Your golden retriever has claimed the couch. Again.
Not just a corner of it, but the whole thing. One sits down and gets a face full of fur, a paw on his or her lap and that look as if he owned the place.
I felt this a lot last summer. My cousin’s lab mix destroyed her sofa in about 3 months. My friend’s lab mix destroyed his parents’ couch with drool and scratches.
It’s also kind of hard to find a decent dog bed that doesn’t look like an eyesore in your beautifully decorated living room.
Good news: This dog bed is called a pallet dog bed but I think the nicest part of the bed is the pillow. It’s sturdy enough for a big, bouncy dog and it’s pretty to boot.
I think these 10 ideas will make you really excited to build something this weekend!
#1: Pallet Dog Bed With Built-In Food Station — The Outdoor Setup Your Golden Will Claim Immediately
A white-painted wooden pallet sits flat on the green grass, looking as if it’s straight from Pinterest. On the left side of the pallet is a chevron-printed cushion in teal, blue, and green – so soft that your dog will circle it 3 times before flopping down on it. Two stainless steel bowls are sitting in cut-out slots on the right side of the pallet, one holding kibble and the other empty – waiting for water.
I used a standard 48″ x 40″ shipping pallet that I sanded smooth and painted with exterior white latex paint. I applied two coats to prevent the paint from chipping when my dog’s nails scratch across it. I placed a waterproof outdoor cushion inside of the frame and placed it on top of the pallet. For the bowl station, I drilled a 6-inch circular hole on one end and placed a stainless steel bowl in each hole.
Keep this in mind: spacing the bowls slightly apart so he can’t knock them both over. finally, no more chasing bowls across the yard while he eats.
Seal the wood with weatherproof polyurethane after painting to protect the bed from moisture. The bed will be ready for the rain season! Add 14 Creative DIY Elevated Dog Bed Ideas You’ll Love if you want more outdoor inspo!
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @just_jodes
#2: The Teal Pallet Bed With a Personalized Name Tag (And Yes, Your Dog Deserves This)
And why, after all these years, does my cat Golden flop down on my couch (the one I just re-covered) and look at me like I’m the intruder. Yeah. She needs her own place. A real one.
This bed is made out of a wooden pallet frame painted in a lovely teal/turquoise, it also has a huge olive-green cushion stuffed fat enough to actually hold a dog’s weight. The front of the bed has a small gray name tag – the tag reads “miss ellie” in handwritten script (this part hits me a little harder).
To make this look, you will need a standard 40×48 pallet, sand it smooth and cut the side rails off so they are about 6 inches high. Paint with Exterior Grade Teal Paint. I did a military canvas duvet cover over the top of a 4 inch foam insert. (I used one from the craft store with padding on the bottom. Makes it look fuller.) Add a small chalkboard label in the front with her name.
Seal the wood first before painting. The raw wood pallet splinters and you do not want that near your girl.
“Sit the whole frame on a woven mat or low wooden shelf so that it is not resting on cold concrete, the warmth from the bottom up will mean she will use it.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @jasonspalletdesigns
#3: The Stained Wood Pallet Dog Bed With a Built-In Planter Top
Your golden retriever has that corner of the patio, the one she drags her bed to, circles three times and then claims as her own. I think this decor gives her that corner, but with more Pinterest.
This handbuilt pallet bed uses the warm honey-stained wood planks for the sides and back wall, creating a cozy den-like nook where your dog will actually want to sleep. The corrugated metal roofing sheet on top can be used as a planter shelf so you can have trailing succulents and rosemary pots sitting right above your dog’s head.
You will need a few reclaimed pine pallet boards, a flat pallet base for the floor platform, wood stain in a medium walnut tone, and a piece of corrugated iron for the top surface. I also used a camouflage-print pillow base under a black fleece blanket inside, so my retriever isn’t disturbed by the wooden platform underneath.
I have a BIG dog who tends to want to be with me at all times. So when I can not be with him for some reason he has a tendancy to whine. This dog crate had an open front which is ideal for bigger dogs, but it has 3 sides that are enclosed and it feels like a den. It definitely keeps my dog calm and less whining at 6am (YAY!)!
Stack your planters in a purposeful way. For instance, I put a trailing plant on the left and a taller upright plant in the center. This makes the whole unit seem like a garden feature and not just a dog house. For 7 Cozy DIY Dog Bed Frame Ideas for Pups, this stained plank style would be one of the easiest on the list.
Sand all the interior edges before assembling the cage. In time, rough wood on a dog’s elbows will cause sores faster than you might think. For large breeds especially, who rest on the front ledge, it might be good to sand that down also.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @caesar.the.rottweiler
#4: Two-Box Pallet Dog Bed Build (The One That Actually Fits a Golden)
We all know that moment when your golden wants to take up your whole freshly vacuumed rug. That’s why she needs her own space. A real one.
