Best Heated Dog Beds

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic

Heated dog beds make sure that your pooch is always warm and cozy no matter what. Whether you live in an area with cold winters or have a senior dog that needs extra warmth throughout the year, here are the best choices on the market.

No matter how furry your four-legged friend is, sometimes they’ll need a bit of extra warmth to stay cozy and comfy when the temperatures drop. And that’s particularly true for certain pooches: dogs with short hair, seniors, and puppies are among those that are most likely to require your help to stay toasty during the winter. Depending on the area you live in and the temperatures typical for it, as well as your dog’s sensitivity to the cold, this might include a number of things. Your dog might need to wear a warm winter coat when you are out walking, have a heating pad in the house to warm up after adventures in the snow, or a fluffy dog blanket to line their crate and snuggle up on the sofa for some extra heat. Of course, if you want to make sure that your doggo is super cozy all throughout the night and during the day when they are napping, you’ll want to get them a heated bed, as well.

Heated dog beds are designed to help your dog regulate his body temperature while he’s relaxing or sleeping. A dog’s bed is always a cozy and snug nook they’ll love to spend time in, but dog heated beds take it a step further, by generating heat. These beds can be self-warming and electric-powered, but their basic function remains the same: to make sure your dog isn’t cold when lying down, even if it’s freezing outside. They come in all shapes and sizes to suit different sleeping styles and ensure a perfect match for every dog breed and age. There are so many great (and not-so-great) options out there that finding the right one for your needs might seem like an impossible task. From dozens of different materials that are all being touted as the warmest to various bed designs that might not fit your dog’s sleeping needs, there are many different factors to consider if you want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck- and that your pet enjoys his new bed.

Luckily, when you know what you need to look for in dog heated beds, narrowing down the list is so much easier. To help you find the right type of bed for your dog’s needs and that fits your preferences at the same time, we’ve rounded up the best dog heated beds on the market–there’s a choice for any budget and every pooch. Read on to learn more about what makes heated beds for dogs great and check out the selection of those that pet pawrents love the most.

K&H Pet Products Thermo-Snuggly Sleeper

Comfy and warm, this orthopedic heated dog bed is suitable for dogs of all ages–including seniors that have arthritis, as it’s designed to provide optimal support for spine and pressure points with a combination of 5-inch bolster sides and a plush pillow. Inside it, there is an energy-efficient dual thermostat that helps maintain the heat at optimal levels. When your pet’s inside, the temperature will rise to meet theirs, and when the bed is empty (and turned on) it will emit 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit above the room’s temperature. Available in medium and large sizes.

Best Friends by Sheri OrthoComfort Deep Dish Cuddler

This self-warming dog bed is ideal for pets that weigh up to 25 pounds–napping in it will feel like being hugged and what pooch could say no to that? Completely covered by self-warming Sherpa material, this cuddler bed will start to heat up as soon as your pet lies down, reflecting their own body warmth back to them and making their nap super toasty and cozy. The bed is suitable for all sleeping styles, as it has raised sides with an extra-high back for additional support.

Aspen Pet Self Warming Pet Bed

To help your dog stay warm in the winter, this self-warming pet bed uses the same technologies that they use for space blankets! There is a special interior layer that reflects body warmth back to your dog, and its heating properties are enhanced with the fact that this dog bed has a faux lambswool plush lining that’s already self-warming even without the hidden interior. Cute and cozy both! Aspen heated dog bed is available in four different sizes in a distinct design that features sherpa and red corduroy.

Furhaven Snuggery Pet Dog Bed

This heated pet bed combines the best of two worlds–a “cozy cave-like burrowing tent” experience and an orthopedic foam base. This bed will support your pet’s back and pressure points while keeping him snug as a bug. The way this pet bed keeps your dog warm is by relying on sherpa lining and envelope-style design to quickly heat up your pooch once he burrows his way inside the bed. Of course, while this is a good choice for milder climates or well-warmed homes, it isn’t as good as electric heated beds or beds with heat-reflecting foil lining. Furhaven Snuggery Pet Dog Bed comes in a range of colors and four sizes.

