HuggiePup

My 11.5 year old dog's separation anxiety suddenly increased earlier this year. He started having anxiety-induced poop accidents inside (even when he was being potty trained years ago, he never pooped in the house unless he was legitimately sick!) from running around in a panic whenever I'd leave, and I started catching him barking loudly non-stop if he didn't realize I'd come home yet, which was never an issue before. It turns out he's going deaf, and in conjunction with his vision getting a little worse, I think he was now scared to be home alone. I bought him the more popular Snuggie Puppy but wasn't sure it helped much. He unfortunately peed on it early on while being boarded, so I bought the HuggiePup as a replacement because it was about $10 less. The HuggiePup is SO much better in my opinion and well worth the money! Pros: - Double layers of Velcro to hold the plastic heart beat device in securely. There's an internal vertical slit one and then a cloth flap with Velcro that closes over that. The cloth flap is a little thick, which adds extra cushioning around the device. The flaps take some work for a human to open, so only the fiercest chewer would be able to get at it! (The Snuggie Puppy only has a vertical Velcro slit and is much easier to open, which could be a bigger safety hazard for a determined chewer). - Comes with a reusable microwavable heating pad. I haven't used it personally, but I can see how it would be helpful. (The Snuggie Puppy has single use heating pads and you only get one free one in its box.) - Soft but not so small or lightweight that your dog can't snuggle up to it without pushing it around too easily (The Snuggie Puppy is comparable.) - Has held up to light chewing. My dog is not a chewer normally, but he mistook it for a normal plush toy a couple of times. I put it away between uses now. (The Snuggie Puppy is comparable.) - Also held up to a gentle wash and low to medium dry -- with the device removed, of course. (The Snuggie Puppy did too.) - The most important part for me: the heartbeat is very strong. My dog tends to nap on my bed when I'm gone, and I noticed the heartbeat is strong enough that I can feel it vibrating through the mattress. This is important since he's going deaf and needs to be able to feel the beat, not just hear it. (The Snuggie Puppy's heartbeat isn't quiet per se, but it's just not as loud or strong.) - I would say I've probably had the heartbeat on for a total of 18 or so hours so far, and the batteries haven't needed to be replaced yet, so it doesn't have an overly large energy need. (The Snuggy Puppy is comparable, although I find it harder to turn it off than the HuggiePup sometimes.) Cons: - The only con, which is also kind of a pro, is that the Velcro over the heartbeat device is VERY strong. So strong, in fact, that one of the horizontal flap's seam ripped on one side the first time I tried to open it up to add the batteries to the device. Fortunately, because of the double Velcro layering, it's still fully functional as is, so I decided to not to go through the hassle of exchanging it. Just be gentle and don't rush while opening it! I was really skeptical that something like this toy would make much of a difference to my dog, especially since he's far older than a puppy now, but it really does! I felt compelled to leave this review because I left for a post-surgery appointment and some errands today and came home to no accidents and a pretty calm dog that had just woken up from a nap with this toy. Compare that to my pre-surgery appointment 4 weeks ago, where I forgot to turn on the HuggiePup before I left and came home to a big accident and a hyper, anxious dog who was running around me in circles and crying a lot. Besides reducing my dog's anxiety, it has also helped my own! I started getting nervous to leave him alone and also dreaded coming home to yet another accident on my expensive rug. I'm glad he has a little calming buddy to keep him company now!

