If you have a dog, you probably have some sort of bed for him. And if you're like me, you've been looking for a good-looking dog bed since he was a puppy. My dogs are both ten years old now and they've been sleeping on various dog cushions their entire lives. Sigh.
The trouble, you see, is that dogs have terrible taste in furniture. They either want to sleep on our bed (not an option) or some version of a faux-fur doughnut. This is not my favourite look, so I sort of gave up and compromised with a semi-stylish pair of black and ivory cushions on top of some rather uninspiring fuzzy ones. No prizes for guessing which ones they prefer!
They let me know by redecorating each night. They pull the chicer ones off and end up sleeping on the acrylic fur. It’s become one of our little daily rituals to reorder their cushions.
But recently, I’ve kicked my search into high gear. I am determined to find something they’ll be happy with but won't hurt my eyes when I look at it.
I spent months scouring the Internet for a great dog bed. It was such an epic journey that we decided to make it into a regular feature on the Home Journal. Each week (or so) we're going to help folks on the hunt for an impossible-to-find, well-priced, yet stylish household item. Send us your wish list here.
Our criteria: As with all things, we rated these beds based on these 5 fundamental criteria:
- Design
- Practicality
- Price (or value for money)
- Comfort/Ease of Use
- Sustainability/Durability
For our inaugural Stylehawk Search, we’re delighted to bring you the Best 5 Dog Beds available in Australia.
BEST DESIGN:
pros: This bed features a great-looking rattan design that won't clash with your furniture.
cons: These are expensive to buy (and to ship). But I would think of this as a genuine piece of furniture, not a temporary purchase that you'll toss in a few months.
BEST SOFA STYLE:
pros: The best way to keep your dog off of the sofa? Give her one of her own! The bolster design means she'll have a comfy spot to rest her head, and the fabric isn't bad either.
cons: It may lose shape after a year or two depending on the fibre fill.
BEST VALUE:
pros: This is hands down, the best-looking dog bed we found under $50. Your Doggo will love to snuggle up against the bolstered sides, and you'll love the removable, washable cover.
cons: We haven't tested it for durability, but for this price you can afford to chance it!
BEST WOODEN:
OK, technically not a "wooden" bed (it's bamboo). The clean lines and removable cushion make this a clear winner.
pros: Scandi-chic looks, well-priced, and Free Shipping for Amazon Prime customers.
cons: We don't love the visible bolts outside of the bedframe. And the Product Description is pretty light on the overall details.
BEST OVERALL:
pros: This is the dog bed we'd buy if we were still living in Australia. The simple design and generous proportions will make it popular with dogs and their humans.
cons: Well-priced and Australian-made by a family-owned company with plenty of information on the site and extra replacement options for covers, we can't find any downside.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
BEST DESIGN (RUNNER UP):
pros: This is arguably the chicest dog bed we found.
cons: It's made in the UK and sold via Etsy, so shipping delays and import duties may complicate delivery. Also, the cover isn't removable, so beware.
BEST EXTRA LARGE:
pros: It's hard to find a dog bed of this size with good looks, cover options, and quality construction, and this one has all three.
cons: This bed is insanely expensive but made more so by the fact that you have to buy an inner liner to make it waterproof. For this amount of money, they could include the waterproof liner.
Ah, That's Better.
