Here’s What Happened When We Had Cuddle Clones Make a Plush Replica of a Beloved Pet

Pets hold a very special place in our hearts, and a lot of us would do just about anything for our furry, feathered or scaled companions.

Cuddle Clones understands that. Their specialty is custom-making adorable plush replicas of beloved pets so people can always be close to the animals they adore. I thought it was an amazing concept, so I reached out to the folks at Cuddle Clones, and was delighted when they agreed to walk me through the entire process from start to finish and help me make a Cuddle Clone of a dog who was very special to me.

The Product

Cuddle Clones are all about making pet-inspired products with a personal touch. Their most famous creations are their Plush Clones, which are 100% handmade plush replicas of pets. What makes them unique is that they're actually based on photos of your dear pet, rather than being a generic plush of the same breed or species. They're designed to capture not just your pet's look, but also their unique personality. After all, your pet is one-of-a-kind, so why should their plush be modeled on anyone else?

Cuddle Clones don't make just plushes of dogs and cats, but any beloved pet, and are great whether you can't be with your pet or you just love them so much that you wish they had a double. In addition to their Plush Clones, Cuddle Clones also makes everything from custom figurines to coffee mugs and slippers. Their plush clones cost $249 and ship in about eight weeks, though there are rush delivery options at an additional cost. And if you don't love your Cuddle Clone once it arrives, the company offers full refunds. They even provide three meals and a toy to a shelter pet with every purchase.

(via Cuddle Clones)

 

The Experience

I was in direct contact with the team at Cuddle Clones throughout the process of making my Plush Clone, so my creating process was probably a little bit different from the typical customer experience. I knew from the get-go that I'd want a Cuddle Clone of my husband's dearly departed Rhodesian Ridgeback, Dexter, and all Cuddle Clones needed from me to get started was a handful of photos of him, and his name.

I also let them know that I'd prefer for him to be standing up, with his ears perked slightly up, and his mouth closed, and that since he was a Rhodesian Ridgeback, he had a ridge of hair along his spine running in the opposite direction of the rest of his fur. Since I didn't have any pictures that clearly showcased Dexter's ridge, I provided a couple examples from the internet. I knew that my requests were a bit high-maintenance, but for Dexter to truly be Dexter, they were necessary—and I was curious about how they'd be handled.

Because my Cuddle Clone was being built for review purposes, the team expedited the process for me quite a bit. Just 10 days after I'd sent in all of my notes, I got a set of photos from the workshop of Dexter's Cuddle Clone. He was utterly adorable, and I was quite pleased with him. Still, they asked me if it might be possible to make any improvements to the Cuddle Clone before it was sent out. I had some small feedback, and they appeared to be more than happy to go back in and make the changes for me.

Another 10 days later, new photos reflecting those changes were ready. I was really satisfied with the images and gave them the go-ahead to finally ship it out to me so I could see him. Within a couple of weeks, he arrived in a giant cardboard box. He was somehow even sweeter in person than I had ever anticipated, and much larger than I had been picturing him. Dexter was a very big dog, so it made sense that his Cuddle Clone was quite large, too.

And even though the Cuddle Clone was far from life-sized, and not quite proportional, it did fool some people. I left him out on the computer chair in front of the desk next to mine, and multiple coworkers did a double-take thinking it was a real dog. I think that's a pretty good testament to the quality of the products that Cuddle Clones puts together.

 

Bottom Line

If you've ever wanted a stuffed plush of a pet for any reason, Cuddle Clones will do a great job. Of course, not everyone can afford a $249 plush, but the attention to detail and the care put into each critter justifies the price. Handmade, custom plushies don't come cheap—which is why they can make such great gifts. Plus, if for whatever reason your Cuddle Clone doesn't capture your pet like you think it should, the company has an awesome refund policy so you don't waste your money. But more than likely, they'll get it just right, and you'll be left with a special plush you can cherish forever.

 

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