Do-it-yourself dog bed - step-by-step instructions for creating, patterns and drawings, choice of materials and type of bed (photo + video)

A dog bed is an indispensable attribute for the owner of a four-legged dog if the owner does not want the pet to sleep on the bed or sofa. After all, most dogs, like people, prefer to rest on something soft and comfortable. In pet stores, beds are quite expensive, even those designed for small dogs. And it’s much more profitable to make a place for the animal to rest yourself, you just have to spend a little of your time. We'll tell you how to make simple dog beds with your own hands.

DIY dog bed

Requirements for homemade beds

DIY products must be comfortable, have a compact shape, and also meet a number of requirements:

1. It is better to make the interior upholstery from durable fabric that is resistant to shrinkage during frequent washing.
2. You should also choose textiles that can be easily cleaned from wool and dirt.
3. The fabric used to sew the soft lining must be porous enough to maintain natural air circulation. High-quality ventilation prevents the development of pathogenic fungus and mold inside the cover.
4. The filling of a dog bed should not quickly become thinner or form clumps.
5. When developing patterns, be sure to take into account a convenient shape and sufficient dimensions for the new product.

Of course, we should not forget about the correspondence of the design of the soft bedding to the overall style of the interior.

Choosing a place for a cat bed

Any cat chooses a place to rest in the house where it will not be disturbed. Sometimes there are several of them. For most of the day, the animal sleeps with its eyes closed, and sometimes snores like a sleeping person. It happens that during a sound sleep, a cat falls off the bed onto the floor and even with it. Therefore, the owner of the animal, placing a soft bed on the windowsill, attaches its side so that it does not fall and is not blown through by a draft. The cat will be happy to occupy a bed from which everything that happens on the street can be clearly seen. In the cold season, it is better to place the bed on an ottoman near the heating radiator.

You can install the cat's sleeping place on the windowsill, but you need to make sure that the bed does not fall from there

Have you ever noticed that your cat loves to take a nap next to you, no matter where you are? Whether you're watching TV on the couch or sleeping in your bed at night, your pet is sure to sleep here, as long as he doesn't lie down on top of you. This is because cats are creatures that love to be close to their owner. Place a soft bed for your pet on the back of the sofa or next to your bed so that she can see comfortably when you are resting.

The bedroom is a secluded and quiet place for a cat's bed, as this room in the house is least used during the day. There is always a corner in the kitchen where a resting cat will not disturb the owners.

Many cats feel comfortable at heights by climbing onto a closet with clothes or books. From here they control everything that happens in the house. The back or seat of the owner's chair is one of the most favorite places for a cat to nap. Therefore, when choosing a sleeping area for your cat, consider placing it on top of furniture rather than on the floor.

Some cats don't want to sleep right away on the new bed you offer. This happens because they are already accustomed to resting in the same bed. Give yourself time to get used to your new bed.

For a cat with small kittens, a bed with high sides is placed on the floor, in a secluded and shaded place. For example, between a closet and a wall or behind the back of a sofa. Offspring must be hidden from prying eyes. If the side of the bed has an entrance, it is better to close it by sewing a mattress on it, otherwise the kittens will crawl out of the bed.

The advantages of sewing a sun lounger yourself

For many owners, dogs are not just pets, but full members of the family. Sewing a bed in this case becomes a unique opportunity to provide the new resident with his own bed, surround him with comfort and care. The advantages of working independently include:

1. The ability of the master to choose the shape, size, and type of bed himself.
2. The pet owner will more carefully choose high-quality fabric and filling for his dog that meets all safety requirements.
3. The master does not require any new skills or abilities. All you need to do is be fully proficient with a needle and thread and a sewing machine.

Today you can find ready-made drawings, patterns and step-by-step instructions on how to sew a dog bed with your own hands. Various web resources for practical handicrafts present photographs and sketches of beds in various variations that can serve as an example for work.

