Review/Unboxing: February's PetBox

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To receive 10% off your own PetBox subscription, use the code RCHREVIEWS at check out!

This winter was pretty hard on Sadie - like me, she's getting older and deals with arthritis, and we had many weeks of limping around together.  So, it was a real treat to see her light up when the February PetBox came in!

She absolutely knows that blue box means good treats and toys, and noses it as soon as I get it open for her.


February's box was full of all sorts of fun and comforting things for Sadie, including a special Valentine's Day themed treat.

She received 3 quality toys, 2 bags of treats, and a can of wet dog food.

The toys turned out to be my favorite parts - two of them are soft plushies, which she'd curl up with in her bed even when she wasn't up for active play, and one is a truly awesome tug of war toy that intented to keep her teeth clean and strong for days when she's feeling more perky.

Mind you, Sadie's favorite parts will always be the things she can eat - so between us, every item we got was a winner!

 Petstages Large Dental Chew

I really like this toy - Sadie isn't always up for rowdy play, but when she is, her favorite time of game is tug of war.

This sturdy knotted robe is woven with a very durable length of rubber and has a handle on one end.

I don't care how hard your dog pulls, this thing is going to hold up.  The construction is really solid.

Meanwhile, the materials help clean the tartar off the dog's teeth and massages the gums.  I expect we'll get a lot of play out of this over the next few months.

The bright colors are appealing to me as well.


Pet Greens Treats Savory Beef Jerky-Style Dog Treats

These are great little snacks - I'm not always a fan of how dog treats smell, but these smell delicious, just like what they are - savory little beef jerky bits.

The ingredients are:

"Beef, Dried Chicory Extract, Organic Ground Wheat Grass Powder, Lecithin, Salt, Cultured Whey, Garlic, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols."

They are very small, just right for a quick reward or training snack, and Sadie absolutely loves them.  I will be looking out for this product in the future.

Topsy Turvies Dog Toy Hippo/Snail

This one made me laugh - Topsy Turvies are plush toys that come with two squeakers (one for each half) - each Topsy Turvy is a combination of two different plush characters.

The one Sadie received is a combination of a purple hippo in front, and a yellow snail in back. At about 8" long, it's just right for carrying around, or - as she likes to do - using as a pillow in her bed.

Back in the day, she'd have had this guy in shreds in about 20 seconds flat so she could disembowel it of its squeakers, but she's a lot kinder to this sort of thing these days.

PetBox's in stock items (which can be added to any order a la carte) vary from month to month, but there is likely to be a Topsy Turvy Toy of some sort ready to purchase.  Currently, I see they have a fun tiger headed penguin available.

No, I can't explain it - they're fun. Roll with it.

Zippypaws Crinkle Dragonfly

This sweet toy, in springtime colors like the Topsy Turvy, is a cute plush dragonfly with a squeaker in the body and crinkly material in the wings.

While Sadie hasn't played with it much herself, her ears perk up when I crinkle the wings, and I love the way it looks.

Zippypaws is the same great company that makes the Hide-an-Egg Burrow Dog we loved so much from the December Pet Box.  That continues to be her favorite toy (with some expected wear and tear).

Zippypaws has a huge collection of toys that are both cute and designed to keep dogs happy and stimulated - I was really happy to get a second change to try out one of  their products.

Old Mother Hubbard's Bits Of Love P'Nuttier

This is another favorite come back in new form - in December, Sadie received Old Mother Hubbard's Jingle Jangle P'Nuttier snacks in cute holiday shapes, and adored them.

For February, she received another in their holiday line - Bits of Love, in 1" heart shapes.  These are the same snacks, same ingredients, same thick cut.

As soon as she smelled them, she lost it - peanut butter is one of her favorite flavor profiles!

As for me, I think the hearts are cute, and I really like the idea of holiday-themed treats for our pets.

Not that she knows or cares what it means - making her happy is love enough. But they do make me smile!

Evanger Super Premium Beef Dinner

Last month, we received some of Evanger's dry dog food to try.  This month, Sadie scored a can of their premium wet food - the Beef Dinner.  This is a grain-free dog food - the ingredients are:

"Beef, Water Sufficient for Processing, Liver, Guar Gum, Spinach, Kale, Cinnamon, Vitamins {Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D2 Supplement}, Minerals {Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Potassium Iodide}."

I really like that it is all good food and supplements.  Here again, the smell was actually quite savory (about like canned hash), and Sadie adored it.  She doesn't get wet food all the time, but boy does she love it when she does.  This dish did not last long, and we had one very contented dog on our hands when it was all gone.

