BarnYarn Animals Catnip Cat Toy Review

Don't worry, Meadow isn't the only one in the house that gets new stuff to try out. The Kitties are here today with a review of some new BarnYarn Animals Catnip Toys by Chilly Dog (approx. $3.00 each). Like most cats, Meadow's Kitties are extraordinarily choosy about their toys, and we have collected hundreds (thousands?) of rejected toys over the years. Often we simply by more of their tried and true favorites, but it's fun to try new toys once in a while. I've seen these adorable hand-kitted catnip stuffed animals at various pet stores, and grabbed a couple during our last Chuck & Don's shopping trip. They are available directly from the manufacturer, and you can also find them on Amazon. Check your local pet retailer to see if they carry these adorable BarnYarn toys.

BarnYarn Catnip Toys come in a variety of adorable barnyard animals, including pigs, rabbits, cows, dogs, etc. We got a rabbit and a mouse. The catnip inside smells powerful - usually that's a good sign. Catnip toys are more often that not a reasonably safe bet.

Testing out the BarnYarn Toys - Clockwise from Top Left - Reekoe, Former Foster Kitty Spring (adopted), and Slimey.

Meadow's kitties were mildly interested in these. Any new toy is usually interesting for a few minutes. Our foster kitty (recently adopted!) Spring really liked these toys. In fact, we sent one of them with her when she went to her new home. They're small enough to bat around and carry around. Meadow unfortunately got ahold of one of these toys and slobbered it up. The slobbery catnip inside turned the white yarn of the rabbit a greenish-blackish color, so it now looks kind of gross, but the cats don't really care how it looks.

All in all, despite the fact that these smell of a very powerful catnip, I'd rate them average at best for our kitties. Younger kitties (like our foster kitty Spring - who was less than a year old) who like to bat toys around might have more fun with these toys. The one toy BarnYarn toy we kept has more or less been ignored since Spring went to her new adoptive home, so it will eventually go into one of the "old" toy bins to soak in catnip for a few weeks or months.

Ruff Tools Heavy Chewer Wrench Dog Toy by Ruff Dawg Review

Hello! Meadow is here today with a review of a "heavy chewer" toy - The Ruff Tools Wrench Dog Toy by Ruff Dawg (approx. $15.00). We purchased this a few weeks ago from the BarkShop. I thought it would be cute for Meadow to have a toy "tool" to carry around and play with and chew on. The Ruff Tools wrench is about 9 inches long and is made of heavy duty rubber. It is made in the USA and contains no latex or phthalate.

Meadow saw this toy, and was immediately interested. It does not float - we threw it in her kiddie pool and it sunk to the bottom. I'm convinced that Meadow knows a "heavy chewer" toy intuitively, and takes the "heavy chewer" label as a dare. She immediately started working on chewing off the tips of the wrench. We did watch carefully to ensure she wasn't actually eating any of the rubber she was chewing off. When Meadow wrecks a toy, she doesn't eat the pieces - she just spits them out. It didn't take long for her to have a small pile of yellow rubber pieces pulled off. When she starts picking at a toy intending to wreck it, we usually take it away, and give it back later to see if she will refrain from wrecking it by splitting up play sessions.

Nope - Meadow was set on destroying this one. Within a couple days over the course of several play sessions, she chewed off the ends of the wrench. She still likes what's left of the wrench - which is just the handle at this point.

Unfortunately, I don't recommend this for a really "heavy chewer" like Meadow - IF THE DOG EATS THEIR TOYS. The rubber comes off in small bits that could be dangerous. If you have a destroyer like Meadow that just wrecks - but doesn't eat their toys - and if you don't mind that this one will likely get wrecked, then I heartily recommend! Meadow loved this toy! Even though she will probably wreck them, I will probably purchase these Ruff Dawg Tool toys again since Meadow loves them, and they are so cute! You can find more Ruff Dawg Tool toys on Amazon.

Destroyers Club

Is your dog a DESTROYER? Join the BarkBox Destroyer's Club! If you subscribe to BarkBox or shop at the BarkShop, you can earn credits for purchase of items in the BarkShop by posting proof of your dog's toy-destroyer status on Instagram by tagging @thebarkshop and tagging your photo with hashtag #destroyersclub. You can also follow Meadow and Her Kitties on Instagram at @meadow_and_her_kitties for more pictures. 

For a FREE surprise gift with your first BarkShop purchase, use Coupon Code: NPGJHA23. For a FREE box with your BarkBox subscription, use Coupon Code: MEADOWANDKITTIES.

