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Finding the right dog bed can be tricky, especially if you have a large-breed dog. You’re probably already aware that selecting a large dog bed that’s good quality is really important, considering how much time your pup spends there. It’s extra nice if it provides support, especially for senior dogs who may need help with joint pain. Rover sitter and dog mom of two senior pets, Amber C., tell us that going orthopedic for her dogs’ bed “was a real game-changer. It helped their sleep and mine.”
Read on to find out more about dog sleeping positions, why the right dog bed is so important for canine comfort and health, and for our top choices in regular, orthopedic, and extra-large beds for the biggest dogs around. These picks all score high in the comfort department.
PetFusion Ultimate Lounge Orthopedic Dog Bed
This ultra-comfortable dog bed uses memory foam to boost dogs off the floor and cushion their joints.
A word on finding the right size for your dog: Pay close attention to the measurements from the dog bed manufacturer. Actual measurements for sizing categories like “jumbo” and “extra-large” can vary widely by brand. If you have a heavy chewer, you might need an extra durable option. Many of these beds boast durable fabric, but aside from the Coolaroo, they may not stand up to a truly persistent chewer.
Why Dogs Need the Right Bed
Like humans, dogs like to be comfortable when they sleep. Although some dog sleep positions look uncomfortable from the outside, for your pooch, they’re just perfect.
Common dog sleep positions include:
- Side Snoozer
- Tummy Napper
- On their back with their paws up in the air
- Snuggled up with their favorite human or animal friend
- Curled up into a ball
All of the above sleep positions have their benefits. For instance, sleeping sprawled out on their side or tummy can help dogs cool off in warmer months. In general, dogs fall asleep in positions that offer physical comfort and psychological safety. If they’re attached to their bed, they’ll find extra security (and adapt their sleeping positions to fit it).
A big part of canine sleeping comfort is warmth. By curling tightly into a ball and tucking their nose under their tail, dogs conserve body heat. Consider how you sleep when it’s cold: bundled up under warm blankets, possibly with your knees drawn up to your chest, or even snuggled around your sleeping dog.
Huddling up for warmth is an instinctual behavior in mammals. You and your dog have a lot in common!
Your dog’s tendency to curl up to sleep also goes back to their origins. Before they were domesticated, dogs slept in dens and made nests to keep warm at night.
Even though your dog has a warm, dry shelter, they still have hardwired behaviors from their ancestor’s pre-domestic days. This may also explain why dogs “make the bed” by digging into blankets or the couch. They’re preparing their nest for the night.
Dogs Seek Security While Sleeping
You may have heard that dogs show their stomachs when they’re comfortable. Conversely, they curl up to protect their tummy in vulnerable situations. Curling up to sleep protects dogs’ vulnerable organs from would-be predators.
Even though your dog is safe at home and faces no threat from predators, they retain the instinct to protect themselves.
Curling up to sleep can also offer psychological comfort to dogs who feel unsafe. Consider how often you see photos of dogs in animal shelters huddled or curled up in the corner of their kennel. In a noisy, intimidating environment, curling up to sleep can help dogs feel protected and safe.
Dog Sleep Positions: The Bottom Line
In truth, the main reason dogs choose one sleep position over the other is simple: it’s comfortable!
When your dog curls up to sleep, they’re mainly just trying to get comfortable. Even if they sleep in a crate, as long as they have space to stand up, stretch out, turn around, and lie down, they can get a great night’s sleep.
You can help make your dog more comfortable by providing space and soft surfaces for sleeping. Couch-like beds and cave beds provide an opportunity for nesting, as do additional blankets or plush toys.
The Best Dog Beds for Large Dogs
PetFusion Ultimate Lounge Orthopedic Dog Bed (Verified Review)
This dog bed is a bestseller for good reason: It’s durable, supportive, and the ideal place to enjoy a serious snooze. The PetFusion large orthopedic bed has everything aging dogs need from a bed, from a cushioned memory foam base to a bolster that’s perfect for napping on. We tried this bed with our office dogs at Rover, and all of them used the bolster as a headrest as if they knew it was a pillow just for them. Pretty adorable.
Plus, the cover can be machine washed. It’s very easy to remove if any accidents happen, and according to many reviewers and our own experience, is quite sturdy.
