How to choose a dog subscription box

Six questions to ask before you subscribe

Every box says it is the best dog subscription box. Skip the slogans and check the box itself. We make a monthly treat box, so we have a view, and we say where ours fits and where it does not.

1. What actually arrives?

Boxes come as toys, treats, chews, or a mix. Ask which of those your dog uses up. Treats get eaten, and a dog who works for treats puts them to use in training, walks and car rides. Modified Monthly is treats only. If your dog mostly wants toys, a toy box fits better and we would not pretend otherwise.

2. What is the commitment?

Find the minimum number of shipments, the cost of leaving early, and how to skip a month. We state ours up front: the $1 first box needs three paid shipments, leaving sooner is a one-time $49 charge, cancelling before the first box is fulfilled is free, and subscribers can skip or pause a month (a skipped month does not count toward the minimum). If you cannot find these answers before you pay, ask.

3. What do you pay, first and after?

A low opening price and a renewal price are two numbers, so ask for both. Ours are $1 for the first box, then $50 every month, with free shipping on every box. Then divide by what arrives, not just by the month.

4. Can you leave out what your dog should not eat?

Many dogs have proteins their owner avoids. Look for a box that lets you say so before it ships. With ours you name the proteins your dog loves and the ones to skip. Some treats in the box are not meat based at all, such as Greek yogurt or cheddar cheese. We do not give feeding or diet advice, so ask your veterinarian about special diets.

5. Where and how are the treats made?

Look for a place and a method, not just an adjective. Ours are freeze-dried or air-dried in small batches in Pennsylvania. They are for intermittent or supplemental feeding, not a complete diet.

6. Does it fit your household?

Have two dogs? Buy one box per pet. Pets in the same home get the same lineup. Have a cat as well? Cats get their own box, so one house can run both. Want to send one to a friend? A box can ship to a different address than yours.

Where Modified Monthly fits, and where it does not

It fits owners who want treats and nothing else, who like to read what goes into them, and who want the terms spelled out in plain sentences before they pay. It is a fit for cat owners too.

It is not the right box if you want toys, chews or a surprise item in every shipment. The contents, bag sizes and retail value vary by month, and the photos you see are examples, so you will not know the exact treats in advance. A new theme and lineup arrives each month.

If you are weighing us against a well known toys-and-treats box, we put the published facts side by side on our comparison page and in a plain cost guide. Prefer to see what is in our box first? Start with the dog box or learn about single ingredient dog treats.

The short checklist

• What arrives, and will it get used?
• What is the minimum number of shipments?
• What are the first price and the renewal price?
• Can you name proteins to skip?
• Where and how are the treats made?
• Is there one box per pet, and can it ship as a gift?