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BarkBox Review June 2016

Meadow got her new BarkBox about a week ago, and it might just be our favorite one yet! Where BarkBox truly shines is adorable, exclusive toys and products fitting an adorable monthly theme. This month, the theme was "The Grrrreat Outdoors," and the items were all camping/outdoors themed.

For our tough-chewer little pittie girl, realistically, the plush toys she gets in her BarkBox are not super durable. She sometimes destroys stuffies, and sometimes doesn't. The toys this month (and in previous months) are not necessarily made for stuffie-killers, but on the balance - for me anyway - the cuteness of the toys outweighs the fact that Meadow will almost certainly destroy them at some point in time. Destroyed stuffies are just a fact of life in our home. I will say, though, that after about a week of pretty heavy play-time, Meadow hasn't wrecked any of her toys yet, despite my doubts about their durability. Usually, Meadow will like one or two of the toys in each box, and ignore the others, but this month, she really liked all the toys!

Bungee Buddy Bear

Meadow's first toy was the Bungee Buddy Bear by R2P Pet Ltd. (approx. $16.00). The bear's body is about 12 inches long, and the head is attached by a stretchy-bungee "neck." The toy is about 22 inches long in total. Both the body and the head have separate squeakers, and the body has a crinkle bottle. Meadow really likes this one! She loves anything plush that squeaks - particularly if it has multiple squeakers. She hasn't attempted to rip it apart yet, although I suspect that if she were to set to work on ripping it apart, it would last about two seconds. The ears, limbs, and then the head would get ripped right off. With a smaller, less-strong dog, you might be able to play tug with this toy, but even a moderate tug from Meadow would rip the head right off this bear. That said, she's been pretty gentle with this stuffy so far, so it's a winner! Weirdly, our cat Blueberry has also taken a shine to this bear. He sometimes humps stuffed animals (despite having been neutered years ago), and this bear is apparently his new "special friend." 

Swiss Arrffy Knife

Next, Meadow got an exclusive Swiss Arrffy Knife by Bark & Co. (approx. $14.00). This toy isadorable and spot on for the theme! Meadow loves it! It has a full body squeaker, which seem to be her favorite kind of squeaky toys, and no stuffing. The outer covering is canvas, and the utensils are also made of reinforced canvas. The body of the knife is approximately 7 inches long. I thought for certain that Meadow would make short work of this toy, as she has done with similar solid squeaker toys in the past, but so far, she hasn't wrecked it. I also thought that the tools, which are reinforced canvas, would be ripped off within a few minutes of playing, but so far, this toy is entirely in one piece.

Pawty Training Roll - Don't worry Mom! I've got the TP!

As her Extra Toy Club toy, Meadow received an exclusive Pawty Training Roll by Bark & Co. (approx. $12.00). This toy is HILARIOUS! Seeing Meadow carrying around and playing with a toy roll of toilet paper is awesome! The "paper" is nylon stuffed with crinkle paper, and backed with Velcro, so that it rolls and unrolls. The center toilet paper "roll" is made of hard rubber, and it's hollow through the center. Meadow has tried fairly hard to rip the "paper" off the roll, and has yet to wreck the paper part of the toy. I'm really pleased to see another Velcro toy this month. The Velcro wrap lets Meadow have the thrill of "tearing" apart a toy without wrecking it. She did settle in to gnaw on the rubber core and got some chunks ripped off, but the toy is still more or less intact. This is my favorite toy this month! How ridiculously silly and funny is a toilet paper roll dog toy?!?

Sawmill Creek Smokehouse Pig's Ear

For the edible goodies, first, Meadow got a Half Pig Ear from Sawmill Creek Smokehouse (approx. $3.00). These pigs ears are made in the USA. Meadow hasn't tried this ear yet, but she's had pigs ears in the past and she loves them! If I were buying pig's ears myself, I'd go with a larger full ear, rather than a half ear, as a half ear is probably a little small for a dog of Meadow's size. Sawmill Creek Smokehouse dog chews can also be found on Amazon.
 

Pupstream Snacks

Meadow also received a package of Pupstream Snacks by Honest Love, 5.5 oz. (approx. $6.00). These soft bone-shaped treats are made in the USA and contain salmon, chickpea flour, glycerin, ground potato, tapioca starch, ground flax seed, sugar, apple, phosphoric acid, salt, xanthan gum, sorbic acid (to preserve freshness), natural smoke flavor, and mixed tocopherols (a natural source of Vitamin E to preserve freshness. There's a lot of carby, starchy, and sugary ingredients in these bone-shaped treats, but I imagine they taste pretty good to a dog. Meadow loves these - they are high value for her. We've been breaking them into smaller pieces to use for training.

