Sizing
How to measure a dog for a bed
A two-minute method for measuring your dog and matching the numbers to the size of a dog bed, including bolster beds, donuts and crate mattresses.
Choosing the wrong size is the most common reason a dog bed does not get used. Too small and your dog hangs over the edge. Too big and a small dog never feels enclosed. Two minutes with a tape measure fixes it.
Measure the length
With your dog standing on all four feet, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Do not include the tail. Write the number down.
Add room to stretch
Add about 10 to 15cm to that number. That is the minimum length of the sleeping area. A dog that sleeps stretched out on its side needs the whole length. A dog that sleeps curled up in a ball can manage with a little less.
Check the width
Measure your dog's width across the shoulders or the widest part of the rib cage when they are lying on their side, then add a few centimetres. The sleeping area should be at least that wide.
Watch the sleeping area on bolster beds
On a bed with raised sides, the number in the title is the overall size, including the bolsters. The usable space inside is smaller. Where a listing gives the sleeping area, we show it in the specification table, for example 73.5 x 51cm on a bed that measures 91 x 68cm overall. Always compare your dog's measurements with the sleeping area.
Donuts are measured across
Round beds are listed by diameter. For a dog that curls up, measure the length of the dog curled in its sleeping position and choose a bed a little larger than that.
Crates and cars
Measure the inside floor of the crate or boot, not the outside. A mattress that is slightly smaller than the floor lies flat. One that is slightly bigger rides up the sides.
If you are between sizes
Choose the larger size. A dog can lie in a bigger bed, but cannot stretch out in a smaller one. If your dog is still growing, go for the size they will reach, and check each product page for the listed weight limit where there is one.
When you have your numbers, browse the orthopaedic dog beds for larger dogs or the crate mattresses for crates, and compare them with the sizes on each page.