Large oval willow dog bed with a raised foot and a dipped instep, on a wooden table

Side view of the willow dog bed showing the zigzag weave and woven foot

Close-up of the zigzag weave in the sides of the willow dog bed

Black labrador lying in front of the willow dog bed

Labrador Bed with Foot and Instep

from £270.00

Made to order: allow 14 weeks.

A bed for a Labrador or spaniel, with around 80cm of base inside: deep enough for a throw or blanket, or a thin mattress. The foot lifts your dog off the ground so air can circulate, cool in summer and warm in winter on a brick or stone floor, and a basket with a foot lasts longer. The sides are woven in zigzag weave for ventilation.

Size
Labrador: height 30cm inside (18cm at the instep; 35cm overall with the foot), width 120cm, depth 80cm.
Spaniel: height 25cm inside (12cm at the instep; 30cm overall with the foot), width 90cm, depth 60cm.

Willow
Brittany Green uprights and sides; Black Maul base.

Delivery
UK delivery is calculated at checkout.
Outside UK? Ask for a delivery quote.

Willow varies from year to year, so your basket’s colours may differ slightly from the photos and your screen.
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Size:

Made to order: allow 14 weeks.

The Details

Dogs love to sleep with their legs in the air, which seems to make them double the size, and this basket allows for that. It has a wider and a narrower curve, so your dog can sleep curled up cosily or stretched out a little more. It's woven in locally grown willow from Sedlescombe, which is quite colourful because the willow stools there are still young. The colours in your room will bring out the colours in the basket, so it sits well in many interiors.
Once you’ve ordered, I’ll email you to confirm when I’ll be weaving it. Each basket is made from this season’s willow, so the colours will vary a little from the photos; that’s part of its character.
Hoover it out with a soft brush once a month, and give it a shower if it's getting a little grubby. To clear any bugs, leave it out in snow or frost for a few days in winter.

Round willow basket on the grass, handwoven by Marianne van Niekerken in Kent

Made with a Respect for the Material

Give every basketmaker the same project and they'll each finish a very different basket. I like to work very neatly, but I also like things to be natural. If a willow rod isn't quite what you'd expect, and it doesn't affect the integrity of the rod, I make a feature of it.

The connection between the material, me as the maker, and you as the person who will love and use it for many years is one of the main reasons I'm a full-time basketmaker.

More about me