BarkBox / John Lonsdale
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“George, want to play?”
After a long day of casual walks, a couple naps, and some much-need relaxing in front of the air conditioner, it was finally time to have some fun outside. Our golden retriever has no shortage of toys at home, but after months of playing with the same ball and stuffed animals, we decided to try something new to treat our best friend to something special — no trip to the pet store required. Enter BarkBox, a monthly dog toy-and-treat subscription delivery service known to deliver pop culture-themed picks, from Spongebob Square Pants to Harry Potter packages.
At a Glance: What to Know About BarkBox
- BarkBox Price: $22/month for 12 months; $25/BarBox for 6 months; or, $35/month
- What’s Included: Two bags of treats, two toys, and a surprise — customizable by breed, weight, and allergies
In short, this isn’t your typical dog toy subscription plan. To find out if the subscription service box is truly worth it, we tried out BarkBox for a week with our pup to find out just what all the zoomies are about.
In This Article
What Is BarkBox
Our BarkBox Review: Toys and Treats
Is BarkBox Worth It
What Is BarkBox?
Think of it kind of like a monthly food delivery service — but for your pup. BarkBox offers a themed box each month, starting at $22 for the annual plan, and throws in a couple of special toys, a couple bags of treats, along with a special, surprise treat. Dog owners can choose between a six- or 12-month subscription, though, as the brand explains it, Fido will likely steer you in the year-long direction — and who can blame ‘em.
Getting started is a breeze. All you have to do is go to BarkBox.com, then you add your dog’s name. Next up, we, of course, clicked on the “He’s a good boy” button. After that, BarkBox asks for your pup’s weight and size so the brand can cater the subscription delivery box to your dog’s wants and needs. (We like that prices stay the same, no matter if you’ve got a 50-plus-pound dog at home.) Next, BarkBox asks for your dog’s breed, their birthdate or adoption date, and whether they have any food allergies that need to be addressed.
John Lonsdale
Our BarkBox Review
After completing all the necessary information, BarkBox sent us two boxes to test out for our first time. (You’ll get one box per month after that.) This month’s theme: “Big Shake Lake,” with all the toys to prove it and to “shake off the dog days of summer,” as our delivery card explained.
Toys
Without missing a beat, our pup dove in headfirst. This month’s BarkBox toy selection included fun toys that owners can only find through BarkBox. First up: a Big Squeak Bass, a green fish complete with crinkle fins, a built-in squeaker, and a special mouth designed to hide treats. At first, our golden retriever – historically an easy-to-please pup — wasn’t completely sold on the bass. But after crinkling its fins and squeezing the squeaker, he knew it was a catch.
BarkBox
This month’s BarkBox delivery also included a tug-of-war Ultimutt Inner Tube toy, which turned out to be one of George’s favorites thanks to its sturdy tug strap and crinkle noise. He dragged it around in the grass, dragged me around the house while holding onto the strap, and shook it until he had to take a nap from playing so hard. Another favorite: a plush duck toy that our pup loved to catch in the air and thrash around. All in all, a 10-out-of-10 toy experience. (For tough chewers, dog owners can also subscribe to the SuperChewer box.)
Treats
Now, for the BarkBox treats. While we didn’t train our pup to beg for treats, he can’t help but be a little food-motivated. (Same, George, same.) And when it comes to feeding him treats, we like to know which ingredients we’re giving him, even though he will eat nearly everything (“except kale – tell them I don’t really like kale,” George says). OK, except kale.
John Lonsdale
BarkBox included a couple small, four-ounce bags of sealed treats in our delivery box. Wakey Wakey Soft Bakes, a maple bacon-flavored bag of goodies that the brand explains are made using real USA bacon and no artificial ingredients. But the bag George really seemed to crave: Jack-o-Loops Soft Bakes, a delicious cinnamon pumpkin soft treat (that also happened to be vegetarian). The treat bags also display just how many treats to feed your pup to help them maintain a healthy weight (which is important to us, and an extra reminder that we appreciate).
Anything else to add, George?
“Yeah, they were really freaking good. More, please!”
Is BarkBox Worth It?
“If you love delicious treats, fun, unexpected toys that you can share with friends, and a fun delivery each month, BarkBox is paws-down the best delivery box in the game,” our dog, George, told us. Now, does he really need all those treats and new toys every single month? Of course not, but we have to agree with him.
For $22 a month with the annual plan, we appreciate BarkBox’s convenient curation of toys, treats, and themes that cater specifically to your dog’s profile. Compared to buying individual dog toys and boxes of biscuits, it’s a decent price considering you don’t have to do any of the shopping yourself. It all arrives at your doorstep, and it’s an easy way to treat your pup to something fun (even if you don’t make it through all the yummy bags of food before the next box arrives). The bottom line: Your best friend deserves a BarkBox each month.
“Four paws up!” George says.
Why Trust Our Dog
The product Tester
Meet George
Golden Retriever, 4
George, a West Coast-based golden retriever, has been featured in People, The Doggist, and now Rolling Stone (though he’s still waiting on a cover). He’s been a dog who loves testing treats and toys since he can remember — going on over four years now. He’s tested everything from dog beds for brands like People to tug-of-war-worthy soccer balls with his buddies, and even tried out plush toys with squeakers since he was a puppy.
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