Our Barker Junior Review
Welcome to our review of the Barker Junior.
As dogs get older, they can develop joint pain as part of everyday life.
Since they spend so much time sleeping, a good quality bed can help relieve or minimize this pain.
However, most dog beds do not provide much support or relieve pressure points.
Companies like Big Barker are working to solve this problem.
I may earn a commission if you buy through my links and I earn as an Amazon Associate from qualifying purchases. Note: I was given a free product for my honest review.
Table of Contents
What Is The Barker Junior?
Barker Junior - 4" Pillow Top Orthopedic Dog Bed with Headrest for Medium Size Dogs 30-50 Pounds
The Barker Junior is an orthopedic dog bed for small and medium size dogs under 50 lbs.
It is the smaller version of the popular Big Barker beds with over 100,000 customers.
Barker Junior uses the same high-quality foam technology as the regular Big Barker beds.
In fact, Big Barker is so confident in their product that they offer a 10-year money back guarantee that their foam will retain 90% of its original shape over that period.
What Are The Benefits Of It?
According to Big Barker’s website, The Barker Junior has several benefits, including the following:
- Long lasting: Unlike cheaper beds, it won’t flatten or pancake over time. They offer a 10-year money back guarantee if the foam doesn’t retain 90% of its original shape.
- Strong support: Their orthopedic foam supports joints to help eliminate joint pain and eliminates pressure points by distributing weight evenly.
- Simple to clean cover: The 100% microfiber cover is machine-washable and can be washed with cold water over 1000 times without shrinking.
- Withstands wear and tear: The microfiber cover withstands surface wear caused by dogs who like to dig/nest and has a score of 100,000 or higher on the Wyzenbeek Abrasion test.
- Made in the U.S.: They make their beds in their California workshop by experienced craftsmen with over 100 years of combined experience.
- Flexible return policy: You can exchange the bed or receive a refund if you decide you need a different size bed or if your dog won’t sleep in it. They will even pay for shipping to return it.
- Supporting research on benefits: The University of Pennsylvania performed a clinical study on the impact of Big Barker beds on dog arthritis. The results were very positive showing less pain, greater mobility and an improved quality of life.
- Optional waterproof liner: While the bed’s cover is water resistant, it is not 100% waterproof. As a result, they offer an optional waterproof liner as an add-on if your dog wets the bed for example.
- Customization: You can choose small, medium, or large for size. You can choose khaki, chocolate, burgundy, or charcoal gray for color. For an extra charge, you can add your dog’s name on the cover, change the color from the standard choices, and make other requests.
What Materials Are Used To Make It?
According to Big Barker, there are 4 materials used to make the Barker Junior (and all of their beds):
1. Foam
Most dog beds are made from weaker foam such as polyfill or Chinese foam and sometimes contain dangerous chemicals.
However, Big Barker invented their own unique blend of foam to solve the problem of dog beds falling apart and flattening.
Additionally, the foam in the Barker Junior is specifically formulated for small and medium sized dogs to cater to their size and weight.
The foam is also certified by the CertiPUR-US program, which has rigorous certification guidelines for content, performance, emissions, and durability. This includes testing to ensure that the foam is free from mercury, lead and heavy metals.
The high density of the foam also prevents pressure points by distributing a dog’s weight more evenly.
2. Fabric
The 100% Microfiber cover uses material normally used for high-end couches or upholstery.
Additionally, it is machine washable, can be washed over 1000 times in cold water, and resists wear and tear from rubbing.
3. Zippers
With American-made zippers that surround 75% of the bed, Big Barker tries to make it easy to remove the cover.
In comparison, regular dog beds may only zip on one end or have no zippers at all.
4. Glue
Big Barker uses a glue that is fully OSHA compliant in their beds. According to them, it is safe to inhale and work with.
Oftentimes, manufacturers make regular dog beds with unsafe glues that require breathing masks to work with.
Our Experience with It
For our review, we received the medium-sized Barker Junior in khaki color.
They recommended Medium size for our Toy Poodle and Maltese weighing 10 lbs and 15 lbs.
I liked the feel of the cover, which was soft to the touch and did appear better quality than our other dog beds.
As promised, the foam did appear stronger and kept its shape when our dogs rested on it. Our other beds do sink somewhat.
While it has only been 2.5 weeks, our dogs appear to be getting used to the Barker Junior.
At first, our dogs continued to use their older beds, but they have started to lay on it more often. I probably should have removed the other beds to speed up the process.
While the current sales price of $149.95 does seem high, I believe you get what you pay for. We usually go through dog beds every 1-2 years, plus those beds do not provide as much support.
Besides the price, the only other complaint I’ve read online is that the waterproof liner should be part of the purchase. This liner comes in handy for dogs that wet the bed.
I do like the 10-year guarantee, which makes me confident that the bed will last or at least get replaced if there is an issue.
I also like how the cover is supposed to withstand wear and tear since both of our dogs like to scratch a surface when laying down on it.
The machine-washable cover is also a nice feature, so that the bed smells nice and stays clean.
As far as relieving joint pain, it is still too early to tell if the Barker Junior will make a noticeable difference. Both of our dogs are older, so do have some pain issues.
Check out the Barker Junior at Amazon.
Conclusion
In summary, the Barker Junior does what it is supposed to by providing a comfortable bed/mattress for our dogs.
Keep in mind, I have only owned it for 2.5 weeks, but the bed has really great reviews online with over 100,000 customers.
Although the price is higher than most dog beds, the 10-year warranty and quality of the materials make up for it. As a result, I won’t have to keep on buying beds every 1-2 years.
Lastly, I can’t really put a price on less joint pain and more comfort for our dogs.
I would definitely recommend this bed to other owners as long as it fits within your budget.
If you want to learn even more about Big Barker, their website is here: https://bigbarker.com/ and their products including Barker Junior are located here: https://bigbarker.com/collections/orthopedic-dog-beds.