Barkbox is one of the only dog boxes to offer both a regular and an allergy friendly box option. The allergy friendly box will contain single protein sources and exclude the typical allergens. Every Barkbox is wheat, corn and soy-free but the Allergy Friendly ones are also free of beef, chicken and turkey.
Since Dexter is allergic to chicken, I’ve been getting the Allergy Friendly boxes and it’s been nice to have treats I don’t have to worry about. Sometimes I’ve had to have one treat bag for Dexter and one treat bag open for Bugsy just to make sure Dexter doesn’t get chicken but also that the chicken ones get used. Although, to be clear, it’s not that he is allergic to chicken, he has a food intolerance. He just can’t process it properly. Poor thing.
The AF boxes cannot be customized any other way so if you have an allergy like salmon or peanuts this box isn’t likely to work for you. And in that case, I would say just get a regular box because fish and peanut butter appear very frequently in the AF boxes since the protein sources are so limited already.
This review is for the Small Dog box. I have two rat terriers and they’re about 17lbs. I don’t think the Small Dog box is appropriate for dogs under 10lbs. The toys are just going to be too big for tiny dogs.
The Cost: $29/month. Get one free month added to your subscription with my referral link.
What You Get: Every month you will receive a box in the mail with four or more carefully selected products and presents for your dog – anything from toys, bones and all-natural treats to hygiene products and innovative new gadgets! If you’re getting the Allergy Friendly box, your box will be free of wheat, corn, soy, beef, chicken and turkey products.
Bocce’s Bakery Salmon Dog Biscuits- The boys love Bocce’s bakery! We have had some of the other flavors of their treats but never the Salmon. I’m sure they’ll love them just as much as they love all the other ones. I like that this is a good size bag at 5oz, too.
Value: $9
Grandma Bowser’s Pumpkin Pie Dog Biscuits- These are made with pumpkin and real apples! They smell really good and are fairly large. I opened these ones up because I figured since they’re bigger and the package is smaller, they’ll be used up first. These were so good they made Dexter growl when Bugsy got near him. Which meant I had to take it away (or rather, take the chunks off the floor- Dexter is a delicate eater and chews eeeeeverything). For a high five, he got it back, though.
Value: $5
Chuckit! Max Glow (Small)- This is the highlight of the box (ooo, no pun intended)! This is the brightest, glowiest glow-in-the-dark ball I’ve ever seen. It glows even when it’s NOT dark!
Bugsy went absolutely nuts over it. Like frantic nuts. He has a specific bark that he does when he’s extremely frustrated (very high pitched) and when I teased him by tossing this up then catching it, I think his brain broke. He was instantly at the height of “I’m going to explode if I don’t get that thing RIGHTNOW!” mode.
So I threw it and I’ve been throwing it ever since. /sigh
Value: $5
PetSafe Squeak ‘n Treat Troog- I have no idea what a troog is. Do you? Apparently it’s this toy. It’s rubbery but it’s actually a good size and isn’t too heavy for the dogs. Sometimes those rubbery type toys can weigh too much and the dogs just won’t play with them. This is actually perfect.
Value: $8
Etta Says Duck Treat- I don’t really like these treats. The dogs do but I don’t because I find them just too messy. They’re really crunchy and they make crumbs everywhere. It’s impossible to avoid them because of the size. I tend to save them for sunny days and make them eat them outside. It’s not like they’re bully sticks. They don’t last very long. I don’t know why they’re called a “chew.” They just crunch into crumbles.
Value: $2
VERDICT: I’m actually very pleased with the Allergy Friendly Barkboxes so far. There hasn’t been a hint of chicken and the variety of treats has been really nice. I was curious at first to see how many treats without chicken, beef and turkey that they sourced but it’s been great so far. No repeats at all. It does appear that we miss out on the themes and we don’t get an information card with a list of products included but I’m okay with that. I’m glad they offer this option. Plus, even though I’ve been subscribed to Barkbox for… almost two years, we have never, ever gotten a repeat toy. I don’t even think we’ve gotten a repeat treat. Same brands, yes but never the same exact treat. Now *that* is impressive!
Subscription boxes for dogs tend to be valued right at their pricepoint. What you save is a trip to the pet store. For me, that time saving is worth it. Obviously, because I’m still subscribed. I’ve been consistently satisfied by the treats and toys included. It’s been a lot of fun seeing the boys with their new toys. Some of these things I would have no access to or I would never choose them off the shelf. This way I’ve discovered some toys they love so much, I’ve actually snagged some doubles of them.
If you would like to sign up for Barkbox, you can do that right here. That link will get you a free box added to your subscription!
There won’t be an option to choose the Allergy Friendly box until you’ve subscribed, so don’t worry, you didn’t miss it. Once you’ve signed up, go into your account, click on Subscriptions and choose “I Have Allergies” from the drop down box on the right column. Boom! Allergy Friendly boxes will be on the way. You can also do this if you have a current account and want to switch, too.
