Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the LEGO BrickHeadz 40349 Puppy [Review]

Have you noticed it’s the middle of February already? This means that Saint Valentine’s Day is here, and with it the explosion of hearts and flowers. And if you or your valentine is bored with chocolates and roses, how about getting a bit more creative? LEGO BrickHeadz 40349 Puppy, which hit the shelves on Jan 1, is LEGO’s ultimate answer to everyone in search of an adorable present. The set consists of 150 pieces and retails for just $9.99/£9.99.

New and rare elements

Just like any other LEGO BrickHeadz set, we’re going to evaluate the Puppy both as a set of LEGO pieces and as a complete figure. Among 150 pieces, it’s easy to point out six elements that are of particular interest for both collectors and builders:

  • Plate 2X4X1 1/3 W. Side Bow in white (Element ID 6135186) is one of the largest pieces of the set, which is easy to spot. It’s just the sixth time the piece appears in white color, and, of course, the Puppy is the cheapest way to get a couple of these arches.
  • Brick 1X1X1 2/3, W/ Vert. Knobs is one of the most useful pieces when creating BrickHeadz figures, but it is still very hard to get in tan (6232135). Four of these can be found in the set.
  • Brick With Bow 1X4 in tan (6042952) is equally hard to find, but the puppy’s heavy ears are made with four of these curved slopes.
  • Both Plate 1X2 W/Shaft Ø3.2 in dark tan (6135607) and Plate 2X1 W/Holder,Vertical (in dark tan as well) (6135610) are found in a very limited number of sets, but having four complete pairs of them in the set is some very pleasant news.
  • Finally, six of Flower, W/ 3.2 Shaft, 1.5 Hole, No. 1 in red (6182260) is an awesome bonus even if you have already got any of the other seven sets that the piece comes with.

The finished figure

No matter how simple a BrickHeadz figure is, assembling one is always lots of fun. Even if you’re familiar with the standard core structure, it’s always fun to discover what is special or different about each new figure.

This time it’s the puppy’s funny tail, its tongue sticking out and, of course, enormous ears, which are pure fun to build and to play with.


Accessories

Valentine’s Day is about giving love, chocolates and flowers. Since the puppy has only two paws, he is bringing a huge heart and an equally massive red rose.

The heart, made of a couple of 2×3 plates with holes, isn’t a new design, but the rose is surprisingly gorgeous. The secret is four 1×2 curved wedges, which create the rounded and instantly recognizable shape of a rosebud. Obviously, the flower is way too big for a minifigure, but looks adorable for the BrickHeadz characters.


The complete set

This lovely puppy looks even happier once placed on the stand. Surrounded with flowers, this good boy is here to give you all his love!

The flowers that the stand is decorated with look way simpler than decorations of the other similar BrickHeadz sets (see Chinese street lights of 40354 Dragon Dance Guy for comparison). However, it’s really hard to come up with an idea more suitable than flowers. Moreover, this makes the set a perfect source of the new flower elements.


Final thoughts and recommendations

Unlike LEGO Collectible Minifigures, which can be really tough to guess inside the bag, the similarly collectible numbered BrickHeadz are always honest with you; if you see a lovely puppy on the box, this is exactly what you’re getting. Since the inner structures of each figure is nearly the same, it’s always the external design that wins us over. I’ve built a lot of BrickHeadz, but I still find every one of these sets utterly enjoyable to build and to collect. So, if you were looking for a reason to get another BrickHeadz character, show some love this Saint Valentine’s Day!


LEGO BrickHeadz 40349 Puppy includes 150 pieces. The set is available now from the LEGO Shop Online (US $9.99 | CAD $12.99) and Amazon, as well as third-party sellers on Bricklink and eBay.