Update after bringing my puppy home: Now that my puppy has been home and actively using the HuggiePup, I can confidently say it has been incredibly helpful. He took to it immediately and seems genuinely comforted by the heartbeat, especially during crate training and nap times. It has clearly reduced the stress of being alone and made the crate feel more like a safe, familiar space. We have had a couple of crate accidents where urine got onto the HuggiePup. I was happy at how easy it was to remove the heartbeat device and heat pack and throw the plush itself into the washing machine. It cleaned up well and came out looking and feeling the same. Original Review: I bought this HuggiePup to have ready for when my new puppy comes home next month, but I wanted to test it first with my other dog who has separation anxiety. I figured if it could help calm him, it would be a great transition aid for the puppy when he is alone or crate training. The blue heartbeat device requires two AAA batteries and screwed shut. The batteries are not included. At first it was difficult to unscrew, but after pulling back on it while unscrewing I heard a click, and it works perfectly fine now. The screw does not fully come out, which is nice, so it does not get lost. You can press the heart button once for a four-hour cycle or hold it for three seconds for an eight-hour run time. The vibration feels soft, rhythmic, and the steady pulsing noise is very subtle. The red heat pack only takes about forty-five seconds in the microwave and fits into the pocket beside the heartbeat insert. The instructions emphasize short heating times, so you do not overheat it, and that the pack stays warm for a reasonable stretch before cooling down. It also mentions the heat pack is designed to be right next to the heartbeat device, which was a concern of mine. When putting the heartbeat device inside the HuggiePup, facing the button to the outside will make turning it on faster without having to take it apart every time. The plush itself feels soft and well-made. My anxious dog loved curling up with it on the couch. The heartbeat genuinely soothed him. The chewability of it is moderate. I do not think a puppy would be able to chew through it easily, but it is not meant for aggressive chewers. One of my favorite details is the double Velcro pocket. I was nervous my dog or puppy might get curious and try to dig it open, but the overlapping flaps sticks well and keeps the inside secure. The only thing I wish was different is the heat pack’s duration. It seemed to cool off fast, and a longer-lasting choice would make this perfect. The HuggiePup provides comfort to anxious pets and will be an excellent tool to help my puppy transition to our home.

Cuddly & warm item to help a puppy adapt to a new home. A little cumbersome to use but worth it. You just warm the hot pack in the microwave & insert it into the flapped area along with the heartbeat sound machine. You can set the heartbeat to beat for upto 8 hours. It is durable especially for a puppy who wants to chew on everything. We put our puppy to sleep with it every night & he sleeps well at just 8 weeks!

Our Lilly loved this when gave it to her. She especially loved it at night the first week of her bing home with us. The battery powered heart beat was soothing to her. It is quiet and you hardly hear it, if you hear it at all. It’s super cute and soft. I don’t see why any dog would not like it. Is include a picture, but it became a chew toy and she chewed it to shreds, lol!

Bought this my 8 week old puppy. Her first night at home she whimpered for about 30 seconds then went right to sleep. She has now been with me for 3 nights and she sleeps all night long in her kennel with no whimpering. Would definitely recommend this product. It is less expensive, has a reuseable heat pack, and sure seems to work like a charm!

Unfortunately the heartbeat insert would not work consistently. Rest of toy seemed good quality.

I cannot say enough great things about the Huggie Pup! We brought home our new puppy 8 days ago and thanks to this product, crate training has been a dream. The heartbeat and warming pack give him so much comfort. He cuddles right up to it every night. He hasn’t made a single noise in his crate and sleeps soundly through the night. I also love the timer setting, which gives me peace of mind knowing it turns off automatically. It’s incredibly soft, durable, and truly feels like a comforting companion for our pup. Highly recommend for anyone bringing home a new puppy! It is a little heavy so he does not whip it around like is other toys while playing!

Got a rescue street dog who is sleeping calmly on his little puppy. Been playing with it all day.

Calmo a mi perrita, le encanta

Not even a full week home and she already is sleeping through the night!

Pup (mini goldendoodle) has had this since day 1 at home, and still uses it 2 months later for comfort! Crate training was very easy; we only used the heat pack (reusable!) without the heart beat module. This may have helped! I was initially worried about the Velcro on the inside (to store the heat pack and heart beat module), but it is very strong and my pup has not tried to remove it!

Bought this when I brought my puppy home from breeder for company after leaving her mother. Worked a treat, in fact she used the dogs nose to suck as a nipple. After a few months fascinated with velcro opening so removed battery heartbeat and warming bag from inside. She is now 10 months old and still loves it.

Looks lovely but could not get the screw out of the heart pack to insert batteries so utterly wasted money on this product. Using a Philips 2 screwdriver as instructed. Screw turns but will not come out even though loose. Cheap