A Lab, a shepherd or a Great Dane can squash an ordinary bed flat in a few months, and then they're sleeping on the floor with a cover over it. A good large dog bed has two jobs: enough thick, solid foam to hold up a heavy body, and enough room for your dog to sleep the way they like. Here are five picks for big and XL dogs, sorted by how your dog sleeps.
Quick picks
| Badge | Pick | Why we like it |
|---|---|---|
| Top pick | Big Barker 7" Orthopedic Dog Bed | Thickest foam here, Giant size up to 60 × 48 inches, 10-year warranty |
| Best value memory foam | Dogbed4less 4" Gel Memory Foam | Solid gel memory foam, two spare covers, sizes up to 55 × 47 inches |
| Best bolster bed | BarksBar Snuggly Sleeper | Wrap-around bolster for leaners, non-slip bottom, up to 100 lb |
| Best premium mattress | Casper Dog Bed, Large | Two-layer foam that reviewers found holds its shape, dogs up to about 90 lb |
| Best for dogs that curl up | Majestic Pet Suede Bagel Bed | Soft bagel shape, 52-inch size for 70–110 lb dogs |
Big dog beds: what actually matters
Most big dog beds look alike in photos. The differences that matter are inside.
- Foam thickness. K9 of Mine treats 4 inches of foam as the minimum for a large dog. Below that, a heavy dog's hips and shoulders sink straight through to the floor. Giant breeds do better on around 7 inches.
- Solid foam, not shredded. A solid foam slab keeps its shape. Shredded foam and loose polyfill shift into lumps and flatten, which is fine for a cosy nest but not for a 90-pound dog who sleeps eight hours a night.
- A cover you can wash. Big dogs bring in big amounts of mud and hair. Look for a removable, machine-washable cover, and ideally a waterproof liner under it.
- Shape that matches sleeping style. Sprawlers want a flat mattress. Dogs who lean their head on something want a bolster bed. Curlers want a round bagel bed.
If your large dog is getting older, stiff in the mornings or slow to stand up, look at our orthopedic dog bed picks and the low-entry beds in best dog beds for senior dogs. Those pages go deeper on foam.
Big Barker 7" Orthopedic Dog Bed
Best for: large and giant breeds that sprawl flat out.
K9 of Mine names the Big Barker its best overall bed for large dogs, and it has the thickest core on its list: a 7-inch slab of memory foam over support foam. The brand (now trading as Barker Beds) backs it with a 10-year warranty promising the bed keeps 90% of its loft. Big Barker also cites a University of Pennsylvania study on its beds; that is the brand's own claim, so treat it as marketing rather than proof.
What we like
- 7 inches of foam, enough for the heaviest dogs
- Giant size (60 × 48 inches) fits Great Danes and mastiffs lying flat
- 10-year warranty against flattening
- Simple mattress shape suits dogs who stretch out
Keep in mind
- It's a premium bed, among the most expensive here
- No non-skid bottom, so it can slide on hard floors (K9 of Mine)
- Too firm for small dogs; this is a big-dog bed
Key specs: 7" memory + support foam · Large 48 × 30" · XL 52 × 36" · Giant 60 × 48"
Dogbed4less 4" Gel Memory Foam Dog Bed
Best for: large dogs who need real foam without the premium price.
K9 of Mine lists this as "another great pick" for big dogs. It's a 4-inch gel-infused memory foam slab, so it sits right at K9 of Mine's minimum for a large dog. What makes it practical is the covers: you get two removable external covers (denim or microsuede) plus an internal waterproof cover, and they go in the washing machine. Swap one cover in while the other dries.
What we like
- Solid gel memory foam rather than shredded fill
- Two outer covers in the box, both machine washable
- Wide size range, from 35 × 20 up to 55 × 47 inches
- Budget-friendly next to the 7-inch beds
Keep in mind
- K9 of Mine reports the inner "waterproof" cover is not fully waterproof, so add a separate liner for a dog that has accidents
- 4 inches is the floor, not the ceiling: giant breeds will do better on thicker foam
Key specs: 4" gel memory foam · sizes 35 × 20" to 55 × 47" · 2 outer covers + inner liner
BarksBar Snuggly Sleeper Orthopedic Dog Bed
Best for: Labs, goldens and other large dogs up to 100 lb who like a pillow.
K9 of Mine's best bolster bed for larger dogs. The base is 4 inches of grooved orthopedic foam with a cotton layer, and a wrap-around bolster gives your dog somewhere to rest their chin or press their back against. It has a non-slip bottom, which the Big Barker lacks, and the cover is machine washable.
What we like
- Bolster on all sides for leaners and chin-resters
- Non-slip bottom stays put on wood and tile
- Machine-washable cover
- Rated for dogs up to 100 lb
Keep in mind
- Tops out at Large (40 × 30 inches), so it's not for Great Danes or giant breeds (K9 of Mine)
- The bolster takes up some of the sleeping area, so size up if your dog sprawls
Key specs: 4" grooved orthopedic foam + cotton layer · Medium 32 × 22" · Large 40 × 30" · up to 100 lb
Casper Dog Bed, Large
Best for: medium-large dogs up to about 90 lb, in a home where the bed is on show.
Casper took its mattress know-how to dogs. The bed has two layers of foam: memory foam on top of a polyurethane support base. The cover is machine washable and hides its zip, so it looks tidy in a living room. Reviewers at Rover and Reviewed both found it held its shape over time.
