5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

Now that spring is upon us, and summer around the corner, we are officially in Wedding Season! If you?re getting married this spring or summer, you may be looking at ways to include your furry best friend in your big day. That is why we are bringing you 5 Ways To Include Your Dog in Your Wedding. Having just got married this past October myself; I know the importance of wanting all of your family members celebrating with you.

These 5 ideas are all things that my husband and I did to include Marlee in our wedding. Some take a bit of planning, while others are super easy. But what?s important is that your four-legged friend gets to be included. Whether that is with you in person or in other creative ways.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Engagement Pictures

1. Engagement Pictures

A very simple way to include your doggie in your wedding and events leading up to your wedding is engagement pictures. This is your first step towards your wedding after the actual proposal.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Engagement Pictures

Here are a few of my tips for including your dog in your engagement pictures:

  1. Talk to your photographer in advance if you plan on bringing your dog along. You want to know if your photographer has worked with animals before. It?s possible they could be scared of dogs and then they aren?t able to perform their services to the best of their ability.
  2. Pick an outdoor location. Your dog will feel most comfortable being outside and not in some strange persons house. Of course you could always take your engagement pictures at your home, where they also feel at home. But we recommend outside so that your dog is calm.
  3. Take your dog for a walk before hand. This goes along with my previous tip. If you?re outside you can bring your dog for a walk before hand and let them run around. This way they are calm and tired for the pictures. Ensuring that they will be more willing to sit and stay still for your photographer. Bonus: If you want your photographer to catch action shots, they can always do this while you?re playing with your dog.
  4. Bring along treats. This may seem like a no brainer but it could be a lifesaver. If you have a very well trained dog, this may not be necessary, but still couldn?t hurt. Most dogs are food motivated and having treats on hand is super helpful. Marlee isn?t food motivated but having some of her favourite treats on hand, always comes in handy. No pun intended. But really, your dog may have to sit or lie dog for a long period of time depending on the pose you are doing and having a reward is always a great idea.
  5. Bring along a friend or family member. This was the best decision we made! My best friend came along with us and took care of Marlee. We wanted some pictures with Marlee and some without. She was able to take care of Marlee for the photos we took without her. It was also really helpful having her for the pictures we took with Marlee because she was able to stand with the photographer and call Marlee?s name. For occasion such as engagement pictures, another person is a must if you include your dog.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Honorary Wedding Party Member

2. Honorary Wedding Party Member

It may be a little more complicated to include your dog in your wedding as a wedding party member but it?s worth it! We were very lucky to get married on my mother in laws property so we didn?t have to worry too much about the logistics of this. However, you will want to check your venue, if dogs or pets are allowed. Most will have strict rules about this. Most likely if your ceremony is in a church this option will not be possible. However, most outdoor locations are great for allowing dogs.

We had one of our maids of honour (we had two) walk down with Marlee and then hold her leash during the ceremony. This way she was able to walk down the aisle and then stand next to us during the ceremony. You could also have your furry friend walk the bride down the aisle, or go down with the flower girl or ring bearer. There are so many options, what you choose truly depends on you and your dog.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Honorary Wedding Party Member

You can also dress your four-legged family member for the occasion. With Marlee we put a cute white and black damask collar on her. But you could do a flower collar or flower crown, a special leash. Or my personal favourite, a special engraved dog tag that says their role, such as ?Flower Girl? or ?Groomsman.? Whatever suits you, your future husband and your doggie the best. The important thing is that you get to include your dog in your wedding.

Just make sure that you have a plan for your pup post ceremony because the reception may be a little too wild for them. Marlee went into the house when the real party started in the reception tent. Family members took turns letting Marlee and my mother in laws dogs out for pee breaks throughout the evening and night. If this isn?t an option for you, consider hiring a dog sitter for the evening. Or have someone you trust drive your dog home.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Cake Topper

3. Your Cake Topper

Having your dog apart of your cake topper is an easy and subtle way to include your dog in your wedding. I feel that this is a really cute touch to any wedding where the bride and groom own a dog. It requires little extra work and doesn?t mean that your dog has to be present at your wedding. We wanted to include Marlee in as many aspects of our wedding as possible. Which meant that she had to be on top of the cake with us!

I had looked at customized cake toppers but they were pretty pricey and out of our budget. While this would have been nice, the reality of the matter is that it?s only for one night and then you never use it again. With that in mind I immediately set out looking for alternatives that still included our fur baby.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Cake Topper

We ended up ordering our cake topper from Wedding Star. As you can see from the picture we ordered the ?Leaning for a Kiss? couple figure Cake Topper. This was our main cake topper and then we ordered the Miniature Bichon Frise Figurine. Marlee isn?t actually a bichon frise, but this dog looked the closest to her breed. However it was all white and she isn?t.

My amazingly talented best friend, actually painted the porcelain dog to match Marlee?s hair colour. This completely brought the dog to life and looked just like her. We then were able to put the dog figurine on base of the couple figurine cake topper. The cake topper as a whole was a huge hit. This is a super cute and easy way to include your dog in your wedding. Bonus: these cake toppers are currently on sale!

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Getting Ready and Wedding Picures

4. Wedding Pictures ? Getting Ready Pictures

What better way to include your dog in your wedding than your wedding pictures. There are a couple ways to do this. First, if you?re taking bridals or any wedding pictures in advance you can bring your dog along. If you?re going to do this, use the same tips that I mentioned for including your dog in your engagement pictures.

Another way to include your dog in your wedding pictures is by taking pictures with them when you?re getting ready. This is something that I did and really enjoyed. Since we were married on our family?s property it gave us a lot of leeway. Marlee was in the house with us so it was just natural for her to be by my side as I was getting ready. Our photographer captured some really nice pictures of the two of us.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Getting Ready and Wedding Pictures

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Getting Ready and Wedding Pictures

The last way to include your dog in your wedding pictures is by having them present the day of your wedding. I previously mentioned having our dog in our wedding ceremony. Because of that she was at our cocktail hour before the reception. We took the majority of our pictures during this time. We actually let all the dogs run around and mingle with our guests. Looking back on our wedding pictures, there are quite a few where Marlee is seen off to the side or hiding. It truly is something special to have your furry best friend included in your big day.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Save the Dates and Thank You Cards

5. Your Save The Dates/Thank You Cards

You can include your dog in your save the dates and thank you cards in a couple ways. If you want them in your save the dates then you can bring them along to your engagement pictures and use those photos. Or you can have a little cartoon made of them and included somewhere on the save the date. We did not have Marlee included in our save the dates because we were going to a more elegant/rustic feel. But we did include her in our Thank You Cards.

