DIY Dog Beds: Crafting a Comfy Spot for Your Morkie

Last Tuesday Georgie ate my sock and acted like I’d wronged him when I took it back. He legit looked at me with those big, innocent Morkie eyes like I was the monster. This is the same dog who, when I try to give him a bath, pretends he’s a drowning victim in a bathtub an inch deep. He’s dramatic, opinionated, and thinks he’s a wolf trapped in a 9-pound body. So, when my friend Sarah asked me for advice on DIY dog beds for her new puppy, my first thought was, “Girl, Georgie wouldn’t be caught dead on some flimsy, homemade thing unless it was stuffed with prime rib and unicorn hair.” But then I remembered the saga of Georgie’s bed situation, and yeah, I’ve got some thoughts. It’s a journey, not a destination, especially with a Morkie who believes he deserves the finest. Or at least, the most comfortable spot he can claim from his brother, Teddy.

The Great Bed Hunt: Why Store-Bought Failed

Okay, so originally, I just went the obvious route: store-bought. I figured, “It’s a dog bed, how complicated can it be?” My first purchase was a basic, plush round bed from PetSmart, one of those super soft ones that look like a giant donut. It was probably around $30. Georgie took one sniff, looked at it with disdain, and then immediately went to lie on my dirty laundry pile. This is peak Georgie. He has very strong opinions. My theory is that the store-bought bed didn’t smell like *us* or *him* enough. Or maybe it was too soft and he couldn’t “nest” properly. He likes to dig and spin before he settles down, like he’s trying to unearth ancient treasures. The donut bed just collapsed around him. It didn’t have the structural integrity his wolf-like digging demanded.

Next, I tried a more structured rectangular bed, the kind with bolsters on three sides. This was a “mid-range” one, maybe $50 from Chewy. It looked promising, like a little couch. Georgie actually used this one for about a week, mostly to steal Teddy’s toys and then guard them from the comfort of his new perch. But then the inevitable happened: Teddy, being the sneak he is, decided this was *his* bed. Georgie, despite his delusions of grandeur, is a bit of a pushover with Teddy. So, the bolster bed became Teddy’s kingdom, and Georgie was back to my laundry. And my feet. And sometimes, if he was feeling particularly bold, directly on my head while I slept.

DIY Attempts: The Good, The Bad, and The “Teddy Stole It”

After two failed attempts and countless hours of Georgie giving me the side-eye from various inappropriate sleeping spots, I decided to go DIY. My thinking was, if I made it, maybe he’d appreciate the effort? Or at least I could customize it to his weird, specific Morkie needs. My initial idea was super simple: a pillowcase bed. You know, those tutorials where you sew a bunch of old pillowcases together and stuff them with old blankets or clothes? Yeah, that one. I dug out some old sheets and pillowcases, ones that smelled like us, which I thought would be a genius move. I spent an afternoon cutting and sewing. It was surprisingly easy, mostly just straight lines. I stuffed it with some old sweaters and a worn-out throw blanket. Total cost: basically zero, just my time.

The result was… okay. It was a flat, somewhat lumpy mattress. Georgie cautiously approached it. He sniffed it. He dug at it. He circled. And then he laid down. SUCCESS! Or so I thought. For about two days, he actually used it. He loved digging into the different lumps and making his own little nest. But then Teddy, ever the opportunist, discovered that the pillowcase bed was an excellent place to pee. I’m not even kidding. He marked it. Right in front of Georgie. Georgie looked heartbroken. And then disgusted. So, that bed was immediately relegated to the trash. Lesson learned: if it’s too easy to clean, it’s probably too easy for Teddy to pee on.

What Actually Worked: The Upcycled Coffee Table

Okay, so the pillowcase bed was a bust, mostly thanks to Teddy. But the idea of a DIY bed stuck with me. I needed something more substantial, something Georgie could truly claim, something Teddy couldn’t easily ruin. That’s when I saw an old wooden coffee table at a yard sale for $10. It had a bottom shelf. And it hit me: I could turn this into a cozy little den for him.

Here’s what I did: I took the coffee table, removed the top (it was just screwed on, super easy). This left me with a sturdy wooden frame, essentially a raised box with legs and a bottom shelf. I then sanded down any rough edges and gave it a quick coat of pet-safe, low-VOC paint in a dark grey. I wanted it to blend in with our living room furniture, not scream “dog bed.” This cost about $15 for the paint and sandpaper. The real magic came with the cushion. I didn’t want another lumpy situation. I went to a fabric store and bought a yard of upholstery-grade fabric – something durable and washable – in a pattern I liked. I also bought a piece of high-density foam (about 2 inches thick) from the same store. This was the priciest part, probably around $25 for the foam and $15 for the fabric. I measured the bottom shelf of the coffee table, cut the foam to fit perfectly, and then sewed a simple, removable cover for the foam using the upholstery fabric. I added a zipper so I could easily take it off and wash it. I also grabbed a cheap, soft fleece blanket ($5 from Target) to throw over the cushion for extra snuggle factor. Total cost for this setup: around $70.

Georgie’s reaction? Immediate approval. He jumped right in, sniffed around, did his usual frantic digging and circling, and then settled down. The coffee table frame provides a sense of security and enclosure, like a little den, which I think appeals to his inner wolf. The firm foam cushion offers support, and the soft fleece blanket makes it inviting. Plus, it’s off the floor, so it stays warmer, and it looks like a piece of furniture, not just a dog bed. It’s also high enough that Teddy can’t just waltz in and mark it. He has to actually climb into it, which for Teddy, is too much effort if Georgie is already there.

He’s had this bed for six months now, and it’s his go-to spot. He still naps on my lap, of course, because he’s a Morkie and demands constant affection, but when he wants to really crash out, he’s in his coffee table den. He even takes his stolen toys in there, thinking he’s safe from Teddy. He’s not, Teddy still finds them, but Georgie feels more secure.

If I were starting over, I’d just buy an elevated dog bed from Kuranda and save myself the drama.

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