Almost all dogs need to have a bed, but that doesn’t mean you have to give your dog a boring old bed with no personality.
There are a number of fun and fancy dog beds on the market, including teepee dog beds, which allow your pooch to snooze in relative secrecy.
Teepee-style beds vary widely in terms of quality, aesthetics, and easy-of-use, so you’ll want to make sure you select a model that will live up to your expectations. We’ll detail a few of the best below, and then we’ll explain some of the things to look for in a teepee bed and help you figure out if your dog is a good fit for a teepee bed.
Be sure to share your experiences with teepee beds in the comment section – we’d love to hear about how a teepee bed has worked for your pup.
Best Teepee Dog Beds: Quick Picks
5 Best Dog Teepee Beds
Five of the best teepee beds on the market are examined below. While any of the five should prove to be a high-quality product, they all have differences, which you should consider when making your choice.
1. Little Dove White Pet Teepee
About: The Little Dove White Pet Teepee is machine-washable pet teepee made from a 100% cotton canvas cover and five pine support poles. Designed to be easy to set up or collapse and take with you, this tee pee provides a convenient and cozy place for your pet to sleep.
Features:
- Can be purchased as a kit, complete with small chalkboard
- The teepee comes in 24- and 28-inches sizes
- Available with or without a cushion
PROS: Most owners were happy with the Little Dove Pet Teepee, and described it as adorable and well-made. The majority of owners also found that it worked well and was easy to put together and setup up too.
CONS: Complaints about the Little Dove Pet Teepee were pretty rare, but a few owners explained that the tent poles moved around a bit much. A very small number of owners also reported that the cotton canvas cover fell apart in the wash, but this was likely due to one-off manufacturing defects or user error (you must wash the cover on a gentle cycle).
2. Little Dove Striped Pet Teepee
About: The Little Dove Striped Pet Teepee is very similar to the Little Dove White Teepee described above, except that it features bold stripes that give it a distinctly Southwestern feel and help it stand out in a crowded product category.
Features:
- Available with or without a cushion
- Seller’s quality guarantee gives you the chance to exchange or return the tent for free
- Toggle buttons make it easy to keep the teepee flaps open
PROS: Most owners loved the Little Dove Striped Teepee and were pleased with their purchase. Most described it as sturdy, attractive, and easy-to-assemble. Most dogs (and cats) seemed to love it too.
CONS: Very few owners had a negative experience with the Little Dove Striped Teepee, although a handful received products with very minor manufacturing defects. A few folks also complained that it was a little smaller than they’d hoped.
3. Zaihe Pet Teepee
No products found.About: The Zaihe Pet Teepee is an elegant little teepee based on a 5-pole design and made with lace front curtains to help make it a little fancier than most other teepees. The Zaihe Teepee also comes with a matching cushion and a small chalkboard on which you can write your pet’s name.
Features:
- Toggle buttons make it easy to pin door flaps open
- Available in 24- and 28-inch versions to suit dogs of different sizes
- Cover can be machine-washed on gentle cycle
PROS: Because it comes with its own cushion, the Zaihe Pet Teepee presents a better value than many of the other teepees on the market. There is plenty more to like about the product, including the lace curtains and the high-quality buttons used to keep the curtains open. Most owners who tried the Zaihe Pet Teepee were very happy with the product.
CONS: The Zaihe Pet Teepee has not been reviewed by many owners, but of those who did share their experiences, complaints were essentially non-existent.
4. Viller Dog House Tent
About: The Viller Dog House Tent is an adorable, striped teepee-style tent with nautically themed graphics. It sets up and collapses in seconds and comes with its own carry bag, making it easy to take with you anywhere you go.
Features:
- Breathable mesh window provides great ventilation
- Cover can be removed and machine-washed (use gentle cycle)
- Matching cushion included with the teepee
PROS: Most owners loved the Viller Pet House Tent, finding it as cute as it was functional. Several owners raved about the value of the product, and most found it easy to set up and sturdy enough for long-term use. Most dogs appeared to find the interior very inviting and began using it almost immediately.
CONS: While most owners found the Viller Pet House Tent to be a well-made product, a few complained that the poles were too weak and that the canvas cover would slide down the poles after a brief period of use. A few owners were displeased to find that instructions were not included with the product.
5. Little Dove Grey Pet Teepee
About: Little Dove’s Grey Pet Teepee is a functional and fashionable retreat for your pet that relies on a 4-pole design. Adorned with cute little pompoms and other flourishes, this teepee is a little fancier than many of the other options on the market.
Features:
- Pompom mat is included with the teepee
- Comes with a reinforcement device to provide additional stability
- This 28-inch-tall tent is suitable for small or medium-sized dogs
PROS: Most owners who tried out the Little Dove Grey Pet Teepee were very happy with their purchase. Most reported that it is easy to set up, and several appreciated the styling and “extras” (like the pompoms). Most dogs seemed to find the teepee comfortable and cozy too.
