16 DIY Dog Beds That Fido Will Love

Dog owners want nothing but the best for their fur babies. When it comes to sleeping, a high-quality dog bed is a must to keep them comfortable. Rather than purchasing a pricey dog bed, why not make one of these DIY dog beds?

Check out these DIY dog beds that will get your dog to sleep in no time. There are projects for no-sew cushions, flatbeds, fluffy mattresses, and bed frames!

1. No-Sew Dog Bed

Getting a warm and comfy spot for your dog to sleep in shouldn’t be time-consuming. This fleece mattress is easy to make because you won’t ever hold a needle and thread. You only need two pieces of fleece fabric, polyfill, measuring tape, and fabric scissors.

Lay the two fabrics on each other with the right sides facing out. Trim it to your preferred dimensions, then remove 5 inches of squares on every corner. Then, cut strips around the perimeter so you can make tight knots. 

Start stuffing the bed with polyfill right before knotting the strips on the last side. Evenly distribute the stuffing according to your dog’s preferred firmness. 

2. Rustic Dog Crate

This budget-friendly dog bed costs less than $30 and is perfect for dog owners who like doing woodwork. The final product is a farmhouse-inspired wooden crate with three sides enclosed.

The bedsheet should be made of cotton twill to look more sophisticated. One side should only have two tie-top covers to make the actual bed’s design visible. 

3. Tire Dog Bed

DIY dog beds won’t be complete without using recycled junk. If you have an old tire, try turning it into a bed frame for your furry friend’s mattress! Spray-paint it to your dog’s favorite color and start sewing the mattress. Or just insert their old bed inside the wheel’s hole.

4. Murphy Dog Bed

Murphy beds are floor or wall-mounted beds that use different frames to lift or lower the mattress. Making one for your dog is an elegant way to save space because you can close it up when not in use. 

You can use an old kitchen cabinet or shoe drawer as the frame, replace the hardware and install mesh. You could even spray paint the cabinet to match the color of your home, making the dog bed more discrete. Add the cushion inside, and then you’re finished!

5. Side Table Bed

If you notice your pooch frequently sleeping under your side table, make it their permanent sleeping area! First, measure the bottom of the table’s borders. Add about 5 inches to your measurement. That’s how much fabric you need for both the front and backside.

To make the bed, lay the fabrics on each other with the right side facing in. Sew around the edges with 2.5 inches of seam allowance. Turn it right side out, insert the stuffing, and place it under your side table.

6. Suitcase Dog Bed

Does your toy-sized dog fit your old travel suitcase? Transform the old bag into a bed frame by adding a mattress. Start by measuring the suitcase and adding a few inches for seam allowance. 

Piece the front and back materials together and sew around the perimeter. Insert the foam or stuffing inside before stitching the last side! You can also add embellishments on the cover of the suitcase, such as a welcome message or a fluffy backdrop.

7. Sweatshirt Pet Bed

This sweatshirt pet bed is one of the easiest DIY dog beds you can make. Get a worn-out sweatshirt and turn it inside out. The sleeves should be on the sweatshirt’s body so you can insert foam through the cuffs and sew. 

Fill the body with a pillow, cushion, or other stuffing. Then, it’s time to join the cuffs by sewing them. Stitch up any hole that exposes the filling. 

8. Wagon Dog Bed

Remove the axles and wheels from your wagon and add your dog’s favorite bed inside it. Or cover a pillow insert with a dog-friendly fabric. Keep it in place by applying furniture adhesive at the bottom of the wagon. Doing so will prevent the ground from getting scratches.

9. Modern Dog Bed

Add tapered metal legs to your dog’s bed frame, and it will instantly look more sophisticated. It will also make cleaning underneath easier! Spice it up by matching the cushion’s color with the frame.

If the frame is two-toned, find a striped fabric with similar colors. Then sew it around the mattress’ edges with seam allowance. You can also stitch it around the foam in an envelope style for easy replacement. 

10. Scandinavian-Framed Dog Bed

A Scandinavian home focuses on straight lines and functionality. This bed frame for your dog looks beautiful yet simple to create. 

But the dog house will only feel comfortable if the size of the mattress is adequate. To know how much fabric you should get, measure the wooden base of the frame and increase about four inches. 

As with other mattress covers or cushions, sew the edges right side in, making sure there’s a seam allowance. Turn the right side on the outside and add your stuffing. If you don’t like sewing, cut the edges to create a macrame-like fringe and knot one by one.

11. Upcycled TV Console

You might have a vintage TV console waiting to get a makeover in your basement. Change it into an opulent dog bed by removing the electronic guts and painting it in a new color. Measure the base of the TV console so you can create a dog mattress of the same size. 

12. Dog Bed and Blanket

A dog bed with a burrow blanket is the best gift to give a dog who loves to nestle and burrow. Grab a soft throw blanket, old pillow, sewing machine, and scissors.

Cut four pieces of fabric from the blanket. These pieces are for the tent, back, front, and back. Fix the edges of the back pieces by turning them under and stitching twice. Then, layer the pieces to sew together, ensuring the front fabric is right-side up.

Pleat the excess to the corners and position the back pieces overlappingly. You may pin them in place before sewing. 

13. Two-Pillow Dog Bed

This two-pillow dog bed takes only an hour or two to make. You only need foundational sewing skills, and the final product is something that your dog will love. 

The inside cushion is just two pillows attached to each other. Make sure they are slightly overlapping, so your dog doesn’t feel a gap while laying down. Sew them by hand, so you don’t feel the heaviness and bulkiness on the machine. 

Wrap the fabric around the large cushion for the cover, and stitch them together. You may do so in an envelope design for a more convenient replacement.

14. Flat Pillow Dog Bed

If Fido is drowning in their cloud-like bed, make this flat mattress for them. It’s the right amount of softness and comfort that will give them a better night’s sleep. To make one, piece two memory foams together and wrap them with your preferred fabric. 

The memory foam cover should fit the cover precisely so that its firmness stays visible. You may also add foam edges to avoid motion transfer.

15. Upside-Down Table Turned Dog Bed

Are you planning to replace your center table? Keep the old one and turn it into a dog bed by turning it upside-down. Re-paint it to your four-legged friend’s favorite color and stick the mattress at the center. 

Or you can customize a dog bed that fits the table. Measure the dimensions of the base, excluding the elevated frame of the table. Add some extra inches to allow for a seam, then start stitching with the wrong side out. 

16. Bolster Pet Bed

Dogs need head and neck support when lying down. Instead of getting a separate pillow for them, what they need is a bolster bed. It’s as simple as making a regular dog bed and creating a filled tube cushion that will wrap around the edges.

The secret to stuffing is to moderately invert the fabric until the entire tube is full. Fold in the edges and sew them shut. When sticking it to the base, use an upholstery needle and thread while sewing by hand. 

DIY Dog Beds: The Snuggle Is Real!

Every pupper will love these DIY dog beds because they are made from the heart. From no-sew mattresses to advanced woodcraft, there’s a dog bed to make for every skill level. And all of them are better than the ones you see in pet stores.

I hope this article inspired your next fabric project! Let me know what you’re making for your dog in the comments below.