Beds for Bulldogs, Dachshunds and Dogs Who Don't Fit the Chart

Almost every pet bed on the market is cut for the same imaginary dog: medium build, curls up, moderate coat, temperate climate. Then people bring home a French bulldog with a chest like a barrel and a face like a folded map, or a dachshund who is essentially a long low tube, and wonder why nothing quite works.

Three of the most popular breeds in Australia fall outside that imaginary shape, and each needs a different answer.

French bulldogs and other flat-faced breeds

The thing to understand about a brachycephalic breed is that they are already working harder to move air than any other dog in the room. Their airway is compressed by design, which means they overheat faster, recover slower, and are genuinely at risk in Australian summer conditions.

So the instinct to buy them a deep, snuggly, enclosed bed is exactly backwards. A heavily padded hooded bed holds heat around an animal who can't shed it efficiently. What works far better is a flat, breathable bed in the coolest spot in the house, with room for them to sprawl out on their side or back — which is how most of them prefer to sleep anyway.

Cotton or a breathable weave beats plush fleece here. A low profile matters too, because a bulldog's front end is heavy and stepping over a raised bolster is more effort than it looks. And keep the bed out of any spot that gets afternoon sun.

One thing I'd add firmly: if your flat-faced dog is noisy when breathing, snores so loudly it wakes you, or seems to struggle after mild exercise or in warm weather, that's a vet conversation and potentially a surgical one. No bed addresses an airway problem, and this is the breed where owners most often normalise something that isn't normal.

Dachshunds and other long-backed, short-legged breeds

Two considerations here, and the first one is spinal. A dachshund's back is long relative to their height, and they're prone to intervertebral disc disease. That changes what a good bed looks like: no high entry to climb over, no deep soft pit they have to haul themselves out of, and no slippery surface they can't get purchase on when standing.

A low, firm, flat bed with a slightly raised lip at one edge is the practical answer. Firm rather than deep — a dog who sinks into soft fill has to work harder to get up, and you can see them brace with their back to do it.

The second consideration is that dachshunds are inveterate burrowers. They were bred to go into holes, and most of them want to be under something. A covered bed with a low, wide opening gives them that without forcing them to climb. Just check the opening genuinely is low, because a hood they have to duck under defeats the purpose.

Whippets and Italian greyhounds

Same problem as their larger greyhound cousins, just scaled down: no body fat, coat like a tissue, prominent bones, and they feel cold and hard floors in a way that fluffy breeds simply don't. They compress thin padding to nothing at the hip and shoulder, and they get cold overnight.

The answer is depth of padding that resists compression, and something with a raised edge to hold a pocket of warm air. The trap is sizing — a whippet is tall and lean rather than small and round, so a bed sold as "small dog" is often too short for them stretched out. Measure the stretched length, not the weight bracket.

What I'd tell someone standing in the shop

Forget the breed label on the packaging and look at three things. How does your dog actually sleep — curled, stretched, on their back, burrowed? Where is the coolest or warmest spot in your house, and does the bed need to work there? And can they get in and out without climbing, bracing or jumping?

Then ignore the picture on the packet. Dogs are far less interested in how a bed looks than in whether it's the right temperature, the right shape, and in the right place.

I've never once seen a dog choose a bed because of its colour. They choose temperature, shape and location, in roughly that order, and every breed bends those three factors a different way. Watch how yours sleeps on the floor for a week and buy for that, not for the breed on the label. — Tessa, Hobart, where a greyhound and two cats all sleep in completely different microclimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bed suits a French bulldog?

A flat, breathable bed in the coolest part of the house. Flat-faced breeds overheat easily, so avoid deep padded or hooded styles. Cotton or another breathable weave beats plush fleece, and keep the bed out of direct sun.

What's the best bed for a dachshund?

Low, firm and flat, with no high edge to climb over, because their long backs make climbing and bracing undesirable. Many dachshunds also like to burrow, so a covered bed with a low wide opening suits them well.

Do whippets need a special bed?

They need a soft one. With almost no body fat and prominent bones, they compress thin padding to nothing and feel the cold. Choose depth that resists compression and size for their stretched length rather than a small-dog weight bracket.

Should I buy a covered bed for a flat-faced dog?

Usually not. Enclosed styles trap heat around an animal that already struggles to cool itself. If your dog likes somewhere to burrow, offer a lightweight blanket they can push around rather than a heavy hooded bed.

When is noisy breathing an emergency?

If a flat-faced dog is laboured, noisy at rest, struggling after mild exercise, or distressed in warm weather, treat it as urgent and see a vet. Breathing difficulty can deteriorate quickly in brachycephalic breeds, and no bed will help.

Size & Fit Reference

Bed sizing by internal sleeping area, not just the outside measurement. Measure your pet stretched out from nose to base of tail, then add 10–15 cm.

Size	External (L×W×H)	Internal sleeping area	Suits pets up to	Typical pets
S	43 × 32 × 10 cm	~36 × 25 cm	30 cm curled	Kittens, toy breeds, small cats
M	54 × 42 × 11 cm	~46 × 34 cm	45 cm curled	Cavoodle, Pug, average cat
L	66 × 50 × 12 cm	~57 × 41 cm	55 cm curled	Cocker Spaniel, large cat
XL	80 × 60 × 13 cm	~70 × 50 cm	70 cm curled	Kelpie, Border Collie
XXL	95 × 72 × 15 cm	~84 × 61 cm	85 cm stretched	Labrador, two small dogs
3XL	110 × 82 × 15 cm	~98 × 70 cm	100 cm stretched	Great Dane, two medium dogs

Between two sizes, size up. Note that soft polyester fill compresses under weight — for dogs over about 30 kg, a denser foam base will hold its loft far longer than fibre fill.