CONS: There weren’t many negative reviews of the Little Dove Grey Teepee, but a few owners complained that it wasn’t especially sturdy. A few even complained that it would fall over from time to time.
Things to Look for in a Good Teepee Bed
No matter what teepee bed you purchase, you want to make sure it has a few key features that will ensure it works properly, is easy to maintain and doesn’t present any safety hazards for you or your pooch. Some of the most important considerations include:
Non-Flammable Cover
For obvious reasons, you’ll want to make sure that the teepee you choose has a flame-resistant cover. But because the support poles included with most teepees remain perfectly flammable, you’ll want to be sure you practice good fire safety with the teepee anyway.
Don’t – for example – set up the teepee near a fireplace or radiator, and be careful if you use heated floor mats or similar devices.
Tool-Free Set Up
Unless you like pouring over instruction manuals and rummaging through your kitchen drawers looking for a screwdriver (which will undoubtedly be the wrong kind, anyway), you’ll want to select a teepee that is easy to put together and requires a minimum number of tools to do so. Fortunately, most of the ones recommended above can be assembled fairly easily.
Curtain-Holding Hardware
Many teepees have curtains that allow you to close the teepee if you wish. This can be a nice feature, but you’ll want to ensure that the teepee features straps, ties, buttons or some other component that will allow the curtains to be kept in the open position as well.
Included Floor Cover
Avoid teepees that don’t have floor covers, as your dog will be more likely to push the teepee around on the floor if it doesn’t have one. Floor covers also help to keep your home cleaner, as they’ll collect your dog’s shed hair, rather than allowing it to coat the floor of your home.
Cushion Compatibility
It’s a good idea to add a cushion or pet bed inside your pup’s teepee to ensure his comfort (it will also help you entice him into the tent in the first place).
However, while square (4-pole) teepees will generally accommodate cushions and beds, 5-pole tents have pentagonal footprints, which can make it tricky to find a cushion that fits properly. In such cases, it is generally easiest to simply select a teepee that comes with its own cushion.
Is Your Dog a Good Fit for a Teepee Bed?
Of course, not all dogs are well-suited for teepee beds. Some will decline to use it, while others will be too rough on it and cause it to break.
In general, the best dogs for teepee beds exhibit the following characteristics:
Small Size
Because of the inherent design of a teepee, most are only suitable for small dogs. A teepee big enough for a 100-pound Doberman would probably be tall enough to reach all the way to the ceiling, and it would weigh a ton.
Most teepees are good for dogs in the 5-15 lb range, and a few will accommodate slightly larger pups.
Calm Disposition
Good teepee beds are fairly durable, but they aren’t designed to withstand the high-octane play style of some dogs. This means that you’ll probably want to skip the teepee bed for your rambunctious rat terrier, who will quickly topple the tent or tear through the cover. On the other hand, a mellow little Maltese probably won’t destroy his cozy new hideaway.
Adventurous Spirit
While teepee beds are great for dogs who like to hide a lot, some dogs will be reticent to go inside the tent. This can lead to frustrated owners, who realize they just bought a teepee bed their dog won’t use.
Accordingly, they work best with dogs who are quick to check out new and unusual things, rather than those who recoil at the unfamiliar.
Alternative Uses for a Teepee
Many enterprising owners have discovered that you can use a pet teepee bed for a variety of things besides a pet bed. Some of the most interesting applications for teepee beds include:
Toy Cave
If your dog (or child, for that matter) has a large number of toys, you’ll want somewhere to store them to keep your home tidy.
A teepee is a great way to do so, as your dog can go get his toys when he wants, yet you can quickly and easily toss them back inside once he’s done playing with them.
Litter Box Cover
Cats frequently like a little privacy when relieving themselves, and a teepee bed can provide a great little hideaway for the cat litterbox. But you can also use a teepee for your dog’s indoor bathroom facilities too. In addition to giving your dog or cat some privacy, the teepee will help keep the “bathroom” out of sight.
Sun Shade
If you like to hang out with your dog by the pool or in your backyard, you can use a teepee bed to give him a shady place to hang out. Most teepee beds are light enough that they are easy to transport, and a few are even explicitly designed for either indoor or outdoor use.
Portable Hiding Spot
If your dog is on the nervous side, you may want to bring his teepee bed along with you when traveling to unfamiliar places. This will give him a safe, familiar place he can hide out while he gets used to his new surroundings. If you plan to use the teepee in this fashion, you probably want to select one that comes with a carrying case.
Have you ever given your dog a teepee bed? How did it work out? Did he take to it quickly, or did you need to convince him to go inside? Was it easy to put together and set up?
Let us know all about your experiences in the comments below.
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