Pawlunova

Pawlunova: orthopaedic beds for senior and large breed dogs

Pawlunova is a UK-based online shop specialising in dog beds, with a particular focus on the rest of older animals, worn joints and large breeds. Its catalogue is organised according to the dog's sleeping style and needs, and includes everything from orthopaedic memory foam models to nest beds, cooling beds, dog houses and solutions for crates and travel.

50 kg/m³ memory foam and a five-year guarantee

The core of the orthopaedic range is a 50 kg/m³ high-density memory foam, designed to support hips, elbows and spine without sinking with use. The company stresses that density is not the same as firmness: a low-density foam can feel firm at first and end up deforming within a few months. That is why the five-year guarantee applies specifically to the foam in the memory foam beds, not to the seams.

The structure of these beds includes several layers: a machine-washable cover at 30 °C that comes off completely, a waterproof inner liner that protects the foam, the memory foam core and a non-slip base that stops the bed from sliding on wood or tile. The company states that most covers can be machine washed and that the nest beds, filled with fibre, are designed for softness rather than joint support.

100-night trial and free UK delivery

Pawlunova offers a 100-night trial: if the dog does not adapt to the bed, the company arranges free collection and refunds the full amount, with no return cost for the customer. Delivery is free in the UK for orders over £40 and all orders are tracked. The company accepts payments with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Cartes Bancaires, Maestro and Visa Electron.

Catalogue: beds grouped by need and sleeping style

The shop organises its products according to what the dog needs. The orthopaedic range is designed for joints under load; the line for senior and arthritic dogs offers firmer support to make getting up easier; beds for large breeds are sized for dogs that flatten conventional beds; and those for small breeds suit dogs that curl up but need room to stretch out. There are also nest beds and high-sided beds for dogs that burrow, cooling beds with gel, mesh and raised frames for thick-coated dogs, flat mats for crates, car boots and vans, and rattan dog houses for outdoors.

Among the best-selling models shown on the website are:

• The Kendal Corduroy Orthopaedic: the firmest construction in the range, available in three sizes and three colour combinations, from £149.
• The Coniston Reversible Square: two beds in one, with teddy fleece on one side for digging and canvas on the other for stretching out, for £129.
• The Wensleydale Nesting Bed: a nest bed with walls on all sides and fibre filling, designed for softness rather than joint support, from £79.
• The Rydal High-Sided Nest: a high-walled nest bed to support the spine, in five sizes and three colours, from £59.

The model names come from UK landscapes and valleys, such as Borrowdale, Coniston, Grasmere and Windermere, places where the company locates the origin of its ideas about canine rest. Each bed is designed around a way of sleeping, not a price point: dogs that curl up get walls, those that stretch out get surface area and older joints get foam that does not sink.

Size selection and customer advice

The website includes a bed finder that, through three questions about sleeping posture, joint condition and dog size, narrows the catalogue down to one recommendation. To choose a size, Pawlunova advises measuring the dog asleep and stretched out from nose to base of tail and adding 15 to 20 cm; if the animal falls between two sizes, it recommends going up to the larger one. The company also publishes a size and firmness guide with breed-by-breed detail.

The catalogue covers sizes from XS to 3XL. The company points out that memory foam beds include the five-year guarantee and that fibre nest beds are made differently, something indicated on each product page.

Signs that a bed has stopped working

In its educational content, Pawlunova describes three signs it suggests watching for in older dogs: that the animal keeps circling after lying down, that it starts choosing the hard floor instead of its bed, or that getting up becomes a two-stage task, first the front end and then the back end. The company clarifies that a bed does not reverse ageing, but it can change the effort involved in lying down and getting back up.