BarkBox Review: That Time My Dog Got One for His Birthday

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BarkBox. All opinions are 100% mine.

The thing about rescue dogs is that their birthdays are often unknown. At the time of our dog Scooby’s adoption, it was estimated that he was 2.5 years old which meant his real birthday fell around the same time as my daughter’s. She decided that Scooby’s birthday should be the day after hers.

Fast forward to early April 2017, the month of his 8th birthday. We were hot on the heels of a long and busy trip to Asia. Preparation for my daughter’s birthday was in full swing and felt like they lasted forever. It wasn’t until her birthday day that I realized we had all forgotten our dog’s birthday.

His start to life is a horror story so he’s spoiled now and normally gets a present.

My dog with a toy from his awesome BarkBox.

THANK GOODNESS, a guilt-relieving BarkBox was already on its way. It’s a monthly dog subscription box full of toys, treats and dog happiness for dogs of all sizes. As avid travelers and fans of the Big Apple, we found the “Poo York City” theme both hilarious and clever.

I opened it outside of his presence to sleuth out what comes in a BarkBox. Each BarkBox contains 2 bags of treats (made in the USA and Canada), 1 chew, and 2 toys and each box is themed. Inside his box was a long treat chew, Rope Pretzel Toy, Lady Liberty Ball (comes in 3 sizes) and two types of smaller treats.

The cheeky directions say to open it on the floor with your dog (or furniture, if the dog is permitted on it) so that’s what I did.

And, I also learned that it’s tough to photograph a dog with a BarkBox. He took the pretzel and ran into the other room where much chewing occurred. It was excitement all the way despite my best efforts to document it.

Each BarkBox comes with two themed toys like this giant NYC pretzel that my dog is obsessed with.

My daughter came in to check out the scene with the rest of the BarkBox. He was like, “Don’t you dare take away my pretzel!”

Each BarkBox comes with two themed dog toys.

I also unpackaged the chew which he promptly took outside to his favorite snacking spot.

BarkBox review: What comes inside and how Scooby liked this dog subscription box.

How a BarkBox Subscription Works

A BarkBox subscription service that works like this.

The monthly plan is $29 billed monthly
6-month commitment plan – $25 billed monthly
12-month commitment plan – $21 billed monthly

You have the extra toy club option when buying BarkBox which is an additional $9 per month. Your first BarkBox ships right away and subsequent BarkBoxes ship out on the 15th of each month. BarkBox is well-known for awesome customer service.

I think that any BarkBox subscription is a good idea for dogs who tear out squeakers quickly like this guy does as I would probably break even. (Though to be honest, these toys still have their squeakers in weeks later so they are well made.)

My husband cannot say no to this face so is also constantly giving him snacks. I like having plenty on-hand that are made specifically for dogs as opposed to scraps of human food.

Every dog needs a BarkBox subscription. This guy gives it a glowing review.

You can bet that Scooby is looking forward to another delivery!

Have you tried BarkBox?

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).