Core77

A dog-eat-dog design

By Rain Noe - September 25, 2008

in Object Culture

No dog likes wearing the Elizabethan collar, a/k/a the "satellite dish," but it's the only way to keep post-op pooches from licking their wounds and ripping out stitches.

As humiliated as your dog may become while wearing the collar, they've still gotta eat; but they can't access the food bowl with the contraption on. The angled, elevated Hugx dog bowl was designed to serve that end. Not only is it selling well, it recently won the "Lifestyle Innovation Award" at New York's Pet Fashion Week (even beating out Alessi).

Industry kudos aside, as both a dog owner and an industrial designer I've got some problems with the form factor:

Why is it shaped like a dog, with the bowl located at the head, no less? Does it make sense, design-wise, to have a dog eating out of another dog's head? Can you imagine the human tableware equivalent?

top photo: wikipedia

via university of ulster news

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Stephen McGilloway

16 years ago

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There are 2 sizes available in the original max and mini for different size dogs, we have new versions on the way. This has a big footprint, but some dogs are huge, like the Irish Wolf-Hound and can push around traditional bowls with ease. The form factor wasn't overly intentional- most people don't get the semantic! This is aimed at people who spare no expense on their pet, and want a long-term investment for pet-dining. Definitely the most fun thing I've worked on!
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Chris M

16 years ago

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Give me a break...It's better than eating out of it's butt!
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tarynpaper

16 years ago

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the footprint on this bad boy is way too big. couldnt they have thought of something slightly more compact?

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