The first step is to determine what position your dog prefers to sleep in. Does he like to curl up? Or does he sprawl out? The more space he takes up while sleeping, the bigger size you'll need. The most effective way to ensure proper dog bed size is to measure your dog while sleeping, from the top of the head to his butt. Then add six inches (or less if it's a small breed dog).
Step number two is to understand the type of bed you're buying. If you're purchasing a bolster bed (a dog couch, donut bed, or any dog bed with a raised padded exterior), you'll be choosing based upon the interior dimensions, since this is the actual sleeping area. With a bolster bed, you don't want to go too big, since a main benefit of a bolster bed to your dog is the feeling of security provided by "snuggling" with the raised padding. If you're picking a standard pillow style bed, the only important dimension is the size of the exterior. With a pillow bed, there is no such thing as too big.
When in doubt between two sizes, always choose the larger bed - regardless of dog bed type.
Below is a good starting point that will estimate dog bed size based on breed. But remember, the best way to ensure a proper fit is to measure your dog before buying a dog bed.
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