Raised vs Floor Dog Beds: Which Is Better?

Neither type is better for every dog. A raised dog bed lifts your dog off cold, hard floors and away from draughts, and suits dogs who like to stretch out and survey the room. A floor bed with soft, high sides suits dogs who curl up, burrow or like to lean against something, and is easier to step into for small dogs and puppies.

The right choice comes down to how your dog sleeps, the floors in your home and how the bed needs to look in the room. This guide walks through each factor. For more on beds and the home, see our complete dog beds and home guide.

What counts as a raised dog bed?

"Raised" covers a few different styles. Some are simple elevated frames with fabric stretched across them, often used outdoors or in kennels. Others are sofa-style beds: a cushioned base on legs, usually with a back and arms, designed to look like a small piece of furniture. Indoors, the sofa style is the more common choice for living rooms because it sits naturally alongside other furniture.

A floor bed sits directly on the floor. It might be a flat cushion, a round donut shape or a bed with raised, padded sides around a removable cushion.

The case for a raised bed

• Off cold floors. Stone, tile and concrete floors stay cold. Lifting the sleeping surface away from them helps keep your dog comfortable. PDSA suggests raising beds from the floor and out of draughts for older dogs, and the same logic applies to any dog on a cold floor.
• Away from draughts. Draughts are often felt most at floor level, particularly near doors.
• Looks like furniture. A sofa-style bed on wooden legs reads as part of the room rather than a cushion on the floor.
• Easy to clean around. You can vacuum or mop underneath without moving it.

The case for a floor bed

• Easy access. There is no step up, which can make floor beds the simpler choice for small dogs and young puppies. Older dogs vary: some find a low-sided floor bed easiest, others prefer a raised bed they do not have to get down to. Our guide to choosing a bed for an older dog covers this in more detail.
• Something to lean on. Padded sides give curlers and nesters a bolster for their head and a sense of being enclosed.
• Stable and quiet. A floor bed with a non-slip base stays put on hard floors and suits dogs who are wary of furniture that moves.
• Flexible. Floor beds are generally easy to move between rooms and can fit inside some crates.

Raised vs floor at a glance

Factor	Raised bed	Floor bed with sides
Sleeping style	Stretchers and sprawlers	Curlers, nesters and burrowers
Cold or hard floors	Lifts dog clear of the floor	Relies on cushion depth or a rug beneath
Getting in and out	A step up, so check the height suits your dog	Step straight in
Look in the room	Reads as furniture	Softer, more relaxed
Moving between rooms	Less portable	Easy to move

Watch how your dog sleeps

The most useful thing you can do before buying is watch your dog for a few evenings. A dog who sleeps flat on their side with legs out will appreciate a long, open surface. A dog who curls into a tight ball, or wedges themselves into the corner of the sofa, is telling you they like support around them. Some dogs do both, curling up on cold evenings and stretching out when it is warm. If that sounds like your dog, two beds in different rooms can be a good answer.

Think about your floors and your room

In a carpeted living room with good heating, a floor bed is often perfectly comfortable. In a kitchen with stone or tiled floors, or a garden room that gets cold at night, a raised bed or a deep-filled floor bed on a rug will make more of a difference. Placement matters as much as the bed itself. Our guide on where to put a dog bed covers draughts, radiators and traffic routes.

Our raised and floor beds

The Chelsea Sofa Bed is a raised, sofa-style bed on solid wood legs, with ivory cotton upholstery, a water-resistant lining and a removable cushion. The small size is 70cm long and 40cm wide and suits dogs up to 20kg.

For floor beds, the Richmond Bed is handcrafted in the UK in a forest green check, with a deep-filled removable cushion and pocket sides, and is machine washable at 30°C. The Savanna Bed has the same pocket-sided shape in a zebra-inspired print, with a non-slip base. Both come in Regular (45 to 50cm), Large (55 to 60cm) and XL (65 to 70cm). You can see the full range in our dog beds collection.

If you are still deciding on size and style, our guide on how to choose a luxury dog bed is a good next read.

Checking a raised bed is the right height

If you choose a raised bed, watch your dog get in and out for the first few days. They should step up without hesitation or scrabbling. If your dog seems reluctant, stiff, or starts avoiding the bed, a floor bed may suit them better, and it is worth mentioning any change in how they move to your vet.

Frequently asked questions

Are raised dog beds better for dogs?

Not universally. Raised beds lift dogs off cold floors and away from draughts, while floor beds with sides suit dogs who curl up. The best choice depends on how your dog sleeps and your floors.

Do dogs like beds with sides?

Many do, especially dogs who curl up or like to rest their head on something. Dogs who sleep stretched out may prefer a flatter, more open bed.

Is a raised bed good for a cold kitchen floor?

Yes, lifting the bed off stone or tiled floors helps. A deep-filled floor bed on a rug is another option if your dog prefers sides.

Can I have both a raised bed and a floor bed?

Yes. Many owners keep a raised bed in the living room and a floor bed in the bedroom or kitchen, giving the dog a choice.