Ducky Charms Trail Mix

Last but not least, Meadow also received a package of Ducky Charms Trail Mix by Bark & Co., 4 oz. (approx. $8.00). This "trail mix" is made in the USA, and contains bone-shaped crunchy biscuits, baked banana chips, and chewy dried apple slices. The biscuits contain duck, blueberries, and kale. The ingredients in these are pretty simple - oat flour, duck, blueberry, kale, apple, banana, coconut oil, and honey. Meadow likes these treats - even the dried banana and apple chips.

About BarkBox

Meadow has a subscription to the Big & Bold Box (50+ pound) BarkBox with the add-on premium monthly toy. She weighs in at around 60 pounds, and is a medium-to-heavy chewer. She destroys some stuffies and treats others like babies. A one month subscription - or basically - a single box - costs $29.00. You can also sign up for a six-month ($24/box), or twelve-month subscription ($20/box). Having studied the options available for dog subscription boxes, we dove right in with a 12-month subscription for Meadow. You can also add an extra premium toy for $9 a month. If there are toys and treats that your dog really loves, you can order more through the BarkShop.

To get a FREE box added to your subscription, use Meadow's BarkBox link, and Meadow will also get a FREE box. OR, to get a FREE "mystery gift" added to your first BarkShop order, use Meadow's BarkShop link or use Coupon Code NPGJHA23. 

Daisy-Care June 2016 Review

Meadow's back today with a new Daisy-Care review! This is her third box from Daisy-Care, and once again, Daisy-Care knocked it out of the park in terms of choosing appropriate treats and toys for our special girl. I highly recommend Daisy-Care as a subscription dog box. 

As for the toy this month, Meadow's box contained a Planet-Dog Orbee-Tuff Orbee Ball (approx. $16.95).  This is the large size, which is 4 inches in diameter. Meadow has had a medium Orbee ball in the past, and it has held up well! She did manage to pick off some of the textured map, but it's otherwise in great shape. The ball has a hole on either end - one of which large enough for kibble or small treats, so you could put treats in this ball. It bounces, it floats, and it has a minty flavor - the ball actually smells like mint. This is a great pick for Meadow, as it's large enough she can't destroy it, and Orbee balls are tough! Planet-Dog Orbee Balls are widely available. Online, Orbee balls available directly from Planet-Dog, through Daisy-Care's Online Shop, or via Amazon.

I'm pretty sure Daisy-Care is somehow reading my mind. As for treats, pretty much everything Meadow received in her box this month were items that I've looked at purchasing to try, or they are such a great pick for Meadow, I feel like the owner of Daisy-Care knows her! 

Meadow received a container of Dog-For-Dog Peanut Butter, 16 oz. (approx. $9.99). I'm really excited to have received Dog-For-Dog products! I've looked at purchasing this online for Meadow before, but now we can sample it first, thanks to Daisy-Care! Meadow is crated two days a week during the workday, and she gets a Kong full of peanut butter and treats, which keeps her busy and content. She LOVES peanut butter, so this Dog-For-Dog Peanut Butter will definitely get used. I LOVE Dog-For-Dog's mission - for every American-made, wholesome pet product purchased, food is donated to an animal shelter. I'm happy to support a company that helps shelter pets. This peanut butter is made just for dogs. It contains only peanuts, golden flaxseed, and vegetable oil - no added sugar or salt like most human peanut butter. It can be purchased directly on the Dog-For-Dog website, via Daisy-Care's online shop, or through Amazon.

Meadow also received a package of Dog-For-Dog Dogstreat Peanut Butter Minis, 16 oz. (approx. $7.98). These soft treats are a perfect size for training treats. We are going through training treats by the truck load right now - we are working on manners and focus with our "energetic" puppy, which involves millions of treats. In fact, we used these treats this past weekend sitting at the dog park with Meadow practicing behaving calmly when greeting new people or dogs. Meadow is extremely social and loves all other dogs and humans, but she is a little - ahem - overenthusiastic in her greetings. Meadow of course loves these treat since they are peanut butter flavored. They contain oat flour, peanut butter, glycerin, barley flour, tapioca syrup, salt, duck oil, soy lecithin, glucono-delta-lactone, malt extract, cultured dextrose, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative), citric acid (natural preservative), and rosemary extract. There are some carby and sugary ingredients (flour, tapioca syrup, malt extract, etc.), but for a puppy with zero attention span when she's excited, these are tasty enough to help her keep her focused. These treats are available directly from Dog-For-Dog, through Daisy-Care's online shop, or via Amazon.