You can do this by using photos from your wedding day, if you had your dog present that day and got pictures. Another way as I previously mentioned in the form of a cartoon, which is what we did. Even though we had Marlee at our wedding and got some cute pictures, I wanted to do something a little more fun. We treat Marlee as our child, which means she is as apart as the family as my husband and I are. Because of that, I reached out to a cartoonist who was able to make Marlee into a cartoon based on pictures I sent him.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Save the Dates and Thank You Cards

I thought it would be really funny if Marlee was a cartoon and she had a speech bubble saying, ?and we all lived happily ever after!? We then put it on the back of our Thank You Cards. That way the front still matched our wedding theme, as well as our Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations. But it added a little fun element that was unique but included our dog in our wedding.

Well there you have it, 5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding! We hope you enjoyed our ideas. Some are super easy to achieve, such as included them in your cake topper or save the dates/thank you cards. While others may require more planning, it is totally worth it in the end. If you?re able to include your dog in your wedding I highly recommend it. I love looking back on our wedding pictures and seeing Marlee right next to us. I can?t wait to look back on them in 10, 15, 25 or even 50 years and see her and remember how it was such an amazingly special day.

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding Marlee

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding - Wedding Pictures

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

5 Ways to Include Your Dog in Your Wedding

Let us know if you have included your dog in your wedding and if you have any other ideas to do so!

Don’t forget to check out some our previous posts?on including your dogs in all aspects of your life, such as birthdays with these Wheat Free Peanut Butter Banana Muffins for Dogs?or during the holidays with these DIY Easter Treats for Dogs!

Wet Kisses and Tail Wags,
Karlee and Marlee

Wedding and Engagement Pictures Taken by G3 Designs Photography. Thank You Cards by Pretty In Print Invitations.

BarkBox Review – April 2018

April BarkBox Review 2018

A few weeks ago Marlee received her April BarkBox in the mail. She since as had some time to get to know and play with her toys. As well as try out the treats and chews in this month?s box. Continue reading for our thoughts and feelings on the April BarkBox!

April BarkBox Review - Theme

Theme

The theme of the April BarkBox was BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail. This was another really cute theme that Bark thought up. Everyone has heard of BlackBeard the pirate. So Bark did their own unique spin on him, and named this pirate BarkBeard. While I am not a huge pirate fan, everyone can get into this theme and enjoy what Bark has created for this April BarkBox.

April BarkBox Review - Information Card

Let?s first start with the information card that is always included in your monthly BarkBox. On the front side of the info card the theme name is statement, and some punny information about what is in the April BarkBox. Mentioning some ?scurvy squeakies,? ?plenty treats for ye biscuit-eatin? Barkaneers? and ?ruff seas? just to name a few. As always this side of the information card also shows a few of the possible toys that your doggo could receive in their BarkBox. This one shows Meri the Squirmaid, Anchors Away and Scurvy Jack the Seagull. The card is also made to look a bit like a map, which is a nice touch.

April BarkBox Review - Information Card

The backside of the card has the title Shiver Me Pictures. This side also mentioned three steps that you can take to share your BarkBeard journey on social media. The April BarkBox comes with a cute bonus bandana for your pup to wear. So the steps are: 1. Find BarkBeard?s Bandana in your BarkBox 2. Dress your wily Seadog in the bandana, and snap a picture! 3. Share with #BarkBoxDay for a chance to be featured on our channels! We decided to take part in this and share a picture of Marlee wearing her bandana and with her toys! This was a very creative way for Bark to get people on their social media accounts and spreading some love.

April BarkBox Review - Bonus BarkBeard's Bandana

The bottom half of the card tells The Legend of Barkbeard. Stating that, ? BarkBeard was the most fursome pirate to ever sniff the Seven Seas! He could chew through an enemy?s sails, loot every dinner table across the Muttiteranean, and still make time to dig up treasure (and a couple slower beds)! He was captured and sentenced to Davy Bones? Locker, but the one place he never walked was the plank. He escaped with his booty to BarkBeard Island, where at night, you can still hear his Yo Ho Howl?? This was a super creative description and truly just for the humans enjoyment. A cartoon of BarkBeard the pirate is also on the card, which is a nice added touch.

April BarkBox Review - Overall Look and Packaging

All of the packaging for the April BarkBox was done very well. The actual box that everything comes in is printed to look like a treasure chest. The wrapping paper inside the BarkBox is great for the theme BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail. The outer side is printed to have gold and silver coins, as well as some gems and pearl strands. It also had some extra gold treasures. This is super cute and goes along with the theme and completed the look of a treasure chest. The opposite side of the wrapping is a map of BarkBeard Island. This side features different dog pirates, dog sea creatures as well as some stops you can make such as, the Great Terrier Reef, Grrribean Sea, The Ghew Lagoon and Squirmaid Bay.

The rating that we are giving the idea behind the April BarkBox is a 10/10. I truly loved this BarkBox theme, I felt it was very creative. The theme was well thought out and they were able to do lots with it.

The rating that we are giving for how the theme was carried out is a 9/10. All of the packing and the information card were clever and detailed. The box as the treasure chest and the wrapping paper to match, as well as the map was creative and carried out the theme very well. The toys and treats also are on theme and were done very well.

Toys

For the April BarkBox the two toys that Marlee received were Clam Overboard and Merv the Squirmaid King. Neither of these toys were featured on the info card but that?s okay. There are many toys that your doggie could receive in the April BarkBox, some of them that I haven?t already mentioned include, Greedy Gilly, Bob in the Barrel, Redbird the Parrot, Captain Woof and Ahoy Matey Bottle. You can also always purchase any of the toys you don?t receive on the BarkBox website.

Merv the Squirmaid King

April BarkBox Review - Merv the Squirmaid King Toy

The first toy that Marlee received in the April BarkBox was Merv the Squirmaid King. Merv is a squirrel mermaid man, which is super funny and creative. I love that BarkBox always uses the theme of how dogs have this on going feud with squirrels. All of their squirrel inspired toys makes a dog?s dream of chasing and attacking squirrels a reality every day. Merv the Squirmaid King is no exception to this, Marlee loves this toy and spends an endless amount of time carrying it around and attacking it.

