We’re on a mission to try every dog subscription box available. We recently got to opportunity to be the first blog to review the PawPals with Annie subscription gift box. That made Chester and Gretel feel special but I felt the same about this gift box. It’s really different.
UPDATE: 4/30/2017 a reader alerted me that the FAQ page on pawpalswithannie.com now states, you will get a box “Once a month until you cancel your subscription” so apparently the one thing that really set this box apart (the fact that it didn’t auto-renew like all the others) is no more 🙁
The very first thing that grabbed my attention was that the subscription does not auto renew. Other boxes out there renew, and re-charge, you for the subscription you signed up for once it runs out. For example, if you order a 3-month subscription from PawPals with Annie you simply stop receiving boxes after three months.
I know I have been guilty of forgetting to cancel and paying way more for boxes than I intended to in the beginning. That won’t happen here.
The second thing that stood out to me is that the customization of the box goes beyond merely selecting the size of dog you own. Every month, Annie, a fun-loving blonde Scottie in Savannah Ga., picks out her favorite dog toys, treats, goodies to send to her PawPal friends. That means that the items in box have proven yummy or fun by a real dog, not just some business owner packing the box.
Annie posts many of her favorite toys, treats, and goodies on Instagram @PawPalsWithAnnie so you can see what might be coming and give feedback on the treats and toys.
About PawPals with Annie
PawPals with Annie is a brand new gift box. The box launched in February 2015 with more than 50 presale orders for dogs across the United States.
Annie and her pack ‘paw’ select the goodies she sends to make sure that every goodie is perfect for any dog, no matter its breed or size. She sends only the best, high quality, all natural, well-made, super strong, long lasting toys, treats, and goodies.
These boxes are available in three sizes – small dogs under 20 lbs, medium dogs between 20 – 40 lbs, and large dogs of 40 lbs or more. After you have selected your gift box, you are asked to tell Annie more about your dog. Tell them your dog’s breed, how much it weighs, likes and dislikes and they will try to create the perfect box just for your pup.
When you sign up, you choose the size of the box and the length of your subscription. The price ranges from 32.95 for the small dog box to 36.95 for the large dog box with shipping included in the price. They get cheaper the longer-term subscription you choose.
The boxes ship every week so you don’t have to wait until a certain day of the month like with most boxes.
Inside the Box
Our box contained 2 toys, 1 treat, and 1 edible chew.
1) Nylabone Healthy Edibles – This says it was a dog treat but it’s more like a dental chew. I like that it’s natural, gluten free, and made in the USA. I don’t like all of the Nylabone products but this is one that I feel comfortable giving Chester and Gretel. You should always supervise your dog with chews like this but this one is made to be highly digestible.
2) Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Lamb Chewy Treats – I like that the first two ingredients are lamb and chicken and they don’t contain any corn, wheat, artificial colors, or flavors.
I also like that they are soft and chewy so I can break them up into smaller pieces.
3) Spot Dura-fused Leather Rabbit Toy – This dog toy made from tough leather and jute fused together and then reinforced with double stitching. This was one of those special customization I was telling you about. The rabbit toy doesn’t regularly come in the small dog box but Annie knew that Dachshunds can be strong chewers so she put the extra durable rabbit toy in our box.
4) Kong Plush Frog Toy – The plush Kong Frog is made out of high quality plush material but has no stuffing inside. It does have a squeaker, which is replaceable once your dog kills it (extra squeaker included).
What Did I Think?
There weren’t a lot of items in the box but I would rather have a few quality things that we will use than a lot of low quality things we won’t.
The Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Lamb Chewy Treats and the Kong Plush Frog Toy were a huge hit. Gretel has several of the Kong low-stuffing squeakie toys in the mini version so she took to her little frog’s new big brother right away.
I was happy with the Nylabone Healthy Edible chew but Chester and Gretel have so many chews already that I am going to put it in our donate-to-rescue-animals bag. Chester and Gretel were really intrigued by the rabbit toy because of the leather smell but, unfortunately, it didn’t have a squeaker so they lost interest fast. That one will make some rescue dog really happy too.
Overall, the PawPals with Annie Gift Box rated better than average for us as far as the quality of items in the box.
For a limited time, you can get 15% off of the PawPals with Annie Gift Box with the Code: YouDidWhat
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by PawPals with Annie. I received compensation and a box in exchange for my honest review. YouDidWhatWithYourweiner only writes about products that we would use and everything we say is really how we feel. PawPals with Annie is not responsible for the content of this article.
Jake says
February 24, 2015 at 9:10 AMI got my first paw pals with Annie last month. It’s one of the best I’ve ever gotten and my dogs loved it. I liked it so much I bought another for my neighbor as a gift.
Jessica Rhae says
February 24, 2015 at 12:03 PMThat’s good to know. Thanks for stopping by to share your experience.
Matt says
February 26, 2015 at 5:34 AMI guess I would not be inclined to try this because my dog Bradley loves going to the local pet store and walking around sniffing everything and trying things out, it’s a great way to socialize… having dog gifts come to your door seems like something more exciting for the human than the dog, although the treats he would like!
Jessica Rhae says
February 26, 2015 at 6:49 AMOh, I am sure it is. I love the surprise of not knowing what we are getting and like trying out stuff we might not normally buy….and Chester and Gretel love the treats 🙂 Don’t worry, this doesn’t replace our fun trips to the pet store.
Jenna,Mark “HuskyCrazed” Drady says
February 26, 2015 at 5:46 AMNever heard of this one, sounds like a good box! I love the packaging too, super cute.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Jessica Rhae says
February 26, 2015 at 6:51 AMYou haven’t heard if it because it’s brand slanking new! We we’re the very first blog to review it. Yay.
Quality-wise, I would put this one right up there with the best of them.
Lara Elizabeth says
February 26, 2015 at 11:16 AMThat bunny toy looks adorable and like it might actually hold up to a few games of tug at my house! I really like the non-auto-renew feature – I have to set reminders to cancel my subscriptions and it’s kind of a pain. I saw another commenter mention that they prefer taking their dog to the pet store and that made me understand something I love about subscription boxes. Since Ruby is reactive, she does not get to go in the pet stores and have the fun of picking out her own treats and toys, so it’s wonderful for surprises to come to her every month. The Ginger Sisters get SO excited about every box that is delivered to our house now – it’s adorable to watch. They think everything is for them, and they are usually right!
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
February 26, 2015 at 11:21 AMDo you know how many times that I have paid for things because I forgot or was too lazy to cancel? I’m also horrible about returning things in the mail. I’ve ended up keeping so many things just because I procrastinated past the return date. The fact that this box doesn’t auto renew is one of my favorite things about it.
Emma says
February 26, 2015 at 1:27 PMThat auto renew is always frustrating. I wish everything you order could have the option for auto or manual renew.
Jessica Rhae says
February 26, 2015 at 4:43 PMI agree that would be great. When a company autorenews I feel like they are doing it to be sneaky – to squeeze extra pennies from people like me that forget to cancel. Sadly, I know that to be the truth in some cases.
Roberta says
March 2, 2015 at 9:42 AMI’m going to try this one. I’ve never tried gift boxes before on a monthly basis but I like the personalization plus the adjustment for different size dogs. I, too, appreciate the no auto renew. My trouble is I have all size dogs from mini Dachshunds to a Bloodhound! I’ll talk to Annie about this :). Thanks for the review and will use the limited code.