Pet Product Review: Puppy Huggers

Cloud Nine Bubbles Dog Bed, Small ($183.99)
By Kirsten Taylor

For years, Izzy has slept on a dog bed gone slightly lumpy from countless nights of nesting. While she'll curl up on it for an occasional daytime nap, she'd much more likely sprawl out on the couch or the floor. So imagine my surprise when I unpacked the Puppy Hugger Cloud Nine pet bed and my pooch Izzy curled right up on it, her head and front paws dangling adorably over the raised edge.

With price tags ranging from $109 to $239, Puppy Hugger beds are billed as luxury loungers for the pampered pet. The thick, plush beds, with cozy doggy-sized depressions in the center, certainly live up to their cuddle-worthy name. Plus, each bed comes with a matching doggy blanket, which would be perfect for dogs like my sister's mini dachshund, who loves to burrow.

For Izzy and I, the true test began when the sun went down. She usually starts the night in her trusty old pet bed, but inevitably moves onto the floor next to our human bed while we're sleeping. So I was shocked when, for the first time in recent memory, I awoke to find Izzy snoozing soundly on her new bed. Clearly, Puppy Hugger knows something about making dogs comfortable.

As far as I can tell, the main problem with the Cloud Nine is that it's too cozy. When Izzy isn't looking, our cat, Thompson, curls up in the bed to catch some Zzzs. Who can blame him?


Cloud Nine Skulls and Flowers Round Dog Bed, Small ($183.99)
By Paul Ciampanelli

The Cloud Nine is easily the softest pet bed I've ever encountered. Like a big, soft doughnut, the cushioned well in the bed's center cradles your dog or cat, while the thicker outer wall surrounds and hugs the pet.

I'll get straight to the poop: My cat, Martha, definitely digs the Cloud Nine. When she'd come to hang out with me in my room, I'd put the Cloud Nine in her usual spot on my dresser. She quickly figured out that it was her new bed, and now she's in it all the time, looking mighty comfortable. I've even found myself petting the bed, marveling at how soft it is. My cat's new bed is now the plushest and fanciest thing in my apartment.

Its fabric is black, decorated with pink flowers, hearts and skull-and-crossbones shapes. Martha's only one year old, so its baby-doll mall-punk feel seems just right for her. That said, I imagine it would be embarrassing to see a senior cat lounging in the thing -- it's very "teen."

The Cloud Nine looks and feels luxurious, but it's a luxury item in price too. At $184, a Cloud Nine bed isn't an impulse buy. Yes, my pet appears to love the bed. But would Martha have been perfectly happy sleeping on my chair for the rest of her life? Almost certainly. There's nothing about the bed to stop me from recommending it. But when money is tight all over, it's probably worth investing your hard-earned dollars elsewhere.

Learn more about your favorite breeds at the upcoming Meet the Breeds event in New York City on October 17th - 18th. For more information, visit MeetTheBreeds.com.

Tags: cats, dogs, pet beds, pet reviews, PetBeds, PetReviews, pets