Best Dog Mattress: Foam Types, Thickness and Covers

What matters most: foam quality and thickness

A mattress-style dog bed is all base and no bolsters, so the foam does all the work. The AKC notes that orthopedic beds using egg-crate or memory foam help dogs with joint pain and can offer preventive support for younger dogs. The test is simple: press the center with a fist and you should not feel the floor; your dog's hips and elbows press harder than your fist.

Density matters as much as thickness. Low-density foam feels plush at first but compresses within months. Higher-density support foam keeps its shape for years. Many good mattresses combine a firm base layer with a softer memory foam top for comfort and pressure relief.

Foam types compared

Memory foam molds to the body and spreads pressure, which suits senior dogs, large breeds and dogs with joint problems. Solid support foam is firmer and springier and lasts well. Egg-crate foam has a ridged surface that improves airflow and is lighter and cheaper, but compresses sooner under heavy dogs.

Gel-infused memory foam stays slightly cooler, useful for dogs that run hot. Shredded foam can be fluffed but clumps over time. Fiber-filled mattresses are soft and inexpensive but flatten quickly and are best kept for light dogs or as a topper.

Best mattress for each dog

For senior and arthritic dogs, an orthopedic dog bed of memory foam over support foam, 4 inches or more, with a low profile so it is easy to step onto. For large and giant breeds, 6 inches or more of dense foam in a size big enough to stretch out. For small dogs, 2 to 3 inches is plenty, and a memory foam top adds comfort.

For crates, a crate mattress cut to the crate floor; a waterproof orthopedic crate bed is one type. For dogs with incontinence or puppies, a waterproof liner is essential, as the AKC suggests for orthopedic beds. For dogs that run hot, gel foam, as in this cooling gel memory foam dog bed, or a breathable cover.

What to avoid

Avoid thin, low-density foam for big dogs, beds without removable covers, and covers with exposed zips for chewers. Avoid placing a foam mattress directly on a damp floor without a liner. Avoid washing foam in a machine or putting it in a dryer unless the maker allows it.

If your dog has trouble lying down or getting up, limps after sleeping or avoids its bed, the bed may not be supportive enough, or your dog may have joint pain worth discussing with your vet.

How to size a dog mattress

Measure your dog lying stretched out, nose to the base of the tail, and add 8 to 12 inches. Check the width when your dog sprawls on its side. Rectangular mattresses suit sprawlers and fit neatly in corners and crates.

Match thickness to weight: roughly 2 to 3 inches under 20 pounds, around 4 inches for 20 to 70 pounds, and 6 inches or more above 70 pounds or for heavy seniors. If unsure, go slightly thicker and larger.

Care and when to replace it

Vacuum weekly and wash the cover as the label allows; the AKC suggests weekly cover washing to reduce hair, dander and germs. Spot-clean foam and air dry it fully. A waterproof liner protects the foam from accidents and drool, which otherwise shorten its life.

A good foam dog mattress lasts two to five years or more. Replace it when it stays dented, crumbles, smells after cleaning or your dog's joints are touching the floor through it.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.