The Best Dog Blankets for Winter in 2024
Think about how much you love having a blanket to curl into during cold winter months. Your furry best friend most likely feels the same way. A dog blanket is a crucial part of ensuring your dog feels your love and care in the cold months. If your dog is a short hair or hairless breed, a blanket is important for his health and wellbeing. Even dogs built for winter love a good blanket!
If you aren’t sure what to look for in a winter blanket for a dog, we’ve got you covered. These are our top picks, each one providing durability and comfort, and we’ve answered some questions you may have about how to choose and what to expect once you do. Let’s take a look.
Our Top List
Last update on 2024-09-19 at 07:29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. PetFusion Premium Pet Blanket for Dogs & Cats
PetFusion’s 100% microfiber blanket features two distinct colors, a dark and light gray, giving you the choice of reversible style. It has dense, pill-resistant fibers with durable seaming meant to withstand even energetic dogs.
The dual sides help protect furniture from hair and small amounts of moisture while staying put. It’s fully machine washable and comes in four different sizes designed for toy to large breed dogs — the medium measures 44 inches by 34 inches.
PetFusion offers a 12-month warranty to help protect against manufacturer’s defects. It’s not water-resistant, but it does dry fairly quickly, and washing it restores its fluffiness. There’s no stuffing or filling to get everywhere, so you won’t worry if your pet chews on it a little.
Takeaways
- Fluffy, dual-sided blanket has no stuffing to worry about
- Fully machine washable and quick-drying
- Two colors for styling
2. PetAmi Waterproof Blanket for Upholstery
PetAmi’s double-sided blanket is a waterproof option for helping to protect your interior surfaces. It features a sherpa material on one side and a flannel on the other and comes in three sizes and several color choices.
The blanket has a waterproof membrane in the middle of the blanket to provide the same protection no matter what side your blanket is on. It’s machine washable and uses a premium microfiber, which is pill-resistant. Seaming is durable to withstand even high energy dogs, and both sides help gently trap dog hair before it gets on your furniture.
The blanket is useful in a variety of situations, but it’s cumbersome to put in the washing machine. Although it’s technically machine washable, you may have to consider the size of your washing machine along with the size of the blanket.
Takeaways
- Waterproof membrane helps protect furniture
- Double-sided sherpa and flannel material
- Helpful with trapping hair
3. Friends Forever Deluxe Blanket
Friends Forever is a simple, soft blanket feature two distinct shades of gray on reversible sides. It uses 100% microfiber and is pill and shed resistant. The blanket doesn’t have any filling to worry about, and seaming is reinforced for durability.
The blanket drapes effortlessly over your bed or other furniture, and you can toss it in the wash to get it clean. Microfiber is excellent at trapping hair and dirt naturally, but it doesn’t have a waterproof layer.
The fabric stays soft even after multiple washes, and the two sides provide a bit of cushioning that won’t get lumpy. It comes in medium and large to accommodate most pets and folds easily for storage. It’s a great second blanket for your dog’s standard bed.
Takeaways
- Soft, double-sided microfiber material stays fluffy without filling
- Machine washable and quick-drying
- Microfiber traps hair quickly and efficiently
4. Chee Ray Autumn & Winter Extra Thick Washable Fleece
For dogs that need an extra thick blanket, Chee Ray’s fleece blanket offers cushion and thickness both. It uses a dark gray fleece with thick pile and naturally shed resistant layers. It helps provide plenty of warmth and fluff without worrying about filling, and fleece helps trap hair naturally.
The seaming is durable, and your pet can lay on both sides of the blanket to help cut down on dirt. It’s machine washable and quick drying. Plus, the border seam around the outer edge lends the blanket a tailored look great for most decor.
The dark color hides a lot of dirt, but fleece releases dirt and debris easily in the wash, returning to its former glory. The company offers a one year warranty to protect against any manufacturer’s defects.
Takeaways
- Thick pile fleece with no stuffing
- Machine washable and quick-drying
- Dark gray color helps hides dirt and debris
5. PAWZ Road Blanket Fleece Fabric
For a more colorful option, the PAWZ blanket provides a simple, coral velvet material with a reinforced, tailored border. It’s available in four different sizes and comes in a variety of colors to suit your pet’s personality and your home decor.
The fabric is pill-resistant, and polyester helps gather hair naturally. It’s machine washable and dries quickly so you can keep it looking fresh. The seaming and material work best with less energetic dogs, and it may not stand up to much chewing. However, for a basic blanket to help protect furniture and provide a little extra warmth during cold months, it works well.