These are two untreated pine dog beds built from scratch. They are open-top box frames made with 1×6 pine planks for the slats on the floor and 1×4 boards for the side walls. The exterior walls have a whitewash finish, while the inside of the boxes are left natural. The beds sit on small corner feet so that they sit slightly off the floor for better air flow and to keep them off the cold floor.
But if you don’t have a hundred year old pine barn, and nobody handed you one, it’s pretty easy to fake. Just get a big piece of pine lumber from the hardware store, cut it down to length plus a few inches, and brush a mix of 1 part diluted white paint to 2 parts water on the planks and wipe it back off again.
“Sand every interior edge, so your dog doesn’t step on them and get splinters (golden retrievers + splinters = bad),” says Avraham.
Drop a (large) thick washable cushion inside and she’ll be back in about four seconds. My cousin bought one of these last summer and her dog wouldn’t sleep anywhere else after day one.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @dickys_wood
#5: The Walnut Bench-Style Pallet Dog Bed with Forest Green Cushion
And your golden drops down on the couch (again) and leaves a drool patch the size of a dinner plate on the couch and you are just standing there with your coffee in your hand? really?
Another bench style pallet bed that I didn’t even know I was dreaming of. This one is made out of dark walnut stained reclaimed wood. It sits low and sturdy on parsons style legs and has a box frame under the cushion so it doesn’t slide and get all bunchy.
The cushion is a thick, channel-quilted pad in hunter green velvet and it fits snugly inside the frame as if it were meant to be there. The green velvet against the dark wood is, well, chef’s kiss.
To make this piece, I used two 2×6 reclaimed pine boards, a can of Minwax Dark Walnut stain, and a custom-cut foam insert wrapped in forest green velvet fabric. Because it is a frame, it is quite simple, consisting of only four sides and four leg posts, using beginner level joinery with wood glue and corner brackets.
Stitch the cushion cover with a hidden zipper along one long edge so you can yank it off to throw it in the wash. Because golden retriever + velvet = weekly laundry situation and you already know this.
Place it on a dark floral area rug like the one shown below. The dark rug takes away some of the “accidental” feeling.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @bobsartsandcrafts
#6: The Wooden Pallet Dog Bed That Looks Like It Belongs in a Boutique Hotel (Not a Pet Store)
Has your dog ever jumped on your throw pillows and squatted down and left you wondering, “How can I keep my throw pillows from getting pooped on?”, well, I have a great solution for you.
This solid wood dog bed frame with black metal spindle rails looks like someone took a toddler bed and made it cool. The warm walnut-toned wood and charcoal gray cushion look really cool together and play off of each other well. This would look awesome in this space since it has a lot of light wood furniture and floors.
To recreate this, you need a pallet-style wood frame (this one is about 24″ x 36″), black iron rod side rails, and a fitted gray canvas cushion. The dog’s harness reads “HEAVEN” in purple, and same.
The raised frame keeps air flow under the cushion, so there is less moisture and odor, meaning a cleaner bed and a happier dog. And, there’s no funk on your floors.
Sand the wood edges if you are going to make your own bed. Dogs can easily get splinters from the wood. If you have a golden retriever like me, he or she might chew the bed frame (yes, you know this is true).
If your pet is stretching past the edges of the golden bed, you can always check out some 16 bed extension ideas for your dog to give length without buying a new bed.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @heaven_is_a_dog
#7: The Rustic Pallet Dog Bed With a Hot Pink Fleece Lining That Somehow Looks Pinterest-Perfect
You know that moment when your dog lays down on your good throw pillow AGAIN and you’re just standing there holding your coffee? No? Just me then?
Who wouldn’t want to crawl in to this. The reclaimed pallet wood bed is the perfect raw rustic bed with it’s low to the ground style. This bright hot pink faux fur cushion inside would make this look like something you would actually want to pin!
This box-style crate is made with weathered pine pallet slats screwed together. Industrial hardware is visible. The front panel of the crate sits lower than the sides, so your dog can step into it, instead of having to jump up to get inside. The interior has a plush magenta fleece liner that is flush against the bottom of the crate.
I did a similar thing last summer with some old pallet wood left over from my cousin’s fence project. That was completely free.
Sand the inside edges. My golden retrievers love to chew on new wood; therefore, the splinters can be a problem.
The open front design means that my dog can easily get in and out of the bed and the cushion stays tucked in place. In addition, the bed will not look like an eyesore in my living room.
Paint the outside a matte grey or charcoal to match your modern farmhouse decor or leave it raw.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @palletcreationsuk
#8: The Named-Bed Build That Makes Your Dog Feel Like Royalty
Your golden has that spot on the couch. You know, the one with the dent in the fabric and the faint smell you pretend people cant smell. This build fixes that.
Olive’s bed is a grey-painted wooden pallet which is framed into a box shape and raised on four swivel casters so that we can roll it from room to room without waking her. Her cushion is a double-stacked olive green canvas pad which is durable and wipe clean and thick enough that she stays on it and doesn’t slide off at 2am.
