6 Best Dog Beds for Puppies Who Love to Snuggle

Every puppy deserves a cozy place to snuggle up and sleep in. So, it’s only natural that when bringing home your furry baby, you start looking for the best dog bed for puppy. Now, given the plethora of options out there, with varying price ranges, fabrics, design, features, and whatnot, this can quickly turn into an overwhelming decision. 

First let me simplify the basics for you. The best bedding for puppies is one that has soft plush fabrics, raised bolsters or high sides, and a sense of enclosure to help puppies feel secure. Think of it as your puppy’s personal nest. Experts also note that comforts like memory foam and high-sided, enclosed beds can provide a familiar sensory experience and address fear, anxiety, and stress. Essentially something that recreates the safety of the womb or offers your little furball a weighted blanket experience. 

When your puppy feels safe in their resting space, it makes them feel secure in their new home and can go a long way in reducing anxiety. So, you see, the best dog bed for puppy isn’t just a place for them to sleep in. It’s a key part of new puppy essentials that make a pet’s transition into your home smoother and more seamless. 

Best Dog Beds for Puppies Who Love to Snuggle

You may have noticed that puppies look for closed or covered spaces to retreat to when they feel overwhelmed, stressed, or are in need of some rest. Something akin to a den or a cave. Recreating that experience is exactly what you need to keep in mind to be able to pick out the best puppy bed from a sea of options. As I’ve already mentioned, the best bedding for puppies must have:

• Bolsters or high sides to given them surface to lean on and feel hugged
• Soft cushions that contour to the dog’s body
• Self-warming material that reflects the dog’s body heat

Of course, these must be easy to maintain with machine-washable covers. I’ve rounded up some options that check these boxes, covering a range of styles and budgets. Let’s check them out and help you find the the best dog bed for puppy: 

1. Best Friends by Sheri Original Calming Donut Bed

This is a classic “donut” bed, a round cushion with high, rolled edges. It’s covered in a super-plush faux fur removable cover for washing. The bolsters provide a wall for puppies to curl against and the deep center is filled with polyester. In short, it has everything to provide your fur baby with a cozy “nesting” spot.

Features

• High bolsters around
• Soft fluffy cover (often polyester faux-fur or suede)
• Donut shape
• Machine-washable cover
• Available in multiple diameters (best to size up for growing pups)

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Vets often recommend donut beds for anxious dogs because the circular shape “makes them feel safe”. This style makes it the the best dog bed for puppy that burrows or rests its chin on the side.

Quick Tip: Many owners use these beds in crates. A puppy who sleeps curled up with the donut walls around them often settles faster. So, if you’re looking for the best puppy bed for crate, this has you covered. 

2. PetFusion Ultimate Dog Lounge Bed (Orthopedic)

The PetFusion lounge is a rectangular bolster bed with a memory foam base and three supportive bolsters on the back and two sides. It’s made from durable faux leather or microsuede cover and a 4-inch thick memory foam core. This bed combines comfort with support. This is, in many ways, the best bedding for puppies, offering the perfect mix of comfort and the right support. 

Features

• 4″ solid memory foam base 
• Certified non-toxic, molded foam
• Three-sided bolsters
• Water-resistant 600D polyester cover with a zipper
• Non-slip rubber bottom

This is the best dog bed for puppy of medium-to-large breeds, as the orthopedic foam offers the right support to joints, which can sometimes feel the strain of sudden and huge growth spurts. 

Quick Tip: Because of its size, this bed is great in the living room or bedroom. It’s sturdy and won’t flatten quickly, making it worth the investment. Some dog parents report that even after years, the foam remains comfortable. However, this isn’t an indestructible puppy bed and pet parents say a thicker cover can make it boost its longevity with puppies who chew.

3. K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Lounger

This bed from K&H looks like a plush mat with raised sides, but it’s special because it has a self-warming layer. Inside the fabric is a thermal fleece material that retains a dog’s body heat without electricity. The top is soft faux fur, and the bottom is a durable polyester, making it the perfect puppy heating pad that offers warmth and keeps your puppy snug through their naps 

Features

• Self-warming fleece layer
• Raised double bolsters on two sides
• Soft shag top
• Foam base
• Removable machine-washable cover

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This puppy heating pad is best suited for small breeds and puppies with short hair. It can also come in handy if you live in a cold area. Puppies who shiver or dig to get comfy will love the warmth. This warmth can be very calming for some puppies. It simulates the warmth they would feel with littermates and makes them feel more secure in their new home.