K&H Pet Products Deluxe Lectro-Soft Outdoor Heated Bed

Powerful enough to be used outdoors, Lectro-Soft bed is durable, comfy and most importantly- super warm. Powered by electricity, it has an internal thermostat that maintains the temperature ideal, whether the bed is in a barn or a garage or in your living room. The elegant design also makes this outdoor-friendly bed suitable for indoor use. The bolster sides offer support to your pet’s joints and spine, and the fleece-covered center pad is soft and comfy to sleep on. This bed comes in small, medium, and large.

AmazonBasics Warming Pet Bed

Budget-friendly and surprisingly effective, this self-warming bed doesn’t need to be plugged in to deliver superior warmth. Instead, it relies on the same technology as self-warming mylar “space blankets”, meaning it has a layer of heat-reflecting foil right below the cozy and warm sherpa fleece lining. The combination of the two is sure to keep your pet snug as a bug even when the temperatures drop! AmazonBasics Warming Pet Bed comes in five sizes and in round and rectangle version.

ALEKO PHBED17S Electric Thermo-Pad Heated Pet Bed

With its overstuffed edges and fleece lining, this heated pet bed is already warm enough for milder climates, but it’s not why ALEKO PHBED17S bed is so popular–it also has an internal thermostat that will make sure your pet is always warm, no matter how low the temperatures are outside. The dimensions of this cozy bed make it suitable for toy dog breeds and small dogs.

Scruffs Thermal Bed

Dogs go gaga over this bed with its comfy foam layer that combines with a heat-reflective foil that generously warms the entire bed. The filled sides are sturdy and well-filled meaning your dog can lean all it wants and drool away in protected stability. The cover is machine washable, and protects the simple but supremely effective self-warming thermal interior and you can find this fabulous bed in two different colors and four different sizes to be the perfect fit and fashion (as well as warmth!) for your dog.

Sometimes dogs want the warmth of a cozy bed but they get sort of freaked out by the cords or the technology that is used to warm those beds up. The Scruffs Thermal Bed uses your dog’s own body heat and gives that back using the reflective inner lining. Your dog doesn’t know that the bed is anything but a super warm and cozy place for him to spend his days lounging around and you wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?

American Kennel Club Self-Heating Solid Pet Bed

This uber comfy and cozy bed is self-heating using warming-reflecting properties on its inner lining, but that means that it can also be easily maintained because there’s nothing with a cord keeping it connected. Nope, the heat your dog gives off is absorbed and thrown back with that inner thermal lining, but you can throw it in the washing machine when it’s time to get it clean. Just be prepared for your dog to sit outside the washer and dryer waiting because he’ll miss his plush bed so much. It’s best suited for smaller breed dogs, and it will envelop them in soft, plush warmth that comes in a navy, black or burgundy bedding. The foam backing will give even the most aged dogs good support and the non-skid bottom means that it won’t be going anywhere on your hardwood or solid floors (this is quite important to dogs, they’ll tell you).

K&H PET PRODUCTS Thermo-Pet Cuddle Cushion

Made to be extremely energy efficient while offering superior performance, K&H PET PRODUCTS Thermo-Pet Cuddle Cushion bed has a four-watt heater that will keep the bed’s temperature optimal at all times. When your dog is inside, the temperature rises to meet theirs, and when they are outside, the warmth of the bed is preserved by the thermostat that generates heat 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient air temperature. To boot, this bed has a plush, soft cover and generously filed sides to ensure the coziest nap possible–if you have a petite pooch, this bed is a great investment.

Who are heated pet beds for?

A cozy bed that’s not just comfy to sleep in but also generates heat to keep you warm while you take a nap? Ummm who doesn’t need a bed like that?! Of course, while the appeal of dog heated beds is quite clear to everyone, the fact is that not all dogs need heated beds. If you have a dog with a double coat and a good heating system inside your home or live in a milder climate, it’s safe to say that your pet probably won’t need your help to keep warm. In fact, additional warmth might be the last thing they need and want in the winter months.

