Best dog beds 2022: Comfortable beds for large, medium and small dogs

Best: Overall

The canine equivalent of a chesterfield sofa, this beautiful velvet dog bed feels luxuriously soft and comes in a gorgeous shade of sunshine yellow.

We loved the extra-thick base on our size small bed (all too often these are the bits that wear through the quickest) and although the padded walls are higher at the rear, an open section at the front of the bed allowed our test terrier to continue to survey his territory. The stain-friendly navy side of the two-tone reversible cushion meant we could extend the periods between washes.

Best: Memory foam bed

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

The downside to this gorgeous cushion-style dog bed? Our test dog became so attached to it that we suspect he’ll refuse to sleep on anything else from this point on. The memory foam feels both fabulously soft and wonderfully supportive, providing an unbeatable level of bespoke cushioning which you simply won’t find in the vast majority of dog beds.

Its extra-long zip (cleverly concealed by the hem) makes it easy to whip off the cover for washing, and the odour-eliminating fabric will be great news for anyone with a pongy pooch. The attention to detail doesn’t just relate to the construction but extends to its appearance, right down to the chic trim and the option for personalisation.

Best: For personalisation

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

Personalised products – especially those featuring photos – can be a bit of a minefield. Get lucky and you’ll get something adorned with a brilliant likeness. Risk the cheap and cheerful approach and you could end up with an item emblazoned with a blurry smudge which, when viewed from the wrong angle, resembles a squashed banana.

Thankfully Prezzybox’s cushion-style bed falls into the former. It can be personalised on one side and the material is surprisingly tough – although we’d have loved to see superior stuffing inside. That said, this dog bed is all about the outer, and the image we’d selected – a mugshot of our Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy – was wonderfully crisp and clear.

Best: For short-haired dogs

This is a bespoke dog bed for seriously pampered pooches – it came with a certificate of ownership (although we’re not sure how useful this is unless you’ve trained your dog to read) and a fragrant lavender pouch, tucked lovingly inside. Chilcott’s so-called tunnel beds are designed for short-haired dogs and dogs which like to burrow – hence the envelope-style flap.

We loved the generously-sized anti-slip pad on the base, and the material is fantastic quality – the Harris Tweed exterior is woven by independent weavers on the Isles of Harris and Lewis, and the stuffing is 100 per cent British wool.

Best: For medium-sized dogs

• Sizes available: One size

This light, stylish dog bed, designed for medium-sized dogs, is wonderfully practical and has been made with thick, printed canvas which feels incredibly tough but can also be washed. The bed’s walls have just the right amount of give and height – pint-sized pooches will still be able to see over the top, but the walls’ softness provides plenty of room for movement, even for the most restless of pets.

We also loved the reversible, removable cushion – opt for an all-over bee print of a single block colour in the same shade as the rest of the dog bed.

Best: Fleece-lined bed

• Sizes available: Small, medium, large and extra large

A fleece-lined interior ups the cosiness of this beautiful dog bed, which was an instant hit with our test dog, Honey. She leapt into it immediately and, after reluctantly clambering out for her dinner, leapt straight back in the second she’d emptied her food bowl.

A very minor complaint was the stuffing in the cushion, which produces a surprisingly loud crinkly sound – we suspect this could disturb light-sleeping hounds. However, bonus points for the use of recycled polyester for the inner padding and an outer cover which is easy to remove (all too often only the cushion covers can be washed). We also appreciated the great range of sizes.

Best: For style-conscious pet owners

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

This fruit bowl-like bed is ideal for pet owners who want to display their dogs like prize-winning peaches. Designed with modernist mutts in mind, the bed initially reminded us of a flying saucer. Our tester loved the ultra-soft cushion, and the cleverly-positioned zip meant washing its cover was easy.

The anti-slip patches commonly seen on dog beds have been replaced by feet, which didn’t do quite as good a job of keeping it in place but would certainly minimise damage to expensive flooring (which we don’t have, to be clear). In summary, it’s one of the most beautiful dog beds we’ve come across, although we can’t help but suspect the price tag isn’t entirely justified.

Best: Eco-friendly bed

• Sizes available: Extra small, small, medium, large, extra large

This isn’t simply one of the prettiest dog beds we’ve come across – it’s got rather impressive environmental credentials, too. Project Blu has converted over 6 million plastic bottles into everything from dog beds to leads in recent years, but you’d never guess this particular bed has been made from discarded drinks containers – the material is incredibly soft, and the low, squashy walls makes it ideal for dogs who love to curl up rather than stretch out.

Its removable, reversible cushion doesn’t have a zip but the durable material makes it easy to spot-clean. Finally, given the growing popularity of microscopic mutts, we were pleased to see that there’s an extra-small size available.

Best: For daytime lounging

• Sizes available: One size

This faux fur bed is ideal for the doted-on dog about town and left us wondering why more beds don’t come with drawstrings. Being able to transform it from a cushion into a bed with raised sides was a gamechanger. It quickly became the preferred daytime lounging spot for our test dog, who seemed to prefer it in bed format – the raised walls are high enough to block out pesky draughts but soft enough to allow for freedom of movement.

The deep shade of grey means stains are easily camouflaged – something enhanced by the reversible design.

Best: For easy cleaning

• Sizes available: Small, medium, large and extra large

If our test dog could talk, we’re pretty sure he’d equate the experience of napping in this bed to that of sleeping inside a cloud. It’s ridiculously, unbelievably soft, with fleece-lined sides and a fleece-covered cushion. It’s also incredibly durable, and a zip on the bed’s base meant the entire outer lining could be easily washed.

Although the reversible cushion didn’t have a zip, we found it very easy to spot clean.

Best: Luxury buy

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

This dog bed would undoubtedly be in our top three if it wasn’t for the price tag. However, we’d wager that those with a penchant for pampering their pooches will be unlikely to regret splashing their hard-earned cash. It was an absolute hit with our discerning doggie, and the mattress-like cushion (comprising an internal cushion inside a waterproof membrane) uses memory foam to reduce pressure on joints while providing optimal support.

There’s a durable, thick base and high, bolster-style walls supercharge the snugness. The ridiculously soft microfibre cover will go down a treat with the most discerning of doggies, who can even have their name embroidered on the bed.

Best: Non-slip bed

We loved the cheery ladybird design on this velvety dog bed, while our pooch loved the malleable softness of both the cushion and the floppy high walls (which also made it easy to stow away when not in use).

Not a fan of ladybirds? Flip over the cushion, one side of which is plain. A generously-sized patch of non-slip material prevents it from sliding across the slipperiest of floors.

Best: Printed bed

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

Another dog bed with some great eco credentials, this jazzy offering from Fat Face has a stunning floral design printed onto cotton, which has been sourced under the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), a fantastic cotton sustainability programme. The zipless removable cushion is fabulously soft, despite the filling being made from plastic bottles. The leather Fat Face patch adds a final classy touch which perfectly finishes off this beautiful dog bed.

While you can find various sizes from other retailers, unfortunately they’re not currently in stock. But don’t fret, as you can always add the perfect size to your wish list, so that its ready to shop once it’s been restocked.

Best: For dogs that like to burrow

• Sizes available: Small, medium and large

An envelope-style dog bed, this will go down a treat with dogs who like to burrow and sleep under blankets. They will love the fleecy lining on the underside of the flap, while their two-legged owners will love both the bright colours on the washable cover and the top quality velour.

The thick cushion, with its polyester hollow fibre filling, does a great job of keeping chilly breezes at bay, and if you’ve got a dog prone to certain types of accident, optional extras include a waterproof inner lining for the cushion.