This toy contains a few different aspects that make it super fun for dogs. First the Squirmaid has long hair, so your dog can pull on it and rip it out if they desire to do so. It also contains a squeaker, which makes Marlee love to attack it and squeak it over and over again. The fin on the end of the tail is a crinkle so that excites your dog. I also crinkle it at Marlee and get her really excited to play with it, and then we either play tug of war or she steals it. Lastly, like most toys it has tons of fluff inside of it. Marlee loves to make a rip in her toys and pull out all of the fluff. She hasn?t done this to Merv the Squirmaid King yet but it?s only a matter of time.

Merv the Squirmaid King fits super well with the theme of BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail. While you may not necessarily find a Squirmaid in the ocean, you will definitely find some mermaids, well maybe. A dog can dream and what better to dream about on your pirate adventure than catching squirrel mermaids! This was a super creative toy that if our dogs only knew, would have them rolling over.

April BarkBox Review - Merv the Squirmaid King Toy

Some other note worthy aspects of Merv the Squirmaid King. The bottom half of him, which is his Squirmaid tail has been painted to look like a scaled tail which is nice and detailed. The top part of the tail has a different material that is metallic shiny blue. He has embroidered abs which is pretty hilarious and of course, just a detail for human enjoyment. On his face he has some big teeth sticking out like a squirrel potentially could have? As well as, a haired face/bread and a mustache! Because a beard wasn?t enough he needed a mustache too. Well, I guess he is the King!

The face and ears have embroidered details, which shows the attention to detail and the quality of the toy. Merv is also holding a trident in his ring hand. This is a great spot for your dog to latch onto while playing tug of war. It also shows that he really is the King of the Sea, or at least maybe the living room. Lastly, Merv the Squirmaid King is wearing a small crown, again reinforcing that he is King!

We are rating Merv the Squirmaid King a 9/10. He was super creative and high quality. All of the attention to detail adds to the overall toy. It has aspects on it that are there for your dog, but also there for the humans. He conveys what they are trying to get across. All of the parts that are meant for the dog are good. It includes a squeaker, crinkles and lots of fluff. The only reason it is not getting a full score is because I really hate the hair material. I find when your dog has played with the hair for a while it gets a gross texture and clumps together. I don?t know what other material would be better but that?s why I?m not the toy maker. Otherwise this toy is great, I love the rest of the different materials.

Clam Overboard!

April BarkBox Review - Clam Overboard! Toy

The second toy that Marlee received in her April BarkBox was Clam Overboard! I have to say that this toy is Marlee?s #1 favourite toy right now. What it is is a 3 in 1 toy. The main parts of the toy are the clam and then inside are two plush pearls. Marlee absolutely loves taking the pearls out and biting on them. This is actually the second time Marlee has received a multi-part toy, the first time was Penny the Pineapple from the February BarkBox. Marlee is obsessed with this multi-part toy. Clam Overboard is very creative and goes with the theme, but lets look at all its aspects.

The main clam part is a medium sized toy that is a good sixe for Marlee. Sometimes the BarkBox toys even for small dogs are a little bit too big or heavy for her to carry around, but the Clam is a good size. Maybe if your dog is really small, like less than 10 pounds, it may be too big for them. The two pearls that come inside the clam are rather small. They are perfect for Marlee since she is about 12-13 pounds. However if you have a medium to large sized dog I would be concerned about the possibility of them swallowing them. I know that my mother in laws golden retriever would most definitely accidentally swallow these little pearls.

The clam is a couple different textures. The outer part is purple and then the rim on the edge is a lighter purple than the body. The dark purple part has crinkles all throughout it, which is fun for your dog. I know Marlee loves it. The lighter purple edge is just a nice frilly plush part that doesn?t have anything in it, but is a good spot for your dog to grab when playing. The clam also has a cute pink tongue sticking out of the bottom right hand side. This is just a funny added touch and again another spot for your dog to latch onto when playing.

The inside of the clam is a completely different texture. It is blue and has long plush pieces that stick out in all directions. This reminds me of floral and fauna found in the ocean. The different textures make a nice contrast. The textured inside also allows the plush pearls to fit inside snuggly, without falling out easily. The very inside of the toy is filled with fluff but not so much that its meant for your dog is rip out. Just enough for the toy to have shape and structure, and for it to look like a clam.

April BarkBox Review - Clam Overboard! Toy Pearl

The pearls inside, which I have to mention, there are no pearls in clams but we will look past that. These pearls while little are not lacking details. There are two of them and they both have cute little faces on them. One is smiling and has an eye patch over one eye. While the other is holding a sword in it?s mouth. This one also has a scar running down its right eye. All of the details on these are embroidered, which again shows the quality of the Bark toys. Each toy also have a squeaker inside of it. As I previously mentioned Clam Overboard is by far Marlee?s favourite toy not just in her April BarkBox but out of all her 50+ toys.

We are rating Clam Overboard a 10/10. It isn?t as detailed and heavily layered with ideas as some of the previous BarkBox toys. One that comes to mind is Furry Frida from the March BarkBox. But this is Marlee?s favourite toy so it has to be rated quite high. It also is a three-part toy, which is always great and worth it. All aspects of the toy do have details even the little pearls haven?t been forgotten. The entire toy also is very on point with the April BarkBox theme BarkBeard?s Treasure: a Pirate?s Tail. So for all these reasons we had to give it a high score. Not to mention, it has multiple textures, crinkles, fluff and squeakers. Sounds like an endless amount of fun to me!

Treats and Chew

In every monthly BarkBox your dog will receive two bags of treats and a chew. For the April BarkBox, BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail, all of the treats and chew matched pretty well to the theme. The treats that Marlee received in the April BarkBox were, Pirates Jewels and bff Bones All-Natural Health Dog Treats ? Fish ?n? Chips Medley. The chew that Marlee received was a Full Pig Ear Chew. As always, everything Marlee received was wheat, corn, and soy free, as well as chicken free since she?s allergic.

Pirate?s Jewels (Tender Bites)

April BarkBox Review - Pirate's Jewels Treats

As mentioned above, the first treat that Marlee received in her April BarkBox was Pirate’s Jewels. These are from the company Wag Machine, which we have never purchased from before or tried any of the treats previously. However, the packaging is really creative. It looks like a map, which matches the April BarkBox theme.

The back of the packaging as a statement saying, ?Blimey! Yer cur has found th? botty with these treats! These delicious pirate jewels will ?ave yet cur beggin fer more! Pillage our website for more hidden gems at www.wagmachine.com? The rest of the bag packing has the regular ingredient and nutrition information. The main ingredient in these pirate jewels is pork and they also have oats, coconut, tapioca, brown rice, flaxseed, canola oil, beet powder and some seasonings. I love seeing that all of the ingredients are natural and good for my dog.

