Where to Put a Dog Bed in a Small Bedroom (End of the Bed or a Corner)

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Example setup (illustration)

In a small bedroom, the dog bed usually lands wherever there is floor left. Then you trip over it on the way to the bathroom at 2 a.m., or the door stops halfway because the bed is behind it. There are really only two spots that work well, and each one suits a different shape of bed.

Where the dog bed goes: 3 quick answers

1. At the end of the bed: a rectangle bed that fits the gap between the footboard and the wall
2. In a quiet corner: a round bed with raised sides, away from the walkway
3. Not in the walkway or the door swing: measure both before you buy

Quick picks

Spot	Our pick	Why
End of the bed	EMME rectangle dog bed (L)	36 x 28 in, washable cover, low entry side
End of the bed, older dog	Bedsure orthopedic dog bed	Egg-crate foam, cover with a waterproof layer
Corner	Best Friends by Sheri donut bed (S)	Round, raised rim, fully machine washable
Toys next to the bed	Morezi cotton rope basket	13.5 in across, washable, folds flat

Sizes are from the product listings, last checked September 2026. Listings change, so check before you buy.

In the bedroom, but off your bed

If you are unsure whether the dog should sleep in your room at all, there is some research on it. In a small Mayo Clinic study, 40 adults and their dogs wore activity trackers for a week (study details). A dog in the bedroom did not seem to hurt the owner's sleep much. A dog on the owner's bed was a different story.

So a floor bed a few steps from yours is a good middle ground. The dog stays close, and you keep your side of the mattress.

Measure the gap, the walkway and the door swing

The three measurements, seen from above (illustration)

• The gap past the footboard: from the footboard to the wall or dresser. This is the most the dog bed can be, front to back.
• The walkway you still need: the path you take to the door or bathroom at night. Keep the dog bed fully out of it.
• The door swing: open the door all the way and look at the floor it sweeps. Nothing should sit there.

Then measure your dog while they sleep in their usual position. Compare that with the sleeping surface of the bed, not the outside size. Thick bolsters take up room: the Sheri Small below is 23 inches across but has a 17-inch sleeping area.

1. End of the bed: a rectangle with a washable cover

The strip of floor past the footboard is often the only open space in a small room. A rectangle bed uses it best, because it lines up with the footboard instead of leaving odd gaps at the sides. Dogs that stretch out on their side also tend to fit a rectangle better than a round bed.

The EMME rectangle bed in size L is 36 by 28 inches and is made for dogs up to 45 pounds. The cover comes off and goes in the washing machine, the bottom is non-slip so it stays put on a wood floor, and one side is lower so the dog can step in.

For an older dog, or one that is stiff when getting up, a firmer foam base helps more than extra fluff.

The Bedsure orthopedic bed is 28 by 23 by 6.5 inches, with an egg-crate foam base and bolsters on all four sides. Its machine-washable cover has a waterproof layer, which is useful if accidents happen at night.

2. A quiet corner: a round bed with raised sides

A corner setup away from the walkway (illustration)

A corner works when the space past the footboard is too tight or sits in the path to the door. Two walls around the bed make it feel sheltered, and a round shape fills the corner without sharp edges sticking out. This suits dogs that sleep curled up.

The Best Friends by Sheri donut bed in Small is 23 by 23 inches for dogs up to 25 pounds, and larger sizes are listed too. The whole bed is machine washable, and the bottom resists water and dirt.

Before you pick a corner, check that it is not right under a window, next to a heating or cooling vent, or behind the door.

Keep the toys in one basket

Loose toys around a dog bed are what you step on in the dark. One basket beside the bed gives them a home, and you can scoop everything in before bed in a few seconds.

The Morezi rope basket is 13.5 inches across, with handles. It can go in the washing machine and folds flat when you do not need it.

End of the bed or corner?

	End of the bed	Corner
Bed shape	Rectangle	Round
Suits a dog that	Stretches out	Curls up
Measure first	Footboard to wall	Wall to walkway
Watch out for	Blocking the path around your bed	Windows, vents, the door

Setup checklist

• The dog bed fits the gap with the door fully open
• You can walk to the door in the dark without going around it
• The sleeping surface fits your dog in their usual position
• The cover comes off and fits in your washing machine
• Toys have one basket next to the bed

What we would skip

• The biggest bed that fits the room: a bed that fills the whole gap leaves no room to walk around it.
• A bed in front of the closet: you will move it every morning, and it will slowly drift into the walkway.
• A cover that does not come off: in a bedroom you notice the smell sooner, so washing needs to be easy.

FAQ

Is it OK for my dog to sleep in my bedroom?
For many people, yes. The Mayo Clinic study above found a dog in the room was much less of a problem for sleep than a dog on the bed.

Round or rectangle?
Watch how your dog sleeps. Curled up points to a round bed. Stretched out on their side points to a rectangle.

How often should I wash the cover?
The AKC suggests a removable cover you can wash weekly.

Start with the three measurements. Once you know the gap and the walkway, the right spot and the right shape usually become obvious.