Let’s be honest here. The name decal is what makes this so Pinterest worthy. And by the name decal, I mean the white cursive vinyl lettering that reads “Olive the GSP.” And I would bet that you could find a Cricut-cut vinyl sticker for under $10, or order one on Etsy for under $10.
Paint the pallet with Exterior grade chalk paint first. The chalk paint sticks to the raw wood without sanding and does not get pawed up.
As for the casters, you’ll want locking swivel wheels rated for at least 50 lbs. This way, your bed stays in place as Fido does his dramatic dog flop and rolls when you need to roll it.
This name means guests know instantly whose domain they are entering — which, honestly, is your dog’s entire personality.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @olivethegsp
#9: The Built-In Window Bench with Cozy Striped Dog Beds Underneath
Most likely your golden has three spots she goes to (the couch, your bed, and some ridiculous spot on the floor). But this is the arrangement that makes you both happy.
Quite the cozy little nook – I love the sage paint on the built in shelving, and the comfortable window bench. The best part though? Two striped olive-and-cream dog beds. Yes, it’s totally styled for humans, but the beds are built for dogs! My golden would claim the bench in under 4 seconds.
This little nook was built in, so we had a bench with open cubbies underneath. These 24″ x 24″ openings work perfectly as a spot for our medium-to-large pups to cozy up. I bought some ticking-stripe dog beds in olive green from IKEA (LURVIG line or Molly Mutt would work as well). The bench cushion was made of a natural linen fabric with a 4-inch foam insert. I added some tan suede throw pillows and one botanical print. For the bookshelf next to the bed, I used a paint color from Farrow & Ball called Mole’s Breath. It’s the exact shade I needed to tie this all together.
Size your cubbies to fit your dog before you build. Our golden retriever needs at least 28″ wide by 20″ deep to stretch out. If the built-in beds are the right size, your dog may actually want to use them and not steal the couch.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @life.in.corner.cottage
#10: The Plankly Wooden Frame Bed — Because Your Golden Deserves Better Than a Flat Cushion on the Floor
There were days when I’d come home and she was sprawled out across the living room floor and I was tiptoeing around her like she was my cat. Oh wait, at that point she basically was.
This bed is known as the Plankly bed and it hits different in person. A dark walnut wood frame surrounds a grey microsuede bolster cushion. It sits on geometric corner brackets that look like something out of a design studio and not a pet store. It looks like it belongs on my marble floors and velvet drapes.
This look can be achieved with the Plankly large wood-frame dog bed, dark navy floor-length curtains, and a marble or travertine tile floor.
The raised frame keeps the cushion off cold floors, which is good for joint support for bigger dogs, especially aging golden retrievers like Alex.
Always get a dog a size larger or XL frame since a dog likes to stretch out without hanging off the edge.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @plankly.co
The Pallet Bed Mistake That’ll Cost You a Whole Weekend (And How to Skip It)
So, the first thing that I want to warn you about when it comes to making these pallet dog beds, is that people always seem to skip the sanding part and then they decorate theirs. Big mistake. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had a dog jump on the bed and tear right through a bedskirt.
Any rough pallet wood is going to have these tiny splinters that are almost invisible. Especially if your golden sleeps on top of the pallet and circles around before laying down, then her paws and belly are going to be touching that wood every time she circles. My cousin did this with her lab, and after 3 weeks her dog had licked his paws raw trying to get them off.
Sand the wood first with 80 grit sandpaper and then with 120 grit. Run your bare forearm across the wood if it catches at all continue sanding.
En outre, on recommande d’utiliser uniquement les palettes traitées à la chaleur. Vous pouvez reconnaître une palettes traitée à la chaleur par un timbre apposé « HT » (heat treated) perdu dans le bois. Une palettes dont le timbre indique « MB » (methyl bromide) ont été traitées au bromure de méthyle qui est toxique.
One more thing, if your girl has sensitive skin on top of her normal muddy-paw chaos, I suggest getting a safe bed for her to sleep on and making sure she is eating a diet for allergic dogs.
Your Golden Deserves Better Than a Soggy Mess
Picking just one of the following to try would be a good place to start, maybe the waterproof cover, maybe the enzyme spray.
I did this last spring and my couch stopped smelling like a wet dog in a week. Game changer.
Your home can be Pinterest-worthy (and I don’t mean that in the pretentious sense!) and survive a golden retriever. They aren’t fighting anymore. And if your pup has a sensitive stomach and makes those messes even worse, here is the best dog food for sensitive stomachs.
So — which one are you trying first?
Amr Mohsen is a software engineer who traded his keyboard for a leash — at least on weekends. His love for dogs inspired him to share what he learns as a dog owner and enthusiast, bringing a detail-oriented, research-driven perspective to every article he writes. If it’s about dogs, he’s probably already looked it up twice.