Unfortunately Marlee did not like these treats at all. They smell pretty good and I thought that maybe she would like them since they are made from pork and she likes pork. However, the picky dog strikes again and she wouldn?t even touch them. They have a similar look and texture to the Coconut Shrimp treats?in the February BarkBox. Marlee was so-so on those treats so I thought there was a chance she may eat these. But she won?t give these the treats the time of day so after weeks of offering them to her, I think it?s time to give them to my mother in laws two dogs. I know that they will love them.

We are rating these Pirate?s Jewels a 3/10 on taste and a 9/10. We can?t give the Pirate?s Jewels a high rating on taste. Marlee won?t even put one in her mouth to try it. But that doesn?t mean other dogs wouldn?t like these, I?m sure my mother in laws dogs Chevy and Lexi will love them. The packaging is nice and matches the theme very well. The treasure map and little pirate cartoons are creative. Even the name is just perfect for the April BarkBox BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail.

bff Bones All-Natural Healthy Dog Treats – Fish ?n? Chips Medley

April BarkBox Review - bff Bones All Natural Healthy Dog Treats Fish 'n' Chips Medley

The second treat that Marlee received in her April BarkBox was the bff Bones All-Natural Healthy Dog Treats – Fish ?n? Chips Medley. The packaging is super cute and matches the theme for the April BarkBox. It?s all light blue and then has dark blue fish and yellow chips all over it. It also has a life preserver in the top left corner that tells you what?s in the treats. The type of treats Fish ?n? Chips Medley is on the front of the package and is written on a white fish in the middle.

The back of the packing is just plain blue, the same blue as the little fish on the front. It tells us a ton of information about the treats including the ingredients, nutritional info, feeding and storage guidelines. It also gives the company bbf Bones mission statement.

These treats are interesting because they have both a biscuit and freeze-dried meat. These ones specifically have a salmon biscuit and a freeze-dried whitefish. The treats smell super fishy because they are mainly just fish. Marlee loves fish treats so I gave them to her and had high hopes. In the February BarkBox Marlee received salmon jerky and she absolutely loved it, so when I saw a fish treat I was thinking, ?Yes! She?s going to love these!?

I was right and I was wrong. Marlee loves half of the treats in the bag. As I have mentioned in the past Marlee isn?t a huge fan of baked treats. So I should have known that she wasn?t going to love the salmon biscuits. However, she does absolutely love the freeze-dried whitefish. Some of the pieces are a little big so I have to break them up but that?s also because it means they last longer. The biscuits she doesn?t hate but she isn?t crazy about. Sometimes I will give them to her (broken in half) and she won?t eat them for a long time. I will just leave them on the floor and she will come back later. I?m totally okay with this, I don?t mind her monitoring her own treat consumption.

We are rating the bff Bones All-Natural Healthy Dog Treats ? Fish ?n? Chips Medley a 7/10 on taste and a 10/10 on packaging. The treats are healthy, wheat, corn, soy and chicken free. Marlee loved the freeze-dried whitefish and didn?t turn her nose up at the salmon biscuits. I felt like these treats were a real win. The only reason it didn?t get full marks is because Marlee isn?t in love with the salmon biscuits. Chances are they will probably go stale before she gets through the bag. I may end up passing these on to a family members dog if Marlee doesn?t eat them fast enough. The packaging is cute and matches the April BarkBox theme. I love that the packaging matches the April BarkBox theme but also matches the treats inside.

Full Pig Ear Chew

April BarkBox Review - Full Pig Ear Chew

The chew that Marlee received in the April BarkBox was a Full Pig Ear Chew. It came in a clear plastic package and once I took it out it was rather interesting. It?s literally what you would picture a full dried pig ear would look like. It is kind of translucent throughout and odourless. I?m not going to lie, it kind of creeps me out and I eat meat. I?ve heard of many dogs loving pig ears, but unfortunately my dog is not one of them.

From the time that I took the ear out of the packaging and gave it to Marlee, it has sat in the exact same spot. She has wanted nothing to do with it. She hasn?t picked it up or smelled it, nothing. The texture is good and I feel like many dogs would enjoy chewing on it, but Marlee is not one of them. I could pass it along to a family dog but I think that my family members would be a little grossed out by it and the bigger dogs may choke on it.

For these reasons we are rating the Full Pig Ear Chew a 3/10. We haven?t been able to get any enjoyment out of it, which is unfortunate. But, it does match the April BarkBox theme and is nice in theory. As I always say, just because my little picky dog didn?t enjoy it, doesn?t mean other dogs don?t. I?m sure many dogs have a great time chewing on pig ears, but Marlee thought she was above this treat and would ?t give it the time of day.

Was This Month Worth It?

April BarkBox Review - Marlee and her April BarkBox

If you?re keeping track so far that is a total of 70/90 points. Looking at the April BarkBox BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail our overall rating for the entire BarkBox is an 8/10. We loved this theme, it was creative in every aspects. The packaging that the toys, treats and chew came in; the treasure chest box and gold coin and jewels wrapping paper. The bonus bandana that BarkBox included to get our furry friends and hoomans interacted on social media.

I also love that they continue to carry out the idea of all dog?s nemesis the squirrel in their toys. The two toys that Marlee received we loved, and all the toys available for the April BarkBox. These were creative, matched the theme and carried it out well. They were also good quality and worth every penny. The treats were also a win, Marlee loved the Fish ?n? Chips Medley and while she was against the Pirate?s Jewels that packing carried out the theme. Unfortunately Marlee didn?t like this month?s chew, but the Full Pig Ear Chew was creative and matches the theme well.

Our final score for the April BarkBox is a 78/100. We just absolutely loved this theme and everything that went with it. Not to mention, Marlee now has a new favourite toy!

Don?t forget that your dog can always join in on the fun. You can purchase just the April BarkBox?right off their website. Or you can sign up for a monthly subscription. If you don?t want to make a commitment but love some of the toys, check out the BarkShop?and order individual toys and treats!

April BarkBox Review - Marlee Playing Tug of War with Merv the Squirmaid King

Let us know what your favourite item was in your April BarkBox BarkBeard?s Treasure: A Pirate?s Tail in the comments below! Don?t forget to check out our previous BarkBox Reviews.

