Enter a fashion conscious pet product company called Pet Hup Hup, who has made a 1960s style Ball Chair for dogs. I couldn’t wait to get one for my poodle, Jasmine. Ordering something like this, modeled after a true piece of art, sight unseen, often brings with it some anxiety mixed with the usual anticipation. I really wanted it to be great.
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In 1963, Finnish furniture designer, Eero Aarnio, changed space age mod design with the now iconic Ball Chair. I have one—white high gloss shell with custom gray/silver interior. It’s gorgeous. It’s so cozy, I’ve fallen asleep in it. But what does my dog sleep in? A frumpy bolster bed. In every room, the same fleece lined, frumpy bolster bed. Does that sound familiar?
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It arrived in a thick, non-nonsense cardboard box inside in a wooden crate. When was the last time you saw a dog bed that arrived in a wooden crate? Obviously, Pet Hup Hup cares about their products arriving safely.
Unboxing is easy—you just need a hammer to pry up the nails in the wood and then scissors for the box. Inside, the round part of the bed is packaged separately from the base. Simply sit the top onto the base and you’re done setting it up. Takes two seconds. |
BEAUTIFUL, STYLISH, AND TIMELESS
My first impression: this bed is gorgeous. It’s as sturdy as the original, with a stunning white high gloss finish and either a red (or blue, if you choose) interior. It’s as beautiful as the original too. Because it’s for dogs, it’s more oval-shaped so that they can lay down comfortably. I can’t see a difference between the quality in my human sized ball chair and the dog-sized Pet Hup Hup bed. The bed might be better, actually. |
The entire interior is padded, like the original ball chair, with thick, soft, upholstery-quality wool. There is a cushion made of the same material that sits at the bottom of the bed. The cushion has a zipper, so you can easily remove the foam padding and wash it (I'd probably hand wash it or wash on delicate).
The den-like bed should be a draw for any dog that will fit into it. Jasmine is a miniature poodle who should weigh about eighteen pounds, but weighs more like twenty-two. She didn’t automatically jump into the bed—I only allow her onto one piece of furniture, so I’m guessing that she thought she wasn’t allowed on it. |
BUT IS THIS BED DOG-APPROVED?
I encouraged Jasmine to get inside. It took a little coaxing. At first, she didn’t quite know what to do, since she’s at the large end of the size range for the bed and she was trying to stand up inside of it. Then I told her to lay down. Once she did, I think the light bulb went on in her curly head and she realized that this piece of furniture was for her. Now, she loves it. It’s her bed of choice, and I have to say that she looks absolutely adorable in it. Dogs feel comfortable in a den-like atmosphere, so this bed actually appeals to a dog’s nature. |
The bed doesn’t wobble at all, which had concerned me. It’s heavy-ish, so it doesn’t move when Jasmine jumps into it, and it has felt on the bottom, so it won’t scratch my wood floor. It’s pretty much perfect. Is it weird to love a dog bed so much? It simply looks amazing in my living room. So much better than Jasmine’s old, frumpy bolster bed! In my opinion, this bed is good for dogs from three to twenty (or so) pounds. I’m sure cats will adore this bed too. |
I give this bed two paws up! It was obviously rendered with thought and care. They didn’t just slap this thing together. Pet Hup Hup considered both the dog and the dog guardian. At the upper $200 range, it's not an inexpensive bed, but it's made like a good piece of furniture and seems like it should last many years. If Aarnio Ball Chairs are still around from the 1960s, that's a good indication that this bed should last too.