Next we have a package of Polkadog Cod Skins, 2.5 oz. (approx. $10.99). I had seen these before and almost gotten them for Meadow to try. Again, thanks to Daisy-Care, we get a chance to try a new brand! Polkadog produces a variety of treats, including dehydrated single protein ingredient treats like these cod skins. The cod is sourced in Alaska and hand-rolled and dehydrated at the Polkadog bakery in South Boston. Yep, each of these "sticks" is a rolled fish (cod) skin. They stink like dehydrated fish as one would expect. That didn't stop Meadow from LOVING these! She made lots of yummy faces and drool while sampling one. These will be a good snack for when it's time to settle down. These are available directly from the Polkadog Bakery, from the Daisy-Care online shop, or via Amazon. 


There was also a package of Barking Bus Animal Shaped Dog Treats by Exclusively Pet, 1.5 oz. (approx. $2.61). How cute is the packaging on these cookies? They look just like animal crackers! They're a little big for training treats, but they can be broken into smaller pieces. Even though they look exactly like human animal crackers, I wouldn't recommend tasting them - they smell like garlic, but Meadow thought they were fantastic. The ingredients include wheat flour, sugar, vegetable fat, corn syrup, salt, natural vanilla flavor, cornstarch, sodium bicarbonate, lecithin, and garlic powder. They are 7.5 calories per treat, which is relatively low calorie. They don't have the most super healthy ingredients, but in moderation, these are a fun treat. These can be purchased online from the manufacturer Exclusively Pet, from the Daisy-Care online shop, or via Amazon.

Meadow's Patriotic Bandana is from Cavies in Cozies.

Last but not least, Meadow received an Exclusively Dog Cheesy Bacon Flavor Cookie by Exclusively Pet, 3 oz. (approx. $5.99). This bone-shaped cookie is made in the USA with rye flour, rice flour, cheddar cheese, canola oil, flaxseed, rolled oats, natural bacon flavor. This cookie is huge! It contains 395 calories per treat according to the packaging, so you should feed it in pieces. We let Meadow eat half of it for a special snack after her dinner, and saved the other half to be given in small pieces later. This cookie is easily broken into smaller pieces. This cookie was a hit of course. Meadow made lots of happy nom-nom drooly faces while eating it. These cookies are high calorie, and should be limited to special treats. These cookies come in several different flavors, and are available to be purchased online from the manufacturer Exclusively Pet, or via Amazon.

Overall Impressions

This is Meadow's third box from Daisy-Care, and I continued to be impressed with the selection of items that are perfect for Meadow. Other pet subscription boxes might have cute themes, but what really makes Daisy-Care stand out is the thoughtful selection of items suited for your pet. This month I calculated the value of the items to be nearly $55.00 - which is over the cost of the box. I'm also really pleased that we had the opportunity to try some new brands, including Dog-For-Dog, and Polkadog. In terms of quality and thoughtful selection of items, Daisy-Care is at the top of the field when it comes to pet subscription boxes. 

About Daisy-Care

Daisy-Care is a subscription service that delivers package of treats and toys for your dog each month. There are number of different subscription package options ~

The Everyday Subscription package is a surprise package of toys and/or treats for your dog. You can purchase a "Treats Only" Everyday Care Package Subscription which includes several made-in-the-USA goodies for your pooch, and this subscription is available as a 1-Month Subscription ($37.95), a 3-Month Subscription ($110.85 or $36.95/box), 6-Month Subscription ($215.70 or $35.95/box), or 12-Month Subscription ($419.40 or $34.95/box). You can also subscribe to a Toy and Treat Everyday Care Package, which includes a combination of toys and treats. The packages are available as a 1-Month Subscription ($47.95), a 3-Month Subscription ($140.85 or $46.95/box), a 6-Month Subscription ($275.70 or $45.95/box), or a 12-Month Subscription ($539.40 or $44.95/box).

