Happy Dog Box Starter Box July 2013 Unboxing & Review!

A few weeks ago, I received my Happy Dog Box that I bought for $5. I actually purchased this in June, but didn't get it until the end of July. I was told it was because it was too late to receive the June box, which didn't really make sense considering it's the same exact box that was shipped in June, which is why I've labeled it the "Starter Box". Happy Dog Box is a monthly subscription in which you pay $30 (I think, the website is a little sketchy when it comes to pricing.) and you get a box of treats and toys delivered directly to your house. I have 2 dogs, a 5 year old Weimaraner, and a 5 year old Chihuahua. We just got my Chihuahua, so I tailored the box to her needs (Tiny, 7 Lbs.) and not my other dog (gigantic 200+ Lbs.) because he has enough stuff already. Well...let's just say, when I got my box, nothing matched up to the size I put. (0-10 Lbs). So that was already strike one, but the next strikes actually came with the products itself.

This was my box! Very cute display, with a little hay on the bottom. Presentation was very nice.

The first item was this Poop Bag container from Earth Rated. This was actually my favorite item out of the whole box. I was literally about to buy one from Ocean State Job Lot the same day I received this. I love that they included these. The dispenser carries 15 Lavender Scented poop bags to easily clean up after your pup. The dispenser also has a clip on the back of it so you can just clip the used poop bag on the back and don't need to carry it around! From the card:

"Earth Rated PoopBags were created to help care for the environment and to make picking up poop a little more fun- all while keeping your pocketbook happy. These high quality bags are so long, strong, and even have a lavender scent. With PoopBags, you're not only caring for the planet, you're enjoying the pick up too!"

This is frequently used because my little dog, naturally, takes little poops, so it's easier to pick it up then my big one! The bags are extra long so you never have to make contact with the poop! Awesome! The real cool thing is that these bags are compostable, because they're corn based! Perfect for the eco-friendly user :)

You can purchase this from Republic of Paws for $2.99 

The next product was a Monster Mouth from Jolly Pets. This 100% Natural Rubber toy is vanilla scented. I personally didn't smell the vanilla...This is a treat hiding toy that actually makes your dogs think about getting a treat. This helps clean teeth and gums.

"Jolly Pets Monster Mouth The monster mouth treat dispensing dog toy is great for keeping your dog's mouth healthy and encouraging brain activity. This fun chew toy is perfect for hiding a healthy treat and is designed to massage gums, while helping to keep teeth clean. Designed for unpredictable bouncing, it is sure to have dogs on their toes."

While I think this is cool, I clearly checked off the Tiny Dog button, which was 10 Lbs and under...this toy says "3" Size for Medium to Large Dogs". I couldn't even use this with my little girl, it was way too big for her. The second unfortunate thing is that my other dog is a big dope. He honestly didn't even know what this was, and after not being able to get the treat out, he simply walked away. Maybe I will try it with him again in the future, but for now it's just sitting in his toybox. I have actually seen these sold at my local Tractor Supply Company, so it's cool to see it in the box, but for my dogs, it doesn't serve a purpose.

You can purchase these from Tractor Supply for $10.99 

Up next is a Long Curly Bully Stick from BarkWorthies. This is, basically, a Bull's "Pizzle" as they like to put it...gross! I wasn't too excited about this considering I actually just read a story last month about Bully Sticks having an insane amount of bacteria in them, and it can cause a dog to become very sick, potentially even die. These are, of course, all natural and they encourage healthy chewing. Also, on the tag, it literally says "Not for Human Consumption".  Well boy am I glad! I wanted to eat the pizzle myself...NOT. Who would even think of that? Anyways, it claims that it is awesome for maintaining oral health and fresh breath (how in the world does that work?). I love that these are 100% digestible, unlike their enemies the "Rawhide" family. From the card:

"BarkWorthies offers premium quality, all-natural dog treats and chews that provide a healthy, eco-friendly alternative to low quality ingredients and chemical additives so often found in many of today's treats and chews. Barkworthies products are 100% digestible, and use free range, grass fed cattle- qualities that are sure to keep your pup happy and your mind at ease."

I broke the pizzle in half, and kept the littler half for my Chi, and the bigger half for my Weim. Neither of them wanted anything to do with it. My bigger dog eats almost anything that is handed to him, and he literally walked away from it the first time. Now of course, as I'm writing this, I gave him his half, and he's going to call me a liar because he's sitting here nibbling on it. Well...that just turned out for the better, because I was upset that neither dog even touched it. :) Thanks to live blogging, I just changed my mind about the product. I'm so happy right now that he's actually chomping away on his! I really was disappointed in it though because I had bought this box for my Chi, and that was WAY too big for her...

You can purchase these by the case, which contains 25 pieces, on BarkWorthies website for $157.50, making 1 $6.30! I really don't think I'd ever spend that much on this, and I'm sure I can find other Bully Sticks around for cheap.



 

The next product is a cute bag of treats from Woofables Gourmet Dog Bakery. It was a nice little mixed bag of different kinds of dog treats. It included Veggie Carrots, Cheese Its, and Quacker Treats.

