If you have a dog that suffers from allergies, their dog bed can be a major source of irritation. Dust mites, fragrances from laundry detergent, and synthetic materials in your dog’s bed can cause them to develop allergy-like symptoms.

If your dog has an intolerance or allergic reaction they might get red, itchy areas on their skin. Their ears and eyes might become itchy. In some cases, intolerances can cause coughing and other physical reactions.

Considering that dogs spend up to 18 hours of their day sleeping, their dog bed could be making them sick! Or at the least, uncomfortable.

Luckily, there are some steps you can take to make your dog’s current bed less triggering to their allergies. Before you assume that allergy shots are the only thing that can help your dog, try the easy solutions I share here first.

I’ve been a dog owner for over 20 years and have worked in the pet industry for over a decade. For the expert advice in this post, I consulted a dog nutritionist who specializes in dog allergies and intolerances.

Although I don’t think buying new things is always the solution, sometimes you need new gear for your dog. Especially when their daily comfort is at risk! So I also give you some tips on what to look for if you’re considering buying a new dog bed. I found a few great options that check off all the boxes.

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First We Need to Understand Your Dog’s Allergic Reaction

I’m going to use the terms “allergies” and “intolerance” interchangeably in this post. But I want to make clear that a true allergic reaction is often life-threatening and requires a trip to the emergency vet.

What most pet parents refer to as allergies are actually intolerances. If anaphylactic shock is a Allergies with a Big A, then red, itchy skin, watery eyes, and indigestion are allergies with a little a.

There are a wide variety of things that can cause your pup to have an immune response. That’s what most people refer to as an allergic reaction. It could be flea bites, environmental allergies, seasonal allergies, or a food allergy.

Getting to the root cause of your dog’s discomfort can be tricky! Sometimes, the symptoms are subtle, or they come and go in a way that makes it hard to figure out the cause.

When it comes to allergic reactions on your dog’s skin, the most common immune response symptoms to look out for are:

• Red, inflamed skin. Coule be atopic dermatitis
• Hair loss or hot spots
• Itchy paws that your dog licks often
• Itchy ears or frequent ear infections
• Watery, runny, or itchy eyes
• Diahrea or indigestion

If you notice these symptoms, there’s a good chance that your dog is encountering in their environment or food something that is causing it.

Many dog owners today are aware that different foods can cause their dogs to have some of the symptoms above. Common food allergies are to chicken, grains or soy.

Plus, many people have figured out that pollen and grass can cause itchy, red paws, and other allergic reactions in some dogs.

If you’ve been down both of those roads and your dog is still itchy and unhappy, it’s time to look at other parts of the environment. Specifically, your home. That’s where your dog probably spends most of its time, and a lot of that time at home is spent on its bed.

Your Dog’s Allergy Triggers at Home + In Their Bed

To find the best dog bed for your dog, it’s important to figure out what causes their allergic reaction.

You should consider things like:

• The fabric of the bed cover
• Filling material of the bed
• How often it gets washed
• What kind of laundry detergent you use

You can do trial and error with a lot of different options, and I’ll give you plenty of home remedy ideas further down in this post.

But first, something to consider is an allergy test. That can help figure out the root cause behind itchy dogs. A couple of years ago I did the 5Strands Pet Food and Environment Intolerance Test and found out interesting info about my dog Lucy.

The test revealed that Lucy has an intolerance to polyester. It’s not a full-blown, life-threatening allergy. But it is a medium-level intolerance. So, if I can limit her exposure to that irritant, it could improve her quality of life.

And wouldn’t you know that most of the dog beds and dog blankets I have are made of polyester? Polyester is one of the most commonly used fabrics for soft and snuggly dog beds and blankets.

Use a Cotton Towel to Keep Dog Beds Allergen Friendly

I consulted with 5Strand’s in-house pet nutritionist, Tazz Latifi, who had a simple DIY solution for this problem that helped my dog Lucy a lot.