Quick Tip: Place this bed away from drafts. The self-warming only works when your puppy is on it, so you won’t overheat them. We found that using a self-warming bed for night-time naps cut down on early morning whining for heat.

4. Frisco Plush Bolster Round Dog Bed

The Frisco house-brand bolstered bed is a budget-friendly alternative for those looking for the best bedding for puppies without having to burn a hole in their pocket. It’s round with 4″ foam bolsters all around and a fluffy faux fleece center. The cover is microfiber and removable. It’s more basic—for example, it has polyfill bolsters, not foam base—but still soft enough for many puppies.

Features

• 4″ foam bolsters
• Polyester fleece sleep surface
• Microfiber side cover
• Zip-off cushion cover
• Bottom is non-skid
• Available in multiple sizes

If you’re trying a round bed for the first time, this is a cheap way to test your pup’s preference. Many owners of large breed puppies recommend ordering one size up, since the faux fur surface can be turned inside out by an energetic chewer and this isn’t exactly an indestructible puppy bed. Otherwise, the bed is praised for being soft and “adorable.”

Quick Tip: To get your puppy to use it, put a treat or toy in the center initially. Some puppies think a flat circle is meant for play, so encourage snuggling. Also, reinforce that the bed is a resting spot by giving praise when they lie on it quietly.

5. AmazonBasics Plush Sherpa Top Dog Bed

The best dog bed for puppy doesn’t have to cost a pretty penny and this affordable option from Amazon’s Basics line is proof. It has a quilted pillow-top bed that many puppy owners like. It’s a flat cushion bed with a quilted sleeping surface and polyester filling. A faux sherpa fleece cover adds warmth and is removable.

Features

• 2″ thick polyester-stuffed pad
• Sherpa fleece top
• Quilted nylon sidewall
• Removable cover
• Simple, washable design

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The best puppy bed for crates and carriers. Its size and construction make it easy to fit into these confined spaces, making your puppy’s crate a more snug and cozy space for them. This may not be the most plush puppy bed out there but it is definitely sturdy and comfortable. 

Quick Tip: If your puppy doesn’t like pushing out high sides, this is the go-to. Pair it with a cover or pad for extra cushioning if needed. And at such a low price, you can afford spares for the wash cycle

6. PetTherapeutics VetEdge Recovery Pet Bed

Technically marketed to vet clinics, but available online, this bed was developed with input from behaviorists. It’s a rectangular crate mat with two ortho foam panels and high bolsters on all four sides. The fabric is a soft “pillow-top” cover that is water-resistant. The stand-out feature: the bolsters and corners are soft but stiff enough to form supportive walls.

Features

• 2″ dual-layer memory foam base
• 4″ bolstered walls
• Durable ripstop nylon cover
• Washable
• Formed corners to reduce stress signals

This is the best puppy bed for pets recovering from injury/surgery, or any anxious fur baby who needs extra support and some coddling. The bolsters are higher than most, almost like short walls. Vet Therapeutics founder Fred Silber says, “Creating familiar, secure environments is essential for reducing pet stress.” This bed does exactly that.

Quick Tip: The extra support means it doesn’t flatten out. An owner of a very active terrier reports that she still likes this bed because the sides keep her from rolling off. It’s on the pricier side, but for a puppy with anxiety or joint issues, the investment can pay off in calm, restful sleep. 

Takeaway

Choosing the best dog bed for a puppy who loves to snuggle isn’t that hard. You just need to find that sweet spot of comfort and security, where your little fur ball feels safe, supported, and loved. From donut beds that mimic the warmth and coziness of cuddling with littermates to orthopedic lounges that support growing joints, the right bed can make all the difference in your pup’s transition into their new home. Whether you’re looking for plush luxury, calming warmth, or budget-friendly functionality, there’s a snug sanctuary out there to suit every puppy’s needs and every pet parent’s budget.