Summer-time has finally arrived which means- my parents left the country! Since then, a lot of my company has been of the four-legged variety.  That's right- I've been dog-sitting! And,  when a BarkBox came to my and our pack of Wired Fox Terriers' door, it was too good not to share with you all here. If you are not into canines, best leave off here- my family is definitely what one would term Dog People.

BarkBox is a subscription service where you get goodies for Man's Best Friend. Like most subscription services, their prices are on a scale; the more months you sign up to subscribe for the less the cost. They have one, three and six month options, with one month costing twenty-nine dollars and six months costing nineteen. For that price you get 4 or more items in your box. What the items are is always a surprise but could range from any thing from dog bones, to toys, to treats, to hygiene as well as other canine items like leashes or other gizmos. Items are not sample sized either; they are regular products from the companies. If you are have one (or maybe two) dogs per box, the eatable items should last you the month. Furthermore, most, if not all, items (in the May Box at least), were made in the USA and many were following health trends such as being wheat or gluten free. This would be helpful if your pet was allergic to anything for sure, though their website says they cannot guarantee being allergy safe for dogs.

This BarkBox was a present to my father from a friend (I told you. We are Dog People), so I had not been fully aware up until this (our second) box how the BarkBoxes worked. Turns out, these things work pretty slick. When you sign up for a box, you specify your dog's size (They are categorized as "small and cute," "Just Right," and "Big and Bold" with sizes corresponding to  0-20 lb., 20-50 lb. and 50+ lb. ranges). This ensures your dachshund doesn't end up with a ball designed for a Mastiff's mouth or vice versa. How thoughtful, right?

Below you can see what we got in our box.


We received ( I think) the May  "Small and Cute" package, what with  Fox Terrier adults generally being 12-25 lb. I love their packaging; just fantastic branding.

Here is what was in the BarkBox and what I  (and what Fox Terriers Brisco, Gidget and their new puppy Rowdy) thought of the items:

Green Juice Biscuits from Bocce's Bakery- Advertised as all-natural, these bit-sized treats include spinach, jale, apples, mint leaves and flax seeds. They are also gluten-free, wheat-free, preservative-free, vegan and made in the USA.

Verdict: I'm not convinced they love these treats. They are very excited to get them, but don't always clean up the crumbs that are inevitable when they eat biscuits. However, they always seem happy to get them, so it is no worse than any other treat.  

Grill-icious Beef Treats. Made from beef and sweet potatoes, these are also gluten-free and also made in the US.

Verdict: Loved it, but since it is mostly beef, was that ever in doubt?

Barkworthies  Bully Sticks-  We got the kind listed as "Odor-free!"

Verdict: They do seem to actually be odor-free (at least while being ingested, lol). We got two sizes. A very thin one, and one a more standard size of thickness. Brisco ate all of the thin one in less than five minutes. I am not even kidding. So, he clearly liked it, but it was gone fast! I'm under the impression these are suppose to be more chew toys than quick treats....

Planet Dog Strawberry Chew Toy - a hollow, rubbery strawberry shaped toy that apparently tastes minty to the dog.

Verdict: An undeniable hit! Our dogs are a bit fetch-crazed and love to chew, so I wasn't worried about how it would go over. What was surprising was our female Gidget throughly claiming it as her own. She only wants to fetch with it now. No one else can have it! Luckily, the boys are remarkably good sports about it.

Also included was a letter explaining the items, and an "activity card" suggesting things to do with your dog. Both were cute, little flousihes, as icing on a cake.

If tail wagging is anything to go by, BarkBox is a hit for our house! All of the companies are online and many are small bussinesses, so these are not items you can get in a pet store. The variety and novelty were fun, plus we can stock up now on items we liked (though, Barkworthies  seems to mostly sell in large bulk only). Would you consider getting a subscription box for a pet?