One Bed Is Never Enough: How Many, and Where to Put Them

Pip has four beds. I didn't plan it that way — it happened one bed at a time, each for a fairly ordinary reason, and I've since noticed the same thing in most of the households I visit. One bed is almost never enough, and it isn't because owners are indulgent. It's because a single bed can only ever be right for one temperature, one room and one mood.

Here's how it actually accumulates, and where each one ends up.

Season beds

This is the first one and the most defensible. In most of Australia a deep padded bed is a winter bed, and a flat breathable one is a summer bed. The same dog who curls into an enclosed bed in July will lie flat on the tiles in January rather than touch it. I've written about this elsewhere, but it bears repeating here because it's the reason most households end up with two: not indulgence, seasons.

If you only ever buy one, buy for the season you're in and expect to replace it sooner. If you buy both, store the out-of-season one clean and dry rather than leaving it in the garage where it will collect dust and smells.

Position beds

The second reason is location. Dogs are social sleepers and they want to be where you are, but they also want somewhere quiet when the house gets busy. A bed in the living area and a bed in the bedroom covers both, and it's why so many dogs end up with one upstairs and one down.

Where you put them matters more than people expect. Near where the family is, but out of the main walking line. Out of direct afternoon sun, which rules out a lot of lovely spots by the window. Away from draughts — that gap under the back door is the usual culprit. And off cold hard floors, or at least onto a rug, because the floor is where the temperature goes.

When there's more than one animal

The rule I use is one bed each, plus one, in different locations. It's the same logic as litter trays, and for the same reason: animals who have to share a resource will often quietly stop using it, or one will guard it, and you get a dog sleeping on the floor next to an empty bed because the cat is in it.

They don't need to be identical, and they often shouldn't be. My greyhound wants depth and warmth; the cats want something small and enclosed in a spot they can watch the room from. Different animals, different microclimates, which is entirely normal.

One thing worth watching: two animals who have always shared happily and suddenly start displacing each other from beds may be telling you something. Tension over resources is often the first visible sign of a problem between pets, and if one is suddenly blocked from the bed, that's worth a closer look.

Crate mats and camping

A crate mat is the most underrated bed in the whole category. It's cheap, it fits the sleeping space precisely, it washes in minutes, and it turns a crate into a den rather than a cage. If you have a crate in the car or the laundry, a mat in it means the dog always has somewhere familiar, wherever they are.

For camping, the priority is different again: get them off the ground. Cold and damp ground draws heat out of a lying animal all night, so a mat with real thickness underneath matters more than anything soft on top. Choose something that packs flat, dries quickly, and can be hosed off at the end of the trip.

How to know you've got it right

The test is simple and takes no expertise: is the animal using it, and are they using it without being asked? A dog who chooses their bed over the floor, most of the time, in the room where you are — that's it. That's the whole outcome.

If they're still on the floor, go back through the obvious causes. Too warm. Wrong shape. Wrong place. Smells wrong. And if an older dog has suddenly stopped using a bed they've used for years, that's a vet check rather than a shopping trip, because changes in how and where a dog sleeps often show up alongside pain.

Four beds for one greyhound sounds absurd until you count them: a winter one, a summer one, one by the fire and one in my room. Every one of them gets used. Start with the room they already sleep in and the season you're actually in, and the second bed will suggest itself soon enough. — Tessa, Hobart, tripping over bedding in a small house.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many beds does a dog need?

One is rarely enough in practice. Most households end up with two — a warmer one for winter and a breathable one for summer — plus a bed in whichever room the family spends time in. Dogs generally have a bed they choose and use without being asked.

Where is the best place to put a dog bed?

Near where the family spends time but out of the main walking line. Avoid direct afternoon sun, draughts under doors, and noisy appliances. Getting it off a cold hard floor, or onto a rug, makes a noticeable difference in southern Australian winters.

How many beds for two pets?

One each, plus one, in different locations. Sharing a bed often leads to one animal quietly giving it up or another guarding it. They don't need to be identical — different animals often prefer different shapes and temperatures.

What should I use for camping with a dog?

Prioritise getting them off the ground, since cold or damp ground draws heat away all night. Choose a mat with real thickness that packs flat, dries quickly and can be hosed off. Familiar bedding from home helps them settle in a strange place.

My dog has suddenly stopped using their bed. Why?

Check the simple causes first: too warm, wrong shape, wrong position, or the bed smells of detergent or an old accident. If it's an older dog and nothing obvious has changed, book a vet check, since changes in sleeping habits often accompany pain.

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.