BarkBox review: I love to spoil my dog with toys and treats, and this subscription is the perfect present for both of us each month

A BarkBox subscription is a great way to shower your pup with treats and toys every month. I'm impressed by the quality, variety, and value of each box.

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Like many pups, my dog Lyla is in love with her toys. There's nothing she likes more than chewing, ripping, and creating general chaos in her toy box. My 50-pound aggressive chewer can destroy even the best dog toys, and buying her so many new items can get pricey. So I decided to try a monthly BarkBox subscription to save money.

BarkBox sends exclusive toys and treats straight to their customers each month. The items typically center around a seasonal theme, holiday, or popular film or TV show. There are Classic and Super Chewer boxes, which are customizable depending on a pup's needs. 

I've been a subscriber to BarkBox's Super Chewer plan for three months. For this review, BarkBox also sent me two Classic boxes that are suitable for most dogs who aren't too rough on their toys.

How it works

You have the option to purchase a single box ($35), a six-month subscription ($26 per box), or a 12-month subscription ($22 per box). Shipping is extra and starts at $5.99 but varies depending on your location. All subscriptions automatically renew. BarkBox typically takes two to eight business days to ship orders within the contiguous US. Shipping times vary for international orders, Alaska, and Hawaii. 

BarkBox tailors the items in each box to your pup's size: small (dogs under 20 pounds), medium (between 20 and 49 pounds), and large (over 50 pounds). Each box contains two toys, two bags of treats, and an edible chew stick or small additional treat. A card that explains the theme and often provides suggestions for how to play with your pup using the toys is included. It also highlights other toys related to the theme, which you can buy in the Bark Shop. 

The Classic boxes contain plush toys with squeakers and crinkle filling, and many have handles attached for playing tug. The Super Chewer boxes come with hardier toys made from tough rubber and nylon, and some of the rubber toys have enticing squeakers inside them. The plastic toys may be too hard for some dogs — our general rule is to avoid toys that you can't indent with your fingernail since they can damage your dog's teeth. Ultimately, your veterinarian can advise what's best for your pup. You can also contact customer service if you'd like to avoid receiving super-hard plastic toys.

BarkBox also offers customization options for the pickiest dogs. Subscribers can request specific types of toys and treats to accommodate dietary needs and food allergies. There's also the option to add extra toys and treats to every box through the Bark Shop. With an add-on, the box ships free.

Our review of BarkBox 

As much as I would like to say that I purchased BarkBox for my pup, it was also a little gift for me. Lyla can't really appreciate the unique themes, ease of ordering, or reliable delivery, but I can. I had big expectations for the themed boxes and was not disappointed. I also appreciated that the toys were multifunctional, with a mix of puzzle, tug, and treat-dispensing features.

BarkBox sent me two Classic boxes for large dogs. The sample boxes included three toys each, though subscribers should expect to receive two toys in a typical box. The Maw and Paws Farm box was by far the hit in our house. It included three plush squeakers: a chicken that also crinkles, a chicken feed bag with a removable plush seed, and a pig with crinkle filling. The medium-sized toys would be suitable for most dogs. Lyla loved the animals so much that they were gone by the end of the afternoon, which is typical of all plush toys I give her. 

The PB Dishlickers theme centered around a restaurant and included three plushes: a tug-and-puzzle toy resembling a Bloomin' Onion, a Salisbury steak crinkle tug toy, and two small baked potato squeakers. Although this theme was creative, the toys were a little lacking — mostly because it wasn't immediately clear to Lyla that they were, in fact, toys. It wasn't until I stepped on the squeaker in each toy that she got really excited. 

Naturally, the toys in Lyla's Super Chewer PB Dishlickers box lasted longer. We received a rubber twist toy that that can be filled with treats for extra enrichment, much like the best dog puzzle toys. I plan to request more durable rubber toys like this. It also came with a rubber and nylon toy designed to look like a bowl of salad. 

The Bark-branded bagged treats were well-received by my pup. There were the Mega Moo beef lung jerky bites that clocked in at 12 calories each and the Magic Morsels soft oatmeal and berry cookies that came to 17 calories per treat. Lyla favored the bagged treats over the chew sticks and apple-cinnamon donut in the Classic boxes. Luckily, there were more than enough treats to last me a few weeks. 

Overall, I've been pleased with my boxes and find them to be a good value for my money, despite Lyla's ability to destroy each toy quickly. If I were to purchase similar toys and treats at a pet store, I'd expect to spend around $45 to $50 instead of the $31.99 I pay per box with shipping included. While I will have to supplement the boxes with other toys for my rambunctious pup, I'll be maintaining my BarkBox subscription for the foreseeable future. 

Cons to consider

While both Lyla and I enjoyed the boxes we received, there were some things I wish were different. 

The plush toys in the Classic box are great for dogs who play gently, but there are better choices for pups who shred their toys. We always recommend supervising your pup during play, and it was absolutely necessary when Lyla played with the plushes. There were small plastic ribbons inside some of the toys which created the "crinkle" sound Lyla loved. Unfortunately, those became a hazard when she pulled the toys apart, leaving small pieces of plastic everywhere. Not only can a dog ingest those pieces, but they are also tedious to pick up. 

Small bits of hard plastic and rubber flaked off the Super Chewer toys when Lyla chewed hard enough, so I needed to be hypervigilant to ensure she didn't swallow any pieces. No dog toy is indestructible, but the toys pale in comparison to products from Kong, which makes some of the best chew toys for dogs. Those usually take Lyla a few weeks to go through. This might not be an issue for other super chewers — my pup can be overly aggressive with her toys, much more than other dogs I've had. 

Most of the Bark-branded treats have been popular with my pup. However, I have received some of the treats twice now, which has lowered Lyla's excitement surrounding them. I would like to see BarkBox source some treats from other brands to add more variety to the boxes.

It should also be noted that there is no specific box for puppies, although there are small boxes suitable for tinier dogs. 

The bottom line

I recommend BarkBox Classic if you're looking to save money on treats and toys and your pup isn't much of a chewer. The value of the toys and treats combined is about equivalent to purchasing two toys from a regular store. The boxes are also an excellent way to add variety to your dog's toy box.

But if your pup goes through toys like mine does and you're looking for ones that will last them a good while, I recommend some of the best dog toys for aggressive chewers and trying out just one or a couple of BarkBoxes before committing to a longer subscription.

Pros: Unique themes, fun toys, yummy treats, customizable 

Cons: Toys don't last long for aggressive chewers, small pieces from destroyed toys can be hazardous