The Pooch Pad (AKA the BowWowHaus)

The Pooch Pad (AKA the BowWowHaus)

The design of our dog “crib” (or kennel) started with the physical and emotional comfort provided by plush bedding. The bedding is recessed in a frame of high-density foam, complemented by a back-rest pillow, to provide a sense of burrowing and security.

The entire foam component is firmly held in a solid wooden frame which is held together by paw-shaped wooden dowels. The frame can be fitted with closely spaced acrylic rods if the bed serves as a crate for a young dog. (The rods were polished to ensure there are no sharp edges, and are hard enough to discourage chewing.)

The rods can be removed for older dogs who can then come and go as they please. The wood frame is also designed to serve as a step for older (or smaller) dogs who might need some help accessing the deep bedding.

We provide the dimensions of the Pooch Pad below, but to help everyone picture things more easily, we asked rescue dog and supermodel, Rupee (weighing in at 44 lb / 19 kg) to try it on for size.
● Dimensions (wood base and bedding): 32” D x 52” W x 10” H / 31cm D x 132cm W x 25cm H
● Approximate weight when fully assembled: 50 lb / 23 kg
(Wood frame, bedding, and rods can be separated to facilitate easy carrying and transport)

Features:
● Ultra-thick water-repellant removable and washable cushion covers, in black and fire hydrant red
● Waterproof lining under cushions
● Washable pad cover/blankie (with the winning dog’s name embroidered on it)
● Holders for removable food and water bowls (bowls not included)
● Removable and washable pad cover/blankie
● Paw print-shaped wood joinery

Made from pet-safe materials:
● Mineral-oiled solid wood (smells nice even when Fido may not)
● High-density foam
● Ultra-thick water-repellant fabric
● Clear thick acrylic rods (harder than typical chew toys)

Kariouk Architects has always been committed to providing our expertise to our community, pro bono. Over the years, we’ve also considered the needs of pets in many of our architectural designs.

In creating two new projects, a dog “crib” and a cat “perch”, we’ve combined these two ideals to aid a much larger community of animals. We created these pieces for the Ottawa Humane Society to raffle off, with 100% of the proceeds donated to animals requiring urgent care.

The designs started with an idea: if your dog or cat stopped thinking about food and cuddling for a moment, and articulated their wish list for a custom shelter, what would they request? Because everyone at Kariouk Architects has a long history of living with pets, we knew we could act as interpreters, and set to work.

As with every single design project at Kariouk Architects, we began with a very pragmatic set of criteria:
● To the greatest degree possible, the materials had to be natural, extremely durable, and sustainable (or at least recyclable).
● Construction is complicated and costly, so we had to ensure that material efficiency was paramount. (And the corollary to efficiency is a reduction in the use of very limited natural resources.)
● As with our designs for humans, these pieces had to reflect the reality that every living creature ages and loses physical mobility. Hence, all our designs had to accommodate life’s changes without necessitating subsequent alterations or renovations.
● After the above considerations started to yield possible design directions, we delved into fusing these into beautiful, elegant, physical forms. Architecture is firstly shelter for the body, but then it must also shelter the soul (and if you happen to be a cat, that likely means nine souls).