As a responsible dog owner – with more than 12 million dogs living in homes across the UK – it’s important to make sustainable choices for a pet, whether that’s opting for sustainable poo bags and buying your food in bulk to reduce waste and emissions, or choosing eco-friendly treats and toys.
Last year, we introduced the pack to Bearkind – a carefully curated subscription box featuring brands that are either 100% plastic-free or are actively working towards it. Not only does it support the planet, but small businesses that are on a mission to provide environmentally conscious pet products, while treating lightly with their carbon footprint.
After being fed up of being unable to find sustainable pet products, founder Louise and her dog Bear, launched the one-stop shop she’d been looking for, helping other owners become more responsible when shopping for their dogs.
She said: “By making sure you are choosing pet supplies and supporting pet brands that put your dog’s health first you are ensuring that your dogs do not breathe in harmful fumes, chew on toxic plastic toys, or eat from chemically-lined packaging!”
Read more: Inside the Paws for a Cause dog subscription box
We ordered one of their one-off boxes for £34.99, which comes in a cardboard box made from 80% recycled materials, and are 100% compostable and recyclable. Inside our contents was worth around £40. The subscription boxes, on a rolling contract, are only £32.99 a month, so there’s a potential saving of over £7, with a box filled full of surprises you and your dog can open together.
Louise said: “If you shop with us be rest assured that the products we sell and include in our boxes are high quality, safe for your dog and come from companies who care about the wellbeing of dogs and the planet. And all of the products we sell or choose to include in our boxes are tested and approved by Bear.”
Inside our March box, which arrived on 17th of the month, were not one, but two large Whimzee’s alligators, which are usually £1.99 each. The vegetarian, grain-free dental chew are made with potato starch and glycerin, and are a brilliant dental chew for dogs with food sensitivities. Suitable for dogs over nine months, they come in three sizes and are one of the better dental chews we’ve found on the market. It’s knobbly shape massages the gums for proper blood flow, and helps prevent bad breath and tartar build up.
Read more: Hounds and Hers subscription box for dogs and their owners
We also received a 275ml jar of Life of Riley natural peanut butter, worth £4.99, made from 100% peanuts. Suitable for puppies over 10 weeks, the natural treat makes for a great Kong filler or reward. We tend to reserve peanut butter for bath time to make the experience more positive, and it works a real treat. We always find it handy to have some dog-friendly, xylitol free peanut butter in.
In February we tried the Soopa sweet potato chews for the first time after receiving them in our Luxury Dog Hamper, so it was great to revisit the vegan pet brand. These 100% natural raw sweet potato dog chews are usually £4.99 and offer a low calorie treat for pets who suffer with obesity, allergies, pancreatitis, low immunity, liver and kidney disease or diabetes.
One of the more expensive products in the Bearkind box was the p.l.a.y. lens licker camera. In a previous box, we also got an Ancol octopus, so it’s great to see dogs’ toy boxes staying well stocked. The camera shaped toy has a double layer exterior and reinforced stitching for extra durability and a filler made from 100% post-consumer certified-safe recycled plastic bottles. The £12.95 toy offers a satisfying honk rather than a squeak, and is machine washable and dryer friendly. I’m not wholly convinced that this will survive Phoebe and Frank for very long – but I’d be interested to test its durability with two lively bull breeds.
The final item in the box is for the pet parents, a Happy Hound Accessories ‘i’m only talking to my dog today candle’ worth £14. The lavender and lemon scented candle is so soothing and is handmade with 100% natural soy wax. The unbleached cotton wick is safe to burn around dogs, with a burn time of 40-50 hours, poured into a recyclable amber glass container. It’s not often that pet subscription boxes include something for the humans, so it’s really lovely that Bearkind take everyone into consideration. The HHA candles are gorgeous and so fragrant, and I’d absolutely buy them again from the brand.
The packaging shred in the Bearkind boxes is 100% recycled, recyclable, biodegradable and reusable. It’s well worth keeping hold of boxes and packaging like this in the run up to Christmas too – I always reuse postal boxes for awkwardly shaped gifts to make wrapping easier! We can’t wait to order another Bearkind box and see what’s inside.