I liked this enough that I will look for this brand to supplement here regular diet of dry food.  Thanks PetBox!

I couldn't be happier with the February PetBox - it was a real winner! I look forward to seeing what's next!

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Dec. PetBox Unboxing/Review

Note: This is an affiliate post.   We are able to offer a standing discount code for our readers for new PetBox accounts.  There is a small bonus for sign ups  that use this code, which will allow us to offset some of the costs of the blog itself.

To receive 10% off your own PetBox subscription, use the code RCHREVIEWS at check out!

Sadie has had so much fun in recent weeks with the PetBox we received in late December - this was a perfect blend of goodies for her and practical and fun items for us.  It's pretty funny - now that she's gotten a couple of these, she recognizes the box and get's very excited to see it.  Once it's opened, she wants to dive in nose-first before I even get an opportunity to see what's in there.  Getting her to hold still for actual pictures was impossible - it was all I could do to keep her from dragging the whole box under the nearest table!

Check out what was in this month's PetBox subscription box:

Pawganics - Toy Cleaner

I love this - it isn't for use on plush items or fabrics, but it's a cleaner for rubber and vinyl toys, to get rid of the inevitable grime, gunk and dog drool a well loved toy collects.

It contains no harsh chemicals, so it's safe to use without rinsing on those items you know are going straight back into your dog's mouth (or your child's mouth if your home is shared by small humans as well as pets.

Because it's for toy items, this is also scent free - nothing is there that's likely to make your dog reject their chewy after you've 'messed it up' by cleaning it.

PetBox sent a nice large 12 oz bottle of Pawganics Toy Cleaner, so this is likely to last a good while!

Merrick Pet Care - Li'l Brush Bones

While we're talking about dog's mouths, let's talk about the dog's mouth!  I don't want to tell embarrassing stories about Sadie, but since she can't read, I will - on a recent walk, she pulled a dead decomposing mouse out of the underbrush and acted like we were killing her when we made her drop it.  Being a rather typical dog, not all of her habits are particularly dainty.

So... yea. Sometimes, the doggy breath gets funky.  In addition, she's a senior dog and her teeth are an important health issue.

So, something she believes is a treat but will help keep her teeth plaque (and mouse-remains) free, and also freshen her breath is already on the top of my favorites list!

I almost changed my mind when I opened the bag, because there is a smell with these, and I wasn't sure I wanted that odor panting in my face, either.  But, I needn't have worried - some alchemy makes them neutralize her breath's dogginess without replacing it with this.

And she loves them - each bone is about 2 1/2" long, and made of a very sturdy chewy blend of various food-grade ingredients, including beets and herbs.  They're gluten/grain free, have no chemicals going on and are made in the US.

But what she loves is that it's a great BIG treat she can chew on for a couple minutes and feel properly spoiled before bedtime. We will most definitely be buying more when this package runs out.

These three items were also in the Holiday Box I'd bought for my mother-in-law's dog, Harley (sent out around the same time as this one was):

Old Mother Hubbard - Jingle Jangle P-Nuttier

These are small holiday shaped treats that make for a good light snack, although I'd prefer to reserve them as an occasional treat rather than a regular part of Sadie's diet. (Mind you, she strongly disagrees!)  There are sugars in there that our fat old girl just doesn't really need. The ingredients are listed as: 

"Whole Wheat Flour, Oatmeal, Wheat Bran, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Crunchy Peanut Butter, Cane Molasses, Maltodextrin, Eggs, Apples, Carrots, Caramel Color, Garlic, Salt, Natural Peanut Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative)."

Very popular with her, so I know she'll enjoy them whenever we let her have one.  I notice that Old Mother Hubbard also has Valentines Day and Halloween shaped treats, which is a really fun idea and a great way to appeal to your favorite dog's owner as well as the dog!

Classic Products - Octo-Ball
The head of this toy is a sturdy tennis ball that will hold up to being gnawed or carried, and the legs are unfilled, making this usable as a tug o war toy.  It has taken up residence with Sadie's other stuffed toys in her dog bed.  She generally has one toy she's decided needs to get kicked out, but this one has stayed tucked in there, near her head.  I have yet to actually catch her playing with it, but she does seem to enjoy cuddling near it.

Pawsitively Wholesome - Sadie's Sweet Pawtato Chips

My favorite thing about this is that the name says it all - the ingredients are sweet potatoes. Just sweet potatoes, which are good nutritious food for dogs.  Sadie loves them, and she made very short work of the contents of this bag.

