Dog and Puppy Plush

About the dog and puppy plush

Breeds we actually shape

A plush dog is easy to get wrong: make the muzzle generic and every breed looks like the same toy in a different colour. We cut separate patterns for the drop ears of a basset hound, the wiry face of a schnauzer, the mask of a husky and the block head of a rottweiler.

The West Highland terrier line

Our westie comes at 17.7", 25.6" and 31.5". The largest is a floor dog — people photograph it next to real ones. It is the closest thing we make to a life-size stuffed animal.

Dachshunds, long and longer

The wiener dogs run 12" and 17.7" with a red bow, then 35.4" and 47.2" as full pillows. The long ones hold their shape because the spine seam is reinforced; without that a 47" dog folds in the middle.

Living with a plush dog

These get carried, which means they get dirty. Spot clean the paws and the muzzle, hand wash the whole dog when it needs it, and air dry. The PP cotton fill dries slowly but completely.

How to pick one

• Buy the breed somebody actually owns. It lands better than a generic puppy plush.
• The dachshund doubles as a long plush pillow if you take the bigger size.

Sizes on this shelf

We measure end to end along the longest line, lying flat and unstretched, so a figure here is the whole plush and not how tall it stands when it sits. This shelf runs 12", 14", 17.7", 25.6", 31.5". If two sizes are close in price and the plush is going to be slept with, take the larger one.

What it is made of

Short brushed pile over a tight knit backing, filled with high-quality PP cotton blown in at an even density from nose to tail. Seams are turned to the inside, eyes and details are embroidered or sewn rather than glued, and every finished plush gets squeezed once before it is boxed.

Looking after it

Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap for everyday marks. Hand wash cool when it needs more, press the water out between towels instead of wringing, and dry flat for a day or two. Never a tumble dryer — heat is the one thing that permanently flattens plush fur. Brush with a soft brush once dry and the fluff comes back.

Questions about dog and puppy plush

Are the breeds recognisable?

That is the point of this shelf. The dachshund, the husky and the basset are drawn from the breed rather than from a generic dog pattern with different ears.

Is there a puppy inside the dog?

On some of them. Where a plush holds a smaller one, the name on the card says so.

Other shelves

• Banana Duck Plush
• Axolotl Plush
• Long Plush Pillows
• Cat and Kitten Plush
• Bird Plush
• Food and Plant Plush
• Palm-Sized Plush Toys