As you may have seen by my social media, I am the owner of two dogs, French bulldogs Charles and Senna. They’ve been by my side for nine years and, as you can imagine, they have been through countless dog toys and beds over time, so it was an absolute pleasure to write this review. A mix of independents and a big brand but all different, but it was a lovely surprise to say each product surpassed my expectations.
I usually focus on independents, however my interest was piqued by the Silent Night bed, who even knew they did dog beds? So first off (boring bit I know), it’s fully machine washable to keep the bed fresh, this is not always the case for some beds; I just end up throwing them away.
“Our calming donut-shaped bed appeals to your pet’s natural nesting instinct to help create a calming environment and reduce anxiety”
I get the calming bit, I actually found it more calming from the outside of the bed. Why? The snoring all but disappeared, and that in itself is a HUGE selling point, it certainly chilled me out. Covered in a super-soft plush fabric and filled with responsive fibres that support your pet for a comfortable cosy snooze, I think maybe the fact that their heads rest on the donut shape means the snores are less. It’s a winner for both Charles and Senna and myself, finally a good night’s sleep snore free!
The boys were spoilt with not one ‘donut’ bed, but two, they also received a Scruffs bed. The Scruffs® Ellen dog bed collection is produced using a textured faux fur, with a contrasting tweed outer cover. The bed’s sleep area has been lined with luxurious plush fur, providing warmth and comfort. Each bed is finished with a soft-feel Scruffs logo on the front of the bed.
The Scruffs® Ellen donut bed is filled with 100% recycled polyester filling, which I think is a great selling point as well as the fact they are a family business that supports domestic charities in the UK as well as selling worldwide.
This buttery cream faux fur bed was a winner once again with the two of them, if your dog is a snorer (like Charles) I’d highly recommend a “donut” bed like these, as I stated previously, it’s the elevated sides. I’m also loving the fact that there’s a strong leaning towards neutrals instead of the standard pink and blue for dogs beds and accessories.
I almost forgot, and this is an absolute godsend… it’s machine washable, you’d be surprised how many items for pets are wipe clean only; muddy paws on the bed and after a 30 degrees wash it’s good as new! So handy for a pet owner who does not want to be constantly wiping stuff clean and it’s better for the environment as they last longer and don’t end up in landfill.
The next item was an aesthetically soothing product, which you could see was made with care. The boys were kindly gifted a Lounging Hound Bed Roll in Charcoal Velvet. These are their best-selling practical and portable beds and you can see why. Made for travelling, as our little trips right now are curtailed this doubled as a great sofa topper, I found Senna took a particular liking to it.
“The Lounging Hound was established in 2015 from a kitchen table observed by curious rescue greyhounds. The idea was to create a range of products which were stylish, comfortable, durable and purposeful. Combining innovative design and attention to detail with luxurious, yet practical fabrics, our products are made to be loved and to last.”
This whole range is so beautiful, it’d be easy to buy everything, the colour choices appeal to all styles of interiors, from floral to minimal, Lounging Hound has covered all of this whilst also supporting charities and sustainability.
“We are committed to reducing the impact fabric production and product manufacture has on the environment. Our designs are created in Buckinghamshire, manufactured in Kent and distributed from Essex, thereby reducing our carbon footprint. We produce high quality, long-lasting products in small amounts, to eliminate waste. Any surplus products are distributed to charities.”
I look forward to when we can travel again and I can use this for the car as it will be a great bed for that, easy to transport as its light and portable and easy to clean.
The lovely people at the Lounging Hound have given us a discount code for our readers. Just enter ‘bb20’ at checkout for 20% off bed rolls until 30th April 2021.
Last but not least, is Mongrel. OK, as soon as I saw the #dontbullymybreed on their homepage I was hooked, I supported Battersea Dogs Home when I lived in London at a time when the focus on Bulldog breeds and the false negativity around them was at its heart breaking peak.
“Mongrel, for me, was a wonderful inevitability. I was seeing first hand every day the poor quality of dog toys made available; the ease at which they would be annihilated and the harmful inner stuffing (both for the planet and of course our dogs’ insides). Plus, finding a dog toy that didn’t act as a hideous eyesore was way harder than it should be”
Mongrel is a relatively new brand, Launched by Emily in 2019; she introduced eco-friendly, hardwearing, charitable and stylish dog toys to the world.
“My launch did terrifyingly land slap bang in the middle of a global pandemic, but despite this I’m so pleased to say that Mongrel bones are already gracing the homes of many of you!”
This I can say ticks many boxes as stated above, but, my goodness; it’s so refreshing to not see a trail of fluff from the inners of a soft toy within minutes of giving it to my dogs and if I’m honest they are not exactly big dogs are they? Made from strong, double stitched canvas material with a secondary inner lining to give an extra barrier of defence between your dog and the stuffing. Each one is hand finished so they are all slightly different. My two dogs loved these soft dog bones and it was great for me as I knew they were safe from harmful plastics and chemicals that can be found in other dog toys.