That's the part I like least - the bowl in this picture is 3" across and what you see in it is the contents of the bag, just as it was emptied into the bowl. A tiiiiny little portion, and the bag did not protect them even a little bit, so they were crushed into dust before they arrived.  I think this is primarily an issue with Pawsitively Wholesome's packaging, but since I see on their site that they sell samples in these same bags (and for no small cost, either), I'm going to suggest just buying a sweet potato and baking up some slices for your dog, instead.

Puppy in Motion - We Stop For Parks Sign

We also received this cute little window sign for the car.  I confess - it is a blatent lie!

While Sadie loves riding in the car and going for walks, she is not a fan of parks, at least not the dog park variety.

I think she'd like them better if they were more full of people who wanted to pet her and less full of dogs that want to stick their noses near her butt.  She has rather strong opinions about that.

(I can't say that I blame her)

But this sign is a cute little lie, isn't it?

Finally - and saving the best for last:

ZippyPaws  - Hide-an-Egg Burrow Dog

This is a really fabulous, well designed and well made toy and I'm so happy that PetBox introduced us to this brand.  The legless dog has round openings that are just the right fit for Sadie's snout, and stuffed inside are three plush 'eggs' for her to pull out. 

The plushiness appeals to her, and I love that it exercises her curiousity and puzzle solving skills. To 'sweeten the pot' on introduction, we pressed a couple of the P'Nuttier snacks deep down into it between the balls.  She happily dragged it around the house, worked at it until she'd rescued the treats, then continued to play with, pulling out the balls to see what else might be hiding in there.

Since then, she's played with this every day, sometimes getting the balls out, sometimes (but not always!) finding a treat hiding inside, often just dragging it around by its tail.

Yesterday, I was in the kitchen and after unsuccessfully standing near her treat jar demanding treats, she left - or so I thought.

When I finished doing what I was doing, I turned around and her toy was carefully set on the floor right near the treat jar, while she lay nearby watching what I'd do.


Obviously I had no choice but to reward that.  It was a whole lot cuter than just yelling at me!

Like I said, all in all, this was a really fun box, and both of us are greatly looking forward to finding out what's in store for us in this month's PetBox!  I'll be back in a few weeks to tell you all about it!

Note: A few folks have asked what the outcome was of the Holiday Box error I'd mentioned last time.  Briefly, a computer glitch at PetBox led to a few people getting boxes they'd ordered as gifts being sent to their home instead of to the recipients, and this happened to us, with two boxes we'd bought. Due to how soon it was before the holiday, we paid to ship them off to where they belonged, and then waited to hear about what sort of resolution there'd be.

Eventually, after asking about it, I was sent a copy of an email that had apparently been sent at some point after the error was made. I checked my email and didn't have a copy of it (but I've had computer issues off and on so it's possible it went lost).  The upshot of the email was that they'd send out a replacement box for those that didn't just mail them on if they replied to the email to say so - so I am a bit disappointed that we never saw the email in time to just do it that way, and I'd have preferred a correction that didn't require an 'opt in' but instead simply provided compensation for a known error, but done is done, and everyone enjoyed their boxes.  As I noted before, there were extra PetBox points offered to subscribed members for buying these holiday boxes, so even after paying for shipping and spending time in the post office during the holiday season, we did not actually lose any money due to the error.

 

Review: Nov. PetBox for Dogs

We've had the pleasure of reviewing Petbox Subscription Boxes twice before - once for cats, and once for dogs.  I am very excited to announce that we have been given the opportunity to do so monthly in 2015!

As of now, we are an affiliate of PetBox, which means that I will be receiving a surprise PetBox for our dog, Sadie (who was far too excited by this to stay still for pictures!) each month for review - and we are able to offer a standing discount code for our readers for new PetBox accounts.  There is a small bonus for sign ups  that use this code, which will allow us to offset some of the costs of the blog itself.

To receive 10% off your own PetBox subscription, use the code RCHREVIEWS at check out!

It was a big deal for us to agree to be an affiliate - we took great care to ensure that our reviews will be able to remain honest and objective . Our main concern, as always, is to be able to help our readers find the very best products out there!

Today, I am sharing with you the box we received just after Thanksgiving.  Sadie dived her nose straight into it as soon as it was opened!  Little wonder! Not only did she get a couple of great toys, but there were tons of snacks for her in there as well!

