---
title: "Pet-Friendly Cushions & Custom Dog Beds: Sizes, Fabric, Liners"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/cushions/pet-friendly-cushions/"
section: "The Cushion Atlas"
author: "Rosa Delgado, The Porch Keeper of Savannah"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/"
published: "2026-02-13"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "pet friendly cushion, custom dog bed, washable dog bed cover, cat cushion, pet bed cushion, waterproof dog bed liner"
---

# Pet-friendly cushions and dog beds, cut to the spot they already chose

*Every dog and cat in the house has already picked a spot. The job is a cushion that fits it, washes when it needs to, and looks like it belongs in the room.*

> **The quick answer:** A pet-friendly cushion is a made-to-measure dog bed or cat pad in a tightly woven, washable fabric, cut to the exact spot your animal sleeps. Covers from the workshop's pet-friendly chart wash at up to 86°F (30°C), a waterproof inner liner can wrap the foam, and rounded corners and contrast piping are options.

![Large mustard square floor cushion with self piping on a cream rug, small terrier asleep, low oak bench with teapot](https://cushionguide.com/media/floor-cushions/mustard-square-floor-cushion-dog-bed-japandi-1600.webp "A large mustard floor cushion serves as a seat for people and a bed for the dog. Its pet-friendly weave handles both.")

## What a pet-friendly cushion is, and whose it really is

The cushion that fit the cat was 8 x 20 in. A buyer in the US had just put in a new fireplace, and the cat had already moved into the little nook underneath it. Nobody needed to invent a thing: that size was already on the workshop's linen floor cushion list, in ivory.

That is most of what a pet cushion is. A dog bed, a cat pad, a liner for a dog house, or a plain floor cushion the dog adopted without asking. On my grandmother's porch the dog always had the best seat on the swing, and nobody argued. Kids and dogs are the real quality control; within a week, they tell you whether the fabric and the size were right.

This page is for families who want the pet's bed to match the room and need it to wash. For a bench or banquette the dog shares with you, see [pet-friendly banquette and bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/pet-friendly-banquette-and-bench-cushions/).

## Sizes the workshop has made, and how to measure the spot

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Cat nook | 8 x 20 in (20 x 51 cm), a stock size on the linen floor cushion list |
| Single floor pad | 24 x 24 x 6 in (61 x 61 x 15 cm); near-square 26 x 26 in (66 x 66 cm) also made |
| Tall velvet cat cushion | About 24 to 25 in square, 12 in (30.5 cm) high |
| Custom dog beds | About 23½ x 30¾ in (595 x 780 mm) and 20¼ x 30¾ in (515 x 780 mm) |
| Under-stairs nook bed | About 31½ x 39⅜ x 4 in (80 x 100 x 10 cm) |
| You and one large dog | 28 x 64 in (71 x 163 cm), and it can be made longer and wider |
| Dog house pads | 16 x 20 in (41 x 51 cm), 2 or 3 in thick |
| Standard thickness | 4 in (10 cm); 2 in (5 cm) is the thinnest standard foam |
| Options | Rounded corners, contrast piping, ties, a waterproof liner around the foam |

## Rounded corners, and piping that hides the wear

Most pet beds the workshop makes are plain rectangles, and slightly rounded corners are one of the first things dog owners ask for. They soften the look on a floor full of straight lines.

The edges are where a pet bed shows wear first. [Contrast piping](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#contrast-piping) in a darker shade hides it better than a pale self-piping. One buyer wrote to the workshop wanting a dog cushion about 31½ x 17¾ x 3 in (80 x 45 x 7.5 cm) with slightly rounded corners: firm, hard-wearing, washable and slow to fade, in light brown or beige with rust or dark-brown piping. The workshop sent the pet-friendly chart and suggested a beige body with rust-brown piping, and the plan was to add matching sofa covers later.

A thin pad for a crate or a shelf? Foam 2 in (5 cm) thick is the thinnest standard; anything thinner can only be made without piping.

## Fabrics that stand up to paws

Start with the [performance and pet-friendly weaves](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/performance-and-pet-friendly/). The workshop's pet-friendly chart is the first one to show a dog-bed buyer: hard-wearing, washable at up to 86°F (30°C), and open to any body-and-piping combination you like. If a color there is ever discontinued, a very similar pet-suitable fabric in stock is offered instead.

[Velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) makes a handsome cat cushion, and the cats seem to agree. A plain thick [linen floor cushion](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/linen-and-cotton-linen/) without its backrest also works as a dog bed.

Loop weaves such as [bouclé](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/boucle-and-teddy/) look wonderful on a sofa. For a bed that gets kneaded every night, read [pet-friendly cushion fabric](https://cushionguide.com/guides/pet-friendly-cushion-fabric/) before you fall in love.

## Foam, liners and how thick to go

The standard is 4 in (10 cm), and the under-stairs dog bed the workshop made was exactly that. Within the usual 2 to 5 in range, thickness moves the price much less than length and width. Very tall pieces are another story: a 24 x 24 in velvet cushion lists at twice the price at 12 in as at 6 in, and anything taller than about 6 in (15 cm) is quoted as custom. Know that before you promise the cat a throne.

If the bed lives in a dog house, a mudroom or anywhere damp, add a [waterproof inner cover](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#waterproof-insert-cover) around the foam. It is an extra, paid through a separate link after the cushion order, and it is made together with the cushion.

## A dog house, two cushions and a worry about the foam

A buyer in the US had an insulated dog house and ordered two cushions for it, 16 x 20 x 3 in and 16 x 20 x 2 in. Then came the worry every dog owner knows: a dog house is not a dry place, so what happens to the foam?

The workshop added a waterproof inner cover around each foam insert, set up the add-on through a separate link, and made the liners together with the cushions. The dog got two soft pads, and the foam got a raincoat.

## Mistakes that send a pet bed back to the drawing board

- ✗ Choosing the fabric for looks alone. On a bed used every night, a tightly woven, washable cloth beats a pretty one.
- ✗ Pale self-piping on the edge that gets pawed. A darker contrast piping hides the wear.
- ✗ Typing 'add ties' into the size box. Write ties or a non-slip base into the order note, with position and length, then confirm by message.
- ✗ Setting a light foam bed on bare hardwood. Lay a rug or grip mat underneath so it stays put when the dog lands.
- ✗ Forgetting the foam in a damp spot. Order the waterproof liner alongside the cushion so both are made together.
- ✗ Expecting a 12 in cat cushion at the 6 in price. Doubling the height roughly doubles the fill and the price.

> A dog bed needs a tightly woven, washable fabric first and good looks second. Darker contrast piping hides the wear where paws land on the edge.
>
> — Rosa

## Styling a pet bed, and where to go next

A pet bed can match the room instead of apologizing for it. Cut it from the same fabric as your bench cushions and the dog's corner looks planned. A beige body with rust piping sits easy beside wood floors; an ivory velvet cat cushion reads like a footstool until somebody furry claims it.

Where does your dog actually sleep, neighbor? Measure that spot, not the bed you meant to buy. Then try shape, thickness and piping in the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/), keep [how to wash cushion covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-wash-cushion-covers/) and [cushion stain first aid](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-stain-removal-first-aid/) handy, and see more real beds in [custom dog beds and cat corners](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/custom-dog-beds-and-cat-corners/). If the bed will sit on a smooth floor, read [how to stop a cushion sliding](https://cushionguide.com/guides/stop-bench-cushion-sliding-ties-nonslip/).

> **Tailor's margin:** Measure the spot the dog already sleeps in, not the dog bed you meant to buy. The animal picks the place; the cushion follows.

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can you make a custom dog bed, and which fabric would you choose?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Dog beds are made to your measurements through a custom order link, with rounded corners, contrast piping or fabric matching your bench cushions. For a hard-wearing, washable bed the workshop recommends the pet-friendly chart, which washes at up to 86°F (30°C); a beige body with rust-brown piping is one combination the workshop has suggested. For you and one large dog to share, about 28 x 64 in works, and it can be made bigger.

**A common question:** Can you put a waterproof liner around the foam? It's going in a dog house.

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Waterproof inner covers can be added around the foam inserts at extra cost. You pay for the add-on through a separate link after the cushion order, and the liners are made together with the cushions. The workshop has done it for a pair of 16 x 20 in cushions, one 3 in and one 2 in thick.

**A common question:** Do you make small floor cushions, the size a cat curls up on?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. 8 x 20 in is a stock size on the linen floor cushion listing, which suits a cat's nook by the fireplace. Near-square sizes such as 26 x 26 in are ordered through the meditation cushion listing, and 24 x 24 x 6 in and 36 x 36 in floor pillows have been made too.

