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.

Petco Essentials Restful Cuddler Review

Don't worry - Meadow doesn't get to have all the fun! Meadow's Kitties get new things to try out, too!

Today, Reekoe tests out a new Petco Essentials Restful Cuddler, 20 inch (approx. $19.99 $9.99). This is on sale right now for $9.99! Note that on the Petco website, this is called the "Petco Textured Round Cat Bed." This soft bed is perfect for kitties or even small dogs. It is soft and cushy, with raised sides, which makes a kitty feel secure.

Reekoe, our oldest kitty, is also our biggest kitty. He's a huge cat, weighing in at 17 pounds. Several years ago, before we got his diet on track, Reekoe weighed in at 26 pounds at his heaviest. He still needs to lose about 2-3 pounds. This big boy fits perfectly in this bed.

I put this bed on the table as I was putting away purchases, and the cats started trying out this bed before I could even get the tags off. They love getting a new bed! This Restful Cuddler bed is now placed on the Custom Cat Purrniture Cat Stand that the kitties got a couple weeks ago with a nice view out the window, and sunshine during the day. For years, our cats rejected bed after bed. We would buy a cat bed, and they wouldn't lay in it. Sometimes I think they intentionally puked on them! Now, any time we get a new cat bed, it goes in a "hot spot," - or a place that the kitties already like to hang out. For example, sometimes we put the bed in a favorite box, or on one of the cat stands, on the dining room table, or in the bay window. After the kitties take turns claiming it, we can move it from the "hot spot" to a new location. With cats, it's all about location!

Barkworthies Large Stuffed Shin Bone Review

Meadow is a heavy chewer, and we're always on the look-out for appropriate chews that will hold up to her powerful chewing, and that are safe. We've tried Barkworthies products in the past, and we've been pleased. Meadow has also had a large hollow bone in the past that she enjoyed. For today's review, Meadow tried out the Barkworthies Large Stuffed Shin Bone (approx. $10.59).

The Barkworthies Stuffed Shin Bone is about 6 inches long on average, and has a filling of all natural ingredients including brown rice and bully stick pieces. Barkworthies Shin Bones are made in Brazil. In theory, once the stuffing is gone, you can re-fill the shin bone with peanut butter, or another treat. Meadow has had a hollow bone in the past that we stuffed with peanut butter, so this Barkworthies Stuffed Shin Bone seemed like a nice alternative to a Kong.

The stuffing is not soft or mushy - it's hard. Meadow LOVED this chew and set to work on it immediately. She will keep herself busy chewing on an appropriate chew for over an hour sometimes. After about half an hour, while Meadow happily chomping away, I noticed that she had managed to break off some bone chips from the edges, trying to get at the stuffing. I took it away at that point, and haven't given it back to her. While the chips she was able to break off weren't huge, I've yet to decide whether or not I'll let her chew on this any more out of concern that she can break off bigger, sharp bone chunks. I'd rather err on the side of caution.

While Meadow absolutely loved this Barkworthies Stuffed Shin Bone, I think this size might not be quite strong enough for her heavy chewing. I'd recommend this bone for a smaller dog or less aggressive chewer.

Do you let your dog chew on bones? How do you decide when you will take them away?

Zoe Grilled Cheese & Bacon Tender Chunks Review

TGIF! I had the day off work today, and Meadow was at daycare, so I got a little shopping done for Meadow's first birthday this Sunday. Watch for pictures of her birthday party!

In the meantime, Meadow sampled a new treat we discovered at our local PetCo. These are the Zoe Grilled Cheese & Bacon Tender Chunks, 5.3 oz. (approx. $5.79). I can't seem to find them on PetCo.com, but they are available on Amazon, and may be available in-store at your local PetCo.

The Zoe Tender Chunks treat line is 100% natural, and made and sourced in Canada. They contain no corn, wheat or soy. There's a couple different varieties, including Bistro Beef & Gravy, Chicken Parmesan, Turkey & Beets, and Grilled Cheese & Bacon. We chose Grilled Cheese and Bacon to try, because GRILLED CHEESE AND BACON. That sounds delicious! According to the package, the ingredients in the Zoe Grilled Cheese and Bacon Tender Chunks include barley flour, pork, brewers yeas, molasses, whey powder, vegetable glycerin, cheddar cheese, bacon flavor, vegetable lecithin, and citric acid. Each treat is 18 calories. The package suggests feeding 1 to 2 per day.

