Dog beds for a Poodle and Bichon Frise

Two small dogs sharing a room is actually a really common setup, and the good news is that a Poodle and a Bichon Frise are close enough in size that you're not shopping in two completely different categories. The right bed still depends heavily on how each dog actually sleeps — curled up, stretched out, or pressed against something — and whether either has any joint issues, which starts to matter more as they get older. The most common mistake is buying one bed that's too small, or the same style for both dogs when they sleep completely differently. So: how does each of them tend to sleep, and is your 8-year-old Bichon showing any stiffness or joint trouble?

That's a really useful distinction. The Bichon is telling you exactly what he needs — a donut or bolster-style bed with raised edges he can curl into and lean against. The morning stiffness is worth taking seriously too, so memory foam underneath that bolster would help him a lot. For the Poodle, something flat and generously sized would suit her sprawling habit. What are your thoughts on having two separate beds, or were you hoping to find something they'd share?

Perfect, that makes this straightforward. For your Bichon, I'd go with the Bedsure Calming Dog Bed — it's a donut-style with a raised rim all the way round, super soft faux shaggy fur that small dogs love to burrow into, and it has enough cushioning in the base to take the edge off that morning stiffness. It's machine washable too, which matters. For your Poodle, the same brand does a flat orthopedic mat in a medium or large size that would give her plenty of room to sprawl. Both are well under £30 each and genuinely hold up well. The Bedsure Calming Dog Bed in medium would be the priority buy for the Bichon — that's the one I'd start with.

Good question. The Bedsure calming bed has a reasonably firm base beneath the soft outer layer, which gives decent support for a small dog like a Bichon. It's not a dedicated orthopaedic bed with a thick memory foam core, but for an 8-year-old who's just starting to show some stiffness — rather than dealing with serious arthritis — it's typically more than adequate. The raised sides he can lean into actually help too, because it reduces the effort of getting comfortable. If the stiffness gets worse over the next year or two, that's when I'd look at upgrading to something with a deeper memory foam base. For now, the calming bed is genuinely the right call.

That's the right order of priority. Size-wise, go medium for the Bichon — Bichons are typically around 5–8kg and the medium fits them well without being so large that it loses the enclosed, cosy feel he's after. For the Poodle, if she's a standard or moyen Poodle go large on the mat; miniature, medium would be fine. Both wash well on a cool cycle, which you'll appreciate. Good luck with them both.