Dog subscriptions are the new black

Monthly dog subscription boxes are super cool…what are they and why are they so popular?

If you are an avid Instagram user, you most likely have seen the rise dog subscriptions that deliver a monthly gift to your home, custom to your pooch.  We love the idea of sampling new products, and curated by a team of dog lovers is probably the best out there.  This post is really about what the different brands are about, and lastly, why we would choose one over the others.

Who are the dog subscriptions players in the market?

There are three primary dog subscriptions:  BarkBox, PetBox and PawPack.  I am pretty sure, if you are a pet owner with more than 1000 followers, you have been hit up by one of them on Instagram.  We have been contacted by PetBox and PawPack.  BarkBox is the only account that has been following us, though.  These guys are the heavy hitters with over 400k followers!  WOW!!!  I read a really interesting article on how much money they raised to seed their company, here it is  It is pretty impressive.

What are the differences amongst the brands?

BarkBox:    Based out of NYC.  All products are all natural and high quality.  Ranges from $18 to $29 a month, depending on the length of the subscription.  Donate 10% of proceeds to help all kinds of shelters, sanctuaries, rescue organizations, military, etc.  Pretty nice.

PetBox:  Based out of San Diego.  All products are healthy and fun.  Ranges from $9.95 to $59.95 a month, depending on how many items you would like a month.

PawPack:  No idea where they are from.  All products are either organic, natural or eco-friendly, and most recently, grain-free.  Ranges from $18 to $43 a month, depending on how many items you would like a month.  10% of proceeds go to no-kill animal rescues.

Verdict on differences:  BarkBox and PetBox do not have organic or eco-friendly, at least they do not promote it like PawPack.  However, the best price is BarkBox because you get the same amount of items, just adjust the length of subscription time.  PetBox is the most expensive.  Lastly, BarkBox and PawPack donate 10% to animal based causes, PetBox does not.  I know there are more dog subscriptions out there, but there are the three that I have noticed due to their social media marketing.

So, what are we supporting?

Basically, we get it.  They are all monthly dog subscriptions to cater to your pet, dog or cat.  In the age of massive pet ownership to the entrepreneurial spirit fired by the tech industry and the recession, all of these are great brands with great ideas!  I love the energy that they are bringing to the healthier pet industry.  Quite frankly, they are giving the supermarket brands a run for their money.  There is nothing more important to me than having our furbabies around for a very long time!  So, kudos to all and every participant in this market.

However, based on my very limited understanding of these brands, the one that is hooking me the most is PawPack.  And, I will tell you why:

1. Organic, eco-friendly, natural and grain-free:  We absolutely DO NOT feed our Corgi pack any chicken, made in China, non-natural products.  We also make sure that we cook their food and limit human food scraps.  They actually eat better than a lot of hoomans that we know!  For real!!!  So, I did receive a box from PetBox, and I kindly declined the offer as there were chicken products in the box.  However, the burlap duck was awesome.
2. Price:  Although BarkBox is the best price, I like PawPack’s value, ’nuff said.
3. Cause Marketing:  Both PawPack and BarkBox promote their idea to solve the problem of domestic animal abuse, from rescues to shelters to assistance.  We love that.  Yes, Hambone, Cupcake and Wolfgang are super spoiled compared to many pets out there, and we are lucky to be able to provide a great life for these guys.  If we give back, at least it is to a cause that is local and speaks to our hearts.

We are joining the PawPack program because of those reasons above.  A close second is BarkBox for its similarities; however, the ingredients are key for us.  We did not write this because we are joining PawPack, but because we’ve been thinking about it for a minute…And are now going to make the jump.

Our next write up will be about PawPack once we get into to the groove!  Wish us luck on our dog subscription experience!

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