Verified Review: Tried and tested by Rover office dogs, “we were impressed with the quality of the PetFusion bed, which lives up to the ‘ultimate’ in its name. If your dog likes to burrow, like mine, I throw a fuzzy blanket or two on top, and he’s happy as can be. The bed was a 10/10 with our dogs.”
PetFusion Ultimate Lounge Orthopedic Dog Bed
This ultra-comfortable dog bed uses memory foam to boost dogs off the ground and give them cushion for their joints.
Majestic Pets Bolster Bagel Dog Bed
Nothing says cozy like this bagel-shaped dog bed from Majestic Pets. If your dog is a fan of nesting and burrowing, then this large dog bed is the choice for them. Premium fiberfill ensures that the bed keeps its shape (no matter how big your fella is). The whole shebang is machine washable, which is a plus that any pet parent can relate to.
Note: This may not be the best bed for an arthritic dog; it lacks the structure and support that old joints need.
Majestic Pet Bagel Bolster Dog Bed
This comfortable, cozy dog bed is great for large dogs and machine-washable (but the manufacturer recommends air-drying). Best of all, it is waterproof to help protect it from accidents.
Coolaroo Elevated Pet Bed (Verified Review)
Elevated beds like the Coolaroo are great for so many reasons. The height can help arthritic dogs stand and lie down more easily, and the breathable fabric keeps dogs cool in summer’s heat. Best of all, this style of bed is extremely hard to wreck. Chewers—you’ve found your match! This bed works indoors or out and comes in a range of colors.
Verified Review: “The metal looked high quality, and I really liked the color it came in. I like that this bed allows my dog a spot to chew or lay on without being directly on the grass. The dogs were all interested in it, and my Boston Terrier uses it as her default place to chew on her bone. It’s still holding up well through wind, heavy rain, and direct sunshine—and it’s small enough to store away for the winter.”
Coolaroo Elevated Pet Bed
This affordable bed is a good solution for dogs who want to stay elevated and cool. It’s great for both indoor and outdoor use and can be hosed off for easy cleaning.
Molly Mutt Dog Bed
The Molly Mutt bed is a unique and eco-friendly pick for a large dog bed. You can order a dog bed duvet and insert for a complete bed, but you can also just order a duvet (available in a range of trendy patterns and lots of different sizes) and a “stuff sack” that you can fill with old pillows, blankets, or clothing. This not only saves valuable resources by using what you already have, but it also creates a comfy dog bed that smells like you, making it perfect for dogs with separation anxiety or ones that just sleep better with you around.
The 100% cotton duvets are machine washable, and you can even add a pop of color with a pillow pack to complete the look. Everything you need comes in their Pillow Pack Kit.
Molly Mutt Dog Bed
Stuff this patterned dog bed cover with fabric items from your own home to keep your pet comfortable with your scent.
Carhartt Durable Canvas Dog Bed (Verified Review)
This 100% cotton canvas dog bed has a nontoxic water-repellant coating and can withstand chewing and digging. Easy to clean, its triple-stitch seams and brass zipper are sturdy enough to hold up for years.
Verified Review: Our tester noted that the bed is quite big, yet lightweight and easy to move around. For more about this bed, check out our video review below.
Carhartt Durable Canvas Dog Bed
This simple yet high-quality dog bed is great for large dogs who need something durable. It comes in gray, black, and brown, and the cover is machine-washable.
Carhartt Sherpa Top Dog Bed
This gem has the same great Carhartt specs but with a soft sherpa top for dogs who crave that extra softness and comfort.
Serta Quilted Orthopedic Bolster Bed (Verified Review)
With a machine-washable, non-slip removable cover, this Serta Orthopedic Quilted Couch is the perfect bed for older dogs who can sometimes have problems holding their bladders. With four inches of high density orthopedic foam providing support for pressure points, this bed also helps with joint pain.
Do keep in mind that the largest dogs won’t fit without curling up, though medium-to-large breeds like cattle dogs do well in this bed. For something larger, Serta makes a popular foam mattress for dogs with similar materials. We use one at the Rover office, and the large size fits several small-to-medium sized dogs at once!
Verified Review: “Whiskey wanted to nest in this bed and treat it like a den. No more circling around and around to get comfortable. He’s been having some spine and nerve issues, so the orthopedic foam mattress is a plus. I really love the color, too. His blonde hairs blend in. The mattress was especially cushy—it felt as nice as my human bed!”