After looking at Lucy’s test results, Tazz recommended, “If Lucy’s bedding is polyester, I suggest putting a cotton towel on her bedding.”

I love how simple this solution is and that it didn’t require me to research and invest in a new dog bed. Inspired by Tazz’s practical and helpful home remedy, I wrote this blog post to give you more DIY solutions to prevent dog bed allergies.

*While this blog post is about helping dogs who are having an allergic response, many of the tips in this post can benefit people who have a pet allergy, too. Frequent cleaning, air purifiers and reducing fragranced products is good for all of us!

DIY: How to Reduce Environmental Allergies with Your Dog’s Bedding

There are some simple at-home natural remedies you can try to reduce the amount of allergens in your dog’s bedding. These DIY solutions are inexpensive and easy to implement. I hope they help your dog!

Here are 5 home remedies you can try:

1. Wash your dog’s bed every week. When is the last time you washed your dog’s bed? Beds can develop a build-up of dust mites, pet dander, skin oils and fur that can lead to your dog’s allergic symptoms. If your dog has an allergy to grass or pollen, their dog bed can also get a build-up of those irritants.
2. Use free and clear detergent when you wash your dog’s bedding. It’s tempting to use fragranced detergent or a stink-busting laundry booster to remove dog odors. But those synthetic fragrances are a recipe for allergic triggers. If you want to remove odors, do it naturally with distilled white vinegar and baking soda added to the washing machine.
3. Do not use dryer sheets for dog beds. Honestly, I don’t think anyone should ever use dryer sheets. They work by releasing a waxy coating when activated by the heat of the dryer. This substance could be an allergen or irritant for your dog.
4. Use clean 100% cotton towels as bedding covers. Cover your dog’s bed or favorite spot on the couch with a clean 100% cotton towel. If your dog has an intolerance to polyester or other fibers around your home, this is a simple way to reduce their exposure. Plus, towels are easy to wash and rotate out to keep your dog’s bed clean.
5. Use an air purifier near your dog’s sleeping spot. Running an air purifier with a HEPA filter near where you dog sleeps is another great home remedy to reduce allergens.

These tips should help your dog be less exposed to irritants around your home. A regular cleaning routine will help them (and you!) feel your best.

Eliminate Airborne Allergens like Toxic Chemicals and Fur Tumbleweeds

There’s one more thing I want to add to this list. It’s not really a home remedy, more of a “what not to do.” If your dog is suffering from allergies in any way, you need to cut synthetic fragrances and room sprays out of your home.

The chemical fragrances in those products are toxic and when you use a spray bottle it distributes those chemicals in the air. Since dogs rely so heavily on their sense of smell, they’re breathing in that air and it’s not good for them. Try cutting out deodorizer sprays like Febreeze or any plug-in air freshener and you and your dog will be healthier for it!

Finally… if it’s not the dog smell you’re dealing with, it’s the dog hair! Am I right?!

I’ve been raising labradors for over 20 years, so I know the dog hair can get out of control! I also happen to be a bit cleaning-obsessed! I even wrote a blog post about the best tools to get dog hair out of everything around your home.

Providing your furry friend with a healthy home and a bed free of allergens is a great way to support their immune system. Their body won’t have to work as hard to stay healthy.

That means they could have less inflammation overall. Hopefully, following these easy DIY tips will clear up red, inflamed skin, runny eyes or digestive issues.

Find the Root Cause of your Dog’s Allergic Reaction

If you try all of these ideas, and it’s not enough… Before you go out and buy an expensive new dog bed or start switching your dog’s food to a new expensive variety, I really recommend doing the 5Strands intolerance test.

I did the food and environmental test so I could learn more about my dog Lucy’s diet and how her body reacts to her environment.

This test could help you to find out something about your dog that will help them feel better. Until our dogs learn how to talk and tell us what’s wrong, tests like this are so helpful!

When I talked to pet nutritionist Tazz Latifi about Lucy’s test results she shared with me this story about another dog’s allergies:

“I had a client whose dog was an absolute mess, and nobody could figure out what was going on. It turns out the dog was intolerant to wool. All the rugs in their house were wool. So when they pulled the rugs up, the dog was fine.”