Useful tips

If the owner does not know how to sew a dog bed, it is better to seek recommendations from specialists. So:

• round beds for large dogs must have sides;
• the side for the oval-shaped lounger is sewn separately, attached to the main product at the end;
• A cover is required, it’s better to have several at a time;
• if the sleeping bag is filled with sheepskin, then it must be ventilated in the snow in winter;
• straw and hay harbor insects and need to be changed frequently;
• The bed is regularly fluffed to make it more comfortable for the dog to sleep.

The puppy can use the sleeping bag as a diaper, so it will have to be supervised. The bed is always sewn to the size of an adult dog.

Regular rectangular sleeping bag

You can sew a dog bed with basic cutting and sewing skills; you don’t need to be a master. It's not hard at all. If you have an old sweater on your household, then you don’t have to sew anything; a sleeping bag is made from it, simply by folding the sleeves in a special way. Experts advise regularly cleaning and ventilating blankets and the place where the dog sleeps.

Materials and tools for work

For high-quality work, you need to prepare the following set of materials and tools:

1. Textiles (depending on the characteristics of the dog breed).
2. Filling (batting, polyester, foam rubber).
3. Templates and patterns for dog beds.
4. Needles, threads.
5. Tape measure.
6. Scissors.
7. Iron.
8. Materials for decoration (if they are provided by the model of the bed).

To make the frame, plywood sheets, solid wood, wooden slats, fasteners, a jigsaw, and sandpaper are used. Compositions for impregnation of parts must be used (antiseptic, antipyretic, moisture-resistant and antifungal solutions).

You will also need instructions on how to make your own dog bed. You can use original projects on You Tube channels for sewing various models of pillows and houses for pets.

Plywood booth

Plywood booth

A small plywood kennel can be placed in the house. In order not to bother with making a roof, you can make the product in the form of an ordinary box with an opening for entry. But a house with a gable roof will, of course, look much more interesting.

Booth with a gable roof

1. You will need 6 plywood blanks - 4 for the walls, 2 for the roof and floor. You can cut them with a regular or electric jigsaw.
2. We clean the cut areas well with sandpaper.
3. We connect the parts with wood glue and additionally fasten them with screws
4. The dog's home will look more decorative if it is painted with wood stain. Plus, this coating will protect the plywood from rapid wear.
5. If desired, you can install the finished product on low furniture legs
6. The booth house is ready to welcome residents

Preparation of patterns and drawings

A very important and responsible stage of independent work is preparing a drawing for a rigid frame and patterns for a soft case. If desired, the master can use ready-made templates that can be found in the public domain today. The drawing must display the following parameters:

1. Rigid frame dimensions.
2. Dimensions and shape of each part.

They also show on the plan diagram the places where fasteners are used in the structure, the shape of the upholstery and pillows (if provided).

​Buy or make it yourself?

Today there is no need to roll up your sleeves and take up tools, turning a room into a workshop, wasting your sometimes short leisure time. However, many people prefer all this to going to the store, rightly believing that a handmade item contains a piece of their soul and talent, which means it will be more pleasant to use. Both views deserve respect, but we prefer handmade.

There are many advantages to making a dog bed yourself, but there are also disadvantages - time spent and, perhaps, not a very professional level of production. The last statement is very controversial when an experienced needlewoman (or needleworker) gets down to business.

The following arguments can be made for a homemade corner for a pet:

• you can make a dog bed of any size;
• getting to know the animal’s habits will allow the owner to more accurately determine the size, shape, level of rigidity of the bedding and even the color of the bed;
• if you wish, you can get confused and create a truly exclusive dog (or cat) bed, which, at the same time, will become a landmark in your home;
• This is not such a complicated matter, as you can easily see by looking at the illustrations in this article and doing some additional googling;
• making a cozy bed for everyone’s favorite is a great reason to get the whole family together, and for a friendly group, any task can be done!
• saving the family’s financial resources is a necessary thing, and to build an excellent bed you can only use available materials.

