14 best dog beds that will keep four-legged friends cosy and comfortable

With its oval shape, the den bed has been designed to accommodate the natural behaviours of dogs who like to pad round in a circle before laying down. Our four-legged testers couldn’t wait to get into this bed, and it’s been one of the most popular.

The incredibly durable yet soft fabric unzips completely, which means you can wash the whole cover. The colourways are classy yet muted, so they don’t show the first mark of dirt or dust or mud, and it didn’t show dog hairs, despite three testers all having a night’s sleep in it. From lounging completely to resting their heads on the edge of the bed, there were so many ways and positions our canine testers liked to use this bed.

With four layers of thermal protection, the pet perch can be placed anywhere – from sandy beaches to pub floors. With a waterproof bottom layer, a quilted inner and a fleece wrap-around, the pet perch also rolls up and fastens with Velcro, meaning it can go into a handbag or a backpack as part of the day’s adventures.

Our furry testers tried it at a local pub and seemed to enjoy the familiar scent and warmth of a bed on which they’d already slept. Available in five different designs, this bed is a must for on-the-go dogs. You can also add a carabiner (£2.50, Jacwicksdesigns.co.uk) to the bed, which means you can clip it onto your bag. Fully washable, it stays waterproof after washing, too.

If the clever folk at Lords & Labradors made human-sized versions of this dog bed, we suspect they’d sell very well. This bed is entirely handmade and the fur walls and base gave our nervous tester a fully rested night’s sleep. The inner cushion is reversible, so your pooch can either rest on the faux wolf fur or opt for the velvet underside and just enjoy the faux fur on the walls. This is one of the softest beds we tested, and it looks beautiful, too. It’s got a non-slip base and, despite the faux fur looking like it should be hand-washed and brushed, it washed in the machine brilliantly, and came out looking as good as new.

When the car is packed for a holiday, there’s not always room for a full-size dog bed – but that’s where the snuggle sack from Slumbering Hound can help. Essentially a huge, fur-lined, super cosy sack, this is perfect for taking away with you. If your dog bed traditionally stays in the kitchen or lounge, this is a great alternative for other rooms, too.

Our testers loved being able to manipulate it and burrow into it as well as having the sack pulled over them when they were snoozing, as it offers extra warmth and cosiness. All the seams are hidden, so they can’t be unpicked by chewers, and it washed brilliantly at 30C.

An entirely waterproof bed with an incredibly durable, removable cover made from sail fabric, this huge bed (110cm x 100cm) accommodated two of our testers at the same time, and reflated perfectly when they got off it. The inside has separate compartments to make sure the stuffing stays even, no matter where your dog lies.

As for the design, there are so many to choose from, including Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly, and Frida Kahlo, but it’s Neil Armstrong’s hairdo photoshopped onto a Jack Russell that got our winning vote. The image quality is brilliant and, while our testers loved it, it also garnered envious comments from visitors. If you’re looking for a stylish bed that doesn’t sacrifice comfort, this is it.

This fantastic company supports the StreetVet charity and donates beds to them. It’s also one of the most environmentally friendly producers on the list, with its electricity coming from solar panels.

While not every dog will struggle with incontinence, there can be accidents due to old age or surgery, and this bed is perfect for those times. The waterproof and wipe-clean covers have thermally welded seams, so the beds are completely sealed. The cover fabric is also antibacterial and can handle medical-grade disinfectant.

The cushion inside the covers is a pressure-relief one, and has a high-density foam base. Currently only available in royal blue, each bed is made to order.

If your pooch isn’t allowed on the sofa, this is the perfect human-sized dog bed that’ll let you get down on their level and share some puppy love. Available in beige, as well as dark and light grey, MiLounge’s human dog bed comes complete with a removable and machine-washable faux-fur cover; adjustable pillow bolsters that can be moved for maximum comfort; and handles for ease of transport. It is suitable for anyone up to 6ft 3in tall, which means it will fit every four-legged friend, from a chihuahua to a great dane.

It’s comfortable, feels very much like a cocoon and we managed a full-length movie in it, without anyone fidgeting.