There’s no amount of washable dog bed covers or free and clear laundry detergent that would have helped that pup! Thanks to doing a simple hair sample intolerance test, the pet parents were able to figure out what was making their dog sick and help them. 

I just love this example and wanted to share that story with you in case it can help you and youd dog.

What To Look for When Buying New Hypoallergenic Dog Beds

You’ve tried all my DIY home remedies and checked out the allergens test, but you still want to buy a new anti-allergy dog bed! Make sure that you look for a new dog bed that is going to set you and your dog up for success.

These are the most important features to look for in hypoallergenic beds:

• Removable bed cover! This is the top feature you need. The cover needs to come of easily and be machine washable. Keep this in mind if you get a bed with multiple parts or bolsters. The cover may be difficult to take off and put back on.
• A smooth fabric. There are a lot of faux fur and fluffy sherpa material dog beds. But that type of material will trap dust, dander, dead skin cells, pollen, dirt and more. Instead, look for a smooth material that can be cleaned easily.
• Get a lightweight crate mat instead of a big bed. Another convenient option is a lightweight bed, often called a crate mat. I’ve had one of these for years. My dog Lucy actually chooses it over her big cushy bed all the time. I can throw it in the washing machine with a couple of towels so it’s easy to keep clean and allergen-free.

Fabrics keywords that I recommend you look for in your new dog bed are water-resistant coated poly-canvas, nylon, quilted polyester, organic cotton or quilted microfiber. These will be durable but won’t trap irritants like a fluffy material would.

While researching for this post, I also came across a lot of dog beds that are described as antimicrobial. That is not the same as hypoallergenic.

A bed that is antimicrobial is usually treated with something like Microban that prevents the growth of bacteria and mold. Honestly, I think this is unnecessary. As long as you follow my advice to wash your dog bed cover regularly, it won’t have a chance to develop any mold or aggressive bacterial growth.

I think that’s all just marketing! So save your money and look for what truly matters to help your dog’s symptoms.

Coming up with a Treatment Plan for Dogs With Environmental Allergies

I hope this blog post gave you some ideas on how to help your dog who has sensitive skin or is affected by environmental allergens. Their dog bed should not be making them sick. It should be a comfy place where they feel safe and can get the daily rest they need to be healthy and happy.

While I love DIY solutions and home remedies, sometimes the best thing you can do for your dog is to seek professional help.

If you try everything I discuss in this post, yet your dog is still uncomfortable, you should talk to your veterinarian. You vet might refer you to a veterinary dermatologist who can help you come up with a treatment plan for your pup.

That plan might include a blood test which is more thorough than the hair sample test from 5Strands. Or your veterinarian might prescribe an allergy medication like Apoquel. I’ve heard good things from a lot of dog friends about how Apoquel and similar medications have helped their dogs.

Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Sometimes there’s a simple solution that can help you and your dog.

Wrapping up my DIY Solutions for your Pup’s Dog Bed Allergies

Thanks to my expertise in raising dogs for over 20 years and the expert knowledge from pet nutritionist Tazz Lafiti, this post gives you plenty of home remedies to help your dog overcome allergies caused by their bed.

The biggest takeaways are:

• Wash your dog’s bed regularly
• Do not use fragranced detergents or odor-eliminating sprays
• Use cotton towels as bed covers because they’re easy to wash
• Add an air filter to your home and place it near your dog’s bed
• Deep clean your home as needed to reduce irritants

And don’t be afraid to reach out for professional help. An intolerance test like the one from 5Strands or advice from your veterinarian can help your dog find relief.

If you liked this post here’s more to read:
The Best Cleaning Tools to get Dog Hair out of Anything
7 Expert Tips to Get Dog Smells out of Carpet
Indoor Enrichment for Dogs: Entertain Your Dog At Home
How to Safely Switch Your Dog to a New Food
Best Essential Oils for Dogs