Just like people, dogs need good sleep to recover from their daily activities and stay in good health. Of course, a proper dog bed will be crucial in this regard. But choosing the best bed for your pup doesn’t just improve their sleep quality – it has additional benefits as well.
Many dogs love having a cosy place where they can feel safe and sheltered. As den animals, dogs can get a sense of protection and comfort when nestled in a familiar spot.
Finding a quality bed for an extra-large dog arguably presents a specific challenge. Smaller pups usually have an easier time settling in, but your big boy or girl may require special accommodations. Let’s look at how to choose the best extra large dog bed for an XL-size dog.
Know Your Bed Options
The most common dog bed types include mattress pads, doughnut-shaped, tents, elevated, and orthopaedic beds.
Mattress pads are rectangular, flat, and very convenient to use in terms of placement and storage. Due to their shape and construction, these beds are ideal for large pups who like changing positions often. The Snooza Multimat is a great and particularly comfy example of this bed type.
Doughnut beds feature a circular design, ideal for curling up. This bed type is often made using fluffy or softer materials, but that isn’t standard – for instance, Fur King make an XL Calming Dog Bed that is 115 cm across.
Fur King XL Calming Dog Bed
Raised dog beds are somewhat similar to human beds. They feature a heavy frame holding a softer sleeping surface above the ground. These beds are best suited for heat-sensitive pups, as the elevation will keep them cooler.
Finally, orthopaedic dog beds are an excellent solution for senior dogs that need additional stability and support. Made of memory foam, beds like the personalized Fur King Ortho whihc is a whooping 155 cm long, alleviate bone and joint aches.
Fur King Otho Dog Bed - 155 cm
As should be apparent, each bed type is beneficial for a dog’s particular needs. To find the ideal option, you’ll need to know everything about your large pup, from its exact size to its specific sleep habits.
Consider Dog Weight, Size, Health, and Age
The beds in this article are selected for extra-large dogs exclusively, that is, dogs weighing 45kg and up. Although a few kilos, more or less, won’t make much of a difference, it would be a good idea to weigh your pet before choosing a bed for them.
A dog’s size, more so than its weight, will be more important to consider, as it will directly determine the dimensions of the bed. To get a good measurement, have your pup standing and measure them from the tail base to the nose tip. Then, add up to 30cm to the measurement, and you’ll get the ideal bed length for your dog.
In terms of width, you should take your pup’s measurement from one shoulder tip to the other. Again, adding about 30cm to that will give you the optimal bed width.
Having that extra space is crucial because you don’t want your dog to feel constrained. They should have plenty of stretching room to feel cosy.
Overall health and age often go hand in hand. As our dogs enter their senior years, they may start experiencing certain issues, especially with joints. In that case, an even larger bed would be better – dogs with joint problems should never lack space.
Understand How Your Pup Sleeps
As the dog’s size will determine bed dimensions, their sleeping style will impact the shape of the bed. A curler might be well off with a doughnut bed, but a sprawler or leaner will require something special.
If you’re curious about what “curler”, “sprawler”, and “leaner” mean, here’s a brief overview of the most common dog sleeping styles.
A curler is a dog that sleeps curled up. This is one of the more frequent sleeping styles that traces back to the pack origins of wild dogs. Before they found their place in human homes, dogs used to sleep in the open. There, they’d roll up in a ball, keeping their bellies safe and conserving body temperature.
Curlers will love round beds and may be satisfied with somewhat smaller dimensions.
The sprawling sleeping style is one where the dog stretches completely on its side, stomach, or even back. These pups need plenty of space. In fact, they’ll take all the space they can get.
Sprawlers often sleep on the side, particularly when it’s hot. Having their belly exposed helps keep their body temperature low by allowing heat to escape. The standard rectangular bed will be best for these purposes.
A leaner is a pup that likes resting its head while sleeping. These dogs enjoy having extra head support, so they won’t feel comfortable on a completely flat mattress. Leaners will enjoy a bed along the lines of the Snooza Travel Bed.
Once you know all the important details about your pup, it’s time to devote attention to the bed and weigh your options carefully.
Find a Bed That Fits Your Dog
Size and type are among the most important factors when choosing a dog bed. But there are several other aspects to consider to find the most comfortable resting spot for your pup, including the material, design, and, of course, the price.
Quality Material
The choice of the material will largely depend on the needs and character of your dog. For instance, older dogs will require a cushioned bed for better joint support. But that choice of material will be completely wrong for chewy pets, as they’ll make short work of the bed.
If you live in a hot climate or your pup tends to overheat, a bed with a cooling fabric would be perfect.Whatever variant you choose, two things will be an absolute must: durability and washability.
The fabric needs to endure plenty of heavy use without falling apart. This is especially true for larger dogs, as they’ll be heavier and exert more pressure on the bed. And, of course, you’ll want to be able to wash the bed cover from time to time.
The Right Size
We’ve covered most of the size considerations previously. Still, it’s good to recap the essentials. Choose the bed size according to:
- Dog size
- Sleeping style
- Specific requirements, like sensitive joints
These factors will combine differently for each dog, although you’ll likely find the right measurements within standard bed formats. For instance, a younger, larger dog that sleeps curled up won’t need as much space as an older sprawler.
Reliable Design
Good design is crucial if you want the bed to serve your pup well for a long time. In that sense, durability is important because dogs get used to certain positions and locations and might not like frequent changes. But if the construction of the bed is lacklustre, it may fall apart the first time you try to wash it.
Low-quality polyester and lightweight builds can be inexpensive. However, with such a design, you’ll get precisely what you paid for, and that’s not a good thing. It would be better to invest a bit more in a quality-made bed with easily removable covers and a sturdier build.
Pricing
Lastly, we come to the subject of pricing. All the aforementioned factors will influence how much a dog bed will cost. Larger beds will be more expensive, and the same goes for those with special designs. You can consult the catalogue at Pet Parlour to find the right product that will meet your pet’s specific requirements.
Naturally, you won’t want to spend a fortune on a dog bed. Luckily, you won’t need to do anything of the sort, as many beds are relatively affordable.
Set aside anywhere between $180 and $400, and you’ll have no trouble getting a quality bed in practically any type you choose. Of course, certain designs will go outside that range, but they’ll come with extra comfort and premium features like orthopaedic memory foam.
Get Your Pet the Rest They Deserve
Extra-large dogs that get enough quality rest are livelier and generally in a better mood. Large dog breeds can be just as active and lively as smaller dogs, which means they’ll need ample rest to replenish all the energy they’ve lost during the day.
Besides having a place to recover, your pup will appreciate having a cosy place of their own to relax and nap. This aspect is quite important for the dog to feel at home and have the necessary support for their psychological well-being.
Simply put, getting a good dog bed is crucial. And you’ll undoubtedly be able to make the right choice by browsing Pet Parlour’s selection.