Slick, posh, cool, sweet - I never thought I'd use those words to describe a pet product, but today I stand corrected. For pets up to 15 pounds, the Sleepypod [$165] is part-pet bed, part-carrier, and is loaded with unexpected features that make it nothing short of swanky. The idea here is for pets that have difficulty traveling to become more comfortable going place to place. This is accomplished by using the Sleepypod as a bed each day so that Spot/Whiskers becomes accustomed to the space. When I first read that I'll admit I thought to myself that it would be easier said than done. But sure enough the Sleepypod couldn't be more enticing. To start off one leaves off the mesh top of the pod so that the space is not enclosed and is therefore less threatening - it's basically just like a regular pet bed. The bottom of the pod is double-layered, with a foam core underneath and covered with an uber-plush layer of softness. That top layer is machine washable, by the way, which is key for those of us who have pets that suffer from car sickness. And if that's not enough, there's an optional Warmer Kit [$58] that can be inserted between the two layers making it the ultimate in coziness.
Once your pet gets comfortable with the bed it's time to add the mesh top, which is easily done with a zipper that encircles the pod. Now the Sleepypod has become a convenient pet carrier, complete with a comfortable handle as well as a removable carrying strap. I did notice it's somewhat difficult to keep the top of the pod open for putting pets in and out. The sides are supposed to be able to tuck in so that it remains open on the top, but it's tricky to get it tucked just right for them to stay that way. One of my favorite features of the Sleepypod, however, is that it can actually be buckled in to the car with the seat belt (Here are the how-to videos demonstrating how the Sleepypod works and how to buckle it in, which is super easy). After years of watching my husband try to accomplish this very thing with the seat belt and a plastic box carrier, I can't help but appreciate this added bonus that gives pet owners peace of mind when traveling by car. But wait, little Princess doesn't want to go in there without her special warmer? No problem - there's also a car adaptor [$13] for the heating pad so that it's like she never even left home. Now that's hot.
-Beth
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