The short answer: measure your dog from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail while they lie stretched out the way they usually sleep. Then add 8–12 inches for a cushion bed or 5–8 inches for a bolster bed, and check the weight in the size chart below. If your dog falls between two sizes, choose the larger one or order a custom size.
Every J’adore bed is made to order, so getting the size right is the most important choice you’ll make after the fabric. This guide walks through measuring your dog, the real sizes and weight limits for our most popular beds, how bolster, cushion and round beds size differently, and when a custom size is the better answer.
How to Measure Your Dog for a Bed
You’ll need a soft measuring tape, a pen and a few minutes while your dog is relaxed. Watch how they sleep first: that decides which measurement matters most.
- Length. With your dog lying stretched out, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. This is the minimum length the sleeping area needs.
- Width. Measure shoulder to shoulder at the widest point. If your dog sleeps on their side with legs out, or rolls around, allow extra width so they don’t end up half off the bed.
- Sleeping style. Curlers sleep in a tight ball; sprawlers stretch in every direction; leaners like to rest their head on something. This tells you which bed shape to choose (more on that below).
- Weight. Every size in our charts has a weight it’s designed for. A long, light dog may need a bigger bed than a compact, heavy one, so use length first and weight as the check.
Measure your dog lying down, the way they sleep, so you can see how much room they need to be comfortable. Measure twice before you order. The most common mistake is measuring only while your dog is curled up, which leads to a bed that’s too small the first time they stretch out.
How Big Should a Dog Bed Be?
Take your dog’s nose-to-tail length and add room to move. How much depends on the bed style:
| Bed style | Add to your dog’s length | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cushion beds (Rectangle, Square, Pillow) | 8–12 inches | Plenty of room to sprawl and change position. |
| Bolster beds (Cuddle, Cozy Cuddle, Edgy, Throne, Penthouse) | 5–8 inches | The bolsters take up some of the outside size, so the sleeping area is smaller than the bed. |
| Small dogs and cats | 4–6 inches | Smaller pets usually feel more secure in a snugger bed. |
Our bed sizes are the outside dimensions of the bed. On a bolster bed, the sleeping surface inside is smaller, which is why the Edgy and Throne charts list the inside seat size as well.
Dog Bed Sizes by Breed and Weight
These are the standard sizes and weight guides from four of our most popular beds, with the breeds that usually fit each one. Sizes are width × depth (and height for bolster beds). Breeds are a starting point: your own dog’s measurements always win. The Round goes up to X-Large; the Square’s largest standard size is Large, so a bigger Square is made as a custom size.
| Size | Breeds that usually fit | Rectangle (cushion) | Cuddle (bolster) | Round | Square |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Small | Most cats, Chihuahua, Yorkie, Pomeranian, Jack Russell Terrier, Maltese | 24″ × 20″, up to 10 lbs | 18″ × 18″ × 7″, up to 8 lbs; 22″ × 18″ × 7″, up to 15 lbs | 20″, up to 6 lbs | 20″, up to 8 lbs |
| Small | Large cats, Dachshund, Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Pug, French Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles, West Highland Terrier | 30″ × 24″, up to 25 lbs | 22″ × 22″ × 7″, up to 20 lbs; 28″ × 22″ × 7″, up to 28 lbs | 26″, up to 15 lbs | 26″, up to 20 lbs |
| Medium | Beagle, Shetland Sheepdog, Cocker Spaniel, Miniature Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier | 36″ × 24″, up to 40 lbs | 28″ × 28″ × 7″, up to 35 lbs | 30″, up to 30 lbs | 30″, up to 30 lbs |
| Large | Boxer, English Bulldog, Corgi, Shar Pei, Wheaten Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Basset Hound | 40″ × 32″, up to 70 lbs | 32″ × 28″ × 9″, up to 45 lbs; 32″ × 32″ × 9″, up to 60 lbs | 36″, up to 50 lbs | 36″, up to 60 lbs |
| X-Large | Labs, Golden Retrievers, Siberian Husky, Vizsla, German Shorthaired Pointer, Standard Poodle, Collie | 52″ × 36″, 70+ lbs | 36″ × 28″ × 9″, up to 70 lbs | 40″, up to 70 lbs | Custom size |
| XX-Large | Large Goldendoodles, Labs and Golden Retrievers, German Shepherd, Bloodhound, Rottweiler, Weimaraner, Doberman | 52″ × 36″ (X-Large), 70+ lbs | 40″ × 32″ × 10″, up to 90 lbs | Custom size | Custom size |
Use the weight limit as a guide to fit. The closer your dog is to the weight limit for a size, the snugger the bed will fit. If your dog is near the limit, size up for more room. A bed can be a little too big and still be comfortable, but never too small.
Each bed has its own chart, and sizes differ a little from bed to bed. You’ll find the full chart for every bed on its page under Size & Weight Recommendations: Rectangle, Square, Round, Pillow, Cave, Cuddle, Cozy Cuddle, Edgy, Throne and Penthouse.
Bolster, Cushion or Round: How the Shape Changes the Size
Match the shape to how your dog sleeps, then size within that shape.
- Curlers love a round bed or a bolster bed like the Cuddle, where the raised sides give them something to lean into. Size by their curled-up width plus a little room, and make sure they can still stretch.
- Sprawlers need a cushion bed with room to stretch in every direction. The Rectangle is the shape most large breeds prefer because it gives a full-length stretch.
- Leaners like to rest their head on a raised edge, so a bolster bed works well. Remember the bolsters take up part of the outside size.
- Long-bodied dogs such as Dachshunds and Basset Hounds often fit best on a rectangle, or a custom size cut to their length.
Not sure which shape fits your dog? Our guide to choosing a bed for your dog’s sleeping style goes into more detail.
When to Choose a Custom Size
Standard sizes fit most dogs, but a custom size is the better choice when:
- your dog’s measurements fall between two sizes, or they’re unusually long for their weight;
- two pets share one bed;
- the bed has to fit a particular spot: a corner, a window nook, or the inside of a crate.
In Design Your Own, choose Custom under Size and enter the width (the front edge) and depth (the sides) in half-inch steps. Rectangle and Square beds go from 16″ up to 80″ wide and 40″ deep, Round beds from 16″ to 48″ across, and the Cuddle up to 52″ × 36″; the exact limits depend on the fill you choose, and the size window shows them. Sizes over 53″ wide may need a seam, since most fabrics are 54″ wide.
Fitting a bed inside a crate? Measure the inside of the crate floor and enter that as your custom size. For a cover that goes over the crate, see how to measure your dog’s crate and our crate cover buyer’s guide.
Size and Support Go Together
The fill you choose matters as much as the size, especially for bigger dogs. A plush fiberfill suits smaller pets who like to nest, while heavier dogs are better supported by a firmer foam that holds its shape. Some fills also change the bed’s band height. Our materials and fill guide compares every fill, and our guide to orthopedic beds for senior dogs covers older dogs.
Sizing for Puppies and Cats
Puppies: choose the size for your puppy’s expected adult size so the bed lasts. Until they grow into it, a soft blanket can make the extra space feel cozier.
Cats: most cats fit an X-Small or Small bed. Larger breeds like Maine Coons and Ragdolls, or two cats who sleep together, may want the next size up.