Serta Quilted Orthopedic Bolster Bed
For dog parents looking for an inexpensive memory foam bed, this one by Serta is a great option.
FurHaven Orthopedic Dog Bed | Jumbo Plus (Verified Review)
This orthopedic bed from Furhaven comes in a variety of sizes, including jumbo and jumbo plus. The jumbo size fits breeds up to 95 pounds (Golden Retrievers, Huskies, German Shepherds), and the jumbo-plus fits large breeds up to 125 pounds (Great Danes).
Your dog will be comforted by supportive bolsters on three sides and orthopedic memory foam underneath. The faux fur and suede cover is easy to clean (machine washable, in fact) and comes in a few different colors.
Verified Review: “Not only is the Furhaven bed a very comfortable spot for Lana to spread out, but it also looks lovely in my living room. The fabric is an ultra-plush faux fur, and the bed features two raised, rounded bolster ends that your dog can use as a pillow. A big plus for my super shedder? This bed is easy to vacuum and dog hair doesn’t get stuck in the fabric. The cover is washable and the waterproof liner adds a layer of security.”
Furhaven Jumbo Plus Orthopedic Dog Bed
Bolsters and orthopedic memory foam make this a comfortable and supportive bed for your dog—it looks great too!
Dogbed4less Jumbo Orthopedic Comfort Memory Foam Dog Beds (Verified Review)
Looking for a bed with comfort and support designed to cuddle your favorite big dog? This jumbo-sized bed pillow easily supports up to 160 pounds of canine. It’s ideal for larger breeds!
Overstuffed with shredded memory foam, it’s pretty much guaranteed not to flatten over time. There’s plenty of room for sprawling out on this dog pillow, so you can join in too. Maybe.
Verified Review: Our reviewer, a Rover sitter, found that both her own dogs and the Rover dogs she hosted were, as she says, “obsessed” with this bed, especially with the microsuede cover. (She observed that the denim cover was not as popular, possibly because the material was too stiff; but because it’s machine washable, after a few runs in the wash, it could soften up.)
Dogbed4less Jumbo Orthopedic Comfort Memory Foam Dog Beds
If you’re looking for an orthopedic dog bed fit for a jumbo dog, this is a great option and comes in a variety of colors.
Big Barker Headrest Edition Orthopedic Pillow Dog Bed (Verified Review)
This extra-large orthopedic pillow bed is the king of the really-comfy places for your dog to plop. The supportive orthopedic foam is especially good for dogs with joint issues.
It’s not cheap, but this high-quality bed is not messing around. The weight distribution makes it ideal for extra-large dogs, and it comes with a ten-year warranty. Big Barker is highly regarded for the quality of its construction and its guarantee against damage.
Verified Review: “This bed is outrageously comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that we considered throwing a sheet on it and using it for sleepovers. It absolutely lives up to expectations: It’s huge, comfortable, and high-quality. But I’ve really gotta emphasize the “huge” here. You need primo floor real estate to make space for this thing.
You’re investing in a high-quality and rather enormous new addition to your home. But if you can swing it (and have the room for it), your dog will love you for it. The only complaint (if you can call it that) that I have is that this bed is more than big, it’s huuuuge. But that’s what I signed up for, and boy did they deliver! It’s a terrific, exceptionally comfortable dog bed for big dogs who love a little luxury.”
Big Barker Headrest Edition Orthopedic Pillow Dog Bed
This luxe dog bed will allow your big dog to spread out and sleep in absolute comfort.
Snoozer Orthopedic Cozy Cave Dog Bed
Many dogs like to snuggle into super-cozy places, and cuddler beds like this one by Best Friends by Sheri are very popular for that reason. However, they’re not often big enough for larger breeds—which is why we love the Snoozer Cozy Dog Cave. Available in an extra-large size, this unique bed’s pocket is sherpa-lined for comfort, and an internal wire keeps it open just enough for your pup to peek out at the world.
You’ll also be able to match it to the furniture since it comes in every color under the sun. Note that the dog cave is not as durable as other dog beds on the list, so it’s not a good fit for a heavy chewer.
Snoozer Orthopedic Cozy Cave Dog Bed
Even large dogs can cozy up in a pet cave! This warm, cushioned dog bed will be a safe haven for your dog.
We hope this list helps you find a new bed for your big dog that will help them get the sleep they need.
