I want my beloved pet to have all the best: its own place, its own bowls and, of course, its own cozy bed. You can go shopping for a long time and choose houses and bedding - and still not decide. How not to miscalculate what your dog will really like? In fact, nothing is simpler! Dogs feel great love and care, and the best bed for them would be a homemade bed!
Round bed
Small decorative dog breeds are very fond of round beds: they are warm, safe and you can hide from the outside world. You can make it yourself in literally a few hours using the simplest basic pattern. The diameter of the bottom depends on the size of your pet, which can be measured when the pet lies down comfortably - on average, it is 25-65 cm.
Many details
Small breeds of dogs are much more demanding in terms of living conditions than their larger dogs.
Kids constantly tremble: from fear, from the cold, causing owners to want to protect their pets from enemies, from bad weather. But excessive care of the owners is fraught with colds for their pets. The sleeping places for small dogs are made using bows, ruffles, lace, etc. They look touching, but the pet will appreciate not their external design, but the opportunity to have a good rest.
For miniature pocket dogs, soft beds without the use of a rigid frame are suitable. They can have different shapes: square, round, rectangular. Kids feel protected in cozy buildings with canopies, roofs, and in houses that imitate the shape of a booth. A dog with short hair will love an envelope bed.
Dog sofa bed
This type of bed will require a little more time and skill. Separately cut out parts for the bottom and a long side from thick fabric and fill them with holofiber or any other filler. The bottom can first be strengthened with thick cardboard, and then a pillow can be placed inside.
Bedding for large dogs in the form of a mattress
Mattress with sides
A large dog needs a lot of space to rest. Such animals often sleep with their paws extended to the side or forward. There may not be enough space for them on standard bedding. Therefore, it is better for them to make a dog bed in the form of a mattress.
For convenience, you can also make sides, but they are placed only along the back and side walls:
- To work, you will need a decent-sized piece of foam rubber and thick fabric for sewing the cover. It is better to make it removable so that the fabric can be washed at any time
- To sew a cover, it is enough to fasten two large fabrics together, leaving a hole for inserting the filler. You can complicate the task and sew rectangular inserts on the sides equal to the height of the stuffing
- By sewing a zipper into one of the sides, you will get a circuit cover that will be convenient to wash
- Foam rubber cakes over time, so it is better to lay it in several layers
- All that remains is to make the sidewalls. To do this, we sew a cover in the form of a long pipe, insert foam rubber into it and finally sew up the holes. Insert a zipper into one side
- We sew the resulting side by hand to the back and sides of the mattress. It is not worth making sides around the perimeter of the entire bed - under the weight of a large dog they will quickly become compressed and lose their attractive appearance
- Bed for a large dog is ready
- This mattress can be placed on a wooden stand with low legs, thus creating a cozy crib.
Bed from a sweatshirt
If you have an old warm sweatshirt left over, you can use scissors and thread to turn it into the perfect dog bed. Turn the jacket inside out and sew the collar, leaving a small hole. Then sew a line from armpit to armpit, sew the sleeves to the side and form the sides. All that remains is to fill the bed, put a pillow inside and sew all the edges.
Foam lounger
Suitable for large dogs. Enough:
- Cut two identical pieces of fabric.
- Sew on three sides (the seam is made on the wrong side), turn over.
- Sew the zipper to the edges of the remaining open hole.
- Fill the resulting bag with foam rubber.
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The snake is fastened, the lounger is given to the dog.
House pattern
Plywood bed with legs
To make your pet a real royal bed, you will need a sheet of plywood, several boards, stable metal legs and fasteners. Assemble a box from plywood with boards using self-tapping screws, or immediately take a ready-made pallet. Screw the legs, carefully sand the entire structure, prime and paint on top.
All you have to do is put a suitable size pillow inside - and your dog’s bed is ready! You can complement it with a toy box or decorate it with letters, laying out the name of your pet. To make your pet's sleeping place mobile, use wheels instead of legs.
Creative DIY pet beds: 33 ideas. Part 1
A bed for a cat or dog can be made from a tire, from a bedside table, from a barrel, from a table, from a suitcase. This collection contains these and other unexpected and useful ideas.
1. BED FROM A SWEATSHIRT AND A PILLOW It’s simple: sew up the neckline, sew the sleeves to the side seams, form a roll and stuff it with padding poly, and put a pillow inside. All you have to do is sew up the bottom and connect the sleeves - and you're done.