In support of the above, we can add the fact that animals that are strongly attached to their owner often like to sleep on elements of his clothing. Therefore, beds are often made from old sweaters, T-shirts, shirts or jeans. Industrial designs smell of new textiles, dyes and storage facilities, which does not at all guarantee the animal’s attachment to its new habitat. And here the dog will be happy, and unnecessary things will be disposed of.

Forms of bedding for dogs

For optimal use of a homemade accessory, the shape of the litter matters. Today you can find the following forms of do-it-yourself dog beds:

1. Rounded model.
2. Square pillow.
3. A sofa bed with side restraints.

Today, thanks to the imagination and creativity of dog owners, you can find beds such as boxes on legs, beds made from old suitcases, built-in pillows on shelves and chests of drawers.

Types of sleeping place

Several types of bedding are suitable for pets. The bed can be open and more cozy, like a den.

Popular types:

• cradle. An ideal bed option for calm pets who prefer comfort and silence. The mini-house has a pillow or bedding. The removable part is included in two copies: for cool and hot weather;
• bed with sides. There are a lot of options: from a cozy “nest” to a luxurious sofa;
• house It is quite difficult to sew such a creation, but if you have experience in sewing, you can create a real masterpiece for your pet. For the winter, insulation is placed in the house;
• pillow for sleeping. The simplest option. The dog will be comfortable if the owner makes a base large enough to comfortably accommodate him for sleeping. If desired, the rest pillow is placed in a basket with low sides. It is important to choose a high-quality filler, for example, holofiber, so that the product does not wrinkle, holds its shape well, and places where pits form from the body do not appear.

Main types of dog bedding

Depending on the tailoring features, the following types of dog beds are distinguished:

1. Soft models without a restrictive side (pillow).
2. Soft model with a side.
3. Bed house on a rigid frame.
4. Wooden bed with a soft pillow.

Each presented option differs in design, level and complexity of implementation, and is suitable for certain breeds of dogs.

How to determine the size of a bed

It is very important to determine the size of the future bed. To do this, it is best to take approximate measurements when your pet is in a relaxed, comfortable position. I took my measurements something like this.

This is Jack's favorite pose!

Well, if you carry out measurements according to all the rules, it is usually recommended to do it as follows:

• To determine the width, you need to measure your dog from the base of the tail to the tip of the nose. If the lounger has sides, it is recommended to add 10-20cm to this size. If you are sewing a dog bed, the value must be increased by 20-30cm.
• To calculate the width of a dog bed, take measurements from the paw pads to the four-legged croup. Increase the resulting size by 2 times.

If you look at the photo, this is roughly what happened to me.

Pillow model

A comfortable, compact bed, presented in the form of a large pillow. It has no restrictive sides or rigid frame. Can be suitable for both large and miniature pets. Instructions on how to sew a dog bed:

1. Using a pre-prepared template, two textile parts are cut out.
2. The parts are sewn right sides together, leaving a window for the filler.
3. After hand stitching, you must sew the contours of the cover using a sewing machine.
4. The resulting cover is turned right side out.
5. Stuffed with filler (polyester, batting, foam rubber).

Sew up the left window and decorate the pillow if necessary. For practical purposes, you can sew another removable cover for such a pillow, which will allow you to quickly clean the sleeping area.

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Patterns + step-by-step instructions

Regardless of who the cozy nest will be made for: for a small dog (for example, a Spitz) or an adult Great Dane, it is important to calculate and prepare everything. The work begins with drawing up a pattern for a dog house

At the same time, the seamstress takes measurements of her parameters: height, length, etc.

Before sewing such a practical thing, prepare materials, equipment, and tools:

• foam base;
• scissors;
• threads to match the color of the dog’s house;
• chalk or marker for marking;
• centimeter;
• sewing machine;
• fabric (plain or printed).

