Category: Reviews

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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)

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

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

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?

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!

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

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!

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Marlee received her February BarkBox so once again we have decided to do a review. We will be looking at all of the items that she received in this month’s BarkBox and rating them.

The main categories are, theme, toys, treats, the chew and the box overall. Some of these categories are further broken down, for example the theme will be looked at as the idea itself as well as how BarkBox was able to carry it out. The toys will be looked at individually. The treats will be broken down into taste and if it matched the months theme. The chew will be based on taste. Lastly the overall BarkBox and if the human and dog enjoyed it.

We will also be mentioning other toys that could be in the February BarkBox, as well as where to purchase them. If you want to learn more about what BarkBox is before reading the February BarkBox review, check out our January BarkBox Review for more information. So let’s get into the review!

Theme

The February BarkBox theme was Paradise Unleashed. The information card this month is a the form of a brochure, which had a funny cartoon on the front of a dog lounging on a beach chair by the ocean next to a palm tree. The cartoon also has two dogs in the background playing with a beach ball. The funniest part of the cartoon is that the dog lounging on the chair is wearing multiple bikini tops to cover up its private areas, and the doggie has a water bowl next to her on a table with an umbrella and lemon wedge. While this is just the front panel of the brochure there is lots of information inside.

The first panel on the inside of the brochure shows another dog at a tiki bar with a drink in his hand. Underneath the cartoon, is a welcome message stating, ?Sit and Stay a While! Welcome to Paradise Unleashed, the tropical getaway where dogs are the guests of honor! This month, you?re in for a sandy beach, the ocean breeze, and island feast, and plenty of sturdy new friends. So pour yourself a Pi?a Chew-lada and relax! Because no matter where you are, you?re never far from paradise when you?re with your dog.?

The next two panels of he brochure, feature four of the many toys your furry friend could potentially receive for this months BarkBox. The ones featured are Cecil?s Sea Shell, Coconut Pina Chew-lada, Penny the Pineapple and Dancing Dani The Squirrel. Underneath each toy featured BarkBox has put a little description, while using words to create an image in your mind of your dog enjoying some time in the sun. To go along with the other cartoons on the brochure, the panel on the right hand side also features a dog drinking a pina chew-lada with a piece of bacon sticking out of it, which is a hint towards what is on the back of the brochure.

When you flip over the brochure, the last two panels feature a dog dancing under a palm tree while wearing a flower crown, flower necklace and a skirt. As with every BarkBox they encourage you to interact with them and others on social media. This month?s hashtag is, #paradiseunleashed, which will give you, access to many other dogs also enjoying their BarkBox.

The last panel, is titled A Taste of Paradise, and features two recipes for Strawberry Pi?a Colada?s. The first is for your pup and is called a Strawberry Pi?a Chew-Lada. The second is for you, the human, which is a Virgin Strawberry Pi?a Colada. Both have all the ingredients listed, as well as the instructions on how to make them. Along side this information, are two cute cartoons of what the drinks could look like in coconuts. While Marlee and I have yet to try the drinks, we definitely plan on keeping the recipes and making them when the weather is a little warmer!

The brochure in the February BarkBox is not the only place that detail was put into. The wrapping that everything comes in, inside the box also has cartoons of dogs preforming various beach and vacation activities. The inside of the wrapping is in full colour and features some of the other dogs that are in the brochure, mentioned above. However, it also includes so many others also enjoying their time in the sun. The outside of the wrapping has just as much detail, just not in colour. Now enough about the theme, let?s move onto the toys.

The rating we are giving for the idea behind the theme is 7/10. It was pretty creative and we liked that Bark was able to come up with a lot of ?punny? ideas to go along with it. The rating that we are giving for how BarkBox was able to carry out the theme throughout the entire bark is 9/10. The brochure that was used as the information card was so cleaver, just like a real resort brochure. All of the little extra details added to the brochure, the wrapping and the box were also done very well. As you will see next, they were able to come up with many great toys to go along with the theme, as well as treats that matched the theme.

Toys

I mentioned a few of the toys that could be included in the February BarkBox, however I am going to talk a bit about the ones that Marlee did receive. In the Paradise Unleashed themed BarkBox Marlee received two toys, the first one was Tiki Twins Tug, and the second was Penny the Pineapple, which was mentioned in the brochure.

Tiki Twins Tug

Marlee absolutely loves toys that she can play tug of war with. I feel that many dogs are this way and while it is fun to play with a toy on their own. Dogs love to interact with each other and their humans. The Tiki Twins Tug is great for just that. The toy has two tiki heads that had a wood grain appearance and painted on faces. However the heads are soft/fuzzy to the touch and the faces are embroidered. I love being able to see the quality that has been put into the toys, because it makes you know that they are worth it.

A rope attaches the two Tiki heads and then there are two loops of rope on either end. Like many of the other BarkBox toys, the rope is made out of t-shirt rope, which is soft and stretchy. I?m lucky that while Marlee does destroy toys, she doesn?t try to eat the material. However if your dog is a destroyer and does eat the material, you can feel safe that if your dog ingests the t-shirt rope they will be able to pass it easier than if they ingested actual rope material. Also, since the rope is made out of t-shirt and is stretchy, Marlee loves to tug on it and it has a bit of give. That way, even if I am not actively pulling against her and just holding the toy, she has the motion of playing tug of war, even if it is just with herself.

