Dog Bed Size Chart: How to Measure Your Dog for the Right Bed

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Dog bed sizes like “medium” and “large” mean different things from one brand to the next, so the label alone will not tell you what fits. This page shows how to measure your dog in two minutes, how much room to add, how sleeping style changes the size and shape you need, and a size chart with example breeds. It ends with sizing notes for the beds in our catalog.

The short answer: measure your dog from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, add about 4 to 10 inches, and choose a bed at least that long. If you are between two sizes, go up. For a crate bed, ignore the dog and match the bed to the inside of the crate.

How we chose: this guide is based on brand size charts and veterinary and breed club sources. We have not tested these beds ourselves. Every dog is built differently, so a tape measure beats any breed chart.

Step 1: measure your dog

1. Length. With your dog standing or lying stretched out, use a soft tape measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Kuranda and K9 Ballistics both use this measurement in their size guides.
2. Width. Measure across the widest part, usually the shoulders, or measure how wide your dog is when lying on its side with legs out.
3. Weight. Note your dog’s weight. Brands give weight limits and foam thickness by weight, and heavier dogs need more support, not just more room.
4. Watch how your dog sleeps. For a few nights, notice whether your dog sprawls, curls into a ball or leans against something (see step 3).

Step 2: add room to stretch

A bed that only just fits forces a dog to curl up. Brands and vets add a margin, and they do not all agree on how much:

• Kuranda says to add 4 inches to the nose-to-tail length and pick a bed that matches or exceeds the result. Its example: a 23 inch dog plus 4 inches is 27 inches, so at least a 30 x 20 inch bed.
• K9 Ballistics suggests adding 5 to 10 inches.
• For giant breeds, pain management vet Dr. Robin Downing told PetMD that a bed should be about one-fourth longer than the dog when it lies down, and about the same proportion wider than the dog is tall.

A practical rule: add at least 4 inches for small dogs and 6 to 10 inches for medium and large dogs, or about a quarter of the dog’s length for giant breeds. Then round up to the next size. Kuranda and K9 Ballistics both say the same thing: when in doubt, go bigger.

Step 3: match the shape to how your dog sleeps

Sleeping style changes both the size and the shape you need. K9 Ballistics groups dogs into three types, and the AKC also suggests matching the bed style to your dog:

• Sprawlers stretch out flat or on their side. They need a rectangle bed with no sides, sized to the full stretched-out length.
• Curlers sleep in a tight ball. A round, donut or deep bolster bed suits them, and they can often use a smaller bed than their nose-to-tail length suggests. Measure the diameter of the ball they make and add a few inches.
• Leaners like to rest their head or back on something. A bolster bed fits them, but remember that bolsters take up room: check the inside sleeping area, not just the outside size.

Many dogs do all three. If yours changes position through the night, size for the sprawl.

Dog bed size chart

This chart uses Kuranda’s six standard sizes and the breeds it lists for each. Other brands use different numbers for the same labels, so always check the actual dimensions.

Bed size (inches)	Typical label	Fits a dog up to about (nose to tail plus 4 in)	Example breeds
25 x 18	X-Small	21 in long	Chihuahua, Papillon, Pomeranian
30 x 20	Small	26 in long	Pug, French Bulldog, Dachshund
35 x 23	Medium	31 in long	Beagle, Whippet, English Bulldog
40 x 25	Large	36 in long	Boxer, Labrador Retriever, Pit Bull
44 x 27	X-Large	40 in long	German Shepherd, Husky, Irish Setter
50 x 36	XX-Large	46 in long	Doberman, Cane Corso, Great Dane

Source: Kuranda size chart. The middle column applies Kuranda’s add-4-inches rule; add more if your dog sprawls.

