Size & Firmness Guide

PawLunova · Size & Firmness

What size dog bed
do I actually need?

Measure your dog in thirty seconds, add one number, and you will never buy the wrong size again. Full size chart in centimetres, breed examples, and the firmness bit that nobody explains.

Measure your dog in 30 seconds

Do this while they are asleep. It is easier, and they will be in the position they actually sleep in, which is the whole point.

1. Length — nose to base of tail

   Wait until your dog is lying on their side, stretched out. Run a tape measure from the tip of their nose to where the tail joins the body. Not to the end of the tail — tails are not load-bearing and they will hang over the edge quite happily.

2. Width — across the widest point

   Shoulder to shoulder, or hip to hip, whichever is broader. Sprawlers should be measured with their legs out, since that is how they will lie.

3. Height — only for nest and bolster beds

   From the shoulder to the floor while lying down. If your dog likes to rest their chin on the wall of a bed, this tells you whether the bolster is tall enough to be useful or so tall it becomes an obstacle for an older dog climbing in.

Then compare that number against the dimensions listed on the product page. Every PawLunova bed states its measurements in centimetres — if a listing anywhere only offers "Large", that is not a size, it is a hope.

The dog bed size chart

Use this to narrow down quickly, then confirm against your own measurement. Weights are typical adult ranges and breeds vary enormously — a big-boned Cocker and a slight one can be two different sizes.

Should you size up?

Usually yes, and here is the honest reasoning rather than the upsell version.

That second column matters more than most guides admit. A too-large nest bed stops working as a nest — the security effect comes from the dog being able to touch the sides. If your dog has always preferred the armchair to the enormous bed you bought them, this is usually why.

Firmness — the bit nobody explains

Everybody obsesses over softness. Softness is not the goal; support is. A very soft bed lets a dog sink until their joints are resting on the floor through the foam, and — this is the part people miss — it makes standing up harder, because there is nothing solid to push against.

For an older dog with stiff hips, a bed that is too soft is a bed they will quietly stop using.

Firmness and density are different things, and confusing them is how people buy badly. Density is how much foam is in the block and predicts how long it lasts; firmness is how it feels. You want high density regardless — then pick firmness to suit the dog. The full explanation of foam density is here.

Shape: match the bed to how your dog sleeps

Watch your dog for one evening. They will tell you which of these they are, and it is worth more than any size chart.

Three situations worth a special mention

Puppies

Buy for the adult size and accept that it will look comical for a few months. A puppy is perfectly happy in a bed that is too big; what they are not happy about is losing the bed they had grown attached to at eight months old. If your puppy is a serious chewer, wait — our beds are not chew-proof and the guarantee does not cover chewing.

Senior and arthritic dogs

Size up for room to shift position, go firmer for support, and check the bolster height is low enough to step over rather than climb. Depth matters here too: a thin pad over a hard floor is not orthopaedic no matter what the listing says. Our senior and arthritic range is here, and the orthopaedic buying guide goes deeper.

Two dogs, one bed

Measure the larger dog, add their length to roughly half the smaller dog's, then add the 15–20cm on top. In practice, two dogs who share still spend half the night pressed together in a third of the space — but they want the option, and on a hot night they will take it.

Sizing questions

How do I measure my dog for a bed?

Measure nose to base of tail while your dog is lying down and stretched out, then add 15–20cm. That total is the minimum internal sleeping length you need. Also measure across the shoulders or hips for width.

Is it better for a dog bed to be too big or too small?

Too big, in almost every case — a dog can always use less of a bed but cannot use more of it. The exception is nest and high-wall beds for anxious dogs, where being able to touch the sides is the entire benefit, so snug is better.

What size bed does a Labrador need?

Most adult Labradors measure 85–105cm nose to base of tail and sit in the XL band. Measure yours to confirm — Labradors vary more than people expect, and a working-line Lab is often noticeably longer than a show-line one.

My dog sleeps hanging off the edge of the bed. Is it too small?

If their head or hips rest on the floor, yes. If only the tail and one paw hang over, no — plenty of dogs do that from preference on a bed of any size. Watch where the weight is, not where the limbs are.

Should an older dog have a firmer or softer bed?

Firmer, on a high-density core. Soft beds let an arthritic dog sink so far that they have nothing to push against when standing up, and joints end up resting on the floor through collapsed foam. Support is what helps; plushness is what sells.

What if I still get the size wrong?

You have 100 nights. If the size is wrong we collect it free of charge and either swap it or refund you in full — see delivery and returns. Or just send us your dog's measurement first and we will tell you which size to order.

Next: How to choose an orthopaedic dog bed · Our Foam · Delivery & returns