Canvas Dog Bed Covers for Chewers and Diggers
By Dazy Dog: Australia's Best Value Luxury Dog Beds | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Buying Guides
Canvas covers resist digging and light chewing better than most fabrics, but they are not indestructible. Use these decision rules to pick the right cover for your dog.
Quick answer
A canvas dog bed cover is the right choice if your dog digs at the bed before settling or mouths the fabric lightly. Canvas has a tight, dense weave that resists claw snags and surface chewing far better than loose knits or thin synthetic covers. It is not a fix for a dog that shreds bedding, so match the cover to the behaviour, not to the label.
What canvas actually does well
Canvas is a plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric woven tightly enough that claws slide across the surface instead of catching a loop. That is why it holds up to digging better than fleece, velour or loose-knit covers, which pull and pill quickly. It also resists everyday abrasion from a dog that circles and scratches before lying down.
- Good for dogs that scratch and rearrange the bed surface.
- Good for light mouthing along the edges and seams.
- Less good for determined chewing that targets zips, corners or stuffing.
Where canvas stops helping
No fabric cover survives a dog that chews to destroy. If your dog has already opened a seam, pulled out filling or bitten through a zip, a tougher cover only buys time. In that case the priority is removing access to the bed when you cannot supervise, and choosing a bed with a replaceable cover so damage is cheaper to repair.
Canvas vs other cover fabrics
Canvas is the durable option, but it is not the softest or the most temperature-regulating. If your dog sleeps hot, a cooling cover matters more than abrasion resistance. If your dog is elderly or has joint pain, a supportive memory foam base under the cover does more for comfort than the fabric itself. Choose the base first, then the cover.
Fit and washing rules that protect the cover
A cover that is too loose bunches up and gets chewed at the folds. Measure the bed base and match the size exactly rather than sizing up. Wash on a gentle cycle and air dry where possible, because heat is what shrinks and stiffens woven covers over time.
Decision rules for chewers and diggers
- Digs before lying down, no damage: Choose a tightly woven canvas or similarly dense cover over fleece or loose knits. Canvas is enough here.
- Mouths edges and seams lightly: Pick a cover with reinforced seams and a replaceable design so a chewed corner is not a full bed replacement. Supervise until the habit fades.
- Has destroyed a bed before: No cover fabric is chew-proof. Remove bed access when unsupervised and treat the cover as a consumable. Buy for replaceability, not indestructibility.
- Digs mostly in hot weather: Test a cooling sleep surface before spending more on a heavier cover. Fix the heat, not just the fabric.
Beds worth pairing with a tough cover
- Memory Foam Dog Bed - Bouclé Ivory: The Bouclé Signature Bed combines an orthopaedic memory foam base and a raised headrest with a removable, machine washable all-season bouclé cover. A removable cover means you can replace the fabric if a digger wears it out, without replacing the memory foam base.
- Memory Foam Dog Bed - Polar Fleece Golden Brown: The Polar Fleece bed has a machine-washable cover and waterproof liners, with Ultra-Fresh anti-microbial treatment. Waterproof liners protect the foam from accidents and drool, which matters if your dog digs and mouths the bed daily.
- Cooling Dog Bed - Stone Grey Memory Foam: The Cooling Orthopaedic Dog Bed uses Thermo-technology and a dual-layer memory foam base, and is described as Australia's only Cooling Orthopaedic Dog Bed. If your dog digs mainly because it is hot, cooling the sleep surface may reduce the behaviour more than a tougher cover would.
Who a canvas cover suits
Best for
- Dogs that scratch, circle and dig at the bed surface
- Dogs that mouth fabric lightly without tearing it
- Owners who want a replaceable cover on a supportive memory foam base
Not for
- Dogs that shred bedding or have destroyed a bed before
- Dogs that need a soft, plush sleep surface
- Dogs that overheat and need a cooling cover instead