Wet Kisses ad Tail Wags,
Karlee and Marlee

Bonus

April BarkBox Review - Bonus March BarkBox

This month BarkBox sent out an extra March BarkBox to share with a furry friend! We ended up splitting up our extra box between our family members. Marlee?s cousin Lola got a bag of Masterpiece Morsel’s?and the Lamb Weasand Chew. She loved both of these! Marlee?s Aunties Chevy and Lexi got the Soft and Chewy ? The Great Wave (Fish Recipe with Cheese and Turmeric)?they gobbled these right up! Lastly, Marlee?s half brother/cousin Bear and cousin Kiki received the toys, Paint Tube Tug?and La Artista Squirrelista – Furry Frida the Squirrel. They are still enjoying playing with these!

 

Dog Mom – Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Dog Mom Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day is an important day to celebrate all mothers. Whether you’re a mom with human children or a dog mom, it’s a day to recognize the love and sacrifices you have given your family. That is why we have brought to you 10 ideas that any dog mom would love for Mother’s Day. These items range from as inexpensive as $8 to $299 if you really want to spoil your mom. Let’s be real, if you’re a dog mom, you can also just treat yourselves this mother’s day, theres no rule saying someone else has to buy the gift for you. We hope you enjoy our Dog Mom – Mother’s Day Gift Guide!

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Devoted Dog Pandora Charm

Pandora Dog Charm – $40

Most of the time when you?re a mom, you don?t often buy yourself things that aren?t necessities. Being a dog mom, I know this is no different having a dog child than a human child. I am more likely to purchase toys and clothes for my fur baby than myself. So Mother?s Day is the perfect time to treat that dog mom in your life and get her something she wouldn?t buy for herself. What better way to show that her fur baby loves her as much she loves them than with the Devoted Dog charm from Pandora. Even when you?re not together, every time you look down and see the cute dog face on your Pandora bracelet, you will think of your four legged best friend.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Dog Mom Hat

Dog Mom Hat – $30

If you?re a dog mom or know a dog mom, then you know we are loud and proud about it. The Dog Mom hat from thedogmomco is a perfect staple to have in any dog mom?s wardrobe. Having a bad hair day? No problem, just throw on your dog mom hat and you?re ready to go. Even if you?re having a great hair day, the dog mom hat is a great additional to any outfit. With the beginning of summer coming up and the warm weather upon us, represent all dog moms by wearing this cute hat. I know I would love one for Mother?s Day.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Furbo Dog Camera

Furbo Dog Camera – $299

The Furbo Dog Camera, this is one gift I wish I had. Ellen DeGreneres had this on her show around Christmas I believe and I have wanted it ever since. Are you worried that your fur baby is alone all day? Do you miss them when you?re at work, or out of the house? Fear not! The Furbo is here and has the solutions to all your problems. The Furbo allows you to see and talk to your doggie while you?re not home. It even sends you alerts when your dog is active, if there is a human or if your furry friend is barking. The best part though, is that you can throw your four legged friend treats! Now you can reward them for good behaviour when you?re not even home! For a limited time, Furbo is having a Mother?s Day sale, offering $85 off your purchase.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Bark & Co Schoodles

Bark & Co Shoodles by Bucketfeet – $95

 

Every dog mom wants to walk her dog in style. Make sure the dog mom in your life is stylish with these Bark & Co Shoodles. Slip your feet into a pair of these super adorable bucketfeet shoes, that feature illustrations by Dave Coverly. You?ll always be representing dog moms while wearing these shoes. Worried about getting them dirty during those muddy dog walks? That?s okay, they also come in grey and black which shows less dirt. But let?s be honest, you should just buy both pairs because the dog mom in your life will be getting lots of use out of these.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Fur Baby Mama Mug

Fur Baby Mama Mug – $17

This super cute Fur Baby Mama mug is sure to put a smile on her face this Mother?s Day. The floral pattern for the paw print is adorable and screams Mother?s Day. The dog mom in your life will continue to love this mug day and day. They can enjoy is at home or bring it to the office to show everyone how proud they are to be a Fur Baby Mama. If you want to give a mug but want a different saying, Home Sweet Pet on Etsy, has different options to choose from, as well as pet tags. So you can treat the dog mom and the dog!

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Crazy Dog Lady Tote Bag

Crazy Dog Lady Tote Bag – $15

We?ve all heard about the crazy cat lady, but let?s be real. All of us dog moms have a little bit of crazy in us as well. This super cute and handy Crazy Dog Lady Tote Bag, lets everyone know just how crazy you are about your dog. It?s great for your dog mom to carry her belongings in. But even better for carrying your dogs stuff in. It works great for overnight trips to pack your fur babies, toys, treats, blankets, and other necessities. The tote is also great to use for running errands, or grocery shopping. Any dog mom would love to have this as an addition to her daily life.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Dog Mom T-Shirt

Dog Mom T-Shirt – $24

Buy this for the dog mom in your life, and it is quickly become a staple item. The Dog Mom shirt is something that dog moms can represent everyday and never get tired of it! These dog mom t-shirts from LucyGooseCo are available in about 15 different colours. Which makes it possible to wear one every day of the week. These t-shirts are classic and cute. You can wear them with jean shorts and skirts during the summer or jeans and leggings during the winter. They are so versatile and there will be no mistaking that you love your dog. This is a great Mother?s Day gift that any dog mom would love and enjoy.

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Dog Treat Jar

Dog Treat Jar by Amici Pet Beverly Hills – $10

A Dog Treat Jar is a great gift for the dog mom, the dog and anyone in the house that gives the dog treats. They are a cute addition to your kitchen counter, or wherever you like to store your dog treats. They are also super helpful and efficient at de-cluttering treat bags. I don?t know about your dog, but our dogs know the second the treat bag is picked up and they are there waiting to receive one. Really, the crinkle of any bag, has our dogs up in our business wanting whatever we have. Eliminate that problem with a jar, and soon the dogs are always wanting your food from the crinkly bag. These treat jars are also great for keeping smaller amounts of treats out at a time. We buy the largest bag of duck treats we can find and then fill up the jar. The rest of the bag we store in the cupboard, to free up counter space in our kitchen. Apart from it?s functionality, it?s adorable and adds to the d?cor in your home. So any dog mom would love this gift for Mother?s Day!

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - Friendship Collar

Puppy Love Friendship Collar – $45

Dog Mom?s are always buying new stuff for their doggies. I know that I am always buying my little Marlee new collars to keep up with holidays and the seasons. But while she is always looking cute and stylish, I?m left out. Which is why Friendship Collar is a great solution. Now the human isn?t left out while the dog is looking trendy. When you purchase your dog a collar, you get a matching bracelet. Because #twinning. Friendship Collar offers so many different patterns, but my favourite for Mother?s Day is the Puppy Love pattern. It?s pink with little hearts and couldn?t be cuter. You have a boy dog? That?s okay, now a days real men wear pink, didn?t you know? But if you?re not okay with that, like I said, there are a variety of different colours and patterns available for you and your fur baby to wear and match. Don?t forget the best part! While you and your pup get to match, with every purchase of a Friendship Collar you are helping to feed other doggies in animal shelters. So really, it?s the gift that keeps on giving!

