures Animal Hospital, in-person interview, July 6, 2017

Mel Plaut is a staff writer covering pets at Wirecutter. They developed a special affinity for animals at an early age, when every stray cat and runaway dog ended up at their family’s doorstep. Their writing has appeared in The New York Times, the New York Daily News, USA Today, HuffPost, NPR’s All Things Considered, and others.

Using a few essentials cat and dog owners are likely to already own, it’s easy to turn a pet bed from a dingy mess into a comfortable hideaway.

The Majestic Pet Products Suede Bagel Dog Bed provides your pooch with a long-lasting place to sleep.

A couple has to negotiate whether or not to let their pooch sleep in bed with them.

by Samantha Schoech and Mari Uyehara

Here we present very good gifts for very good dogs (and their owners)—all vetted by Wirecutter’s pet-loving staffers.

Abamectin Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).