DIY Dog Bed Ideas: Why Buy a Bed When You Can Make One?

Why not create a DIY dog bed instead of buying an expensive one that may fall apart after a couple of uses? A benefit of knowing how to make a dog bed is that you can create one that suits your dog perfectly. It also allows you to recycle your old items, preventing them from ending in landfills.

How do I make a homemade dog bed? If you know how to make a pillow or stuffed toy, you will be able to create one. You can also make a bed out of common household materials.

What Materials Do I Use to Make a Dog Bed?

A dog bed must be hypoallergenic and have the right cover and filling to comfort and support your dog. Consider the season; if it is cold, choose a material to keep your dog warm. If it’s hot, make sure the bed keeps your dog cool.

You need to wash a pet bed once or twice a month, so your bed should be easy to clean and withstand several washes.

A dog bed cover can be made of the following:

Canvas: Canvas fabric is rugged, waterproof, and suitable for chunky materials like wood chips and pellets. On the downside, it is expensive.

Faux Fur: Faux fur is suitable for winters and hairless dogs. They can be great for letting dogs feel like they have a sleeping companion. The disadvantage? They can be hard to sew and wash.

Polyester: Polyester is durable, quick-drying, and stain-repellent. It can be machine-washed. However, it is not as soft and comfortable as other fabrics, and it can get hot in the summer because it’s not breathable.

Microfiber: Microfiber is inexpensive and easily washable but can be thin. This synthetic material is less tightly woven than polyester, so it retains less heat. So, it’s more suitable for hot days.

Bed filling can be made of these materials:

Wood chips: Wood chips can mask odors but are not as soft as other fillings. If you decide to use this material, you must use a heavy-duty cover to prevent the chips from protruding.

Fiberfill: Fiberfill is light, heat-retaining, and washable, but it can’t support the weight of larger dogs.

Old fabric: You can recycle clothes, towels, and bedding into dog filling. Before using them, you must remove stitches and tough attachments, though.

Foam: Memory foam can remember your dog’s shape, providing the right amount of support where needed. To clean a foam-filled bed, hand-wash it with mild soap. 

Measuring The Bed

A dog bed must be big enough for a dog to lie on naturally without having to curl up to fit. Measure your pet from head to tail, giving ample room for stretches and position changes.

How Do You Make A Dog Bed Out Of Old Clothes?

You can cut old clothes, especially thick sweaters, into suitable shapes and sew them together to form DIY dog beds. To make a simple DIY dog bed from old clothes, you will need two pieces of fabric for the bed’s top and bottom parts. You will also need a zipper to connect them.

Before using old clothes for the bed, remove buttons, buckles, and any other intricate pieces. Remove the stitching so you will end up with flat pieces of fabric.

Easy and practical shapes for a dog bed are rounded and rectangular. Create a pattern for the bed. Cut and assemble the fabric pieces to form the pattern. Sew them together or trim them as necessary.

When you’re done forming both pieces, sew a zipper panel to connect them. Fill this container with your chosen filling.

If you don’t want to use a zipper, sew three corners (if it is box-shaped) or three-fourths of the way (if it is round). Fill it up with the stuffing of your choice. Then, sew it close.

How To Make A Cardboard Dog Bed

You can make a DIY dog bed from a sturdy cardboard box. Tape the corners with duct tape or packaging tape to reinforce them. If the box is closed, cut an opening where the dog can sleep. Ensure that there are no sharp edges after cutting. Put your padding or mattress inside when done.

DIY Dog Beds for Large Dogs

So, how about making dog beds large canines could fit into? It’s easier if you work with materials that are already available. If you have an unused bed frame low enough for your dog to hop in easily, add a mattress, cover it with bedding, and you’re good to go.

If you don’t have an extra mattress, put together several thick pillows. As much as possible, the pillows should fit together nicely and leave no gaps that will expose your dog to the hard bed frame.

As mentioned earlier, soft stuffing won’t hold a large dog’s weight well. Use thick foam instead. 

The foam tends to flatten over time, primarily if it supports the weight of a large dog. Change the foam when you notice that it is thin already. Quality foam will last one to five years; consider investing in an excellent product to avoid constant replacements.

DIY Puppy Bed

Puppies, especially those younger than two months, can’t control their body temperature, so they must not get too hot or too cold, or they will get seriously ill. 

A pocketed dog bed is versatile because a puppy can stay inside when it’s cold and outside when it’s warm. Sew a blanket to the three edges of the pet bed to create a pocket.

A puppy needs external warmth, or it will get sick. It would help to give your puppy a bed instead of letting it sleep on the floor.

More Dog Bed Ideas

Basket Bed

Basket beds are suitable for dogs and puppies that like curling up when they sleep. You can use an ordinary basket or a handwoven pet basket. 

If you use a regular basket, line it up with a fabric or cushion to cover the holes between the weaves. Doing this will prevent dogs with long ears from getting their ears stuck in one of the holes.

Suitcase Bed

Unscrew and remove the lid of an old suitcase. Cut a rectangular piece of foam that fits the interior of this suitcase.

Create a foam case. Measure the foam’s top, bottom, and side parts. Cut pieces of fabric with these measurements, but leave at least an inch allowance for the stitches. 

Sew these parts together. Leave an opening and sew on a zipper so you can remove the foam when you need to. Use wooden poles or anything else to elevate the suitcase from the floor. Screw these on the corners of the suitcase.

Dr. Zabell recommends that dog beds for large dogs be elevated a foot or two above the ground. This height will make it easier for the dog to get in and out of bed.

Towel Bed

Use towels to create an easy DIY dog bed that can be rolled up when traveling. Sew together two thick towels, leaving one side open for the stuffing. When you’re done, sew the remaining edge close.

Wrapping Up

I guarantee that you will find numerous DIY dog bed ideas online and around you, so you will have a lot of fun recreating one that your dog will enjoy. I recommend creating more than one bed so that your dog can use something else when you’re cleaning its bed. Have fun creating!