13 Adorable DIY Dog Beds

Help your dog relax and get a good night's sleep with a comfortable custom dog bed. Here are 14 DIY dog beds you can easily build yourself.

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Sweater Beds

When crafting a bed for your dog, look no further than what’s already in your drawers. Here we show you how to upcycle your old sweaters and make an amazingly comfy pet bed your dog will absolutely love!

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Drawer Dog Bed

Check out a nearby thrift store or garage sale for old dresser drawers. The blogger from the Liz Marie Blog whitewashed the drawers, added some pillows and voila! Cute dog beds. If you enjoy finding ways to repurpose things, you’ll love this list of items fantastically fit for repurposing.

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Scrap Wood Dog Bed

This DIYer used some scrap wood to build a dog bed for her puppy and then used spray paint to add some color. After painting, she added fun details from the craft store and a comfortable pillow. See a video of the DIY wooden dog bed building process here.

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Suitcase Dog Bed

If you have an old suitcase, turn it into a dog bed! Look for a fabric that matches your home’s decor to cover the cushion. The Busy Bee Crafter has instructions and photos for how to transform a suitcase into a dog bed. Looking for more options? Learn about elevated dog beds.

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Firehose Dog Bed

This heavy-duty dog bed uses 4x4s, 2x4s and a fire hose. The DIYer built this design after her puppy destroyed two other dog beds. She found that this one holds up well to a destructive dog. For building instructions, visit Ana White.

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PVC Dog Bed

For this project you’ll need some PVC pipe along with PVC fittings, some fabric and a cordless drill. This design would be a great outdoor bed to keep your pet comfortable in the shade when relaxing on the deck or patio. For design plans, check out the how-to instructions here.

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No-Sew Dog Bed

This no-sew dog bed would make for a great rainy-day project. You just need some fabric, scissors and an old pillow. The simple step-by-step directions are available here.

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Upcycled Dog Bed

This upcycled dog bed from Shabby Paints uses a headboard and footboard from an old bed frame with a small cushion to create a customized DIY dog bed frame. If you have a large dog, try using a crib mattress as a cushion.

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Barrel Dog Bed

Use an old wine or whiskey barrel to create a DIY dog bed or dog house for your best friend. You’ll need a jigsaw to cut the barrel. To see a variety of styles, visit About Pet Life.

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Quilt Dog Bed

This quilt bed would be a great indoor warming station for your dog. The designer purchased an old quilt from a garage sale, cut it in half, sewed the ends together and stuffed it to build a dog bed. See more photos here.

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Fancy Dog Bed

Show your dog some love with this custom dog bed with puppy princess bedding and pillows. While this DIY dog bed frame is painted white, you could also use a stain. Watch a video tutorial here.

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Upcycled Computer Dog Bed

Don’t toss that old computer, upcycle it! This DIY pet bed uses an old iMac with the components removed and a small pillow is added to make for a cozy bed for a small dog. For instructions on how to build a dog bed like this, visit Green Moxie.

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Dog Bunk Beds

For those with multiple dogs, these DIY bunk beds will come in handy. Depending on your materials, this DIY wooden dog bed project will cost you roughly $100. For complete design plans, visit Ana White.

Rachel Brougham
Rachel Brougham spent years working in newsrooms, for television and newspapers, and has won several awards for her writing. In 2015, she left her full-time job as a newspaper editor to focus on freelance writing and editing. She has been a Family Handyman contributor since 2017.
In 2019, Rachel lived through a major remodeling project on her home, and she uses that experience to inform her Family Handyman content. She's also an avid gardener (both native plants and vegetables), enjoys keeping up with decor trends and spends a lot of time traveling, cooking and hanging out with her family and their giant dog.