The Zoe Grilled Cheese and Bacon Tender Chunk treats are soft and kind of crumbly. They smell meaty, but not really like grilled cheese and/or bacon. They do smell really salty. When Meadow sampled one, she initially dropped the treat out of her mouth, followed by a dollop of drool. For a second, I thought she spit it out because she didn't like it, but then she happily gobbled it up. I suspect these treats might be "rich." They're a little big for training treats, and at 18 calories each, your doggie should probably indulge in these treats somewhat sparingly. Meadow's dad took her to the vet the other day, and he brought a handful of these treats with him to help keep Meadow focused and relatively quiet while they sat in the lobby waiting for her appointment, rather than going bonkers about meeting all the other dogs and their humans waiting, and going in and out. She did great! Despite all the distractions in the lobby, she happily balanced these treats on her nose and showed off.

Smoochie Pooch Sweater Review

What is cuter than a pit bull puppy in a pink heart sweater? Not much...

Meadow got a new Smoochie Pooch Heart Knit Dog Sweater (approx. $12.74) at PetCo a few days ago. We're always on the lookout for cute sweaters and shirts for Meadow. She loves wearing them, and when it's chilly outside, she needs a coat or sweater to keep her warm.

Meadow's sweater is an XL, and it fits reasonably well. Given her build as a bully, it's a little tight on her in the chest, and a little short on her tummy. But, as far as sweaters go, it works well enough. And, it's PINK! Note the "bling" jewel on the collar area of the sweater.

 Miss Pretty in Pink!

Plato Thinkers Duck Sticks Review

Meadow got an individually-wrapped Plato Thinkers Duck Stick in her April BarkBox, and she liked it so much, we decided to purchase a full package, which Meadow will review today.

Plato Thinkers Duck Sticks Dog Treats, 10 oz. (approx. $17) are meat treat sticks for dogs that are made of 90% duck. They also contain DHA which is known to support brain function. They are basically like a meat-stick for humans - they remind me of a Slim-Jim, although they do not smell appetizing...to me anyway. Meadow would beg to differ! She loves them! The 10 oz. package we purchased contains 11 sticks. We hold on to one end of a stick and let Meadow bite chunks off the end rather than giving her the whole thing at once. For dogs that scarf treats, you might want to break off pieces to give them, or hold on to it to let them bite chunks off. They're satisfying and filling enough that these are a good treat before nap-time.

The ingredients are duck, brown rice, salt, zinc propionate, fat product (source of DHA), mixed tocopherols (a preservative), citric acid, rosemary extract, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2phosphate (a source of vitamin C), vegetable glycerin, and collagen casing.

BarkBox Review May 2016

Hello! Meadow got her May BarkBox yesterday, and it's a winner! The theme this month is Country Fair. The toys and treats this month are spot on for the theme. Since Meadow's birthday is this month, I got an email a couple weeks ago from BarkBox asking if we wanted to add a Birthday Hat toy to her box this month. Another toy?? Of course!! So Meadow got an extra toy in her box along with her themed-items.

Before we get to the items in the box, a couple pictures of Meadow opening her Barkbox:

First up, we have the Bark & Co. Polka Dot Party Hat ($10), which was an add-on because it is Meadow's birthday this month. I received an email a couple weeks ago which gave the option of adding this toy to her May BarkBox for an extra $10. Of course I added the toy! The more toys the better! The Polka Dot Party Hat is available in the BarkShop. The large hat is about 9 inches tall. It is basically a hard plastic triangle covered with fabric. Because the whole thing is one big squeaker, no matter where Meadow bit it, it squeaked. She LOVED this toy! It was the first toy she picked out of the box. She even brought it with her in the car when we went on a quick errand to the gas station.  Unfortunately, this toy wasn't super durable, and Meadow seemed to be in a toy-destroyer-mood when we opened the box. It survived for about 20 minutes of almost non-stop squeaking before she bit through the plastic, and killed the squeaker. Then, she found a seam in the covering, and it was over before long. A few photos of Meadow enjoying this toy:

And here's what it looked like after she ripped open the cover:

Notice Meadow jumping up in the background to grab her toy as I'm taking a picture.

 

After she tore open the cover, we took the plastic out and let her play with the empty "hat" cover.