Let's mention the toys first - Sadie is very close to 15 years old, and her days of tearing toys to shreds as fast as possible are pretty much behind her.  She has a couple plushies she likes in her bed with her, and never really has been much for rubber toys.  Which is a shame, because they're a lot easier to keep clean!  She got two of them in this box and was curious about both of them, although she lost interest quickly.  A different dog would adore these!

First, there is this delightful ball - there's a whole lot going on in this little blue package.

The soft spikes offer both gripping support and an interesting texture, and the ball squeaks when it is squeezed.

If you toss it on the ground, there's an added surprise - on impact, there is a flashing blue light that blinks for a minute or so.

I think she'd have been all over this ball about five years ago - as it was, the squeaker held her attention each time she heard it.  This is a great toy - unfortunately, no packaging was included to tell me the brand.

The other toy included in the November PetBox is the Jolly Bone.  It's just the right size for a medium dog's mouth, made of tough yet pliable rubber that can hold up to the strongest of gnawing teeth.

No jingles, no light ups - but it floats, making it a great toy for dogs that like to swim and fetch!

The first time we gave it to Sadie, I admit I put a little dab of bacon grease on it, which was enough to tell her it was hers, all hers!  She's since dragged it into her treasure lair under the dining room table, and eventually I expect it is going to go the way of most chew toys and rawhides - buried in the yard to be proudly dug up every month or two.

Onto Sadie's favorite part - the snacks!  She lives for treats and boy, did she get treats!  Trying to get pictures of Sadie when there's a treat nearby is about impossible, but we tried!

There were four full-sized snacks/supplements in the November PetBox:

Exclusively Dog Cookies - Mini Grahams
There was a burst of graham cracker scent when we opened these that made me hungry.  And they made Sadie do something she's never done before - grab the whole box and try to hide it under the dining room table. (It wasn't a well thought out plan, but E for Effort, Sadie!)  These are thin little squares, just the right size for a tidbit snack, and as you might guess, she loves them a whole lot.

Tomlyn Relax & Calm for Med/Large Dogs
These are supplements hiding out as treats - packed with L-tryptophan, chamomile and ginger to promote relaxation and calm. For every 20lb of dog, one of these tiny little bone shaped bites daily will help keep nervous dogs a bit less hyperactive.  Sadie basically has only two modes - freaked out and comotose, so she's getting two of these daily, and it's hard to say if they're working, but she gets very excited at the sight of them!

Happy Howie's Turkey Sausage
These are pretty substantial sized sausage treats - firm enough to make the dog work for it a bit but not hard to break up into smaller bits if you'd rather use them as smaller rewards.  Sadie spent a couple of minutes happily working this one over and licked her chops joyfully once it was all gone.

J Nicolay Bakery Pumpkin Cinnamon Treats
I put these soy, wheat and corn free treats in the 'substantial' category, as well.  As you can see, they are solid hard and crunchy squares that are thick enough that Sadie has to soften it up a bit before she can bite into it.

This keeps her busy for a couple minutes, and I count that as a good thing.  The scent is mild and if her reaction to them is any indicator, I am sure they're quite tasty!

J Nicolay Bakery makes several varieties of dog treats, and they're made to order by hand.

 The last item in our box was Tomlyn Eye Opticlear. This is a sterile eye wash that can be used to flush out a dog or cat's eyes, sooth eye itching, and otherwise help keep them comfortable and healthy.

We didn't have cause to use it during the review period, so we've tucked it away for the spring, which is when she usually winds up spending a lot of time snuffling around in the yard.

As with most sterile solutions, this one has an expiration date - ours will keep until August, 2015.

Speaking of PetBox grooming aids, when I did our previous review, I mentioned a little tool for safely removing tics that we had had no occasion to use.

We've since had to use it three times, most recently on Christmas Eve (yuck!).  It works like a charm, and I'm so happy that PetBox introduced us to it!

Finally I want to let you know that I'll be doing a pair of unboxings next weekend - I would add them to this post, but they were Christmas gifts and haven't made it to their homes yet.  I took advantage of a great special PetBox had over the holidays, and bought a small-dog Holiday Box for my mom-in-law's chihuahua, Harley, and a cat Holiday Box for my daughter's calico cat, Frankie.

There was a glitch during ordering and they accidentally shipped here instead of to the recipients.  Since I had them, I couldn't resist peeking - once they've gotten to where they belong, I'll show you what was in them.  It was a whole lot of awesome, is what!

Remember, if you'd like to sign up for PetBox, using the code RCHREVIEWS will get you 10% off and help us offset the cost of this website.

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