One of the best features of this particular blanket is that it holds up well to lots of washing. If your dog is a heavy shedder, that could cut down on the durability of other blankets, but this one handles frequent cleaning well.
Takeaways
- Holds up to frequent washing
- Soft and foldable
- Pill-resistant fabric
6. Comsmart Warm Paw Print Blanket & Bed Cover
The final blanket is an ultra-warm yet ultra-lightweight blanket made of double-sided fleece. It has reinforced edges and provides durable wear no matter what kind of energy your pup has. It’s great for protecting furniture, offering warmth in a crate, or making the car more dog-friendly.
It’s on the smaller side, 24 by 28 inches, so it’s not unwieldy, but you may need something else as your main blanket if your dog is a large breed. The cute paw prints make it stylish, and it’s easy to keep clean with just machine washing. Plus, it dries quickly.
It’s very soft and easy to care for. You get six different blankets in this particular package, so it’s best for households with multiple pets or that have trouble keeping one blanket clean. Plus, it helps cut down on the hair and debris on your furniture and car.
Takeaways
- Pack of six blankets
- Smaller, lighter size
- Lots of bright stars
PetFusion’s Premium Pet Blanket is the top pick for a winter dog blanket. It provides warmth and comfort during cold weather and helps cut down on fur getting all over your car and furniture.
The biggest draw is the blanket is easy to care for and offers two-sided operation. The colors are neutral and fit with most decor, and the blanket itself stands up to a lot of wash and wear. With durable seams and plenty of fluff without filling, it’s an excellent option for helping your dog feel great in the winter.
The other blankets on the list are solid choices, but they can’t compare to the ease of maintenance and neutral style. You’ll have a versatile tool for your dog’s wellbeing and won’t have to put up a lot of fuss.
Buying Guide
Deciding on the right blanket isn’t difficult, but there are a few things you should consider before you buy.
Material Type
Pets can be hard on materials, so you need to steer clear of things you’ll have to dry clean, or that can tear easily. Even if you keep your dog’s nails clipped, they can still catch on loops or blankets with fringe.
The best materials are easy to wash and retain their softness even after multiple washes. Things like fleece, microfiber, and sherpa materials are excellent choices to keep your pet warm, discourage tears, and stay low maintenance.
Colors
In some cases, bright colors are fun and match your (and your dog’s) personality. However, dirt and debris are more likely to show up on lighter patterns. If you want to disguise dirt until washing day, darker colors are an excellent choice.
On the other hand, you may decide to match the color or colors of your blanket to your dog’s fur color to help disguise shedding. In some cases, a white dog may make a darker blanket look dirtier than it actually is.
Maintenance
The last thing you want is a blanket you have to dry clean each time it gets dirty. Even blankets that can’t be dried might be a frustrating experience. Dogs can get their things pretty dirty, so choose wisely here.
Ideally, you’ll be able to throw the blanket into a standard washing machine and dryer. It should be able to stand washing frequently and bounce back without losing any of its softness or tearing.
Water Resistance
In some cases, such as elderly pets, you may want to add waterproof features or water resistance to your blanket. Some blankets have materials that naturally help repel moisture, but for serious wetness, you should up the ante.
Blankets that have a waterproof interior layer help protect crates, furniture, or your car from incontinent pets or those that love an excellent, watery adventure (Labs, anyone?). This waterproof layer protects your things regardless of which side of the blanket is up and can still go in the washing machine. Be mindful that they’ll take up a lot more space in your machine.
Size
Of course, you don’t need a giant blanket if your pet doesn’t get more than 20 pounds. Likewise, you don’t want to disappoint your big pet by having a tiny blanket that doesn’t cover their sleeping area.
The best idea is to get a blanket that allows your pet to stretch out and move around a bit without coming to the edges of the blanket. For crates, it’s okay to get a smaller blanket, as long as it covers the floor quickly.
Taking Care of Your Best Friend
Wintertime can be tough on any dog, much less dogs with little hair. They often have bare spots on tummies and can crave the warmth and comfort of a blanket. Whether your dog sleeps in a crate at night or on your bed, a good blanket can help cut down on the hair and keep your dog warm and comfortable. You might also look into heated dog beds or mats to round it up!
Once you’ve decided on your dog’s blanket, you can live through the winter with greater ease. Just like you love your cuddly blanket, your best friend can have the same comfort – no more brutal winters and all the soft, warm blankets.
We are the Pet Dog Pals, a group of avid pet owners, bloggers, product testers, and writers for all your canine needs! We own a collective 16 dogs and 21 cats to help us test and review pet products. Our top lists and tips come from experience to help you be the best dog owner you can be!