While this one seemed on the smaller side for our large testers, once curled up and cosied in, they didn’t even open an eyelid when the postman knocked. The eco wool surround is made entirely of recycled yarn, and each bed is made entirely in Great Britain. The mattress is orthopaedic, made with memory foam, and designed in conjunction with a veterinary surgeon. Plus, the lowered edge over one side makes for easy access.

The side cushions are made from foam rather than a filling, which means they keep their structure even with a heavy labrador head sleeping on it for weeks of testing. Available with a fleece topper – again made from 100 per cent British wool – this bed is one of the most stylish and classy-looking in our list. It’s also completely machine washable.

If you’ve got a dog that likes baking in the summer sunshine, this is the bed you need. The fact it’s raised off the ground means there’s air circulation underneath, to keep even the warmest black-coated dog cool in the summer. Also, the UV canopy offers sun protection but is detachable for when the bed is in the shade. It collapses down and stores away easily, which means it can go into the garage or loft in the winter, or into the back of the car for a summer holiday.

All the covers are machine washable – although, it wipes clean really well because of the mesh panels – and its non-slip feet mean it’s as at home indoors as it is in the garden.

This is the only bed in our list that comes with extra cushions, should you require them, so it really can be personalised and made comfortable for every dog. Whether you have a pup who likes resting their head on the side, snuggling down, burrowing into the sides, or just flopping on top, this bed has been used in all sorts of ways by our testers.

The microbial memory foam mattress base is among the most comfortable in this list, and the four ethically sourced duck-feather filled bolster inserts can be manipulated however your pet likes, re-plumping perfectly between uses. Mini bolster pads can also be bought, and the fully removeable covers are all machine washable.

Big, comfy and perfect for more than one dog at a time, this bed kept its shape and, thanks to the generously filled mattress, it plumped back up again when it wasn’t in use. Its simple, rectangular design might not have the cocooning effect of some other dog beds but our testers loved curling in the middle of it and dangling off the edge during warmer days or when the heating was on.

The anti-slip base means it stays put, and the entire zip-off cover makes for easy washing, coming out good as new at 30C. It’s also entirely manufactured in the UK, using recycled materials equivalent to 750 plastic bottles, so it makes a good choice if you’re worried about your dog’s carbon paw print.

By far the most expensive on our list, this dog bed is for the pup who has everything. The Cornish Bed company initially made the bed as a smaller version of their bed for humans, for trade show purposes, but started getting orders from people who wanted one for their pets. So, the team has diversified, using all their skills to make dog bed versions of their beds for humans.

Each one is made to order with a fully sustainable and organic mattress and customised finish in a choice of colours. The upholstered base is filled with natural coconut coir and organic lambswool, while the frame is hand fettled by artisan craftsmen, featuring authentic cast knuckle joints made using traditional methods at the foundry in Cornwall. The bespoke options also include a four-poster version. It’s worth noting the cushion is sold separately.

This dog bed tested brilliantly, especially with our 11-year-old labrador. The orthopaedic foam mattress distributes weight very well, and the slightly raised edges mean pets can be cosied up against them or rest a chin on top of them.

It’s one of the more affordable designs that we’ve reviewed but beat some of its more expensive rivals when it came to where our testers chose to sleep. The non-slip base also means it stays put when paws are manipulating it or burrowing into it to find their comfy spot.

If you opt for the extra large (117cm x 85cm) version of this dog bed, make sure you have ample space for it, as the design is among the biggest in this round-up.

This deep-filled pillow cushion made from memory and orthopaedic foam crumb keeps its shape and kept our heaviest tester elevated – in fact, they barely made a dent in the dense and comfortable mattress, even after sleeping on it overnight.

Among those in our list, this is the only dog bed that can be personalised with your pet’s name (or multiple names, if it’s going to be shared).

The cover is removable and washable but you’ll need to line dry rather than tumble dry. The team at Designed For Dogs recommends fluffing up the mattress occasionally but, in three weeks of testing with plenty of use, ours maintained its shape without needing to be fluffed up.