The beds below outline similar features and prices on Amazon.com. If you are trying to choose a dog bed for your Shiba Inu, you need to select a larger-sized bed to ensure its overall comfort. After all, you don’t want your dog to feel all scrunched up when it is sleeping, especially if it suffers from joint problems or hip dysplasia.
Make sure the bed you choose not only is comfortable but provides the right features for its price. The following information will give you more details about what to expect when choosing a higher-rated bed. It covers three branded memory foam dog beds – the Sealy Lux, the PetFusion dog bed, and a Laifug bed.
If you want the short answer for a Shiba Inu, choose a firm orthopedic memory foam bed in a medium or large size with a removable machine washable cover and a waterproof inner liner. Shibas are compact, but they sprawl when they sleep, and the breed carries real risk of joint and hip issues as it ages, so support and easy cleaning matter more than plushness. A cover you can strip and wash is not a luxury with a double coated dog that blows its coat twice a year. Pick the size up rather than down, and favor a cover you can actually get off without a fight.
The short version, in four parts:
- Firmness over softness. A firmer foam base supports aging joints better than a pillow that collapses under the dog's weight.
- Size up. A medium or large bed lets a Shiba stretch out and shift position through the night.
- Removable washable cover. A double coat plus seasonal shedding means you will wash it often, so make removal easy.
- Waterproof liner. It protects the foam from accidents, drool, and wet paws so the bed lasts years, not months.
The Sealy Lux Orthopedic Dog Bed Featuring a Quad Layer Design and Cooling Gel
If you have been seeking the ideal brand dog bed for your older Shiba Inu, you will want to take a closer look at a bed made by Sealy. Sealy not only takes care of human sleep needs, it has ventured into the comfort needs of our canine friends.
This highly rated dog bed gets excellent marks for its top-quality orthopedic design using a Quad Element Foam for extra support and comfort. Therefore, you can provide your Shiba with the ultimate in support, regardless of its age, mobility, or health. The bed proves to be ideal for dogs with bone, joint or arthritis problems and pain. Because the bed is designed with a Pro-Charcoal base, it will not absorb much doggy odor. However, you really do not have to worry about that issue with a Shiba.
You want to give your Shiba Inu plenty of room to move on the bed. Therefore, you should choose a medium-sized or large bed if you choose to go with the Sealy. The mid-sized bed costs around $120, and is made to last – just like you might expect with a Sealy branded product.
Some of the Bed’s Highlights
Here are some of the highlights of this dog bed and product:
- The cooling energy gel of the bed regulates the Shiba’s body temperature, wicking away heat from your dog’s body and making it more comfortable to sleep.
- The Pet Rest memory foam cushioning adapts well to your pet’s movements, which is good for blood flow.
- The Bio-Orthopedic foam gets rid of pressure points, thereby efficiently distributing your dog’s weight over the bed’s surface.
- The bed, in a medium size, measures 28” x 36” x 7” and in a large size – 32” x 42” x 8”.
People who bought the bed primarily gave it a five-star rating. When the bed received lower marks, it was because some dog owners did not believe the bed was as soft as they would like. However, if your dog is suffering from joint problems, it is better to give him a firmer foundation on which to sleep.
The non-slip liner, waterproof bottom, and machine washable cover make this premium Sealy product a stand-out for anyone who wants a bed that is as soothing and it is easy to maintain. Expect to pay about $120.00 for the medium bed after you include shipping and/or taxes. If you want the larger bed, it will cost you around $170.00. Click this link to learn more about this dog bed.
The PetFusion Ultimate Dog Bed with Orthopedic Memory Foam, Waterproof Liner, and 3-year Warranty
The PetFusion brand dog bed competes closely with Sealy, as it is made with memory foam and boasts a waterproof liner. The solid memory foam base of the bed reduces arthritic pain and improves a Shiba’s mobility, health, and energy, regardless of age. This is also known as a calming bed for Shiba Inus who have bouts with anxiety. The bolsters of the bed are filled for comfort and the bed’s materials ensure a pleasanter night’s rest. The material for the bed consists of 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
It is easy to like the bed’s smart design as it features a tear-and-water resistant cover and bolsters that make a Shiba feel more safe and secure. If needed, replacement covers for the bed are sold separately.
The memory foam for the bed is trademarked as Certi-PUR-US, and contains no bad stuff – mercury, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, or ozone depleting products. You and your pet will also enjoy better indoor air quality, as the bed emits low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The cover material has also been endorsed as safe for skin contact.
The bed, which measures 36” x 38” x 9”, can easily hold 100 pounds Zippered linings and an easy-to-clean removable cover make this bed a great choice for picky Inus and their pet parents. The bed is simple to spot clean and is ideal for a shedding Shibu, as any dog hair is easy to remove.
Most people raved about the quality of the bed’s design and its comfort. However, those customers who had problems with the bed issued complaints about how the zippers worked and the bed’s lack of fire safety. One customer warned not to place the bed near a heat source, as a small spark ignited his dog bed which, fortunately, he was able to douse.
This bed and lounge is an Amazon Choice product and sells for around $120.00, close in price to the aforementioned medium-sized Sealy. Learn more details by clicking this link.
The Laifug Memory Foam Orthopedic Dog Bed and Couch with Removable Washable cover and Waterproof Liner
Here is another large dog bed to consider for your Shiba Inu. This slate grey canine bed offers plenty of room for your Shiba to stretch or relieve its tired muscles. The bed measures approximately 44” x 36” x 7” in size, making it an ideal bed for one or two Shibas.
The premium orthopedic dog bed features a medical-grade memory foam design that gives your Shiba muscle and joint pain relief. The soft and open-cell memory foam, made with a polyurethane polymer, gives your Shiba a pleasant sleeping experience and will keep it warm during the day.