Next, we have the cutest toy in the box - Bark & Co. Slobbery Sunflowers ($12). After last month's BarkBox contained a Velcro toy, I'm excited to see another one this month! The Bark & Co. Slobbery Sunflowers toy is available in the BarkShop. This is basically five toys in one. There are four separate sunflowers - each of which has a squeaker in the flower. The bow has a Velcro closure that can be pulled off by puppy - or the flowers can just be yanked out of the bunch - like Meadow does. These flowers are incredibly cute, but I will say, if Meadow was left to work on these toys without close supervision, she would almost certainly destroy them in about 10 minutes. In fact, when I gave her the bouquet, the first thing she did was rip the "bow" piece out of the bow.  They're definitely not going to hold up to any amount of heavy chewing. We will use this as a reward toy for "calm" and "gentle" playtime - I don't want to see this toy wrecked right away - it's just too darn cute! Meadow was so excited to play with this toy, we played some focus and attention games with the flowers with her, and of course - we got pictures ~

Meadow also got a Think! Dog Dingo the Scarecrow Toy ($12). This toy is a Bark & Co. exclusive, and it's available in the BarkShop. This guy is adorable. He's about 9 inches tall, and he has a squeaker in his body. The cool part is that the scarecrow's arm and leg are one piece of rope that "slides" through the body. Meadow can pull on the limbs without necessarily ripping them off. For a smaller dog, this might make an OK tug toy. For Meadow, this toy wouldn't be strong enough to play tug. She's a 55 lb. pit bull puppy - she's STRONG! Meadow definitely liked this toy - there's lots to pick at and pull on, but she set to gnawing on his hat, so this toy got put away to be a "special" "calm" toy. And of course, a few pictures of Meadow play-testing this adorable scarecrow ~

Meadow's Extra Toy Club bonus toy this month was the Bark & Co. Gus the State Fair Goldfish ($9). Gus is available in the BarkShop. This toy is really cool! There's a small plush goldfish inside the hard rubber ball. According to the card that came with the toy, it floats, and it should hold up to heavy chewers. We haven't tested it's float-ability yet, but this toy will get packed to go with us to the lake. I didn't realize that it squeaked until I gave it to Meadow and she started chomping on it. It bounces - but it's kind of a wimpy bounce. I'll be curious to see if the seam between the two halves of the ball splits over time. Meadow hasn't shown a ton of interest in this one yet, but I suspect she will over the coming days.

And now for the edible goodies -- First, the very first item Meadow grabbed out of the box was the Butcher's Block LLC Trachea Chew ($3).  This item is also available in the BarkShop. It's noted as 8 inches long on the website, but I didn't measure it before I gave it to Meadow, so I'm not exactly sure how large it was. What I can say is that the Butcher's Block Trachea Chew is definitely on our "purchase again" list. I'm slightly creeped out by "animal part" chews, but I know Meadow loves them, so I try not to think about it too much as I'm handling these things. The trachea was slightly greasy taking it out of the package, but didn't have an overpowering smell like bully sticks or other "animal part" chews. Meadow chowed down on it - clearly loving it - and it took about 30 minutes for her to finish. The trachea was crunchy, and didn't break off into sharp or hard pieces. It was a little crumbly, so it could make a little bit of a mess - not a big deal in my book. These tracheas are from Nebraska-raised beef - no foreign beef here! There's also a variety of Butcher's Block brand chews available on Amazon. 

 
Next, we had a package of Craft Dog Treatery Donut Bites, 5.5 oz. ($8). These treats are available in the BarkShop. I can't seem to locate a website for Craft Dog Treatery, although according to the packaging, these are distributed by Mountain Country Foods in Oklahoma. The ingredients are lamb, chickpea flour, vegetable glycerin, ground peas, ground flaxseed, tapioca starch, sugar, sweet potato, cheddar cheese, salt, oil blend of sunflower and coconut oils (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), tumeric, phosphoric acid, lecithin, sorbic acid (to preserve freshness), xanthan gum, and natural caramel color. These soft treats are about the size of a penny, and are a good size for high-value training rewards. Meadow thinks these are delicious!

And, last but definitely not least, Meadow got a package of Think!Dog Nana's Natural Chicken & Sweet Potato Natural Jerky, 3.25 oz. ($8). These Jerky treats are a Bark & Co. exclusive available in the BarkShop. These semi-soft compressed "jerky" sticks are about 4 inches long, and there are 6 pieces of jerky in the 3.25 oz. package. These treats are made in the USA with USA-sourced ingredients. The ingredients include chicken, sweet potato, rice flour, hearts of palm extract, potassium sorbate, and vinegar. Meadow gives these yummy treats four paws up!

About BarkBox

Meadow has a one-year subscription to the Big & Bold Box (50+ pound) BarkBox with the add-on premium monthly toy. She weighs in at around 55 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.

Who says you can't have fun with a destroyed BarkBox toy?