BarkBox is a subscription box for dogs. It’s the most popular dog subscription box. You’ve seen the small dog version, but since they customize based on dog size, we thought you might like to see what you’d get if you have a large dog, so this is a review of the “Big & Bold” box for a 50+ pound dog. (My dog, Nyx, is a Rottweiler who currently weighs about 83 pounds.)
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: BarkBox
The Cost: $29 per month on a month-to-month plan, save with longer subscriptions!
COUPON: Get a free extra month when you sign up for any length subscription with code BONUSFREEBOX
OR
Save $10 off any new BarkBox subscription with code ADDICTION.
The Products: Toys, treats, and grooming products selected for your dog based on size (choose “Small and Cute” for 0-20 pounds, “Just Right” for 20-50 pounds, and “Big & Bold” for dogs 50+ pounds).
Ships to: US and Canada
Good to Know: BarkBox offers a heavy chewer option. After you sign up, you can email them to request this. This box is supposedly the heavy chewer option.
Check out lots of great boxes for dogs in the Pet Subscription Box Directory! And see Liz and Eric’s reviews of the small dog version of BarkBox, along with the large version of Barkbox reviews here!
Keep Track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
The theme this month revolved around the state of California. The information card was a little different from usual, and designed to look like a celebrity gossip magazine, which is a fun little touch.
Butcher’s Block Bones Roasted Beef Steak – Value $5 (?)
I can’t find these online other than at wholesale sites (I did learn that you can buy steaks on Amazon, though, which is weird). I have gotten one of these in a dog box before, and this brand is usually pretty good quality. It kind of defeats the point of having a large chew, but I can probably get away with giving Nyx little pieces of this at a time. I like the warning for this not to be consumed on carpet…
Gustavo’s Avocado Rubber/Tennis Ball Toy – Value $14
This was a fun toy. It was really two toys in one, actually. The rubber avocado part was just the right mix between being slippery and being pick-up-able for Nyx to be interested, and the tennis ball pit was a clever touch. (Nyx loves tennis balls.)
US 101 Plush – Value $10
This is a pretty tough plush toy. It reminds me of two things: (1) a Social Distortion song and (2) this trip my grandparents took to California in their RV in the 1980s or early 1990s. My grandpa would send back postcards and he always mentioned this specific highway. Anyway, this is a nice, good size for Nyx and when I let her have it tonight, I predict the first thing to go will be a squeaker, followed by bits of the outer covering. But I think it will take awhile for her to do either of those.
Cow-Abunga Beef Kettle Chips (4.5 oz) – Value $6 (?)
I can’t find these in the Barkbox shop so I just assume they are around the same value as the other treats, since they are also Barkbox exclusives. I am adjusting Nyx’s medications now (dropping her pain pills since she seems basically over her knee ligament injuries, and adding fish oil very slowly to help improve her skin condition) so I will save these for after the adjustment is done, since she has done well on beef in the past.
Beach Dog Bacon Squares (5.5 oz) – Value $6
These are gluten free and made in the US. They do have oats and brown rice, though. Those will be suitable for most dogs, but unfortunately, Nyx can’t have pork, so we will pass these along to another dog to enjoy.
Here are some shots of Nyx enjoying the avocado toy. The best moment for me was when she discovered that the tennis ball “pit” had a squeaker in it (didn’t make a good photo, but you could see the realization in her eyes!).
The best part is, she totally didn’t destroy this. Didn’t even really damage it. So she’ll be able to play with it again.
Verdict: I calculated a value of about $41 for this month’s BarkBox (large dog version). Of course, some of the values above are estimates, but I still think you get about $10-12 in value over the cost of the box for a month-to-month subscription, and even better if you use a coupon or commit to a longer-term subscription (something I feel you can do with confidence with Barkbox). Nyx definitely enjoyed the avocado toy and the treats seem high quality, as well.
What do you think of the August 2016 BarkBox dog subscription box? Do you subscribe to any dog or cat boxes?
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