Daisy-Care also has an Annual Holiday Care Package Subscription that includes twelve (12) packages with Holiday-themed items. The cost for the annual Holiday Care Package Subscription is $239.88 or $19.99/box. Daisy-Care also has special occasion packages, and you can also create your own custom care package by purchasing items from Daisy-Care's shop.

Oh nom nom nom nom!

Leaps and Bounds Braided Rope Review

Hello! The weather here has been beautiful lately, so Meadow and company have been spending a lot of time outdoors. I hope you're getting the chance to spend time outside with your furry family members!

One of Meadow's favorite outside games is tug. We've gone through lots of tugs. If left to her devices, Meadow likes to gnaw and shred tug toys, so she doesn't get to chew on or play with these rope tug toys without supervision. If allowed to chew on a rope tug like this, she will wreck it within a matter of minutes. Meadow is STRONG, so any tug toy for her has to be able to hold up to some serious pulling, shaking, and gnawing.

We found this Leaps and Bounds XL Braided Rope at PetCo, (approx. $14.99) and it looked sturdy enough to hold up to Meadow's vigorous tug playing. The tug itself is about 2 feet long - so plenty of room to hold on to the end without accidentally getting fingers or hands nipped during play. There are also three knots to help protect hands during a game of tug, and to give puppy something to hold onto. Meadow is strong enough to almost pull me out of a chair when she's tugging, and this rope is braided, and made to be strong. We've had this tug now for several weeks, and after lots of tug playtime, it has held up well. In fact, this tug rope came with us over Memorial Day weekend, and Meadow and her doggie cousin Kosta, who is slightly bigger than her, played tug together with this toy, and it held up wonderfully. The only wear it shows so far is a spot where Meadow chomped on the rope during play, and managed to actually cut through some of the threads. I definitely recommend this tug for strong dogs. It is sturdy and relatively economical. This is one of Meadow's favorite toys! I think the photos speak for themselves in terms of how much Meadow enjoys this Leaps and Bounds XL Braided Rope. 

Sojos Peanut Butter Honey Treats Review

Meadow pretty much loves all things peanut butter, so I expected these new Sojos Peanut Butter Honey treats to be a hit. 

Sojos is a small company located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that specializes in crafting wholesome dog and cat food and treats, including raw diets. They have a variety of different product lines, including raw dog and cat food, and dog and cat treats. Since I know Meadow loves peanut butter (and also honey), I thought the Sojos Peanut Butter Honey Flavor Treats, 10 oz. (approx. $6.99) seemed like a pretty sure bet.  These treats are wheat and corn free, and contain no preservatives. The ingredients include only rye flour, oat bran, peanuts, peanut butter, honey, canola oil. and eggs. Each treat contains 14.35 calories, according to the package.

These hard treats smell mildly like peanut butter and honey. I admit it. I tasted one - just add sugar to the ingredient list and you have peanut butter bars! It tasted vaguely like a hard, unsweetened peanut butter biscuit. These treats are a little big for training treats, although they do easily break in half. Meadow thinks they are yummy! She gets these treats after each meal, and after she potties outside. With the limited ingredient list, and the fact that these treats are made right here in Minnesota, I'm interested in trying other treats from Sojos for both Meadow and her kitties.

ZippyPaws Burrow Bunny 'n Carrot Review

Meadow loves "puzzle" toys, so we are always on the lookout for toys that are interactive. ZippyPaws has several interactive plush "Burrow" toys that contain three smaller squeaky toys that are meant to be pulled out of a larger toy. We have a similar toy that we've had for Meadow since she was a baby, so we decided to try out the ZippyPaws "Burrow" Bunny 'n' Carrot toy. How cute is this toy?!!

I ordered the ZippyPaws Burrow Bunny 'n Carrot Toy (approx. $12.99) with several other items from Amazon. When the box came, of course Meadow thought everything in the box was for her. (Most of it was). This was the item she wanted out of the Amazon box - even passing up a bag of tracheas.

Meadow was really excited about this toy! She grabbed it out of the Amazon box and took off with it. I took it back to take pictures and take off the tags so she could play with it. Note that the bunnies are all secured with plastic tags. There are literally at least a dozen of the tiny plastic tags securing the bunnies inside the carrot. Be careful and make sure you got them all before giving this toy to your dog!

The carrot is about 9 inches tall and 5 inches wide, and each of the three bunnies is about 5 inches tall by three inches wide. Each plush bunny contains a squeaker. The carrot "burrow" is a single layer of felt-like material with three holes for the bunnies - it is not plush. It does hold it's shape.