At the same time, for finishing the inside of a dog house, they choose a denser material than for cladding the outside, so that it lasts a long time. If the elements are connected with zippers, then they are selected according to the length of the sides. They can be whole or separate. Such locks will make it easier to clean the inside and parts of the Pomeranian house.

For small dogs

When making a house for a puppy or adult, but small animals, craftswomen recommend choosing canvas or a piece of linen tarpaulin as the main raw material, which is decorated with another natural linen on top.

After preparing a pattern for a house for a Chihuahua with your own hands, seamstresses advise working with the fabric in the same way as when sewing clothes:

• make cuttings with small seam allowances and overcasting;
• manually sew the main parts;
• use a sewing machine to sew additional elements (zippers, fittings);
• put the sewn parts on a foam frame;
• manually connect the structural elements together and make the final seams.

To make a house for a toy terrier with your own hands in the form of a transformer with a removable roof, a zipper is sewn to the upper elements. It is better not to use Velcro, as wool and debris will get into them, and they will no longer adhere to each other.

For medium sized animals

To create a house for a dachshund and other breeds with your own hands, craftsmen advise choosing a cube shape, as this is the easiest way to make it.

The template can be a cardboard box.

The first step is cutting out the parts from foam rubber. Then the upholstery is prepared, which can be made in several layers.

The main thing is to make neat, even cuts and sew covers from them so that they are symmetrical. In this case, the allowances should be from 2-3 cm. The number of centimeters depends on the thickness of the foam rubber.

Then the covers are put on the foam parts and a zipper or buttons are sewn to them. To thread the buttons you will need to make loops on the opposite side

The parts are connected to each other. Inside the home made for your Yorkie, you can put a small pillow with a pillowcase (it will be convenient to wash and replace it with a new one).

For large dogs

Before you create a dog house with your own hands, as in the previous examples, make a drawing with a detailed drawing of all the elements. But in order to make a home for a large dog in a city apartment on your own, it is worth taking into account various features.

Here it is especially important to take into account all dimensions so that the dog can comfortably go inside and lie down. The sketch is drawn so that its parts can be folded like a cardboard cube

The structure must have an entrance, the width of which is 5 cm greater than the chest of the animal.

The height is measured so that it is a couple of centimeters greater than the height of the animal. Next, cut out the roof, walls and lower part. The blanks are placed on a single piece of fabric; it should make two fabrics with allowances. The front and back walls are cut out separately. All structural elements are sewn together from 2 parts.

It’s worth leaving a little space inside to fill the blanks with filler. After this, lines are drawn and sewn that delimit the walls from the lower part, the roof. Foam rubber is placed in all “compartments”.

Unlike houses for small dogs, where you can put pillows, a small mattress is more suitable as a bed for large dogs. It is better to make the cover for a bed in a dog house for your pets removable for easy cleaning or washing.

DIY bed with sides

Another option for independent work is a sleeping pillow with restrictive sides. Sides can be presented in various variations: soft walls with filling or a thin layer of coarser textiles (for example, denim).

Instructions on how to sew a dog bed with sides with your own hands:

1. A soft pillow is sewn using the previous pattern. You can additionally cross-stitch the inner cover with filling. This will give the pillow extra strength and prevent the filling from spreading out to the sides when cleaning.
2. The outer cover is made in the form of a removable accessory.
3. Separate patterns are required for the side. The parts are cut out using the templates.
4. The parts are sewn together to form a ring.
5. If you have to sew soft sides, you need to prepare two copies of the parts.
6. The two halves are sewn together, stuffed with filling and sutured with hand stitches.

The last stage of work is to sew the sides to the base of the pillow. They make similar beds with their own hands for smooth-haired dogs that need constant warmth and dryness. Soft limiters allow you to retain heat inside the sleeping “basket”.

A bed for all occasions

The presentation of any educational material is usually carried out from simple to complex. And we’ll start with a soft transforming bed: sewing it is even easier than the simple sewn ones described below.