 

Mother's Day Gift Guide for Dog Mom - ED Ellen DeGeneres Kitchen Towel Dog Print

Dog Kitchen Towel by ED Ellen DeGeneres – $8 each

Most dog mom?s love anything dog related. That?s why these ED Ellen DeGeneres kitchen towels are perfect for a Mother?s Day gift. Being a dog mom myself, I love having little cute reminders of dogs all over the house. Every time the dog mom in your life uses one of these kitchen towels, it will make her smile and think of her furry friend. They are also very useful since everyone needs kitchen towels, so why not buy ones that are fun? There will be no questioning whether you?re a dog lover with these in your kitchen.

We hope you love all of these items as much as we do! While mom deserves every item on this list, we hope you have found at least one or two that you are excited to give her.

Let us know if you purchase any of these items, or if you have other ideas to include for next year!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the dog moms out there!

Wet Kisses and Tail Wags,
Karlee and Marlee

BarkBox Review – March 2018

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018

Marlee received her March BarkBox a couple weeks ago and has had time to play with her toys and try out the treats, so here is our March BarkBox Review.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018

Theme

The March BarkBox theme was The Academy of Fine Arfs. I felt that this theme was pretty creative. Since I personally love art, I got a real kick out of it. I also feel like this was a unique theme and it?s something that I wouldn?t have been able to come up with. You definitely have to give the creative geniuses at BarkBox some credit. Every month they are able to come up with new ideas and roll as far as they can with them.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Information Card

The information card in the March BarkBox was the standard cardstock unlike last months brochure. On the front side of the card it has this months theme as well as some information. It states ?Welcome to The Academy of Fine Arfs, where talented pups master the arts of panting and sculpture. At the Academy, dogs find the artwork that squeaks to them, fuel their creativity with tasty treats, and rip their toys into masterpieces.? If those aren?t some creative and punny phrases, I don?t know what is.

The front of the card also shows three of the possible toys that your pup can receive in this BarkBox. The three featured toys are, Vincent Van Squirrel, Primary Collars Palette, and Paint Tube Tug. In the bottom left corner there is also a cute doodle of a dog painting a landscape, while another dog takes a pee break on the side of the easel.

The backside of the card is for you, the human to exercise your art skills. The top of the card says ?Make Your Masterpiece! Show off your art skills ? and your dog!? In the middle of the card there are two boxes that are framed like pieces of art. One has a cartoon dog painting but the box is blank which is meant for you to draw a picture of your. In the box on the right side there is a cartoon of a dog but this side is meant for you to punch out the middle so that you can then hold the card up and frame your dog. Once you have it held up and your dog in the middle, you can compare your drawing of your dog with the real life dog. Don?t forget to take a picture and post it with the #FineArfs.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Information Card

The background of the card has not been forgotten. On the front side the card is framed as if it were a picture in a picture frame. It is also important to note that the title has been made to look like the architecture of an art gallery. The background of the backside of the card also has details. BarkBox has created a playful, colourful pattern that adds to the cute idea of The Academy of Fine Arfs. This pattern also matches the wrapping paper that came inside the March BarkBox. For example the outer wrapping has the same blue background that is on the front of the card and has the same colourful pattern that is on the backside of the card. This truly ties everything together, even though they are minor details.

The outer wrapping also has a few cute dog cartoons that are in black and white to contrast the colourful pattern. On the inside of the wrapping there are a bunch of dog cartoons in black and white. The design has been made to look like an art gallery wall, with framed pictures of various dogs carrying out different activities. Like I previously said, these are all in black and white, which allows you, the human to colour in the cartoons. This is a great way that BarkBox has made your dog?s monthly box not only fun for your dog but for you, the human, too.

The rating that we are giving the idea behind the March BarkBox is a 8/10. While the name is funny, I feel like they could have come up with a better word than ?arfs? because I don?t feel like dogs ?arf? very much. However the actual idea behind the theme is very creative and everything that went along with it was so unique.

The way that the idea was carried out was truly impressive, which is why we give it a rating of 9/10. I am always amazed at the many little details that BarkBox puts into the themes every month. The card and wrapping that I described above is a good indication of the thought and creativity put into the theme and how it was carried out. You will see this more as we continue to talk about the toys and treats in the March BarkBox.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Marlee and her BarkBox Toys

Toys

For the March BarkBox the two toys that Marlee received were the Paint Tube Tug and La Artista Squirrelista Furry Frida the Squirrel. The Paint Tube Tug is one of the toys that was advertised on the information card included in the BarkBox. However, there are a number of different toys that your pup could receive, some including, Primary Collars Palette, Vincent Van Squirrel, Bob Toss the Squirrel or The Arfist?s Tool Set. All of these toys are really cute, high quality and match with this month?s theme.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Paint Tube Tug Toy

Paint Tube Tug

As I mentioned, the first toy that Marlee received in her March BarkBox was the Paint Tube Tug. This toy is super cute and fits perfectly with the theme of The Academy of Fine Arfs. It?s meant to look like a tube of blue acrylic paint and there is no mistaking that?s what is it. It has a classic squeaker inside, which Marlee loves. If you have read some of our past monthly BarkBox Reviews, you know that Marlee loves squeaker toys. We also love squeaker toys. While they can sometimes be annoying, they also are great for individual playtime. They keep Marlee engaged and active when we aren?t able to play with her.

The Paint Tube Tug also includes a stomach safe t-shirt rope. The rope looks like there is blue paint coming out of the tube, which is creative and fun. This rope is also the part of the toy that is the tug. Marlee loves when we hold the rope and she gets to tug the main part of the ?paint tube.? That way she can also squeak the toy as we play tug of war. Since the rope is made out of t-shirt, it is stretchy which is fun for your four legged friend while playing, and it also is safe if they happen to eat some of it. While it is not ideal for your dog to be eating their toys, play happens which often means toys get destroyed. That?s why if your pup eats some of this rope, fear not, it will pass through their system.

The main body of the toy is also filled with fluff along with the squeaker. Marlee absolutely loves breaking through toys and ripping out all of the fluff. She has yet been able to do that to any of the BarkBox toys except for two that she received last November. So as you can see, she has had very many months to work on destroying those toys. Every toy we have received, including the ones from the March BarkBox have been extremely high quality.