On the other hand, many dogs wouldn’t just enjoy having a heated bed, but their health or age, for instance, might require it. If you’re unsure if you need to get your pet a heated bed, here are the categories of dogs that are certain to reap the benefits from having one:

Senior dogs

When our pets reach their golden years, they have trouble regulating their own body temperature. Old dogs are much more susceptible to the cold and will feel it more strongly, even if they weren’t sensitive to the cold when they were in their prime. Similarly, senior dogs with arthritis often experience extra stiffness, pain, and discomfort when it’s cold, so making sure that they sleep in a warm and comfortable place will help manage symptoms and ensure that getting out of bed is not an ordeal anymore.

Puppies

Not unlike elderly pooches, furry babies are not great when it comes to regulating body temperature. They rely on their mothers for so much, and that includes warmth- so when you adopt a new puppy, offering a comfy and warm nap spot could help them adjust. A heated bed for puppies is an excellent idea wherever you live–even if it’s not too cold outside, your puppy will love spending time in a warm and snuggly bed.

Short-haired dogs

If your dog doesn’t have thick fur, it’s highly likely they’ll feel the cold more intensely. Short hair doesn’t offer much in the way of providing warmth, so when your pet takes a nap in their regular bed (with the cool floor underneath to make matters worse), they’ll probably be at least chilly if not downright cold. A bed that generates heat is an excellent solution for this as it will make sure the temperature is optimal throughout the night or nap time.

Dogs that live in colder climates

Winter temperatures vary greatly and it dictates the type of products pet pawrents need for their pets- dog heated beds included. In case you live in an area where temperatures drop way below zero, it’s probable that your pet is having trouble keeping warm on his own–to keep him snug as a bug, get him a bed that will reflect his own heat or radiates warmth from a built-in heater.

What to consider before buying a heated bed for your pet

The two main categories of dog heated beds are self-warming beds and beds that use electric power to heat up, so once you know which of the two suits your needs more, you’ll significantly narrow down your choices. Of course, that is just the first thing to consider–there are plenty of design features that could influence your final decision. Before you buy a heated bed for your pet, here’s what you need to pay attention to:

Heat source

As we already mentioned, the main thing you need to pick is the heat source. Self-warming dog beds rely on specific types of insulation and fabric to reflect your pet’s body warmth back to him, creating a snug and warm environment to nap in without requiring electricity, batteries, or any external power source. On the other hand, if you need a heavy-duty heated bed whose temperature can be controlled and adjusted and doesn’t depend on your pet’s presence in it, electric heating beds are a better choice.

Safety

When it comes to picking between self-warming dog beds and electrically heated beds, there is one more thing to consider and it’s a crucial one: safety. If your dog is an aggressive chewer, and/or you live him alone for hours while you’re at work, an electric heated bed is a bad idea. While generally safe for pet use, these corded beds are not always suitable- your pet could chew through the cable or rip the bed and expose the electric components, and if something were to malfunction while you’re away, it could lead to dangerous and tragic situations. So, unless your pet is well-behaved and you’re there to react if something’s amiss, a self-warming bed is the smarter choice.

Size

In the case of dog beds- bigger is better. You want your doggo to be comfy and cozy in his new bed, so it’s important that they have enough space to stretch and fit. However, you don’t want to go overboard and get a small pooch a bed designed for a large breed dog as it beats the purpose. Too much empty space in the bed and a self-warming bed won’t be as warm–or you’ll be wasting energy if it’s electric powered.

Your pet’s sleeping style

Not all dogs sleep the same way–some curl up into a fetal position, others spread all four legs out, some prefer having a pillow under their head, etc. There are numerous designs to cater to all sleeping styles, from flat beds and envelope-style beds to bolster beds and orthopedic heated beds for seniors. Choose according to your pet’s preferences and you can’t go wrong!

Ease of cleaning

Just because your pet’s needs are a priority doesn’t have to mean that your preferences don’t count. In addition to the budget, you should also factor in the ease of cleaning–after all, you’ll be the one sprucing up your pet’s sleeping nook when they mess it up (and eventually, they will). Most high-quality dog heated beds come with a machine washable cover that can be removed and cleaned from stains, hair, and odors.

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Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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