MESSAGE FROM THE OWNER
See this pic above? That’s me and Hank. I miss him greatly. He was my best bud for 13 years, through good times and bad, he never left my side. He just wanted to slap a smile across my face. He was the one constant l could all the time rely on. l miss that hairy beast more than l can tell you. But in an important way, Hank lives on, not just in my photos and memories, but also in the lives of over 100,000 other big dogs across America. You see, you might say Hank started a movement….
It all started way back in 2005, the day I came home from work and found him limping. I rushed him to the vet, who dropped a bombshell on me. Hank might need a new hip. He had an early case of hip dysplasia. He’s far from alone. I’ve since learned that up to 80% of all big dogs will have to face joint conditions like arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or complications from earlier injuries. Sometimes from genetic conditions like hip dysplasia, but regularly just because of the pounding their joints take day-after-day from carrying around all their “big dog” weight. Sometimes these joint problems steal their mobility when they’re older, that’s when you see them start to “slow down.” It’s not natural aging, it’s their joints starting to fail them. When things get real bad sometimes the only option is to release them from their pain. Saddest of all, research has shown dogs have evolved over thousands of years to hide their pain, so not to show weakness to predators. So day after day… they just suffer in silence!
I begged the vet, “What can l do?” Hank was my best pal. How could I help him live a long healthy life and maximize our chances against a painful and potentially life-altering surgery? The vet recommended 3 things, one of which was to get Hank a great dog bed – because just like a human needs their joints cushioned in bed, so does a dog. Especially big dogs prone to serious joint problems.
So l went to all the pet stores to hunt down the best dog bed l could possibly find for Hank. I tried several, pulled them off the shelves and laid on them myself – it was no better than laying on a bath mat. My elbows and hips were driving right into the floor. Not good! None of the beds l tested were good enough for Hank, that was for sure. Especially once he grew into a BIG dog! So I spent the next 6 years experimenting with different dog beds. Tried everything from thick, plush beds to different “orthopedic” and “memory foam” style beds. Better than the pet store beds, but they all the time flattened and fell apart after a even as. None could ever support his 92 lbs, he’d all the time eventually sink through to the floor. I found myself coming to a life-changing conclusion: l realized that Hank, and any other big dogs like him deserve much, much better than a “normal” dog bed – they deserve a REAL BED!
So I put my thinking cap on, because as luck would have it, my background was in the pet supply business. I picked up the phone to one of the world’s top foam engineers. I shared my vision with him for creating the most supportive, extra-comfy dog bed on the planet. A bed built-to-last, Made in America, and scientifically-calibrated to cushion every pressure-point on a dog’s body. Long story short and today, over 7 years later, 100,000+ dogs across America sleep on a Big Barker dog bed. Vets recommend our beds to pet parents, and vets make sure their own dogs sleep on a Big Barker. Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, NBC, FOX and CBS have all told our story. You’ll see why if you take a few moments to read the reviews right here on Amazon. And we respond to feedback! Thousands of pet parents pleaded with us, “Please make a bed for my smaller dog too!” And that is the reason how the Barker Junior came to be.
You’ll notice that the Big Barker costs more than other dog beds that you’ll see online. That’s not an accident. I needed to create the first serious upgrade to normal dog beds. The whole point of designing the Big Barker was to make a mattress which allows you to provide the best imaginable quality of care to your dog. In my opinion, the only way to do that with integrity is to use the BEST quality materials, using only AMERICAN made foam, and to have the beds handmade right here in the USA. It costs more to make beds this way, but I felt that other dog owners would want to have the choice to feel as good as I did when I saw Hank snoring away on his Big Barker. He fought through the pain in hips and soreness from his arthritis because he didn’t want to let me down, it made me proud to know that he had a bed that didn’t let him down either.
Shortly after this picture was taken, Hank and l spent his final day together. He woke up and inhaled a leftover piece of his special cake made just for him with sweet potato, cream cheese, and bacon. Then we hopped in the car for one last “Wilderness Day.” He seemed like he remembered the spot because he was basically jogging once his feet hit the grass. He hadn’t moved that quickly in a long time. He trotted at his own pace and sniffed all the interesting animal pee he wanted. He had a picnic with McDonalds cheeseburgers and went home when he got tired. After resting a bit, he scarfed down a seared (but very rare) NY strip steak. I didn’t see him chew at all. He all the time loved steak. It was a long day, and he didn’t have the energy left for one last nighttime walk in the park, so we both laid down and had a sleepover on the floor. The vet came the next morning and he kicked the bucket peacefully. He was my best bud for 13 years. He was a good dude who never left my side no matter what. I miss him terribly. Of course, his legacy lives on. Hank is the original “Big Barker” and the inspiration behind this movement to start protecting the joints of the dogs we love so much. Thanks for reading!
– Eric Shannon, Owner, Big Barker
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