The best cooling dog beds are the ideal companion for nights that are so stuffy your pooch has trouble sleeping. We humans bring out the summer bed linen, try to sleep under just a sheet and do away with the heavy blankets. But have you ever noticed that when the temperatures rise, your dog seeks out a patch of cool, hard floor to lie on, rather than his plush best dog bed?
Like us, our dogs sleep better if they are not struggling to combat the effects of hot weather, and so the more skin that is in contact with a cool surface to absorb their body heat, the better. No longer do they want to curl up and snuggle down in a soft nest. Your solution is one of the best cooling dog beds, which are often raised off the ground.
Not to be confused with the best dog cooling mats, which typically contain gel to absorb heat from your dog’s body, a raised dog bed is ideal for summer and offers the best of both worlds. Not only will this provide support all night (and day) long, but also ensure plenty of airflow underneath him so that your pooch doesn’t overheat. (An added bonus of this style of bed is that they’re great for chewers, being difficult to shred.)
Which cooling dog bed is best?
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Brian & Dany Elevated Dog Cot with Canopy
Size: 121.9 x 91.4 x 109.7cm
Capacity: Up to 54kg
Colours: Silver or brown
Reason to buy: Super-tough fabric and comes with carry case
Made with high-quality 1680D Oxford fabric, enhanced with breathable mesh panels for ventilation. It gives full shade to keep your dog cool and block out UV rays. The canopy can be removed for indoor use.
Raises the pet 23cm off the ground, giving plenty of space for air flow. It is portable, and therefore ideal for camping and holiday outings.
The downside is there is only one size available, however it can take up to 54kg and is a decent size.
At 20cm off the ground, there is plenty of space for airflow to cool your dog down on hot days, while not being so high as to be awkward for dogs that struggle to jump up or down.
The breathable tight mesh means fur, dirt and grime cannot cling to the fabric, which you can hose or hand-wash with mild soap.
Reason to buy: Super supportive to prevent sagging
This dog bed stands 18cm off the floor, to allow for less heat to transfer between the ground and bed – keeping it cool and calming during summer, and warm during the winter.
It is a good option for dogs with arthritis or achy joints as it has orthopaedic features – a strong metal frame provides a firmer fit to the bed to prevent sagging, making it easier for dogs to get up after resting. The larger beds have support beams. As it is quite a strong and sturdy bed, it ideally needs two people to assemble it.
The roof is anti-UV and water-resistant and can be easily detached.
Capacity: From 10–65kg, depending on size purchased
Colour: Grey
Reason to buy: Attractive, sturdy and for all seasons
The elevated position – 14cm off the floor – and side wall panels both allows airflow underneath the bed and keeps out condensation, so your dog stays cool in summer. The side panels create a sense of security for those dogs that feel exposed on a flat bed – this also keeps out draughts in winter.
The tightly woven fabric cover does not absorb moisture from your dog and has a quick drying surface, while helps eliminate a build-up of bacteria, reducing odour and keeping your dog’s bed fresh.
Colours: Beige coffee, black, black silver, blue, brown, silver grey
Reason to buy: high capacity and no tools required to assemble
The elevated design is believed to keep dogs cool, hygienic, and free of odours. It is easy to clean – you can hose it with water and allow to dry, or wipe with a wet cloth.
This is a great option for chewers. The edges of the anti-scratch mat are wrapped into the frame, leaving nowhere for the dog to get his teeth into. It is marketed as “indestructible and nowhere to chew”, and is designed to “last a lifetime”.
Reason to buy: Ideal for smaller dogs and won’t rust
This bed’s frame is make from rust-resistant material, making it great for outdoor use. The bed is made of high-tensile canvas, making it sturdy and supportive for your pooch, breathable and easy to wipe clean.
With handy sides, your pet won’t roll off his bed as he sleeps. However, they’re low enough for him to see out.
Some cooling beds come with canopies, so that you can put them out in the garden with shelter from UV rays. The canopy can also provide them with a sense of security that a flat elevated bed does not naturally do, a bit like their own cave.
Make sure that the dog bed is large enough so that your dog can sprawl, as hot weather will mean he doesn’t want to curl up tight. He’ll also be able to shift to cooler areas of the bed as parts warm up with his body heat.
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoythe magazine deliveredto your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access ouronline servicethat brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.
TOPICS
CATEGORIES
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
