Handmade dog beds and in general bespoke items for pets are all the rage these days.
Whether it be beautifully crafted dog harnesses or breed specific toys – more and more households are creating spaces just for their dogs.
This brings us onto handmade dog beds – beautifully crafted and often uniquely wonderful – these make the perfect addition to your home.
As part of our new “At Home” section, we select our eight favourite choices out there. Each is different and many are suited to a particular size of a dog, but we believe we’ve selected something for everyone.
Contents
Remember these beds are handmade so some may have to be built from scratch, so allow time for construction. Always check the descriptions as some may take longer than others and some can be customised to your / your dog’s needs. Enjoy, and remember to let us know your handmade dog bed success stories in the comment section or on our Facebook page. Pictures, of course, are particularly welcome!
Editors Note: These beds have been listed in no particular order
Twelve Bottle Size Wine Box Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 12 Bottle Size Wine box Pet Bed for Small dogs and Cats by WineBoxesEtc | Buy on Amazon |
This handmade wooden dog bed was suggested to us by a reader – and we can see why. Rustic and trendy combined – this wine crate dog bed is made in the 
UK by WineBoxesEtc.
The base of this bed is made from reclaimed French wooden wine boxes. These boxes once carried fine wines around the world – primarily the Bordeaux region of France.
The frames are fully sanded down including corners and edges which removes any splinters.
The wine box is then covered in a clear lacquer varnish to keep the crate smooth and protect it from water damage and the elements. Four bun feet have been placed at the bottom to raise the dog bed off the floor.
Handmade, Single Tier, Raised Dog Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Handmade, single tier, raised dog bed, cat bed, with ramp, for small breed of dog. | Buy on Amazon |
This pine made bed is designed for the smaller breed of dog, be it your pug or border terrier. Unlike the previous offering, this one is a raised wooden dog bed.
The dog uses the ramp to get up to the bed. The standard measurements are 25 inches long (63.5cm) 21 inches high (53.5cm) 16 inches wide (41cm) including a ramp. This is a custom build so there is some flexibility on sizing but like anything handmade, make sure you specify clearly before ordering.
This is certainly a unique type of dog bed, raised up and using a ramp. We suspect that it’ll take some training for your dog to get used to it, but that’s no bad thing. Remember this is for small breeds – so if your highland terrier shares the house with a Great Dane, this may not be for you.
Handmade Patchwork Bed
Okay, this handmade dog bed is the ultimate in cute with each being specially made in Scotland by ShhhSistersSecrets, two sisters in Fife.
Each can be made in one of four sizes; X-Small – 18″x18″, Small – 24″x24″, Medium – 26″x38″, or Large – 38″x58″. These can be used as dog beds by themselves or in combination with another wooden frame if required. The materials are fire resistant and the top cover can be removed for washing either cover or inner pillow.
Material is a combination of cool cotton for the patchwork outer layer and cosy fleece for the inner. There’s a number of designs available, and as they’re handmade, you can request and discuss patterns and colours with the creators.
This is a lovely addition to any home and the various sizes mean you can find something perfect for your dog.
Wooden Reclaimed Pine Pillow Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Wooden Dog Bed Reclaimed Pine Pillow Bed | Buy on Amazon |
Manchester-based Chunky Funky make functional and beautiful items from reclaimed and salvaged products. The design of this beautifully constructed item came from the creators Patterdale Terrier “Missy”.
“Missy” our Patterdale Terrier gave me the idea as if she couldn’t be seen she would be found in the bed lying on my pillow.
It’s a gorgeous piece and each is made by hand from ecological, responsibly sourced, reclaimed off cut timber. Any standard sized pillow can be added to this bed and replaced as the owner sees fit.
The bed is customisable and can be bespoke made depending on your requirements. It’s great to see this type of love going into a dog bed, and you should definitely check this out.
Luxury Walnut Handmade Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Luxury Handmade wooden Pet-bed - Made from Walnut | Buy on Amazon |
Designed for smaller breeds, this bed is made from Walnut hardwood although you can discuss larger sizes with the creator.
Made in Walsall, UK – this frame is sized to fit a standard cushion approx 400mm square.
In addition to the walnut frame, oak legs are included at the bottom to raise it slightly from the floor. Get in touch with the creator for your specifications, but this looks like a solid and long lasting dog bed that your dog will call home.
Wooden Dog Bed with Cushion
Designed by The Bark Dog Beds this wooden bed measures 84cm width x 64cm depth and is made with slatted bottom and a dog bone cutout detail. Wooden feet are added to the base to raise the bed from the ground. The bed is then hand painted in a choice of sixteen colours.
The cushion fabric comes in a choice of sixteen colours; Green Velvet, Pink Velvet, Blue Velvet, Red Velvet, Stag, Natural Dots, Grey Dots, Stars, Light Grey Teddy, Dark Grey Teddy, Brown Teddy, Cream teddy, Yellow Check, Dark Grey, Light Grey or Blue Check.
It’s a little unclear of sizings, unfortunately – though we believe they cater for all sizes of dogs, it may be best to get in touch first before purchase.