Lastly, the Tiki Twins Tug, has two classic squeakers in it. Marlee absolutely loves squeaky toys and really anything that makes a sound. Weather it squeaks or crinkles she?s all over it. The Tiki Twins Tug has a classic squeaker in each of the tiki heads which is great to get your dogs attention to start a game of tug of war, or for individual play. If I don?t have the time to play with Marlee she is still able to entertain herself by biting and squeaking the squeakers by herself. This keeps her entertained for hours.

For the Tiki Twins Tug we give them a 6/10. The toy is a nice toy and Marlee has had a lot of fun playing with it. It is also a good quality toy, however it could have more to it. There is the t-shirt rope which is nice but apart from that there are only two squeakers. The rest of the toy is very similar to many of the other toys that are out on the market. It is a creative idea and matches well with the theme but it not as cleaver as some of the other toys that BarkBox has done. It would also be nice if the two tiki heads could slide along the t-shirt rope, similar to some of the previous toys Bark has had.

Penny the Pineapple

Penny the Pineapple toy truly was a treasure that Marlee received in the February BarkBox. The exterior is a soft plush toy, with an embroidered face. As well as crinkle green leaves on top. Marlee absolutely loves the crinkle leaves and the squeaker inside of Penny.

The best part of Penny the Pineapple though, is that Penny is three toys in one! Marlee has yet to destroy Penny and get inside of her outer layer, but when the day comes that she does. She will be pleasantly surprised to find that there will be another Penny inside, only sadder. If that isn?t already cool, if you have a dog that also chews through sad Penny, they will be happy to find that there is a bonus spiky ball inside the core.

So truly you are getting three toys in one when you receive this toy in your February BarkBox, or purchase it from the BarkShop. I don?t know if Marlee will get to the spiky ball in the core of the toy, and she is truly not a huge fan of plastic toys. However, at that point she will have had tons of fun with Happy Penny and Sad Penny. If your dog is like Marlee and isn?t a fan of plastic toys, it never hurts to share and give the toy to another pup that will enjoy it.

The only downfall I have found with Penny the Pineapple is that she is a little bit heavy. Resulting it Marlee having a hard time carrying her around. This is most likely due to the fact that Marlee is a small 12-pound dog and not an issue most dogs would have. Marlee also has a fairly small mouth and has a hard time biting around the main body of Penny. However she is able to pull on the crinkle leaves and still enjoy playing with the toy.

Also, as always, if your dog destroys the toys that they received in their monthly BarkBox, you can always contact BarkBox and get a replacement toy. If you have a super chewer dog that destroys ever toy that they receive, then you should consider getting the super chewers BarkBox.

We give Penny the Pineapple a 10/10! Yes, we know that a high rating but after hearing all about it above, I?m sure you can see why. First, the idea of it is super cute, everyone loves pineapples and that is one of the things that we expect to see at a resort or on the beach. Just looking at the toy as one, it has a loud squeaker inside, as well as crinkle leaves. Some dogs may not like the crinkles but as I mentioned before, Marlee loves crinkle toys. Also, since penny the pineapple is actually three toys in one, and will get lots of mileage during playtime. We couldn?t not give this toy a high rating.

Treats and Chew

In every monthly BarkBox, you will receive two bags of treats and a chew. As I mentioned in previous posts, Marlee is allergic to wheat and chicken. One of the things that Marlee and I love about BarkBox is that all of their treats are wheat, corn and soy free. So that is one less issue we have to worry about. However since many dog treats contain chicken, we contacted BarkBox when we first signed up for our monthly subscription and it is noted in her file that she cannot have chicken. So every month we have been happy to receive treats and chews that are wheat and chicken free. The two treats that Marlee received this month were, Coconut Shrimp Treats and Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treat, and the chew was a Koha Bacon Chew.

Coconut Shrimp Treats

These coconut shrimp treats smell just like coconut and shrimp. This may sound silly since they are made from coconut and shrimp. However, many times when a treat says that it is something, it doesn?t smell, as it should. Therefore, it is always nice when you open a bag of treats for your dog and it smells as the name states. Looking at the ingredient list it states that the first ingredient is shrimp and all of the other ingredients are foods that I recognize and feel comfortable giving my dog.

Marlee was mediocre about the coconut shrimp treats. She did in some of them and seemed to like the taste. However I have mentioned in the past that she is an extremely picky dog and she seems to be a purest when it comes to food and treats. What I mean by that is, she likes food that is just the pure form, not mixed with anything or baked. Her favourite treats are duck tenders and beef liver bites. So since these treats are a combination of ingredients baked together she isn?t a huge fan. The texture is also a little bit grainy, since coconut has a different texture to it.

When I first gave Marlee one of the Coconut Shrimp Treats she had such a funny reaction. She started to rub her face and neck on the treat instead of eating it. The only other time she has had this reaction to something, has been when she finds a dead animals outside. In saying that, these dead animals are small ones such as dead garden snakes in the grass or dead mice in our driveway. We live in the countryside so these are fairly common occurrence for us. The reason Marlee reacts this way, we have no idea but she seems to like the smell of dead animals and wants to wear it as a new perfume.

