Review Summary

Introduction

If you and your pup like surprises, a Super Chewer subscription from the makers of BarkBox won’t disappoint. This package is filled with toys and snacks that are designed for dogs who vigorously enjoy their gifts, as opposed to the standard box which might be filled with less durable plush toys. Whether you have a chewy Chihuahua or a chomping Labrador retriever, the Super Chewer box is the way to go if you want toys that are built to last a long time (or at least until the next box). I recently received their Pool Party Animals box, and my dog and I had a blast playing with all the cool stuff! I’ll tell you more about it after a few words about what to expect when you subscribe to Super Chewer.

 

At a Glance: What We Reviewed

Super Chewer Reviewed

Who Makes Super Chewer and Where Is It Produced?

Super Chewer is a more durable line of toys made by BARK, which offers the BarkBox toy and treat subscription service for your dog.  BARK is based in New York, but they receive toys from all around the world. Their treats and chews are made exclusively in the USA and Canada from domestic and imported ingredients. Typically, the food items have a 24-month shelf life, so they’ll last a long while in case your dog doesn’t chomp through them all by the time the next box arrives.

Which Type of Dog Is BARK Super Chewer Best Suited For?

Super Chewer is a premium line of toys made to be even more durable than the regular BarkBox toys so that they’ll survive through the toughest plays. These toys are backed by a promise of replacement if your dog does manage to destroy them sooner than you expected. There’s no time limit, but one important thing to note is that BARK doesn’t accept returns or exchanges for a monetary refund. If your dog simply doesn’t like their box, you can contact BARK for a similar replacement toy. You can also let them know about your dog’s preferences so that they’ll have a better idea of what to include in your next box.

What to Expect from a Super Chewer Box?

Each month, you’ll receive a box in a surprise theme tailored to your dog’s preferences. The Super Chewer box comes with two toys, two chews, and two treats, but you can upgrade the box for an extra toy or treat to avoid paying the shipping fees. Because it’s a Super Chewer—not a regular BarkBox—you won’t find squeaker toys or stuffies. Instead, they’ll typically send you durable nylon or rubber toys along with two chews and two bags of snacks.

You can choose your first month’s theme from a selection of two, or you can begin your subscription with a mystery box. After your first month, you’ll receive a box with surprise toys and treats every time.

How Much Does Super Chewer Cost?

The Super Chewer plan costs a little more than a standard BarkBox because it contains higher-quality toys for heavier chewers. If you’re on a budget, you can order a half-box plan for $19.99, or buy a full box for a reduced price if you pay annually or every six months as opposed to the monthly fee. Here’s how it breaks down:

 Monthly Billing (price in USD)**

BARK claims that every month they send at least $44 worth of toys, so it pays for itself every time. Plus, unlike your local pet store, BARK will replace your dog’s toy if they manage to destroy it—no matter how long it takes. However, they don’t accept any returns or exchanges for a monetary refund.

Can I Buy the Items Separately?

Yes and no. If there was a particular toy from a previous box that your pup was super excited about, you can sometimes purchase an extra one separately online at the Bark Shop. However, themed items are only available until they sell out, so you’ll have to act fast if your pup has a new favorite.

Can I Choose What’s in my Super Chewer Box?

You can ask BARK to send you more of a certain product. For example, if your dog acted disinterested with a certain type of toy you can ask for another type they might enjoy more. You can also ask to avoid certain allergens, such as letting them know that you don’t want any treats with beef. You can’t choose exactly what goes in your package, but the unknown is part of the fun! A Super Chewer is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what your pup will get.

What About the Quality of the Treats and Chews?

All of the edible items are made in the United States or Canada from domestic and imported ingredients. BARK never uses corn, wheat, or soy in their products, and they’ll also avoid sending you recipes with ingredients that your dog is allergic to or doesn’t like as long as you let them know the month before.

A Quick Look at BARK Super Chewer

Reviews of the Pool Party Animal-Themed Super Chewer Box We Tried

My Pool Party Animal Themed box contained three toys because we chose the extra toy instead of paying for shipping. The Super Chewer plan starts at $19.99 for Super Chewer Lite, which includes one toy, one chew, and one bag of treats, and goes up to $45 for a full box. You can add an extra toy or bag of treats for only $9 more to qualify for free shipping, or you can also save money by paying annually or every six months. The annual price is $30 and the price per six months is $35. The Super Chewer Lite plan is $19.99 every month, no matter how often you pay.

I received the Flamboyant Flamingo, Fetchin’ Rays, and Drool Pool Noodle toys in my box, and they were all well-loved by my pup. I also received two chews, Chicken Stick Recipe by Pur Love and Pumpkin & Honey Recipe by The Pet Gourmet, and two bags of treats, Jerky Nibbles Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe and Jerky Bar Salmon Recipe, both by BarkEats. Here’s my review for each of them:

1. The Flamboyant Flamingo

This vibrant pink toy is shaped like a rubber duck. We popped one of the Jerky Nibbles into the treat holder underneath, and my dog was intrigued. While he didn’t quite destroy the toy, my 17-pound Maltipoo was able to make tiny teeth marks all into the rubber within a couple hours, so I questioned how long the Flamboyant Flamingo would be strutting around my house. Overall, though, it’s still hanging on two weeks later, so I give it a 4/5.

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2. Fetchin’ Rays

This yellow toy will still be sunny side up even if it gets dropped in the pool! The Fetchin’ Rays toy looks like sunshine, is slightly spherical, and floats in water. I dropped it in my dog’s pool on purpose and he loved swatting it. He watched it “bounce” to the surface and playfully tapped it with his paws as he tried to catch it in his mouth. Supposedly it has a bacon scent, but it wasn’t really noticeable to me.