What we like
- Memory foam over a firm support layer
- 7 inches tall in the Large size
- Washable cover with a hidden zip
- Clean, furniture-like look
Keep in mind
- The Large is rated only to about 90 lb, so it's not for giant breeds
- It's one of the pricier beds here
- Some owners report a new-foam smell for the first few days; air it out before your dog moves in
Key specs: Large 45 × 35 × 7" · up to about 90 lb · also in Small and Medium
Majestic Pet Suede Bagel Dog Bed
Best for: big dogs who sleep curled in a ball, nose to tail.
Some large dogs never stretch out. For them, K9 of Mine's pick is this bagel bed: a generous polyfill core with a raised rim all the way round. It has a waterproof polyester base, it's made in the USA, and it comes in seven colors. The 52-inch size is made for dogs of 70 to 110 lb.
What we like
- Round shape suits curlers and nesters
- Raised rim to lean into
- Waterproof base
- Made in the USA, seven colors
Keep in mind
- It's polyfill, not foam, so it doesn't give the support of a foam bed and it flattens over time
- K9 of Mine calls it pricey for what's inside
- Not the bed for a senior or a stiff dog; pick foam instead
Key specs: Sizes 24" to 52" · 52" model for 70–110 lb dogs · waterproof base
XL dog bed sizing: how to measure your big dog
Bed sizes are not standard. One brand's "Large" is another's "Medium", so ignore the label and use a tape measure.
- Wait until your dog is asleep and stretched out. That's the length the bed needs to fit, not the length when they're standing.
- Measure from nose to the base of the tail. K9 of Mine recommends sizing by your dog stretched out, then adding some room.
- Add about 8–12 inches to both length and width for a sprawler. Curlers can go smaller, but a big dog that sometimes sprawls will hang off a tight bed.
- Check the weight rating. Several beds here list a maximum weight. Pick one with a margin over your dog.
- Measure the floor space where the bed will go. A Giant bed at 60 × 48 inches takes up 5 feet by 4 feet of floor.
| Your dog (stretched out) | Try this size | Picks that fit |
|---|---|---|
| Up to about 36" | Medium / 40" | BarksBar Medium, Casper Medium |
| About 36–44" | Large (40–48" long) | BarksBar Large, Big Barker Large, Casper Large |
| About 44–50" | XL (52–55" long) | Big Barker XL, Dogbed4less larger sizes, Majestic 52" bagel (curlers) |
| Over 50", or over 110 lb | Giant (60 × 48") | Big Barker Giant |
Extra large dog beds for giant breeds
Great Danes, mastiffs, Newfoundlands and Saint Bernards narrow the field fast. Of the beds here, only the Big Barker Giant pairs a 60-inch length with 7 inches of foam. The BarksBar stops at 40 inches and the Casper at about 90 lb. If your giant breed is also a chewer, or you need a bed for the yard, a raised cot is the tougher option: see our elevated dog bed picks, several of which are rated well over 200 lb.
Dog beds for large dogs: which style?
| Pick | Style | Foam | Largest size | Weight guide | Washable cover | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Barker | Mattress | 7" solid foam | 60 × 48" | Giant breeds | Yes | Sprawlers, giant dogs |
| Dogbed4less | Mattress | 4" gel memory foam | 55 × 47" | — | Yes, 2 covers | Value, washability |
| BarksBar Snuggly Sleeper | Bolster | 4" grooved foam | 40 × 30" | Up to 100 lb | Yes | Leaners, Labs and goldens |
| Casper | Mattress | 2-layer foam | 45 × 35 × 7" | Up to ~90 lb | Yes | Living-room looks |
| Majestic Pet Bagel | Bagel | Polyfill | 52" | 70–110 lb | — | Curlers |
A few more tips for big dogs
- Put the bed where your dog already sleeps. If they've chosen a corner, the new bed goes in that corner.
- Think about getting up, too. A big senior who also sleeps on your bed may need a way up: our dog stairs for bed guide covers which steps suit large dogs.
- Chewers wreck foam beds. If your dog shreds covers, skip the foam mattress for now and look at a raised cot with the fabric locked into the frame.
FAQs
What size bed does a large dog need?
Measure your dog asleep and stretched out, nose to the base of the tail, then add 8–12 inches. For most Labs and shepherds that's a Large of around 40–48 inches long; giant breeds need XL or Giant.
What is the best XL dog bed?
For extra-large and giant dogs, the Big Barker is the strongest pick here: 7 inches of foam and sizes up to 60 × 48 inches, with a 10-year warranty against flattening. The Dogbed4less goes to 55 × 47 inches if you want solid foam with more covers.
How thick should a large dog bed be?
K9 of Mine treats 4 inches of solid foam as the minimum for a large dog. Giant breeds and heavier dogs do better on around 7 inches, so their hips and shoulders don't press through to the floor.
Are big dog beds with polyfill any good?
Polyfill beds like the bagel bed are soft and cozy, and many dogs love curling up in them. They don't give the support of solid foam and they flatten with time, so they suit young, healthy dogs who curl, not seniors or sprawlers.
What is the best extra large dog bed for chewers?
None of the foam beds here is chew-proof. For a dog that rips covers, a raised cot with the fabric edges hidden in a metal frame is the safer choice; our elevated dog bed roundup covers chew-resistant models.
Measure your dog tonight while they're stretched out, pick the shape that matches how they sleep, and they'll have a bed that still holds them up a year from now.