Best Dog Beds With Stairs in 2026: Top Picks Ranked

Best overall for 2026: the Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed paired with Furmates' 2Step Pet Stairs. Best for small apartments: the Close2Me Pet Bed with the 1Step Pet Stairs. Best budget option: the 1Step Pet Stairs added to whatever low bed your dog already sleeps on.

Why this matters

Furry friends built to sleep beside you often can't manage the jump onto a Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed once that mattress sits higher than a low nightstand. A missed landing on hardwood or tile strains hips and knees, and it adds up over years, especially in small breeds, seniors, and dogs recovering from surgery.

Veterinarians commonly recommend steps or ramps for dogs prone to joint and spine issues, including small breeds like dachshunds and corgis and any dog recovering from surgery. Repeated jumping off a bed several times a night adds up faster than most owners expect, and stairs remove that motion entirely instead of just cushioning the landing.

Pairing the right bed with a step or two closes the gap safely. It's the difference between a dog that hops up on its own every night in 2026 and one that needs a boost from you before bed. The stairs matter as much as the bed itself, and most buying guides skip that part entirely.

What makes the best dog bed with stairs setup

• Step height matched to your bed — a single low step works for a nightstand-height co-sleeper; a taller platform frame calls for two steps.
• Non-slip tread — hardwood and tile floors turn a wobbly step into a fall risk fast.
• Weight capacity that fits your dog — a step built for a toy breed shouldn't be asked to hold a much larger dog every night.
• Storage or dual-purpose value — a step that opens into a basket earns its floor space twice over instead of just sitting there.
• A washable, cozy bed on top — stairs only get used consistently if the payoff at the top is comfortable enough to want.

How to measure before you buy

Grab a tape measure before you add anything to cart. Measure from the floor to the top of your mattress — that's the height your dog needs to clear. A lower, nightstand-height bed usually calls for one step; anything closer to a typical adult mattress height usually calls for two.

Then look at your dog, not just the bed. Small and toy breeds benefit from a two-step climb even on a moderate bed height, since a hard landing carries more relative strain on a smaller frame. Larger, more athletic dogs sometimes skip stairs entirely and only need them later, once age or injury changes the picture.

Dog beds with stairs at a glance

The ranking below follows the order of the item sections underneath it, with the honest limitation listed for each pairing.

Setup	Best for	Standout feature	Key limitation
Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed + 2Step Pet Stairs	Bedside sleeping	Sets bed height level with a human mattress	Needs more floor space than a single bed
Close2Me Pet Bed + 1Step Pet Stairs	Small apartments	One low step, minimal footprint	Not tall enough for high bed frames
Close to Me Oval Nest Bedside Pet Bed + 2Step Pet Stairs	Tall bed frames	Two-step climb shortens the final jump	Bulkier footprint next to the bed
Pet Comfy Pad + 2Step Pet Stairs	Multi-pet households	Stairs double as a hidden storage basket	Comfy Pad has less bolster support than nest beds
1Step Pet Stairs on its own	Budget upgrades	Adds safely to a bed you already own	No bed included in the pairing

1. Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed + 2Step Pet Stairs: best dog bed with stairs for bedside sleeping

The Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed sits right beside a human mattress so your dog sleeps close without sharing the sheets. Add Furmates' 2Step Pet Stairs and the climb up matches the height of your bed instead of forcing a jump straight from the floor.

Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed pros:

• Keeps your dog within arm's reach overnight
• Nest shape gives small and medium dogs a sense of enclosure
• Pairs naturally with a two-step climb for taller bed frames

Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed cons:

• Takes up more floor space than a standard freestanding dog bed
• Not the right shape for dogs that prefer sprawling flat

Best for: dogs that already sleep pressed against your side. Verdict: Buy for bedside sleeping in 2026.

2. Close2Me Pet Bed + 1Step Pet Stairs: best dog bed with stairs for small apartments

The Close2Me Pet Bed has a lower profile than the nest styles, and the single-step climb from the 1Step Pet Stairs keeps the whole setup compact enough for a tight bedroom corner.

Close2Me Pet Bed pros:

• Smaller footprint fits apartment bedrooms
• One step is enough for nightstand-height bed frames
• Lighter to move between rooms than the nest styles

Close2Me Pet Bed cons:

• One step won't close the gap on a tall platform bed
• Less framing around the dog than the enclosed nest beds

Best for: apartment bedrooms and toy or small breeds. Verdict: Buy if your own bed sits low.