2. ELEGANT BED WITH MATTRESS You can make the base for such a crib from scratch by assembling it from plywood, or use an old bedside table or small chest of drawers and saw off the top. Inside there is a foam mattress in a cover.
3. BED FROM A TIRE An unwanted tire needs to be thoroughly washed, dried and painted. Inside there is a soft pillow. You can stick protector stickers at the bottom so as not to damage the floor.
4. HOUSE FROM A BARREL You will have to work hard to create such a “house” by sawing off unnecessary parts from the barrel, sanding the edges and covering the wood with stain and varnish. However, the result is very impressive!
5. BED FROM A TABLE For such a bed, a small table with sides is suitable: they will serve as limiters holding the mattress inside.
6. ELASTIC BED BASED ON A FRAME You will need a strong frame, stand legs and straps or a thick wide rapeseed tape. We strengthen the frame with metal corners, weave a bed from tape, and add legs.
7. HOUSE FROM A BEDTITUDE From such an antique nightstand (see lower right corner of the photo) you can make a cozy house for dogs or cats. You need to remove the doors and paint the bedside table, plus add soft bedding.
8. BED FROM A BEDROOM OR DRAWER
A bed for a small dog or cat can be made from a small bedside table by removing the doors and sawing off the top. You can also use a wooden box or build a base from planks and add legs.
9. BED FROM AN ANCIENT BOX If somewhere in your dacha you have an old, but intact wooden box lying around, then you can make a bed from it. Cut out the “entrance”, add legs and a mattress inside.
10. BED FROM A SUITCASE You need an old suitcase - a vintage leather one will look most impressive. Remove the lid and add a mattress or pillow to suit your size.
11. BED-BOX FROM BOARDS Such a bed can be assembled from boards or you can use an unnecessary box and make an entrance in it.
12. BED IN THE BEDTIME Here's a great way to place a small pet next to the master's bed, but in a separate sleeping place! If your nightstand has bottom drawers or shelves, remove them and rid your nightstand of any unnecessary pieces. Add bedding and you're done.
13. FLEECE POOT-POF Sew a round pouf-pillow from fleece and fill it with padding poly: your pet will be delighted.
14. TOY HOUSE BED If your children have outgrown the toy house, you can give it to your pet as a lighter version of an indoor kennel.
15. BEDS FROM DRAWERS OF A TABLE OR DRESSER A drawer from a table or chest of drawers + a soft mattress of the same size = a comfortable and cozy place for a dog or cat.
16. BED FROM A BOX WITH LEGS Another option for a bed made from a box, in this case - on legs.
Continued here >
Bed from a suitcase
For small dogs, a larger old hard suitcase will do, which will turn into an excellent bed in just 20 minutes. You just need to cut or remove the top and put inside a mattress made from a piece of foam rubber covered with fabric. And further decoration, painting, legs and other little things are at your discretion.
Best in price
In Moscow, beds for large dogs can be purchased in stores: “Sweet Zoolife”, UniZoo, PetsCage, Zooshef, Zoo Passage, etc. The cost of the cheapest products on average is from 1300 rubles.
Up to 1800 rub. When choosing a lounger, pay attention to how you will care for it. A lot of inconvenience is caused by the rest bed, which needs to be washed entirely. Products that are convenient and easy to care for are transformers, houses made of waterproof material, and beds for which pillowcases were sewn in advance.
Bed with fringe
An unwanted fleece blanket can be turned into a warm and cozy bed with fringes. This fabric is convenient because you don’t necessarily need to process the edges, so just leave 4-5 cm for the fringe and cut it. Place a pillow or filling inside and tie the fringe ribbons together. You don't even need a needle and thread for this bed!
Lounger with sides: step-by-step sewing instructions
This type of lounger is difficult to make. You will need any waterproof fabric or jeans, holofiber or foam rubber to fill the pillow, and a zipper. Then follow the instructions:
- A large piece of fabric is laid out on the floor and a basin is placed on it, tracing its contours with chalk to form a circle (two more circles are cut out of waterproof fabric, they are necessary for the pillow).
- Cut out the bottom of the lounger from the fabric.
- The jeans are cut at the seams, each leg has 2 halves (long rectangles of equal width are cut out, they will be used to sew the sides).
- Sew the two halves of jeans together from the wrong side and turn them over onto the face.