Veggie Carrots, Quacker Treats, and Cheese Its.

These are Wheat Free biscuits that are made totally from scratch using healthy ingredients! I thought these were so cute. When my parents owned their bakery, I used to make dog treats and they were a hit! I loved doing it (and actually recently made my pups some). These are true, homemade treats. From the card:

"Woofables handmade biscuits are a dog's delight! These crunchy treats are as healthy as they are tasty. All of Woofables dog biscuits contain healthy, all-natural ingredients with no preservatives or additives. Each biscuit is cut by hand, with care. Tons of flavors are available, including wheat-free options."

They put out a TON of cute items, including decorated and frosted cookies, dog food, cat food, and cat treats as well. My dogs unfortunately didn't go for these. They both sniffed and walked the other way. My little dog is definitely picky, but my big dog usually is not. It is sad, because these are so cute! I might try them again with my big dog later tonight (considering he proved me wrong with the Bully Stick that is now in his belly). If he doesn't like these, then I will pass them on to my mom's client's dog :)

You can purchase a "Dog Pound" of treats for $10.99. This is most likely a half pound, so the price is about $5.50 

Next is a 1.76 Oz package of Beef Puffs from Jump Your Bones. These are made with 100% Uniquely Dehydrated Australian Beef and, of course, are made in Australia and imported to Florida! How cool! I've always wanted to go there :) They are 100% natural and have the same enzyme and nutritional value as fresh beef. These puffs have no preservatives, no flavoring, no MSG, no coloring, no added salt, no added sugar, no binding agents, have no soy product and are also gluten free! From the card:

"Offering the discriminating dog owner the best in pet treats, Jump Your Bones starts with the finest pasture-raised meats and use a exclusive low temperature, low humidity dehydration process. Bad fats are eliminated and all the aroma, flavor, protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and healthier fats are retained. The final result- some of the tastiest, most nutritious pet treats available today."

I really thought these were neat and thought they'd be a huge hit with my dogs! Boy was I wrong. Neither wanted anything to do with them. I was so excited for them too. They were way too big for my Chi, and hard to break in half. Definitely not for "Small" dogs. The funny thing is that one of my 8 cats actually LOVES them! She immediately chomps them, and is left begging for more. I thought it was so funny! This company is very unique, they sell a lot of different varieties including Lamb Puffs, Green Lipped Mussel Puffs, Loin of Albacore Puffs, and even, get this, KANGAROO PUFFS! Seriously! How neat is that? I will be trying these with my bigger dog again, so I can see if he really doesn't like them. If not, I will split half of the bag between my cat and my mom's client's dog.

You can purchase this bag on their website for $4.29

Lastly is a 5 oz bag of Dynamo Dog Hip & Joint treats from Cloud Star in Chicken. These are grain free, and are used as a daily support of healthy joint function. They are free from corn, wheat and soy and have no artificial colors, flavors or byproducts. These are a good way of giving your dogs the support they need but in treat form, not pill form. From the card:

"Dogs, like people, benefit from daily vitamins too. That's why CloudStar developed Dynamo Dog Functional Treats Hip & Joint formula. Now there is a fun and delicious way to help supports your dog's specific needs. Dynamo Dog Treats are grain free, gluten free, and are always made in the USA with the freshest ingredients."

I wish I would have had these when my old dog, Maggie, was alive. She recently passed (June 2nd 2013) but had very bad hip problems. We used to give her Glucosamine for her joints and it worked miracles. Honestly, some days my mom wouldn't give it to her, thinking she was doing okay, and I would see it and say "Mom, you didn't give Maggie her medicine did you?" because you honestly could notice the difference. I love that it gave her the ability to walk somewhat normally. She would have LOVED the treats. As for my other dogs, they don't want anything to do with them, once again. I'm actually disappointed because on the back it says "Dog Weight 10-26 Lbs" but that's the only size they start with. I might not be able to give them to my Chi, since she is a good amount under 10 in dog pounds. And as for my big dog, he'd need 3 of these a day! I will try them again with him, but if he doesn't like them, I will be passing them on :)

You can purchase this bag on their website for $6.95 

TOTAL: $37.02 

This box wasn't even the guaranteed $42 that the box was supposedly worth, which is very disappointing. Most items I pulled the price off of the official website. The only one I didn't was the Poop Bags, and there is no way that is actually $8.00. I thought the box, as a whole, was very good. But I feel that it was very misleading as well. None of the items in my box (sans poop bags) actually was for a "Small" Dog. I had wrote to them, to let them know this, and they just told me that they were starting to tailor the boxes more, and to please give them another chance. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd like to spend $30 to give another chance with the chance of getting another box that gives nothing my little girl can even use. While I only paid $5 for the box, I still am both pleased and disappointed. I'm glad to know I have other pups in my life that may enjoy the treats that my dogs pass up. The poop bags alone, (even if they are only $2.99) was worth it for the whole box. I would have paid more than that at the store buying one. I don't think, right now, I will give them another chance. Maybe once a few more boxes come out, I can see how far they've come and make a decision then.