7 Signs Your Big Dog Has Outgrown Their Bed
Most dog beds are sized to look neat in a shop. Here's how to tell if yours is too small or too thin for your dog.
Big dogs spend much of the day asleep, and a lot of them are making do with a bed that's too small or too thin.
The signs build up slowly, so they're easy to miss: a paw on the floor here, a flatter cushion there. Here are seven to look out for, and what to look for in a replacement.
Half of them ends up on the floor
They circle, flop down, and their head, back legs or both end up over the edge. They're technically in bed but mostly on the floorboards.
It's easy to put down to habit, but most big dogs sprawl because they want to stretch out. If the bed doesn't let them, they make do with the floor around it.
Choose by weight, not by photo. The Magic Pillow comes in five sizes, each matched to a weight range, and the 2XL is 120 × 80 cm.
They can't stretch their legs out
A Labrador stretched out after a long walk, or a Shepherd who sleeps with their legs straight out, needs more length than most beds give.
Many big dogs start the night curled up and end it on their side with their legs out. A bed that fits them curled up is often too short once they properly relax.
If your dog likes to sprawl, sizing up is rarely a mistake. The XL, at 105 × 65 cm, suits German Shepherds and Rottweilers, and the L fits most Labradors and Goldens.
The bed gets flatter every month
A heavy dog lying in one spot for hours puts a lot more load on a bed than a terrier does, and thin beds tend to give way first under the hips and shoulders.
Press down where your dog usually lies. If you can feel the floor through it, the bed has stopped cushioning them.
Deep-fill cushioning that spreads your dog's weight across the whole base, so they aren't pressing through to the hard floor.
They'd rather lie on the floor
If your dog walks past their bed to lie on the floor next to it, the bed has stopped doing its job.
It's often the last sign people notice, because by then the dog has simply stopped trying. A bed that's gone flat offers little more than the floor does, so they pick the cooler option.
Put the new bed where they already like to lie, add a familiar blanket if you like, and give them a night or two to claim it.
The sides have collapsed
Collapsed sides are often the first sign a bed is on its way out. Without them, your dog has nowhere to rest their head and neck.
Bolsters give dogs somewhere to lean, the way they'd lean against you on the sofa. Once the sides have gone soft, that support goes with them.
Raised bolsters on all four sides, 15 cm high on the L and 20 cm on the XL and 2XL, so there's always an edge to lean into.
They get off the bed once they warm up
Bernese, Shepherds and Goldens often move off a bed once they get too hot, and end up on the cool floor instead.
If your dog starts the night on their bed and ends it somewhere else, heat may be part of the reason, especially with a thick coat.
A plush corduroy cover that's cosy in winter without trapping heat.
The bed has been moved to the utility room
Big dogs bring in a lot of mud, hair and wet-dog smell. If the cover doesn't come off, the bed often ends up out of sight.
A bed in another room means your dog spends their evenings away from you, which most dogs would rather not do.
A cover that unzips completely and goes in the wash at 30°C, in Oat, Chestnut or Charcoal corduroy that suits a living room.
Spotted two or three of these?
Your dog has probably outgrown their bed. The Magic Pillow Dog Bed gives big dogs space to lie out fully, bolsters to lean on, and a cover you can wash whenever it needs it.
Choose the size that matches your dog's weight and a colour that suits your room. If it's not right within 30 days, send it back.
The Magic Pillow Dog Bed — Orthopaedic Plush
Questions
Which size should I choose?
How do I wash it?
The corduroy cover unzips and comes off completely. Machine wash at 30°C and tumble dry low. An inner sleeve is included, so the bed keeps its shape while the cover's in the wash.
What if my dog doesn't like it?
You have a 30-day money-back guarantee. The bed must be clean and in its original packaging.
Your dog gives you everything. Their bed should give something back.
Shop the Dog Bed