- Lay out the finished sides and mark with chalk on them the location of the vertical seams necessary to give the product rigidity and maintain its shape (every 20 cm, not forgetting to fill the space with foam rubber before sewing).
- The bottom is attached to the sides, with the seams inward.
- Circles of waterproof fabric are sewn together, leaving room for filling with foam rubber, and turned “on the face.”
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The pillow is placed on the bottom of the lounger and the pet is invited to try it out. You can leave a hole in the side of the pillow by inserting a zipper there. As soon as the fabric becomes dirty, remove the foam rubber and wash the pillowcase.
From a sweatshirt
Bed in a case
If your dog already has a bed, but it is worn out and looks unpresentable, the easiest way is to cover it with a cover. Carpet fabric or other dense and wear-resistant material works well. If you make the cover with a clasp or ties, it can be easily removed for washing.
Preparation of patterns and drawings
A very important and responsible stage of independent work is preparing a drawing for a rigid frame and patterns for a soft case. If desired, the master can use ready-made templates that can be found in the public domain today. The drawing must display the following parameters:
- Rigid frame dimensions.
- Dimensions and shape of each part.
They also show on the plan diagram the places where fasteners are used in the structure, the shape of the upholstery and pillows (if provided).
Bed in the chest of drawers
An old dresser can be transformed into a cozy dog nest with minimal effort. It is enough to remove the bottom drawers, guides, fasteners and other potentially dangerous parts. The bottom and walls can be reinforced with thin sheets of plywood, and then the chest can be sanded, sanded and painted from the inside. All that's left to do is put the right size pillow inside!
How to choose
The choice of model depends on many factors: coat length, size, character, individual characteristics of the breed. Therefore, when getting started, first familiarize yourself with all the types of dog beds, and then choose the most convenient option that is suitable specifically for your pet.
The most popular types include:
- Cradle (or stage). Such a secluded refuge is more suitable for small animals that prefer silence and solitude. Typically, dog cribs are equipped with removable pillows or bedding, the material of which changes according to the season.
- Scops owl pillow. This option is very easy to clean, does not take up much space, and will suit almost any interior. In addition, a pillow-shaped bed can be sewn for both large and small dogs. If desired, it can be placed in a low basket.
- Lounger with side. The most common option. Depending on the size of the dog, you can make a small cozy nest or a whole sofa for relaxation.
- Cozy house. Just like cradles or stages, these designs require a lot of effort and time to create. But it's worth it! As a result, your pet will receive his own personal apartment in which he can sleep or hide from strangers. In winter, the house can be insulated by laying sheepskin or faux fur on the bottom.
The advantage of a homemade bed is that you can choose the material and color for the bed, and sew it exactly to the size of your dog.
Bed from a stool or table
Using the same principle, an upside down stool or bedside table can also be used to make an excellent dog bed. Primer, paint, decoration, pad - all remain unchanged. The peculiarity of such a house is in the long legs that rise up. Complete the design with a light, airy canopy - and you will get a real royal bed!
Made from plastic materials
Plastic beds have advantages over soft beds:
- The product is easy to move from place to place.
- The animal has no desire to chew on the plastic sides.
- They are durable. They are not afraid of damage due to moisture. They will not break due to an accidental fall and will not become covered with deep cracks.
- Exposure to strong chemicals will not damage the plastic.
But plastic products have significant disadvantages:
- The specific smell from plastic causes deep aversion in pets.
- Dirt gets embedded into the plastic, which is difficult to remove later.
- Due to its light weight, the product is unstable. When a medium- or large-sized dog tries to settle down on such a bed, the bed will constantly turn over.
- Lying on a plastic bed is not very comfortable.
Dog beds – photos and ideas
There are many more ways to make a dog bed with your own hands, and it is impossible to go through them all at once. So don't limit your imagination! And we offer you some more interesting photo ideas!
Pet character
Before you start making a bed, you need to remember how your pet likes to relax. Among the famous dog breeds, there are those that sleep in a ball. For such animals it is worth making oval or round beds.
Some animals stretch their legs forward in their sleep, so it is worth making a rectangular bed for them, because in an oval one they will feel cramped. There are many dogs who like enclosed beds. In it she will feel protected, so nothing will disturb her during her rest.
This feature is typical for small dog breeds, for which comfort is especially important. There are a lot of other dog beds; you will give your pet maximum pleasure if you make him a cozy place to relax with your own hands.