Meadow figured out in 1/2 a second that the goal is to pull the bunnies out. She was not particularly interested in playing with the bunnies themselves - she just wanted to pull them out of the carrot. She was pulling them out as fast as I could put them back in. She was very intent on pulling/digging/ripping the bunnies out of the carrot. I'm pretty sure she had fun with this game, but as soon as she had all three bunnies out, she kept pulling at the holes in carrot, looking for more bunnies to pull out. It took her less than a minute to pull all three bunnies out of the carrot. She ripped one of the holes in about 10 minutes of playtime.

I would definitely not call this a durable toy. The single-layer carrot "burrow" will be destroyed in about 10 minutes if I let Meadow play with this without stuffing bunnies back in from her and watching very closely. Realistically, this toy is not durable enough for her, and it is probably too small for her. However, Meadow loves this type of toy, and given the relatively cheap price, I will probably purchase more of the ZippyPaws "Burrow" toys. This toy currently stays safely in a cupboard and comes out for supervised play when she's being calm.

Does your dog like interactive puzzle toys? Do you have recommendations for interactive plush toys?

Leaps and Bounds Catnip Lobster and Catnip Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Review

Happy Caturday! Today, Meadow's Kitties share their review of two new Leaps and Bounds Catnip Cat Toys. 

If your kitties are anything like ours, finding toys that your cat likes is like hitting the lottery. Most of the time, when I buy what I think is a cool or cute toy, the cats snub it. One trick we have learned over the years of being a multi-cat household is that the mountains of ignored cat toys can sometimes be "recycled" with a little trick. We take small lidded plastic boxes - about the size of a shoebox - fill them with ignored toys, dump in some powerful catnip - for example - Yeowww! Catnip - put the lid back on the box, stick the box away for a few weeks or months, and let the toys "marinate." Pull the box out, take the sealed lid off, and all of the toys inside will be infused with a powerful catnip smell! Plus, having been "gone" for a few weeks or months, it will be like getting "new" toys for the kitties. When they get bored with those toys, pack them back up with catnip, and open up a new "marinated" box of toys. We rotate three or four boxes of toys using the "catnip marinade" method.

On a recent trip to Petco, I spotted a couple new catnip cat toys that I hadn't seen before - the Leaps and Bounds Lobster Catnip Cat Toy (approx. $2.99), and the Leaps and Bounds Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Catnip Cat Toy (approx. $3.99). I thought these toys were adorable - especially the strawberry, and that they were a good size for tossing around, so I took a shot and bought them for the cats, despite the risk that they would end up in the "ignored" pile.

When the time came to play test these toys, I was pleasantly surprised that several of the cats were at least temporarily interested in these toys. They are small enough to bat and toss around, and the catnip is reasonably potent. I did cut the labels off both toys, and after some play-testing, cut the lobster's antennae off as well. Eddie, Reekoe, Princess, and Slimey participated in play-testing for picture taking purposes. Since play-testing, the Strawberry has definitely turned out to be the favorite. The Lobster hasn't moved around much, but the Strawberry has been all over the house, including up and down the stairs several times. It's roundish-shape makes it easy to bat around and chase. I've even spotted Blueberry and our foster kitty Spring carrying the Strawberry around in their mouths. Spring the foster kitty likes this Strawberry so much that we will send it with her when she is adopted. The Leaps and Bounds Lobster Catnip Cat Toy is available for purchase at Petco.com, and the Leaps and Bounds Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Catnip Cat Toy is also available for purchase at Petco.com. Both the Lobster and the Strawberry can also be found at Amazon.



 Do you have any tricks you use to increase your odds of finding toys your cats like?

Daisy-Care May 2016 Review

Today Meadow is back with a review of her second Daisy-Care subscription box! We got this box a few days ago before we traveled over the Memorial Day Weekend, and she has been sniffing it, and licking it since we got it. Meadow definitely thinks that all boxes and packages that arrive at our house are for her...and, honestly...most of them are for her and/or her kitties!

When I saw her Daisy-Care box had shipped, I was excited knowing how many high quality packages of treats we got last time. A high-energy pit bull puppy means we go through A LOT of treats around here, so I was hoping this box would be a treasure trove of treats again, and we were not disappointed!

Before we get to the contents, a couple obligatory pictures of Meadow opening her box in the backyard ~

And on to the goodies!

