Dog beds can be expensive, especially for families with large dog breeds or more than one dog. When you’re searching for a particular type of dog bed, your options are limited. Raised dog beds are beneficial to dogs and essential for their comfort. They alleviate pressure on joints which will benefit your pup for years to come.
One way to expand your options and, in some cases, save money is to build your own dog bed. We’ve found six raised dog bed ideas that vary from the simply functional to the downright cozy.
The 6 DIY Raised Dog Bed Plans You Can Make Today!
- DIY Dog Bed From a Recycled Tire – Practically Functional
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Materials: Stiff bristle brush, soap and water, an old tire (30″ round to 34″ round), spray paint, sticky felt pads, round pet bed
Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
This DIY bed made from a tire is perfect for a dog that loves to be squished. Maybe you’ve got an old tire lying around, or you could hold off until your car is due a tire change; whatever you decide, this project isn’t expensive to complete.
Check Instructions Here
Materials: Stiff bristle brush, soap and water, an old tire (30″ round to 34″ round), spray paint, sticky felt pads, round pet bed
Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
- DIY End Table Pet Bed – Southern Revivals
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Materials: Extra wood, nails/wood glue, paint
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This bed made out of an end table acts as a cat bed in the example, but if you’ve got a small dog, it’s perfect! If you have an old table lying around or see an unloved end table at a thrift store, you can modify it to create a cozy raised bed for your canine.
Materials: Extra wood, nails/wood glue, paint
Difficulty Level: Moderate
- DIY Dog Bed From a Wine Barrel – The Gilded Horn
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Materials: Bolts, nuts, drill and drill bits, jigsaw and blade for metal and wood, hammer, pliers, chisel, sealer (spray or paint), sandpaper, palm sander, belt sander, plastic dip, and wood stain (all optional)
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Dog beds don’t have to just look functional; they can also be something totally unique, which is not something you can always get when you’re buying online. This DIY dog bed option is for more advanced DIY-ers, but the end result is brilliant.
Materials: Bolts, nuts, drill and drill bits, jigsaw and blade for metal and wood, hammer, pliers, chisel, sealer (spray or paint), sandpaper, palm sander, belt sander, plastic dip, and wood stain (all optional)
Difficulty Level: Advanced
- DIY Dog Bed From Old Furniture – Room for Tuesday
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Materials: Screwdriver, light drop cloth, brass bin pull, clear silicone, spackling, Krylon satin white, 80 grit sanding block, Krylon satin pebble, and copper mesh
Difficulty Level: Advanced
This dog bed from old furniture might be one of the more time-consuming options, but it has the added benefit that when your dog isn’t using it, you can pull the drawer shut, and it looks like a set of drawers again. This makes it a practical extra dog bed to have around the house.
Materials: Screwdriver, light drop cloth, brass bin pull, clear silicone, spackling, Krylon satin white, 80 grit sanding block, Krylon satin pebble, and copper mesh
Difficulty Level: Advanced
- DIY Easy Dog Bed for Big Dogs – Wouldn’t It Be Lovely
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Materials: (4) corner brackets with screw holes, (4) L corner brackets, (4) wooden legs, 2 x 4s with 45-degree cut ends, staples, upholstery tacks, nylon strapping, saw, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, staple gun
Difficulty Level: Advanced
This DIY dog bed is convenient if you have a large dog breed. Of course, the larger the bed, the more you’ll inevitably have to spend. Instead of purchasing a commercial bed, you can save money with this sturdy alternative.
Materials: (4) corner brackets with screw holes, (4) L corner brackets, (4) wooden legs, 2 x 4s with 45-degree cut ends, staples, upholstery tacks, nylon strapping, saw, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, staple gun
Difficulty Level: Advanced
- Build a Dog Cot – Instructables
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Materials: 1” 40 PVC pipe, three-way corner pieces (1”) item # F100W3W (This needs to be ordered at a furniture store, not a warehouse), plastic mesh open weave marine upholstery, #8 X ½” Buildex Teks Lath Screws, cordless drill with variable clutch settings, screwdriver bit, screwdriver magnetizer (optional), rubber mallet, ratchet-type PVC cutters, safety glasses, tailor’s chalk (for marking fabric), fine tip permanent black marker (for marking PVC), heavy-duty scissors, stiff ruler
Difficulty Level: Moderate
This DIY Dog Cot is an excellent option because, once you have all the materials, it can take about an hour to make, and it’s also one of the cheapest options. It’s also probably one of the more traditional raised bed designs and very similar to something you could buy online.
Materials: 1” 40 PVC pipe, three-way corner pieces (1”) item # F100W3W (This needs to be ordered at a furniture store, not a warehouse), plastic mesh open weave marine upholstery, #8 X ½” Buildex Teks Lath Screws, cordless drill with variable clutch settings, screwdriver bit, screwdriver magnetizer (optional), rubber mallet, ratchet-type PVC cutters, safety glasses, tailor’s chalk (for marking fabric), fine tip permanent black marker (for marking PVC), heavy-duty scissors, stiff ruler
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Do Dogs Even Need a Bed?
Dogs sleep between 12 to 18 hours a day; just like humans, they need a good night’s rest to stay healthy. So, yes, dogs need a bed. Even if they enjoy cuddling up with you, they must have somewhere to call their own.
Why Might Your Dog Need a Raised Bed?
There are a few reasons to consider a raised bed for your dog, which is why you don’t always need the same style of raised bed if you’re making your own. The height can help dogs with sore joints. The raised bed gives your dog a head start for transitioning from sitting to standing.
Other reasons you can build a raised bed are:
They provide firm, even orthopedic support
Less mess for destructive dogs
Easier to clean
Keeps your pet cooler in summer
Easier to move
What Are the Possible Downsides to a Raised Bed?
A raised bed isn’t suitable for all dogs. They might not be the best choice for visually impaired dogs because they risk injury if they fall out. The same goes for particularly clumsy dogs; if your pup tends to trip, it may be safer for them to stay on the ground.
- They provide firm, even orthopedic support
- Less mess for destructive dogs
- Easier to clean
- Keeps your pet cooler in summer
- Easier to move
A raised bed is also not a good idea for pregnant or nursing mothers or young puppies since they’ll probably fall out of a raised bed once they start exploring their surroundings.
Final Thoughts
There are, of course, more styles out there of raised beds that you can test your DIY skills on. Whatever your dog might need out of their bed, there’s a style for them. A bed is very important to your dog, but isn’t it also great that there are dog bed designs that might match your current furniture?
Featured Image Credit: mattycoulton, Pixabay
