Sizing
How to Choose the Right Size Dog Bed (Without Guessing)
A no-guesswork guide to sizing a dog bed: how to measure your dog, why generous sizing matters, and how to match breed and sleeping style to the right fit.
Most dog beds are bought on a hunch. A glance at the dog, a guess at the size, and a quiet hope it fits. It usually doesn't, quite. Too small and your dog spills over the edge; too big and the bolsters they were meant to lean into sit out of reach.
Getting it right takes two minutes and a tape measure.
Measure your dog, not your instinct
With your dog lying down and relaxed, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Then add 20 to 30cm. That extra room is what lets a dog stretch, turn, and settle into a bolster rather than balance on top of the bed.
Think about how they sleep
Curled-up sleepers, the ones who tuck themselves into a neat spiral, are happy with a snugger fit. Stretch-out sleepers, the ones who sprawl like they've been poured onto the floor, need a size up. When a dog is between sizes, their sleeping style is the tiebreaker.
Room to stretch is the whole point. Generous sizing lets the bolsters do their job.
(Pictured: Sunny the small Labrador on a Medium Chelsea bed)
Remember that generous is the point
At Mr Tobias our sizing runs deliberately large, because the memory-foam base and high bolsters only do their job when there's room to use them. In practice that means many medium breeds are comfortable in a Small or Medium, a Labrador settles happily into a Medium or Large, and the biggest breeds belong in an XL.
Then measure your space
A bed your dog loves is no good if it blocks a doorway. Once you've landed on a size, check the outer dimensions against the spot you have in mind at home.
Still unsure? Send us your dog's breed, weight and measurement, and a photo if you like, to hello@mrtobias.co.uk, and we'll tell you exactly which size to choose. No upselling, just an honest answer.