**A common question:** Why does a 12 in tall cat cushion cost so much more than the 6 in one?

**The workshop's answer:** Because height doubles the fill and adds a lot of fabric. Within the usual 2 to 5 in range, thickness moves the price much less than length and width. Very tall pieces are different: a 24 x 24 in velvet cushion lists at twice the price at 12 in as at 6 in, and covers taller than about 6 in (15 cm) are quoted as custom.

**A common question:** How do I measure a curved nook, or a bed with one rounded end?

**The workshop's answer:** Mark where each curve starts and ends and how deep it runs on a measured sketch. For tricky curves, lay wrapping paper or newspaper in the spot, trace it with a marker, cut it out and photograph it flat beside a tape measure. The workshop confirms the shape before production.

**A common question:** The bed arrived the wrong size. What happens now?

**The workshop's answer:** Send the workshop a photo with a tape measure along the full dimension. In past cases where the workshop made the error, the piece was remade without the wrong one coming back, only the parts that didn't fit were remade, and the piping color could change on the replacement. A partial refund was offered to buyers who'd rather keep it.

## Questions from the dog-and-cat crowd

### What water temperature is safe for a pet bed cover?

Covers from the pet-friendly chart wash at up to 86°F (30°C). For a stain, the workshop's first suggestion is a gentle cycle at that temperature before anything stronger. Take the cover off the foam first; the foam itself does not go in the machine.

### Can a plain floor cushion double as a dog bed?

Yes. A seat-only floor cushion without its backrest, such as a thick 24 x 24 in linen one, works as a dog bed. It is an easy way to get a bed that matches the rest of the room's floor seating.

### Will a pet bed stay put on hardwood floors?

Light foam on a smooth floor moves when an animal jumps on. Put a rug or grip mat underneath, or ask for a non-slip base when you order. Write the request in the order note and confirm it by message so it isn't missed.

### What happens if the pet fabric I picked is discontinued?

The workshop offers a very similar pet-suitable fabric that is in stock. Ask for a real photo of the substitute beside your original choice before it is cut, so the shade is what you expect.

### How thin can a crate pad be?

The thinnest standard foam is 2 in (5 cm). A 1 in pad can be made, but only without piping. For a bed an animal stretches out on every night, the standard 4 in (10 cm) is the thickness most buyers keep.

### Can the dog bed match my bench cushions?

Yes. Dog beds can be cut from the same fabric as bench cushions you already have. Order them together if you can: each roll is dyed in its own batch, and a piece cut months later can sit slightly lighter or warmer.

### Which fabrics should I avoid with dogs?

Dog-focused cushion guides steer owners away from silk, leather and linen. Loose loops such as bouclé catch claws and hold hair. Tight, smooth weaves release hair and wipe clean more easily; the workshop's pet chart is a tightly woven polyester with no loops to catch, though no fabric holds up to claws completely, so plan on a washable cover too.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can you make a custom dog bed or cat cushion, and which fabric should I pick?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-dog-bed-cushion-fabric/): Yes: dog beds and cat cushions are made to your measurements on a custom order link, and the workshop recommends its pet-friendly fabric chart, which washes at up to 86°F (30°C).
- [Martindale rub count and double rubs: what the numbers tell you](https://cushionguide.com/guides/martindale-vs-double-rubs-fabric/): A Martindale rub count and a Wyzenbeek double-rub count both measure how much rubbing an upholstery fabric survives before it wears through, but they use different machines and cannot be converted…
- [Custom dog bed cushions, cat corners and the nooks pets pick themselves](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/custom-dog-beds-and-cat-corners/): A custom dog bed cushion is a pad cut to the spot the pet already uses, in a washable pet-friendly fabric with a zip-off cover.
- [Outdoor cushions for Spanish patios, terraces and roof decks](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-spain/): Outdoor cushions in Spain need UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor fabric and a shady place to rest at midday, because Seville averages 97°F (36.3°C) July highs and about 3,089 hours of sun a year.
- [Pet-friendly cushion fabric: what holds up to claws, hair and muddy paws](https://cushionguide.com/guides/pet-friendly-cushion-fabric/)

*Porch light's on — Rosa*

---

Written by Rosa Delgado (https://cushionguide.com/masters/rosa/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/cushions/pet-friendly-cushions/