A couple other note worthy aspects of the Paint Tube Tug are, the foil detail that mimics the metal at the top of the tube. While my pup may not care about this detail, it?s great for humans to see, and it adds to the illusion that is it a real paint tube. Also, the print on the tube, which is made to look like a logo, is a cartoon of a dog painting a picture on an easel. This is a fun detail that again your dog may not enjoy, but you as the human do. It also ties the toy in with the details from the information card, carrying out the theme of The Academy of Fine Arfs.

Our rating for the Paint Tube Tug is a 8/10. I feel like I have mentioned enough above how much detail has been put into this toy, for the dog and the human. It goes well with this month?s theme, it is high quality and is great for individual or two person/dog playtime. It?s also always great it get a tug toy because they get so much use out of them. However, Marlee hasn?t played with the toy that much, which means it hasn?t kept her attention as well as other toys. But this could change overtime, as she often goes through phases with most toys and then has a couple favourites.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 La Artista Squirrelista Furry Frida the Squirrel

La Artista Squirrelista – Furry Frida the Squirrel

The second toy that Marlee received in her March BarkBox was La Artista Squirrelista ? Furry Frida the Squirrel. On the BarkBox website you will find this toy under the name La Artista Squirrelista, however the tag that the toy came with says it is called Furry Frida the Squirrel. Regardless of it?s name, the toy is essentially a squirrel that is an artist. For any art enthusiasts, think Frida Kahlo mixed with your neighbourhood squirrel.

The detail in this toy is just incredible. The main part is a squirrel but the people at Bark have truly outdone themselves and have added so much to it. There is a combination of embroidery and added on pieces. The face the ears, and the toe nails/claws are all embroidered on the toy, as well as a small section on the front apart of her dress.

Speaking of her dress. Furry Frida the Squirrel?s dress is achieved by the addition of some cute sleeves that have been attached, as well as a crazy crinkle skirt. The skirt has been attached at her waist so that her legs poke out of the bottom just as a real person?s would. It has a crazy crinkle inside of it all the way around, which is Marlee?s absolute favourite. The skirt also has a pattern on the outside, which is a nod to Frida Kahlo?s The Two Frida?s painting. One of the Frida?s in the painting wears a dress with a similar pattern.

Another nod to Frida Kahlo, are the flower details in the Squirrel?s hair. If you look at pictures of Frida Kahlo in many she has flowers in her hair at the top of her head. This is a cute touch to the toy, which screams Frida Kahlo. Besides the hints towards Frida Kahlo with the flower details and dress, the most noticeable trait that Bark has given La Artista Squirrelista, has to be the infamous Frida Kahlo unibrow. Frida Kahlo had a very pronounced unibrow and totally owned it, in fact she made it very obvious in many of her self portraits.

Other details on this toy include, a paintbrush in the squirrel?s hand. This paintbrush is made from three different materials which adds to its real life-ness. It also adds another spot that your pup can play with or grab onto while playing tug. The last distinct detail of this toy is, the long sheddable tail. Furry Frida?s tail is super hairy and invites your furry friend to attach and bite it. The best part about it is, it?s meant to be shedded. They are able to get tufts of hair out of it without ripping the entire tail off the toy. However, if they do rip it off, there is plenty of fluff inside for them to rip out as well.

We rate La Artista Squirrelista ? Furry Frida the Squirrel an 9/10. This toy has so much detail and fits with the theme so well. Most dogs love squirrels which, makes the toy so fitting for a dog. They get to attach a squirrel all they want with little to no consequences. Not to mention, this is one that they can catch! All of the subtle and maybe not so subtle hints towards Frida Kahlo are just great! It truly honours her as an artist and carries out the theme of The Academy of Fine Arfs. The main reason that this toy isn?t getting a perfect score, is that it is pretty big and a little heavy. Bark has done a fairly good job at packing a lot into one toy, but it is on the big side and is hard for a small dog like Marlee to pick it up.

It?s also important to note that all of the BarkBox toys every month have a tag on them with information about the toy. This toys tag gave a little Artist Biography which stated, ?Furry Frida is a pioneer of folk art, known for burying acorns of truth inside her creative self-portraits.? Which is again another nod to Frida Kahlo. Also, the tag gives you a number to text, so that you can talk to Frida the Artist!

Treats and Chew

In every BarkBox there are two bags of treats and a chew. For the March BarkBox the treats that Marlee received were Masterpiece Morsels and Soft and Chewy ? The Great Wave. As I always mention, BarkBox only has treats that are wheat, corn and soy free. We also have it noted on Marlee?s subscription that she is allergic to chicken so we only receive treats and chews without chicken. Since Marlee is allergic to wheat and chicken the treats in her monthly BarkBox?s are always great for her. Marlee is also extremely picky so I love that every month we get new treats for her to try out, and I?m not breaking the bank purchasing tons of treats at the pet store.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Masterpiece Morsels Treats

Masterpiece Morsels (Lamb and Fruit Dog Treats)

The first bag of treats in Marlee?s March BarkBox was Masterpiece Morsels ? Lamb and Fruit Dog Treats. When just looking at the packaging of these treats, my first impression is that they are cute. These treats are from Bark, which means that they were able to make the packaging match the theme. The front of the bag has a lamb and dog at a table with fruit, vegetables, a teapot and a dog food bowl. The back of the bag has a cartoon of a dog painting a picture of a fire hydrant, while another dog pees on the easel.

The Masterpiece Morsels, packaging is cute and fits the March BarkBox theme very well. The treats are also good for your dog. They are made without wheat, corn or soy and are jam packed with fruits and vegetables. When you smell the treats they smell like fruits and vegetables. The description on the back is informative, stating that these treats contain lamb, apples, bananas and carrots. They also contain flax seeds, which is good for sensitive tummies.

Apart from the treats smelling like fruits and vegetables. The treats are also shaped like them. The different shapes are, apples, strawberries, bananas and carrots. Your dog may not know that their treats are shaped like real fruits and vegetables, it is a nice added touch for the human rewarding them.

Moving on to Masterpiece Morsels taste. Of course I don?t try to treats, so all I can go off of is if Marlee likes the taste of the treat. Again, she is an extremely picky dog and often will literally turn her nose up at something she doesn?t want. She will not eat something she doesn?t like, just for the sake of eating it. She also usually likes food in their purest form. For example, pure duck tenders or salmon jerky. She often won?t eat anything that is dough and baked, with the exception of some of the muffins that I bake her. So for these reasons, I didn?t think that she was going to eat these treats.