The toy included in Meadow's box this month is Nuts the Squirrel from Fluff & Tuff, (approx. $19.95). This was the first thing she pulled out of the Daisy-Care box. This fluffy squirrel contains a squeaker heart. It's a good size for Meadow at about 15 inches or so from head to tail. The hang tag indicates that it contains an inner mesh liner, with double stitched concealed seams, and embroidered eyes. These features should help make it more durable. If Meadow's in a destructive mood, she tends to go for the seams of a toy, so the concealed seams should help this toy hold up. A plush with a squeaker is virtually guaranteed to be a hit in Meadow's house. Meadow loves this guy! She has been carrying it around, squeaking it, tossing it in the air, playing fetch with it, and using it as a battering ram. The only potential weak spot seems to be the tail, but even that seems to be sewn in fairly well. Once again, Daisy-Care did a great job picking an appropriate toy for Meadow. Assuming Nuts the Squirrel holds up for a while, we will definitely check out other toys from this brand. Nuts the Squirrel is available for purchase in the Daisy-Care shop, or on Amazon. 

The next item Meadow pulled out of the box was the Etta Says! Mega Yumm Elk Chew, 10 in. (approx. $8.99 - on sale on at Chewy.com for $5.99!) This 10-inch chew is roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter and is free of artificial coloring, fillers, or preservatives. In fact, the only ingredients are rawhide, elk, natural caramel color, and salt. I'm not going to lie - this thing is stinky. Smells about like a bully stick. No wonder Meadow grabbed it out of the box right away. Meadow takes her chewing seriously, so this chew will be more of a treat for her. She set to work on this one and had half of it eaten in about 15 minutes. We saved the other half for later. We haven't tried any Etta Says! products before, but this was a win, and we are interested in trying some of their other products. There are a variety of Etta Says! products also available at Amazon. 

And on to the treats!

First, we have a package of The Real Meat Company Real Meat Bitz Chicken & Venison Jerky Treats, 4 oz. (approx. $6.95). These treats are 95% chicken and venison, and they are made in the USA. According to the The Real Meat Company's website, all of their products are made of meat sourced in the USA, Australia, or New Zealand. The ingredients are limited to chicken, venison, dried chicory root, vegetable glycerin, sea salt, and mixed tocopherols. The meat comes from free range, farm-raised chicken and venison, and contains no added hormones and no antibiotics. The treats contain no fillers, no preservatives, and no coloring. They look and smell like small jerky bits. They are a great size for training treats! Given the size and density of the treats, there are a LOT in this 4 oz. package. Meadow loves jerky, and these treats are no exception. I like the size of these jerky treats since we always need training size treats to reward good puppy behavior. I also really like that these jerky treats are about as natural as it gets - no hormones or antibiotics in the meat, and no preservatives. I've not seen this brand before, and I'm glad Daisy-Care introduced us to this company! The Real Meat Company offers both dog and cat food and and treats. We are always on the hunt for  cat treats that accommodate Eddie's dietary needs, and it looks like The Real Meat Company's cat treats would be diabetic-friendly! The Real Meat Company Real Meat Bitz Chicken & Venison Jerky Treats, 4 oz. can be purchased at Daisy-Care's shop, or at Amazon, or Chewy.com.

We also received a package of Cloud Star Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Buddy Biscuits, 5 oz., (approx. $6.85). PEANUT BUTTER! Peanut Butter is pretty much Meadow's favorite thing, so these treats are a win. I'm sure they will be going on her list of treats to have in stock at all times. These Buddy Biscuits are made in the USA, and the ingredients are chickpea flour, potato flour, peanut butter, tapioca starch, maple syrup, vegetable glycerin, gelatin, natural flavor, salt, phosphoric acid, sorbic acid (as preservatives), citric acid, mixed tocopherols (as preservative), and rosemary extract. These treats are shaped like adorable little gingerbread men, and they are soft. They do smell like peanut butter. According to the package, they are 10 calories per treat, which is pretty good for a moist treat! They would even work for a training treat. Meadow loves these so much, they are a good high-value treat for her. If you have a peanut-butter-loving pooch, these treats are pretty much a guaranteed win. The Cloud Star Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Buddy Biscuits can be purchased in the Daisy-Care shop, or at Amazon, Chewy.com, or Petco.com.

