Most dog beds are bought by eye. The owner looks at the dog, looks at the photo, picks the size that feels about right, and finds out three days later that the dog is sleeping with their head hanging off the edge — or worse, back on the sofa.
Sizing a bed isn't complicated. It just requires two minutes with a tape measure and an honest look at how your dog actually sleeps. Here's the whole process.
Why bed size matters more than owners think
A bed that's too small doesn't just look wrong. It changes how your dog rests.
- Joint pressure. When a dog can't stretch out fully, elbows and hips end up on the floor beside the bed rather than on the padding. Over years, that matters — particularly for larger breeds and older dogs.
- Temperature control. Dogs regulate heat by changing position. Curling conserves warmth, sprawling releases it. A bed that only allows one position takes that control away.
- Sleep quality. Dogs cycle through deep sleep in the sprawled positions. If there's no room to sprawl, they don't fully settle.
- They simply won't use it. The most common reason a new bed gets ignored isn't the fabric or the smell. It's that the dog tried it and it didn't fit.
Going too large is a much smaller problem than going too small — but it isn't free either. Anxious dogs and dogs who like walls tend to settle better in a bed with edges they can feel.
How to measure your dog (properly)
Do this while your dog is lying down and relaxed, not standing. Standing measurements are the single most common source of error.
- Wait until they're stretched out on their side. This is their maximum footprint. If you measure a curled dog, you'll buy a bed that only works when they're curled.
- Measure nose to the base of the tail. Not the tip of the tail — the base, where it meets the body. Tails drape over edges perfectly happily.
- Measure the widest point. Usually across the shoulders or from the top of the back to the edge of the extended front legs.
- Add 15–25 cm to both numbers. This is the working margin. It accounts for the sprawl, the shift in the night, and the fact that a bed with a bolster or raised edge loses some internal space.
The result is your minimum bed size. Round up to the nearest available size — never down.
A worked example
A 28 kg Labrador measures 78 cm nose-to-tail-base lying on her side, and 42 cm across at the widest point. Add 20 cm: she needs roughly 98 × 62 cm of usable surface. A 100 × 80 cm bed fits her. A 120 × 80 cm bed fits her comfortably, with room to sprawl diagonally — which is what most Labradors actually do.
Your dog's sleeping position changes the answer
Two dogs of identical size can need different beds. Watch yours for a few nights and you'll recognise one of these.
| Position | What it looks like | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| The curl (donut) | Nose tucked to tail, tight ball | Less floor area, but raised edges to lean into. A bolster helps. |
| Side sleeper | Fully extended on one side, legs out | Maximum length. This is the position to measure. |
| The sprawl (superman) | Belly down, back legs kicked out behind | Length and width. Usually one size up. |
| Back sleeper | Upside down, legs in the air | Width more than length, plus a flat surface — deep bolsters get in the way. |
If your dog does all four depending on the season, size for the sprawl. That's the largest footprint.
Dog bed size by breed
Use this as a starting point, not gospel. Individual dogs vary a great deal within a breed, and a lean Greyhound and a heavy Labrador can weigh the same while needing very different beds. Measure if you can.
| Bed size | Typical measured length | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| L — 100 × 80 cm | Up to ~75 cm nose to tail base | Border Collie, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Beagle, Australian Shepherd, Whippet, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bulldog, medium mixes around 15–30 kg |
| XL — 120 × 80 cm | ~75–95 cm nose to tail base | Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Boxer, Doberman, Standard Poodle, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Weimaraner, Greyhound, larger mixes around 30–45 kg |
Honest caveat: for giant breeds — Great Dane, Newfoundland, Mastiff, Saint Bernard — a 120 × 80 cm bed works for a curled dog but will be tight for a committed sprawler. If yours sleeps flat out, look for something larger.
Five sizing mistakes owners keep making
- Buying for the puppy, not the dog. A Labrador puppy at four months is a fraction of their adult size. Either buy cheap and replace, or buy for the adult size and accept a big bed for a small dog for a year.
- Measuring the tail. Tails add 20–40 cm and never need to be on the bed.
- Sizing by weight alone. Weight tells you almost nothing about length. A 30 kg Greyhound and a 30 kg Bulldog need very different beds.
- Forgetting the bolster. On a bed with raised sides, the external measurement isn't the sleeping surface. Subtract 10–15 cm from each bolstered edge.
- Assuming "cosy" means tight. Dogs like enclosure, not compression. Enclosure comes from edges and corners, not from a small footprint.
Two dogs, one bed?
It works, but only if they already sleep in contact with each other. Dogs who sleep touching will happily share a bed sized for the larger of the two plus roughly 30%. Dogs who sleep a metre apart will not share regardless of the size — you're buying two beds, and that's fine.
Size is only half the decision
Once you know the dimensions, the rest comes down to how the bed survives daily life:
- Is the cover removable and machine washable? Non-removable covers are a hygiene problem within months.
- Does the fabric repel liquid or absorb it? This is the difference between wiping and replacing.
- Is the zip protected? An exposed zip is a chew target and a filling leak waiting to happen.
- Does the filling hold its loft? Cheap fibre flattens into a mat within a season, at which point the dog is effectively sleeping on the floor.
Know your size? Here's the bed.
Our beds come in L (100 × 80 cm) and XL (120 × 80 cm), with stain-resistant covers that repel liquid instead of drinking it, a zip built for teeth, and filling that keeps its shape after the hundredth nap.
Final thought
Your dog spends between twelve and sixteen hours a day asleep. That's more time on the bed than on the lead, in the car and at the bowl combined. Two minutes with a tape measure is a reasonable investment in the thing they use most.
Frequently asked questions
How do I measure my dog for a bed?
Wait until your dog is lying stretched out on their side, then measure from the nose to the base of the tail (not the tip), and across the widest point of the body. Add 15–25 cm to both figures. That gives you the minimum bed size. Always round up to the next available size rather than down.
What size bed does a Labrador need?
An adult Labrador typically measures 75–90 cm from nose to tail base when stretched out, which puts them in a 120 × 80 cm (XL) bed. A 100 × 80 cm (L) bed will fit a smaller or curled-sleeping Labrador, but most Labradors sprawl and will be more comfortable in the larger size.
Is it better for a dog bed to be too big or too small?
Too big, in almost every case. A bed that's too small forces the dog to sleep with limbs on the floor and limits their ability to change position for temperature control. An oversized bed costs you floor space but nothing else. The one exception is anxious dogs, who often settle better in a bed with edges close enough to lean against.
What size bed should I buy for a puppy?
You have two sensible options. Either buy an inexpensive small bed and replace it once, or buy the adult size straight away and accept that your puppy will look lost in it for a year. What you should not do is buy a mid-sized bed as a compromise — it will be outgrown within months and too small to keep.
Can two dogs share one bed?
Only if they already sleep in physical contact with one another. If they do, size for the larger dog and add roughly 30%. If they normally sleep apart, no amount of extra space will make them share — buy two beds.