Choosing A Dog Bed Size

There are quite literally thousands of dog beds out there, ranging from extra large dog beds to small dog beds, orthopedic dog beds, calming dog beds, waterproof dog beds, luxury dog beds... and everything in between! It's literally a proverbial landmine, and no, we don't mean avoiding the dog poop on the way to the clothesline!

So how do you choose a size? These are our tips.

Establish your dog's fully grown size.

Firstly you need to work out the size of your dog, now and into the future! If you've got a 2month old puppy German Shepherd, there is not much point getting a bed for their current, say 15kg frame, when they're going to be triple that in less than 6months!

So the first step we recommend when buying a dog bed is to look to what you need longer term to maximise the use of the pet bed itself, reduce your environmental impact and make your furry friend as comfortable as possible.

This may sound simple, but a simple Google search for adult breed size isn't always going to help you. The biggest example is Labradors that we've come across, there is such a variance in sizes, particularly between male and female Labradors! Some females are as small as 18kg, whereas the larger males can go up to 45kg! So if you're choosing an orthopaedic bed for a labrador, there's not much point pulling an average figure from Google search and using it!

What's the best way?

1. Ask the breeder and estimate based off their parent's sizing. Ask for the length from the bum to the snout, this'll give you a working measurement that you at least need to fit onto a bed!

2. Depending on their age, you can usually guesstimate. If they're 6months, they'll typically grow an extra 40%. If they're 10months, they'll typically grow an extra 20%. At one year some dogs still will have a bit of growth left, but typically it's just "filling out".

Now that you know your dog's size?

Now that you know your dog's size...what are you looking for? A heavy duty dog bed, a plush dog bed, an Australian Made dog bed... this is where choices and individual circumstances will filter through.

There are multitudes of dog beds out there, mostly focusing on small breeds - it's hard to find big dog beds! In fact, most dog beds in Australia are small or medium based (great if you have a small breed). Large dog beds take up too much shelf space in pet stores, so you'll notice there isn't much of a focus on them.

A simple guide that we utilise across our own range is this;

Small - 0-10kg

Medium - 10 -24kg

Large - 23 - 32kg

Extra Large - 32kg & above

This is heavily based out on averages, but as our bedding range is orthopaedic and pressure relieving we've tested our beds along these parameters.

Some extra tips...

Indestructible dog beds - these don't exist. They really don't.

Chewproof dog beds - these don't exist. A handy analogy we use...if a needle can pierce material, so can a dog's tooth!

Don't just leave with them - make your dog know their bed isn't a toy. It's a bed. So if you're training them, remove it when you're not around, and give it to them when you are.