The pattern and appearance of a Spanish-designed transformable dog bed is shown in Fig. Dimensions are given without allowance for processing, see below.

Pattern and appearance of a transforming dog bed

The advantages of this bed are as follows:

1. The dimensions can be changed proportionally according to the size of the dog;
2. With all the sides raised, this bed is suitable for puppies and small playful lap dogs;
3. By folding back the front and, possibly, one of the side sides, the transformable bed can be adapted to any favorite sleeping position of a dog of any size, except giant;
4. A transforming bed is placed on a wooden bed for a large dog in the same way as a regular bed;
5. When folded, the transformable dog bed can be taken with you in your luggage if your dog accompanies you on a trip.

Sofa bed with soft pillow

A model that is more complex in practical implementation is a wooden lounger in the shape of a sofa. To work, you will need to prepare the following set of materials and tools:

• Plywood sheet or wood.
• Fasteners.
• Tape measure.
• Construction pencil.
• Jigsaw.
• Fasteners.
• Compositions for impregnation (antiseptic, antipyretic, moisture-resistant and antifungal solutions).
• Textiles (any selected type of fabric).
• Filler.
• Handicraft kit.

In your work, you can use ready-made drawings and patterns or prepare them yourself. Instructions on how to make a dog bed with your own hands:

1. According to a pre-prepared drawing, the contours of future parts for the sofa (main panel, back, supporting structures, side edges) are marked on the plywood sheet.
2. Cut out the parts using a jigsaw.
3. Carefully sand the edges of the cuts using sandpaper.
4. Each part is pre-impregnated with prepared compounds. Such use of antiseptics can significantly extend the life of the product and prevent the development of diseases in your pet.
5. After drying, they begin to assemble the rigid frame for the sofa bed.
6. Further work depends on the selected model. You can wrap the frame with filler and sew a fabric cover.
7. In another case, the master can decorate the surface of a wooden sofa using stain and transparent acrylic varnish. And for the pet’s comfort, sew a separate soft pillow.

The choice depends on the owner's preferences, the dog's breed and many other factors.

Wooden for large dogs

Blanks for wooden stock

It doesn’t always make sense to make regular beds for large dogs with sides filled with filler. Under the weight of the animal, such sides will quickly flatten and the bed will lose its shape. In this case, it makes sense to make a bed on a rigid wooden frame or make it in the form of a small crib.

So, let's describe how to make a wooden dog bed:

1. Knock down the side walls and bottom of the product in the form of shields of a suitable size
2. To prevent a hangnail from accidentally getting under an animal’s claw, sand each part well before assembling the product.
3. If you don’t have boards of a suitable size on hand, you can use old pallets. They are disassembled into individual components, thoroughly sanded, and then sawed into boards of suitable size.
4. The nails will loosen too quickly and may injure the animal. Use self-tapping screws for assembly, pre-drilling slightly smaller holes in the wood. Be sure to slightly deepen the heads of the fasteners into the wood so that the animal does not cling to them
5. To make the product stronger, use small metal corners for assembly.
6. You can attach a small bedside table to the wooden frame in which toys for your pet will be stored.
7. To make it easy to move the bed from place to place, attach wheels to its bottom. You can buy them at a furniture store

Wooden dog beds

When choosing fabric for a mattress, keep in mind that material that is too light will have to be washed often, and wool will be clearly visible on dark material. Use fabric with a small print to sew the cover - faded wool on it will be less noticeable, and you will not have to vacuum the litter as often.

Interesting models of sun loungers

The most interesting models of soft dog beds can be made with your own hands using available materials. For example, sew a cozy and warm pillow for an old suitcase.

Also distinguished by its original design is the lounger, sewn from an old quilted jacket and blanket. The bedding can be placed on the bottom shelf of a chest of drawers or the tier of a loft bed.

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Photo of a do-it-yourself dog bed