Also, the removable suede and waterproof cover can be easily thrown in the washer for cleaning. The design of the bed makes it ideal for any sized dog, including older dogs with arthritis and disabled pets. Moreover, the supportive design ensures that your Shiba’s neck and spine will both be protected while it sleeps. Laifug is a well-known pet brand in the dog bed marketplace, so the dog bed company features the ultimate in comfort styles.
This bed, in particular, offers a memory foam design that provides exceptional comfort for any Shiba that suffers from degenerative conditions or diseases. Its design showcases a surrounding pillow style that keeps your dog feeling protected. The bed’s replaceable bed cover also provides added protection to the item’s internal sponge. Heavy-duty zippers ensure against any problems with wear-and-tear or durability.
Most pet parents gave this bed a 5-star review with the only complaint being directed to the bed’s price. Otherwise, many pet owners said their dog looked very comfortable while resting on the bed. If you choose this bed for your Shiba, expect to pay around $115.00 after you pay for shipping and/or taxes. You can get more details about the bed here.
Summation – Go with the Laifug
When it comes to a choice in a dog bed, the features of the PetFusion bed cannot be surpassed, until you read about the lack of a fire retardant. No one wants their pet to be vulnerable to a fire hazard. The Sealy bed seems to be a good compromise, as does the Laifug. However, because of the Laifug’s brand influence in the dog bed market, it gets top billing over the Sealy. If you want to pick the best bed of these equally and comparably priced beds, it’s probably best to go with the Laifug.
What to look for in a memory foam bed for a Shiba
After placing 250+ Shibas since 2019 and boarding them in rotation, we have seen which bed features hold up to the breed and which ones fail inside a single season. Here is the framework we hand new adopters when they ask what to buy.
- Foam density and support. A Shiba does not need a cloud. It needs a base that holds its shape under a compact, muscular body. Solid orthopedic memory foam beats loose fill or shredded foam, which packs down and stops supporting the hips within months. If your dog is older or already stiff in the morning, firmer is kinder.
- A cover you can remove without a wrestling match. You will strip this cover every week or two. Look for a full zipper that runs along two or three sides, not a tiny opening you have to force the foam through. A cover that is a struggle to remove is a cover you will stop washing, and an unwashed bed gets rank fast with a shedding breed.
- A real waterproof liner under the cover. The outer cover handles hair and surface dirt. The liner underneath is what saves the foam from drool, muddy paws, and the occasional senior accident. Without it, one bad night soaks into the core and the smell never fully leaves.
- Size and bolster shape. Size up. A Shiba that curls tight in winter still stretches long in summer, and a bed that is too small forces the dog off the edge. Bolstered sides give an anxious or aloof Shiba a wall to press against, which many of ours prefer over a flat pad.
- Seams and chew resistance. Watch the piping and corner seams. A heavy chewer we boarded found a loose seam on a plush bed and had the stuffing out in an afternoon. Tight double stitching and a low profile with no dangling tags survive the breed's curiosity far better.
If you are still deciding whether the breed fits your home at all, read is a Shiba Inu right for me first. For a bed built specifically around age, our companion piece on the best dog beds for puppies and senior dogs breaks the choice down by life stage.
What we have seen hold up
Across hundreds of Shibas since 2019, the pattern is consistent. The beds that survive are firm, low, and simple. The beds that fail are the tall plush ones with decorative covers and a zipper you can barely find. A Shiba is not hard on a bed the way a Lab is, but the double coat is the real test. Hair works into every seam, and a bed you cannot fully strip and machine wash becomes a problem you smell before you see.
What worked: orthopedic foam bases with a waterproof liner and a cover that comes off in under a minute. Those beds went through wash cycle after wash cycle in our boarding rotation and held their shape. What did not work: gel tops that cracked, memory foam that compressed flat under a 25 pound dog inside a year, and bolsters stuffed with loose fill that migrated to one end and left the dog lying on the seam.
One breed specific note. Shibas run warm under that coat and many refuse a bed that traps heat. Several of ours would abandon a thick foam bed in summer and sleep on the tile instead. A cooling gel layer or a thinner summer pad next to the orthopedic bed solves it. If your dog boards with us, this is exactly the kind of preference we log so the transition home is smooth. You can see how that works on our boarding page.
Related questions
Do Shiba Inus actually need an orthopedic bed?
Not every Shiba does, but the breed is prone to hip and joint problems as it ages, and a firm orthopedic base is cheap insurance. A young, sound dog can sleep comfortably on a basic pad. Once you see morning stiffness, trouble rising, or a dog past about seven, an orthopedic foam bed earns its cost. It will not treat existing joint disease, so pair it with a veterinary plan if you see real pain.
How do I keep a dog bed from smelling with a shedding Shiba?
Wash the cover on a schedule, not when it already smells. Every week or two works for most homes. Vacuum the bed between washes to pull hair out of the seams, and keep a waterproof liner underneath so odor never reaches the foam. A cover that is easy to remove is the single biggest factor in whether owners actually keep up with this.
What size bed should I buy for a Shiba Inu?
Go medium or large, not small. A typical Shiba weighs roughly 17 to 25 pounds, so a small bed technically fits, but the dog will spill over the edge when it stretches. A medium bed of around 28 by 36 inches gives room to change position all night, and a large bed suits a Shiba that sprawls or a two dog household sharing space.
What to read next
If you are matching a bed to your dog's age, start with the best dog beds for puppies and senior dogs, then round out the aging kit with our five must have products for senior dogs. New owners building a full setup should read a Shiba Inu owner's shopping list, and if you want your dog professionally cared for while you travel, our boarding service logs every sleep and coat preference.
Need in-home boarding for your Shiba?
Small groups, five walks a day, never a kennel. Daycare and vet transport included.