Nebbiolo Solid Oak Wine Barrel Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Nebbiolo Pet Bed / Unique Furniture / Dog Lovers / Wine Lovers / Wine Bar / Whiskey Lover / Wine... | Buy on Amazon |
Something special here for our next item from Bulgarian reclaimed wine barrel company, Barrelio. This is very cool and a great use of a barrel.We’d imagine this would suit smaller breeds, though you could always discuss measurements with the creators.
The barrels are made from solid oak. They utilise red wine barrels to give them that distinctive colour.
Before being turned into a dog bed, each barrel is given two to three months stacked on a stillage which allows moisture content of the oak to reach furniture-making levels. The hoops are then removed, the staves refurbished and finally, the barrel rebuilt into its unique design.
This design is certainly one of a kind and will make a unique addition to your home.
Luxury Personalised Crushed Velvet Bed
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Luxury personalised crushed velvet dog or cat bed | Buy on Amazon |
This luxury dog bed, made to order, is created from quality crushed velvet in North Wales. It can be made in three sizes.
The small dog size has an inner cushion 20ins x 20ins and is recommended for breeds such as Pomeranian and Yorkshire Terriers. The medium size has an inner cushion dimension of 25ins x 25ins for small breeds such as french bulldogs, Shitzu and Pugs. Finally the large has an inner cushion size of 30ins x 30is and is recommended for larger breeds such as Staffies.
This looks infinitely comfortable and soft, we may even trade this for our own bed. Reviews of this bed agree, one stating:
The bed is so soft and comfy with no trim that could be chewed off. The item arrived within the timescale and well packaged. I’m so glad we found this as the name on the cushion is an extra special touch.
So if you’re looking to bathe your puppy or smaller breed dogs in comfort of soft velvet – this may be exactly what you’re looking for.
What to Look For in a Dog Bed
The type of bed you select for your dog very much depends on the age, temprament and physical health of your dog.
Firstly you should consider the size of your dog vs. the size of the dog bed. You don’t want to buy a dog bed too large or small. Also, consider the space available in your home.
If your dog is in good health with no mobility issues (such as arthritis or hip dysplasia) then a sturdy comfortable dog bed is perfect. Some dogs are better suited to an orthapedic or memory foam bed which takes pressure off your dog while they sleep.
It’s advised that you do not place your dogs bed in a part of your home which is drafty. Also avoid exposure to direct sunlight or too near a radiator. Dogs have a tendency to overheat – so placing them next to a radiator on a cold winters night may do more harm than good.
Depending on how used to being in a bed and trained your dog is – you may want to consider if it needs to be chew-proof, scratch resistant and waterproof (particularly important if you have a puppy).
Overall you want a comfortable dog bed your dog will get a good nights sleep in. Like a dog crate or similar, you may need some training and patience before your dog will use the bed on a regular basis.
How to Train Your Dog to Sleep in a Bed
It may be tempting to let your dog sleep on your own bed. We get it, we’ve done it ourselves – it’s cute. For the first few days. After a few months of broken sleep and constant fidgeting – you begin to regret your decision and realise that undoing the habit is going to be difficult.
But fear not, hope is not lost. Training your dog to use their new dog bed just takes some patience. Start by picking a room (ideally not your bedroom) that you spend time in, for example your living room.
Decide where to put the dog bed in that room and make it the permanent spot. That will mean the location is dependable to your dog and they can go to it whenever they choose.
Next, take your dog and place them on the bed while saying “bed”. This is your command word that you want to reinforce. They’ll prbably wander off – but repeat the process again and again, and try to disuade them from walking off.
You’ll need treats. Lots of them. Reward your dog with treats and praise whenever they go to and stay on the bed. This may take a few sessions, but with enough patience you should have a happy dog who will have a good nights sleep.
Maintaining Your Dog Bed
Your handmade dog bed is perfect. You’ve selected what you want, sorted out the bedding, sleeping bag, a soft fleece or a favourite pillow. But without maintaining it – it will start to look grubby and may no longer be your pride and joy. Here are some handy tips on maintaining your dogs bed.
- It’s advised to clean or wipe down a dog bed once a week. This isn’t only good for hygene but helps keep your dog healthy.
- Vaacum the covers to remove any shedding – not only will this help keep things clean but get rid of dog hair.
- Remove anything that can be washed seperately. If it’s machine washable – put it in the machine – if not clean as the instructions recommend.
- Wash down anything non removable with disinfectant to keep the bugs at bay.
- Finally, make sure the bed is completely dry before you reassemble all the bits. Damp beds can get mouldy which can affect your dogs health.
Handmade Dog Beds UK – A Summary
We hope you’ve enjoyed our handpicked selection of custom dog beds. There are some very unique designs here which we think both you and your dogs will be thrilled with. Remember if you have one of these or other suggestions, please let us know or post your pictures on our Facebook page. Sweet dreams!
Andrew Scott
Head Writer | Collar and Harness Magazine Not Danish, Dane is the other half of Collar & Harness. Having worked in the technology sector for many years - he now immerses himself in all things dogs. Writes about subjects ranging from dog food to canine psychology with a little bit of pup technology thrown in. Dane has been writing for nearly 15 years on the topics he loves. Lives in London.