Thickness: size is not only length and width

Heavier dogs press foam flatter, so a big dog needs a thicker bed as well as a longer one. Dr. Hyunmin Kim of the ASPCA told PetMD that a bed needs at least 2 inches of memory foam to be called orthopedic, and that most have 4 inches or more, some 7 inches. Large and giant breeds generally do best near the top of that range. For older or arthritic dogs, also think about how high the bed is to step onto; our guide to the best dog bed for senior dogs and arthritis covers that.

Crate beds: measure the crate, not the dog

A bed for a crate should fill the floor of the crate without bunching up. Crate beds are sold by crate size, so check your crate’s length (a 36 inch crate takes a bed made for 36 inch crates) and measure the inside floor if the crate is an unusual shape. A bed that is too big will fold and lift, which makes it uncomfortable and easier to chew. The crate itself should be sized for your dog; our dog beds and crates buying guide explains how.

Puppies: buy for now or for later?

A puppy that will triple in size will outgrow a small bed fast, but a huge bed is not always ideal for a young dog that is still house training or chewing. Two common approaches: buy an inexpensive, washable bed sized for the next few months and upgrade later, or buy an adult-size crate bed for a crate that has a divider panel. Base the adult size on the expected adult weight for the breed.

Sizing notes for beds in our catalog

• Big Barker 7″ Headrest: Large 48 x 30, XL 52 x 36 and Giant 60 x 48 inches, all with 7 inches of foam. The headrest runs along one side, so the open sleeping area is a little smaller than the outside size.
• Bully Beds Original: Medium 34 x 22 (4 inches thick), Large 48 x 30, XL 52 x 34 and XXL 60 x 48 inches (7 inches thick). Flat, so the whole surface is usable.
• KOPEKS Orthopedic Memory Foam: about 50 x 34 inches in the Extra Large, with a built-in pillow at one end.
• Furhaven L-Chaise: Medium 30 x 20, Large 36 x 27, Jumbo 40 x 32 and Jumbo Plus 53 x 40 inches overall. The L-shaped bolsters take up two sides, so size up for a sprawler.
• Kuranda Walnut Chewproof: six sizes from 25 x 18 to 50 x 36 inches, as in the chart above, rated for dogs up to 100 lbs.
• K9 Ballistics Armored Crate Bed: five sizes from 29 x 18 to 50 x 33 inches, made to fit wire crates from 30 to 54 inches.
• MidWest QuietTime Ombre Swirl: sold by crate size, in 7 sizes from 18 to 48 inch crates.
• Best Friends by Sheri Calming Donut: the 23 inch size is for pets up to 25 lbs; a round bed for curlers.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying by the label (“large”) instead of the actual inches.
• Measuring a curled-up dog when it actually sleeps stretched out.
• Forgetting that bolsters and headrests shrink the sleeping area.
• Choosing a thin bed for a heavy dog because the length is right.
• Putting an oversized bed in a crate, where it bunches and invites chewing.

FAQ

What size dog bed do I need?

Measure your dog from nose to the base of the tail, add 4 to 10 inches, and pick a bed at least that long. Check the actual dimensions, since sizes vary by brand.

How do you measure a dog for a bed?

Use a soft tape from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, and measure across the shoulders for width. Watch how your dog sleeps, and size for the stretched-out position if it ever sprawls.

Should a dog bed be bigger than the dog?

Yes. A bed should give your dog room to stretch out without hanging off the edge. A pain management vet quoted by PetMD suggests about a quarter longer than the dog lying down for giant breeds.

Is it better to get a bigger or smaller dog bed?

Bigger, if you are between sizes. Brands such as Kuranda and K9 Ballistics say to size up when in doubt. The exceptions are crate beds, which should match the crate, and some curlers that like a snug round bed.

What size bed for a Labrador or a German Shepherd?

Kuranda puts Labradors in its 40 x 25 inch size and German Shepherds in its 44 x 27 inch size, but measure your own dog: a big male may need the next size up.

For crates, cooling beds, chew-proof beds and more, read our dog beds and crates buying guide, or see all beds and crates.