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From separation anxiety to storm phobias, there’s plenty in this world to make your dog nervous. Calming dog beds are an increasingly popular solution.
They’re not magic cures for all forms of pup anxiety—but there’s a growing body of evidence that suggests they can offer some benefits to anxious pups. Plush filling, faux-fur exteriors, and a classic donut shape with bolstered sides create a combination of enveloping warmth and fur that might, according to experts, simulate the secure feeling of a mother and littermates.
We decided to put the theory to the test with our own anxious pups, who tried the bed that sparked the trend: the Best Friends by Sheri Calming Dog Bed. With more than 68,000 Amazon reviews and an 80% 5-star average, the fuzzy donut is beloved by dogs and their pet parents alike. So does it stand up to the hype?
The Best Friends by Sheri Calming Dog Bed
Founded in 2009 by Sherry Samani, Best Friends by Sheri originally focused on homeware textiles. Having discovered her Pomeranian, Kudo, liked sleeping on her fabric swatches, Samani eventually shifted to producing fashionable pet beds—with such success that the company was acquired by popular dog brand Outward Hound in 2021.
The Calming Donut Cuddler, which claims to be the original calming dog bed, has dominated the market for years, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be waning.
The bed features a torus (donut) shape and is stuffed with clump-resistant CoziLOFT™ fibers. It’s covered in soft shag fur that’s been finished with double-overlock stitching. This bed comes in five sizes and over a dozen different colors to accommodate dogs of all breeds and ages.
A water- and dirt-resistant backing helps keep the bed in place on hard flooring and offers moderate protection against accidents. The cherry on top is that the whole thing is machine washable and dryer safe. (In fact, the company recommends that you machine dry the bed to maintain the soft, fluffy look and feel. Bonus!)
Rover Canine Testers Love the Calming Donut
To put the purported calming benefits of the Best Friends by Sheri dog bed to the test, we recruited six-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog Ruby and 15-year-old Miniature Dachshund Oscar.
Each of our test pups reviewed the bed for several weeks, putting it to the test in stressful situations and with normal, everyday napping. Here’s what we discovered.
Newly adopted Ruby consistently chooses the Best Friends bed, no matter where it is in the house
The first to test the Best Friends calming dog bed was Ruby, a middle-aged Bernie who’d been experiencing some anxiety since her adoption. Ruby is a sweet dog, but her anxiety sometimes gets the better of her when she’s separated from her favorite human, Katie.
Because Ruby hates to be confined, crating isn’t always an option. Instead, Katie set up the Best Friends bed in the spot where Ruby tends to sleep—two feet from Katie’s bed. She hoped Ruby would associate the bed with her comfort zone.
For the first few weeks of testing the bed, both Ruby and Katie’s other dog, Sabine, showed lots of interest in the bed. They happily used it as a lounging spot, and it became Ruby’s go-to place for all situations, including an option for when her people left the house, or during an intense rainstorm.
Ruby and Sabine share pretty much everything, and in the beginning, the Best Friends calming bed was no different. After a few months, however, both dogs became a little bit possessive of the bed, which led to more than one episode of midnight bed stealing. It just must be that comfy.
After several months, Katie is convinced that the Best Friends bed truly has a calming effect on Ruby. Ruby loves the bed as a cozy perch for cat naps, as a home base for people watching, and as an all-night anchor point for serious snoozing. If Katie can’t find Ruby, chances are she’s curled up, nose burrowed in for a long winter’s nap.
Small-but-mighty Oscar suffers from separation anxiety
Allie’s Miniature Dachshund Oscar fancies himself a bed connoisseur and worships the Best Friends calming dog bed. He’s an anxious pup if ever there was one and can be found in the bed whenever there’s a lull in the action—that is, whenever his humans aren’t doing anything that requires his supervision.
He doesn’t, however, use it as a solution to the separation anxiety he experiences when the apartment is empty. When that happens, his worried eyes stay glued to the front door, and a nap is off the table, no matter how inviting his bed is.
In short, for serious anxiety cases, a calming bed probably isn’t a one-shot solution. But based on Ruby’s and Oscar’s experiences, for even the worriedest of worriers, we think there’s a strong case to be made that the Best Friends by Sheri bed does indeed promote comfort and peace—and hours of intense napping.
Final Review: The Best Friends by Sheri Dog Bed is a Comforting Choice
Overall, we think the Best Friends calming bed for dogs is definitely worth a try for nervous or anxious pups—any dog who could use a little help relaxing at home.
Katie found it helped her rescue dog, Ruby, feel less anxious at home alone. Her other dog, Sabine, quickly became a fan as well. Oscar enjoys the comfort this cozy bed has to offer too, though it isn’t the solution to his separation anxiety.
In short, while the Best Friends calming dog bed is a great choice for dogs with mild anxiety, it might not stand up to rough handling by rambunctious or severely anxious dogs. Older dogs may enjoy the sense of security this bed has to offer, but pups with advanced arthritis might find an orthopedic dog bed more supportive.
We think the Best Friends by Sheri calming dog bed could benefit a variety of dogs, in particular:
- Dogs with mild anxiety or noise sensitivity
- Nervous or hyper dogs who need a calming space to relax
- Dogs who prefer open lounging to crate confinement
- Pups prone to stress or separation anxiety
- Dogs who enjoy burrowing or curling up to sleep
- Newly adopted dogs who need a safe space to call their own
However, this calming dog bed might not be the best fit for some dogs, including:
- Aggressive chewers and dogs with destructive tendencies
- Dogs with severe separation anxiety
- Pups with arthritis who require orthopedic support
If you’re going to try the Best Friends calming dog bed, consult the manufacturer’s sizing chart and compare them to your dog’s measurements. For dogs who like to sprawl, consider sizing up.
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon Find on PetcoFurther Reading
- Our 9 Favorite Calming Dog Beds for Anxious Pups
- Do Calming Dog Beds Work and Should You Get One for Your Anxious Pup?
- The Best Calming Dog Toys for Anxiety, According to Experts
- Would Your Anxious Dog Like a Weighted Blanket? What the Science Says
- Do Heartbeat Toys Work on Nervous Dogs? Experts Answer