For Marlee to have this odd reaction to the Coconut Shrimp Treats is somewhat comical to me. At first I started laughing, and then once I took the treat back and broke it into smaller pieces she started to eat it. She had this odd reaction again another time that I gave her these treats so I stopped giving them to her whole, and usually break them up first now. I guess that just means these Coconut Shrimp Treats are so fresh they smell like a dead animal to Marlee. This is practically a compliment coming from Marlee.

We are giving the Coconut Shrimp treats an 8/10 on creativity and theme. They are pretty creative and similar to what a human would have at a resort vacation. They are also a cute idea, and carry out the theme of Paradise Unleashed. However we are only rating them a 4/10 on taste. Marlee was not a huge fan of the taste, and while the ingredients seem to be high quality, due to the texture and smell some dogs and humans may be thrown off by these.

Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treats

The Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treats were a whole different story. Marlee absolutely loves these. From the first time I gave her one, she completely devoured it and wanted more. She often does not have this reaction to food or treats, except for duck tenders. It is so hard to find treats that Marlee loves and continues to love as time goes on. But with these Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treats, it was love at first bite.

Marlee devoured the entire bag over the course of the month. But if she had it her way, it would have been gone within a couple days. However, according to the feeding guide a dog her size is only suppose to have 2-3 pieces per day so we tried to really stretch it out and make them last. They are made with all natural wild caught salmon from pure Alaskan waters. They are premium human grade ingredients and a good source of vitamins A, B, D, E and naturally balanced Omega 3 fatty acids. This makes me a very happy dog mommy, knowing that I am feeding my fur baby something that she loves and is good for her.

Unfortunately we can no longer order these treats on the BarkShop website since they rotate their products regularly. But thankfully, I was able to find the company that makes these treats which is located in Alaska. We plan on ordering more in the future directly from the companies website. If you?re interested in ordering these Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treats you can do so here.

We are giving the Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky Treats an 8/10 on creativity and theme. They matched well with the theme of Paradise Unleashed. They also are something that you would expect to find on a beach or resort vacation, similarly to the coconut shrimp treats. The packaging however was the regular companies packaging, and not as cute and theme oriented as some of the other past treats BarkBox has done. We are also giving these treats an 8/10 on taste. Marlee absolutely loved the taste of these and they are also healthy for her. However, they are extremely fishy smelling and I often didn?t want to touch them. This could throw off a dog or their human.

Koha Bacon Chew

This chew is made from pork and has a bacon flavour. In the past I have mentioned how Marlee loves bacon but she isn?t a huge fan of bacon-flavoured foods. I know she is the worlds pickiest dog. Which is why I was surprised when she had devoured half of this chew soon after receiving it. She is very hit or miss with chews. Often if the chew is just pure meat, such as last months deer chew she will have it gone in no time. But the chew is a combination of meat, starches, fruits, vegetables, etc. Then she either wants nothing to do with it or only chews it if she is hungry between meals.

The Koha Bacon Chew is actually in the latter category, being made from pork, potato starch, pea powder, beet pulp, bacon flavour and a variety of other ingredients. Which is why like I said, it is surprising that she actually likes this chew.

Marlee hasn?t yet finished this chew and she maybe never will but I give it a pass since it did catch her interest when she first received it and she chewed through and ate half of it. It is not something we plan to reorder in the future but it was well worth receiving in our February BarkBox.

We are giving the Koha Bacon Chew a 6/10. There are a lot of ingredients in it, which does not appeal to all dogs. It also was bacon flavoured, which as I mentioned above, does not appeal to Marlee usually. She did however chew about half of it and that is why I have given it a 6. But I don?t anticipate her finishing the chew. However, the idea of bacon on vacation does sit right with us, and it does go along with the Paradise Unleashed theme.

Was This Month Worth It?

If you have been keeping track that is a total of 66/90 points we have given the February BarkBox – Paradise Unleashed. However we haven?t yet given our overall rating. When looking at this BarkBox as a whole, we are giving it a 7/10. The theme was a pretty creative one and brought with lots of puns. It was carried out throughout every aspect of the BarkBox. The details put into the brochure and the physical items in the box were well thought out. All of the toys were also creative and majority of them matched well with the theme. The treats were also nicely paired and carried out the theme fairly seamlessly. There was nothing in this box that I thought didn?t belong there.

So our final score for the February BarkBox – Paradise Unleashed is 73/100. So in our books that?s a pass. Not every single item was perfect but majority of them were. This is just our opinion on the items that we received. Marlee is picky with toys and treats and she liked 4 out of 5 of the items in this month?s box. Other dogs may like all of the items in this box, and not all of the boxes are the same. You can also order any of the toys that are apart of the February BarkBox on the website if you see others that you like but your dog didn?t receive.

Let us know if you received a February BarkBox and your thoughts on it in the comments below! Also stay posted for our future BarkBox Reviews and posts.

Wet Kisses and Tail Wags,
Karlee and Marlee