We also received a package of Dr. McGrath's Hale & Hearty Pear & Sweet Potato Treats, 4 oz. (approx. $8.95). These treats are 100% dried pear and sweet potato. They smell delicious! I will freely admit I tasted one of the dried pears, and as expected, it tasted like an unsweetened dried pear. Meadow has a sweet tooth, so I'm hopeful that these super-healthy treats will satisfy her sweet tooth in a healthy way. The packaging of these treats is adorable. For example, on the side of the box it says "Remember these are treats. They should be fed sparingly. We don't want to turn your pup into a Fatty McFat-Fat...." They also provide serving suggestions based on the size of your dog...."Watch Under Your Feet!," "Smallish," "Perfectly Average," "Getting Up There," and "Frequently Mistaken for a Pony." Hahahaha! I made the mistake of letting Meadow sample these not long after she had eaten her supper, so she wasn't particularly hungry. She turned her nose up at them, unfortunately. Later on in the evening though, when she was asking for a treat, she did eat some of these. So I'll call that a win! This is another brand I've not seen before, so I'm pleased that Daisy-Care is again introducing smaller brands and companies. These Dr. McGrath's Pear & Sweet Potato Treats can be purchased at Daisy Care's Shop.

Last, but not least, Meadow received a package of Bubba Rose Biscuit Company Special Reserve Venison Osso Buco, 5.5 oz. (approx. $14.99). Meadow got a package of Bubba Rose Biscuit Company treats in her last Daisy-Care subscription box as well which were a huge hit, so I'm thrilled to see another item from Bubba Rose. Once again, the packaging is adorable. There are 9 bone-shaped treats in the package, and each is about 4 inches long. Every single cookie was intact in the package. They are imprinted with the Bubba Rose logo. These artisan treats contain organic oat flour, organic brown rice flour, venison, tomato paste, carrot, celery, eggs, rosemary, and garlic. Given the size of these cookies, they will be a special treat for Meadow. She loves these cookies and slowly savored the cookie when she sampled one. You can see she's trying out her product-modeling talents! Once again, I'm extremely happy to receive artisan treats in Meadow's Daisy-Care subscription box. These Venison Osso Buco treats can be purchased directly from Bubba Rose Biscuit Company.

Overall impressions: I calculated the value of the items in this box to be over $65 - well over the cost of the monthly cost of a Daisy-Care subscription box. After our second box, I'm really impressed. Daisy-Care clearly cares about quality - both in terms of the toys and the treats. There are lots of options for pet subscription boxes on the market, but Daisy-Care really seems to be at the top of the pack in terms of quality. For someone looking for a pet subscription box that is a good option for a pit bull, I recommend Daisy-Care. The toys have been spot on in terms of size-appropriateness and durability, and the quality of the treats has been second to none.

About Daisy-Care

Daisy-Care is a subscription service that delivers package of treats and toys for your dog each month. There are number of different subscription package options ~

The Everyday Subscription package is a surprise package of toys and/or treats for your dog. You can purchase a "Treats Only" Everyday Care Package Subscription which includes several made-in-the-USA goodies for your pooch, and this subscription is available as a 1-Month Subscription ($37.95), a 3-Month Subscription ($110.85 or $36.95/box), 6-Month Subscription ($215.70 or $35.95/box), or 12-Month Subscription ($419.40 or $34.95/box). You can also subscribe to a Toy and Treat Everyday Care Package, which includes a combination of toys and treats. The packages are available as a 1-Month Subscription ($47.95), a 3-Month Subscription ($140.85 or $46.95/box), a 6-Month Subscription ($275.70 or $45.95/box), or a 12-Month Subscription ($539.40 or $44.95/box).

Daisy-Care also has an Annual Holiday Care Package Subscription that includes twelve (12) packages with Holiday-themed items. The cost for the annual Holiday Care Package Subscription is $239.88 or $19.99/box. Daisy-Care also has special occasion packages, including a "Puppy Love Pail," and a "Puppuccino Care Package." You can also create your own custom care package by purchasing items from Daisy-Care's shop.
 
We got this box on the 29th, so I'm going to call this one the May 2016 box, and I'm going to re-name Meadow's review of her first box "Daisy-Care April 2016 Review" as I think that may have been April's box, but we got it later in the month because of when we subscribed.

Happy First Birthday, Meadow!

Happy Birthday sweet baby Meadow! Meadow celebrated her first birthday this past Sunday. She played at the lake with her favorite cousin Kosta, and took a couple dips in the lake. When we got home, she enjoyed a birthday cake all to herself.

Meadow's whoopie pie birthday cake and her pink party hat were courtesy of Lulu & Luigi's - a boutique pet groomer and retailer with locations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.