At first she wouldn?t eat these treats at all. She would smell them and I would leave them for her out in a few pieces. The treats are a little big and she has a hard time breaking them up, therefore I usually split them into three pieces. But after the first week or so of noticing that the treats had migrated to one of her beds in the house and she still hadn?t eaten it. I of course threw it out. It wasn?t until recently, and I say that as very recently, such as a couple hours ago. I tried again to give her one of these treats and after a few minutes she ate it!

It?s possible that this could be a one-time thing and she will turn her nose up at it next time but I will keep trying. These treats are good for her and it?s always nice having some variety. However, we passed on some of these treats to Marlee?s cousin Lola. According to my sister-in-law her Westie, Lola absolutely loved these treats. She isn?t as picky as Marlee and is a better judge of how most dogs will feel about these treats.

The rating we are giving the Masterpiece Morsels is a 8/10 for packaging and 6/10 for taste. Originally this rating was going to be significantly lower. But since Marlee decided that today she wanted to eat one and lick up the surface they had been on. I had to rate it higher. Also since I know Marlee is a picky dog and is very selective about what she eats, I felt it was best to get the opinion of another dog. So Lola loving these treats helped with the majority response. Also, the treats are good for you and the packaging matches the March BarkBox theme. I couldn?t give it full points though since Marlee ignored the treat for a week and if you have a picky dog, you will want a true rating based on a picky eater.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 The Great Wave Treats

Soft and Chewy The Great Wave (Fish Recipe with Cheese and Turmeric)

The second treat that Marlee received in her March BarkBox was the Soft and Chewy The Great Wave Treats. The flavour of these treats is the fish recipe, which has cheese and turmeric. The name and packaging says it all. The Great Wave for those who aren?t knowledgeable in the art world is a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Hokusai. The picture printed on the packaging of these treats looks very similar to the artwork by Hokusai. The name is the same name as the artwork therefore a nod to the artist.

The packaging is great and matches The Academy of Fine Arfs theme so well it couldn?t be more perfect. Now add in the fact that the treats are made of whitefish, also fits very well with the theme. I love that the packaging shows a wave, The Great Wave, and the treats are fish flavoured. I just feel like this was very clever and done very well.

Unfortunately, Marlee once again wasn?t a fan of the taste. She has been weird about cheese lately and while in the past she has loved it. This is mainly my fault because I often hide any medicine I have to give her in small cubes of cheese. So now she doesn?t trust anything cheesy. I was hopeful that she would like these though because the last time we had a heart shaped treat was the Peanut Butter and Apple treats from the January BarkBox, which Marlee liked.

Silly me, thinking that the same shape meant she would eat a different flavoured treat. So no luck with Marlee, but I passed on these treats to Marlee?s aunties, Lexi and Chevy and they love them! Lexi is a Golden retriever that loves anything food, and some things that are not meant to be food. Chevy is a grumpy Jack Russell Terrier that knows what?s food and what is not. While these two are food motivated, I felt that their opinion on the treats was closer to what most dogs would like.

If you have a picky dog like Marlee, these treats may not be for you. However, if you?re getting them in your monthly BarkBox and your dog enjoys the other items, that worth it enough in my opinion. Plus, anything that your dog doesn?t like you can always pass on to furry friend or family member. You can also always contact BarkBox and let them know if your furry friend isn?t happy with something in their BarkBox. That way they can tailor it to their likes for future BarkBoxes!

The rating we are giving the Soft and Chewy The Great Wave is a 10/10 for the packaging and 4/10 for the taste. The packaging was so thought out, matched perfectly to the theme and the treat flavour was also clever. However the taste of the treats just didn?t cut it. If I were judging taste purely on my mother in laws dogs it would be a 10/10 because they devoured these treats. But we must take into consideration that Marlee wouldn?t even try to eat these treats. So for that reason we can?t give full points.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Lamb Weasand Chew

Lamb Weasand Chew (Superior Farms Pet Provisions)

The chew that Marlee received in her March BarkBox was a Lamb Weasand Chew. Which is really lamb esophagus. I know it sounds gross but it is just the same as any other chew, just dried up animal. For this very reason I had high hopes that Marlee would love this chew. She usually loves chews like this and chews them until they are all gone. However that wasn?t the case.

She has been chewing on this chew off and on since she got it but it?s almost completely intact still. She mainly carries it around from place to place as she does with some of her toys. However, she doesn?t have much interest in it beyond it just existing. This was a let down; since Marlee has loved some of the other chews she has gotten in the past. However, I have noticed that she is not a huge fan of lamb. It was surprising that she ate the Masterpiece Morsels treats since they have lamb in them. In the past she has been given treats and food with lamb in them and she hasn?t touched it.

Due to these reasons, we are only rating the Lamb Weasand Chew a 3/10. Chews often don?t really have a theme to them because they are usually just pure animal product. The exception to this, is the February BarkBox which was a Koha Bacon chew. Which went along with the Paradise Unleashed theme. However since this is just a lamb product it doesn?t really have a theme. Taking that out of the equation and judging just on taste, we have to give it a 3. Like I said Marlee didn?t completely disregard it, but she also doesn?t love it.

Was This Month Worth It?

If you have been keeping track, so far that is a total of 65/90 points. We still have to give our overall impression of the entire March BarkBox as a whole. Taking everything into account we have to give the March BarkBox The Academy of Fine Arfs a 7/10. The theme was very creative and clever. I feel like it was carried out, throughout all of the products very well. The toys were so detailed and are good quality. Marlee likes them and continues to play with them off and on. The treats and chew are where we have lost some points. Marlee didn?t really like them, but other dogs in our family loved them. Time will only tell if Marlee will like the treats and chew, but I don?t see that being likely. All of the little details truly made this BarkBox.

Our final score for the March BarkBox The Academy of Fine Arfs is 72/100. Which means that this month is a pass! We loved the theme and loved all the details that were definitely thought out. Marlee also really liked both of her toys in this BarkBox. Even if she wasn?t a fan of the treats and chew, our other furry family members loved them.

Barkbox Review - March BarkBox 2018 Marlee with La Artista Squirrelista Furry Friday the Squirrel Toy

If you?re interested in signing up for a BarkBox subscription make sure you check out their website to do so. Also, if you see any products that you like or you think your doggie will like, you can purchase those off their website as well.

Let us know your thoughts on the March BarkBox The Academy of Fine Arfs! Do you think that this month was a pass or fail? Check out our previous BarkBoxes that we have reviewed.

Wet Kisses and Tail Wags,
Karlee and Marlee