Do Dogs Get Cold at Night? A Hobart Winter Answer

Pip is a twelve-year-old retired racing greyhound, and every year around the end of May she starts doing the same thing. She gets up from her bed at about two in the morning, walks to the laundry door, and waits. Not to go outside — she wants the warm spot where the dryer vents. The first winter I had her I assumed she was being fussy. Then I spent a few years working in vet clinics and learned what she was actually telling me.

So, the short answer: yes, dogs get cold at night, but nowhere near as many as owners assume, and the ones who do are a predictable group. Working out whether your dog is in that group matters more than buying the thickest bed in the shop.

Who actually feels it

In my experience the list is short and consistent. Very young puppies, who can't regulate their temperature well yet. Senior dogs, who lose muscle mass and often have arthritis that genuinely aches in the cold. Thin-coated breeds — greyhounds, whippets, Italian greyhounds, boxers, staffies — who have almost no insulation and, in Pip's case, barely any body fat either. Small dogs, because they have a large surface area relative to their volume and lose heat fast. And any dog who is unwell or recovering.

The other half of the equation is the house. A Hobart or Melbourne weatherboard with single glazing and no heating overnight is a very different environment from a modern Brisbane apartment. The coldest part is almost always the floor, which is exactly where we put their bed.

Who really doesn't

Huskies, malamutes, and anything with a proper double coat are usually far more comfortable than their owners are. A thick-coated dog in a heavily padded enclosed bed in a heated house will often get up and move to the tiles, and that isn't ingratitude — it's thermoregulation. I've had clients buy an expensive thermal bed for a husky and then ring me, baffled, because the dog sleeps next to it.

If your dog consistently chooses the floor over the bed, the bed is too warm, not too cold. That's worth knowing before you spend more money.

What a warm bed can and can't do

Let me be plain about this, because the marketing in this category overreaches. A bed does not treat arthritis, and it does not prevent joint disease. What a well-padded bed does is reduce the pressure on bony points — hips, elbows, shoulders — when a dog lies on a hard surface. For an older dog with sore joints, that genuinely changes how they sleep and how stiff they are in the morning. That's a real benefit, and it's a comfort benefit rather than a medical one.

The other thing a bed does is get a dog off a cold floor. Floor temperature in an unheated Tasmanian laundry in July is a long way below the dog's comfortable range, and lying on it draws heat out of them all night. Even fifteen centimetres of padding and a layer of fabric between the dog and the floor makes a measurable difference to how hard their body has to work.

Setting it up properly

Position matters more than most people think. Off the floor if you can manage it, or at least onto a rug. Out of draughts — that gap under the back door is the usual culprit, and I've fixed more cold-dog complaints with a draught stopper than with any product. Away from the exterior wall. And near where the family actually is, because most dogs want to be where you are more than they want ideal thermal conditions.

Then the bed itself. For a dog who curls up, a semi-enclosed shape with a raised edge gives them something to lean against and traps a pocket of warm air around them. For a dog who stretches out, a flat mattress they can sprawl on works better. Pip does both depending on the night, which is why she has two beds in different rooms.

When to think about more than a bed

If your dog is shivering indoors, seems stiff getting up, is reluctant to climb stairs, or is seeking heat constantly, that's a vet appointment rather than a shopping trip. Pain and thyroid conditions and a dozen other things present as "feeling the cold," and no bed fixes them.

For genuinely cold homes and older dogs, heated options exist and work well — heated pads, microwave heat packs, and self-warming beds that reflect the dog's own body heat back at them. If you go down that route, buy one made for pets, check for Australian electrical approval, and supervise any dog who chews cords.

Pip stopped camping at the laundry door the winter I moved her bed off the floor and away from the back door. Two changes, neither of which cost anything. Work out whether your dog is actually cold first — most of the ones I see aren't, and the ones that are usually need the draught fixed more than they need a new bed. — Tessa, Hobart, with a greyhound currently asleep on the good rug.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dogs get cold at night in Australia?

Some do, particularly in southern Australia. Puppies, senior dogs, small breeds and thin-coated breeds such as greyhounds, whippets and staffies feel the cold most. Thick double-coated breeds usually don't, and often prefer a cool floor.

How can I tell if my dog is cold?

Shivering, curling tightly, lifting paws off the floor, seeking heat sources and restlessness at night are the common signs. If your dog shivers indoors or seems stiff getting up, book a vet check rather than assuming it's just the weather.

Does my dog need a special winter bed?

Most dogs do fine with their usual bed moved somewhere better. Getting the bed off a cold floor and out of draughts usually matters more than buying a thicker one. Save a heavily padded or enclosed bed for dogs who genuinely feel the cold.

My dog sleeps on the floor instead of the bed. Why?

Usually because the bed is too warm, too enclosed, or in the wrong spot. Many thick-coated breeds actively prefer a cool hard surface. Watch where your dog chooses to sleep and match the bed to that rather than fighting it.

Are heated beds safe for dogs?

Pet-specific heated beds and microwave heat pads are generally safe when used as directed. Buy products made for pets, check for Australian electrical approval on any powered item, and supervise dogs who chew cords. Never use a human electric blanket.

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.