First off, I know that in general I tend to shy away from clip-ons. But just look at those big eyes and those droopy, furry ears! How could I not cave and buy one, especially being an 80s child who loved the original Pound Puppies?
To start at the beginning, just before the extended Fourth Of July weekend I was running some errands at the shopping mall near where I live when I decided that, since I was there anyway, I might as well stop in at Five Below and look around. For anyone who doesn't know, Five Below is a discount store chain that primarily features items priced at five dollars or less. Anyway, when I first saw the little cutie pictured above, I had to get him. He's just too adorable! I also have a lot of nostalgia for the Pound Puppies brand. Like a lot of kids in the 1980s, I had some Pound Puppies, and Pound Purries, plush toys, back in the day.
The $3.99 price sticker didn't hurt either. To my eyes, $3.99 seems like a great deal for something that's officially licensed, and it states on the backing card that this clip-on was actually licensed by Hasbro. It was also produced by Basic Fun, which is now a subdivision of Good Stuff, LLC. Anyone who reads this blog regularly will probably remember my fondness for the original Basic Fun products line.
According to my online research, there were 4 different Puppies to collect in this series release. The Five Below near me had more than one style in stock the last time I visited, so I could theoretically pick up one or two more if I wanted to, and if the stores in my area haven't already sold out.
Let's start the actual review with the packaging. I love the graphics used on the backing card, very retro and nostalgic. The Pound Puppy itself is attached to the card with little, plastic 'anchors' that pass through two of the paws, and also through the tail area. These 'anchors' will need to be snipped, and depending on how tight they are that could be a little tricky.
Thankfully, there was enough slack in the 'anchors' that I was able to cut them without too much difficulty, and the Pound Puppy's 'fur' is plush enough that I'm not noticing any really obvious holes left behind by the 'anchors'. The plush also feels very soft, almost velvety. The furry ears are quite soft as well. The stuffing is packed firmly and holds the Puppy's shape without being floppy. So if you prefer your plush toys on the floppy side, keep this in mind. Personally, I think that the firm stuffing works better in this small scale, especially considering how this little cutie is meant to be clipped onto something and carried around.
I was impressed that the eyes appear to be stitched on, rather than being hard plastic or worse, printed decals. The heart-shaped, Pound Puppies logo is even stitched on the Puppy's side, like it would've been on a 1980s Pound Puppy.
I'll sum up this review as follows.
Good Points:
Where do I start? From the retro packaging to the stitched logo, this clip-on pushes all the right nostalgia buttons with nice attention to detail. It also has the look and feel of a good quality, well made product.
Bad Points:
This is a minor quibble, but to my eyes the Puppy seems just a little too big to be practical for daily use, even as a clip-on and not a keychain. But then again, I've certainly seen larger clip-ons.
Final Verdict:
Overall, I'm really pleased with my purchase, even though it is a clip-on and not a traditional keychain. I'll most likely be adding a split ring to it at some point.
Signed, Treesa
P.S. I want to apologize for how late this post is. I intended to post it sooner, but family obligations over the extended Fourth Of July weekend got in the way.