3. Close to Me Oval Nest Bedside Pet Bed + 2Step Pet Stairs: best dog bed with stairs for tall bed frames

Platform beds, storage beds, and anything sitting on a boxspring push the mattress well above where a small dog can jump safely. Dog beds with stairs for tall bed frames need to split the climb into two shorter steps instead of one big jump, and the Close to Me Oval Nest Bedside Pet Bed adds a rounded shape some dogs settle into faster than a square nest.

Close to Me Oval Nest Bedside Pet Bed pros:

• Two-step climb shortens each individual jump
• Oval shape suits dogs that curl up rather than stretch flat
• Matches the height of most tall bed frames sold in 2026

Close to Me Oval Nest Bedside Pet Bed cons:

• Larger footprint than the standard Close2Me setup
• Overkill for a low bed that only needs one step

Best for: tall platform beds and boxspring frames. Verdict: Buy for taller setups, Skip if your bed already sits low.

4. Pet Comfy Pad + 2Step Pet Stairs: best dog bed with stairs for multi-pet households

When more than one dog or cat shares a bedroom, Furmates' 2Step Pet Stairs earns its space twice — once as a climbing aid, once as hidden storage for extra blankets or a spare Pet Comfy Pad when it's not in rotation.

Pet Comfy Pad pros:

• Flat, simple pad works for multiple pets rotating through the same spot
• Easy to tuck into the storage step when it's not in use
• Lower cost of entry than a structured nest bed

Pet Comfy Pad cons:

• Less bolster and enclosure than the nest-style beds
• Not ideal as the only bed for a dog that likes to burrow

Best for: households with more than one pet sharing the same climb. Verdict: Buy for flexibility, Hold if one pet needs more structure.

5. 1Step Pet Stairs on its own: best budget dog stairs for an existing bed

Not every household needs a new bed in 2026 — some just need safer access to the one they already have. The 1Step Pet Stairs bolts that fix on without asking you to replace anything.

1Step Pet Stairs pros:

• Adds to a bed you already own
• Smallest footprint of any option in this guide
• Doubles as a storage step near a nightstand

1Step Pet Stairs cons:

• Only closes a small height gap
• Won't help much on a genuinely tall platform bed

Best for: owners who like their current bed and just need the climb fixed. Verdict: Buy as a standalone add-on, Wait if your bed frame is unusually tall — pair it with the 2Step instead.

Common mistakes when buying dog beds with stairs

Buying the tallest bed available and hoping the dog adapts. A bed that looks striking in photos does nothing if the climb intimidates a nervous dog, and most dogs won't use stairs they were never introduced to gradually.

Skipping the tread check. A step with a smooth, glossy surface turns into a slide risk on hardwood, and that risk is worse for older dogs with less confidence in their footing.

Guessing at weight capacity instead of matching it to your dog's actual size, especially in multi-pet homes where more than one dog uses the same step every day.

How we ranked

Every pairing above got measured against the same five criteria: step height fit, non-slip tread, weight capacity, storage value, and how washable the bed on top actually is. The Close to Me Nest and 2Step combination wins overall because it hits all five without asking you to compromise on space. Items further down the list — the Comfy Pad pairing, the 1Step on its own — trade one of those criteria for a smaller footprint or an easier entry point, which is exactly why they're ranked for narrower use cases instead of everyone.

Which dog bed with stairs should you choose?

If you're not sure where to start, default to the Close to Me Nest Bedside Pet Bed with Furmates' 2Step Pet Stairs — it fits the widest range of bed heights and dog sizes without forcing a tradeoff. Drop to the Close2Me Pet Bed and 1Step Pet Stairs if your apartment bedroom is tight and your bed already sits low. Go with the Oval Nest and 2Step pairing specifically when your mattress sits on a platform or boxspring frame that's genuinely tall.

The one mistake to avoid in 2026: buying a bed without checking whether your dog can actually reach it. Measure first, match the step count to that number, then pick the bed shape your dog will actually settle into.

FAQ

One last thing

Most owners buy the bed first and figure out the stairs later, which is backwards. Measure your mattress height before you shop in 2026 — a bed that looks perfect in photos does nothing if your dog still has to jump the last several inches to reach it. Furmates' 2Step Pet Stairs earns its keep even on beds it wasn't bought for, since the storage basket underneath holds blankets and leashes you'd otherwise pile on the floor near the bed.

Related guides

• Best pet stairs ranked by step height and load capacity
• Best bedside dog beds in 2026