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3. Drool Pool Noodle

Don’t be deceived: this toy doesn’t float, but your dog will probably enjoy it nonetheless. The Drool Pool Noodle was probably Tuggles’s favorite toy to play with by itself, as it doesn’t have any novel treat-holding or floating properties. It’s just a blue colored pool noodle toy that’s made out of durable, natural rubber with grooves designed for gripping and chewing. It seems like it’s built to last for a while, so it’ll probably still be floating around even after the pool has deflated and the Halloween decorations come out.

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4. Chicken Stick Recipe by Pur Love

This chicken-based chew was enthusiastically received by my pup, who gobbled it down almost immediately. Given that it lasted less than 60 seconds, I would consider this more of a wedged treat than a “chew.” Chicken is the main ingredient, followed by chickpeas. While chickpeas aren’t the most nutritious ingredient, it didn’t bother me much because they are treats after all. There were several preservatives listed further down the list, but the good news is that all of them were natural. Like all of the edible items included in a Super Chewer box, these chews by Pur Luv were made in the USA from domestic and imported ingredients.

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5. Pumpkin & Honey Recipe by The Pet Gourmet

These pumpkin-flavored chew sticks by The Pet Gourmet feature real pumpkin, which is a plus. My dog thought they were super tasty, and these were also gone in a couple chomps. Peas and chickpeas are the main ingredients—probably because this is a grain-free recipe—but I would have liked to have seen some nutritious gluten-free grains such as oats instead. Again, these are treats, not food, so this didn’t bother me much.

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6. Jerky Nibbles Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe by BarkEats

My dog gobbled up these turkey treats! I appreciated how real turkey was the first ingredient, and how this recipe relies on heart-healthy grains for the supporting ingredients instead of starchy carbs such as peas. These jerky nibbles are made in America from USA-grown turkey, but the other ingredients are from domestic and imported sources. One thing I realized though is that the serving size is pretty small. According to the label, my 17-pound Maltipoo only needs 1–2 treats daily, which means I’ll have to break them into smaller pieces if I want to give him more frequent snacks.

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7. Jerky Bar Salmon Recipe by BarkEats

Although the Jerky Bar Salmon Recipe is a grain-free treat that measures a heavy dose of peas, I really appreciated the fact that these treats have very limited ingredients. In fact, there are only 5 ingredients, all listed above. The mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract act as natural preservatives, the vegetable glycerin holds everything together, and the salmon and peas provide nutrition and taste. My dog was a huge fan, but I’ll have to break these treats up into small pieces if he wants to be a frequent feeder because he only needs 1-2 treats per day according to the serving size. Given that each treat is 25% protein and 12% fat, I think that makes perfect sense!

 

Our Experience with BARK Super Chewer

My 17-pound Maltipoo, Tuggles, is a super chewer with a super bark. I was so thrilled about getting his Super Chewer box because I knew he would receive toys and treats he wouldn’t be able to destroy easily. I’d grown tired of the returns to pet stores carrying last week’s shredded stuffies and begging for a refund…to buy another replacement toy that he’d also demolish within days.

Tuggles was so excited to receive his Super Chewer! Every item inside was a present for him, and he knew it. After we were finished taking his pictures with his new prizes in his doggie pool, he climbed out and went straight to the Super Chewer box—looking for more treats!

All of the treats and chews were enthusiastically received. I don’t think he really had a preference of which recipe he liked more, but he’s not a picky eater (unless, of course, it’s his regular food). My one main disappointment with the Super Chewer in general however, was the duration of the chews. He had the Chicken Stick Recipe by Pur Love and the Pumpkin & Honey Recipe by The Pet Gourmet, and each of these “chews” were basically treats. He gobbled them both down in 60 seconds or less. I was dismayed because I expected that this small dog wouldn’t be able to consume a super “tough” chew in less than five minutes. I thought they would last at least a couple hours since they’re marketed towards dogs who know how to chow down.

My favorite part about the reviewing process was watching Tuggles enjoy his Fetchin’ Rays toy. He stood chest-deep in his doggie pool, watching this yellow rubber toy float. He swatted his paw at the water’s surface, trying to get the toy to pop up so he could catch it in his mouth. He’s never really enjoyed pool time, but he was very interested in the Fetchin’ Rays toy, and he stayed in the water playing for a record 20 minutes.

Tuggles liked trying to dig the treat out of the Flamboyant Flamingo, and the toy still somewhat held his interest after he was able to retrieve his snack. I tested the flamingo into the pool since it was made out of similar materials, but it didn’t float.

The Drool Pool Noodle didn’t float either, but it interested my puppy, nonetheless. He has been chewing on it for the last few days, and he still wags his tail when he sees it for the first time in a while.

While the contents vary in every Super Chewer Box, I felt like Tuggles would enjoy having a BARK subscription overall. The only concern I saw would be I think I would rather source my own chews independently of the subscription because these didn’t last long at all. I still felt like I needed to buy Tuggles a more durable “chew” to last him for this month, and I’m not sure that a Super Chewer subscription and several separate chews are in my budget right now.

Summary

The Super Chewer subscription from the makers of BarkBox keeps your playful pup entertained by sending them a monthly gift of mystery toys and snacks all modeled around a common theme. While you can set dietary or toy preferences, such as not sending treats with chicken, you can’t tell BARK exactly what to send because that would spoil the surprise. If there’s a particular toy you wanted, you can typically buy them separately on the Bark Shop website, but only while supplies last. You can also ask for a replacement toy if your dog destroyed one sooner than you had hoped. Although it’s a little expensive, BARK’s Super Chewer seems worth the price, as you’re paying for the items themselves and the novelty of receiving something new and unexpected.

• See also: Best Dog Food Bowls for Dogs With No Teeth – Reviews & Top Picks