A birthday box for the dog in your life

A box of treats for the birthday dog

For a treat motivated dog, a birthday box of treats is an easy pick. Modified Monthly fills its box with treats we dry ourselves, by freeze drying or air drying, in our Malvern, Pennsylvania kitchen, and most have just one ingredient. You pick dog or cat, and you can name proteins to leave out so the box fits the birthday dog.

Please read this part first: this is a monthly subscription, not a one-time gift. The first box is $1, then it renews at $50 every month until it is canceled. If you want to give one box and stop, see the cancellation options below. The disclosure beside the button spells out everything.

Sending it to someone else

A box can ship to a different address than the one on your account, anywhere we ship in the United States. Enter the birthday dog's address as the shipping address at checkout, and the box goes there. Your payment details stay with you.

Timing

Your first box ships within 1 to 3 business days of your order. We cannot promise an arrival date, because delivery time depends on the carrier. If the birthday has a fixed day, order a week or more ahead so there is room.

What arrives

The contents, quantities and bag sizes vary from month to month, and photos are examples. There is a new theme and lineup each month. We do not promise the exact treats in the first box. Everything in the box is for intermittent or supplemental feeding, not a complete diet.

If your friend does not want a subscription

Be upfront with them, or with yourself, about the terms. The $1 offer needs three paid shipments. Canceling before the first box is fulfilled is free. After that, leaving before the third box is a one-time $49 early cancellation charge. The subscription is managed in the account that placed the order, and the full wording is in the subscription terms.

Planning the birthday itself

A treat box covers the gift, and the party is a separate question. The ASPCA lists chocolate, xylitol (a sweetener in some gum and baked goods), grapes and raisins, and onions among the foods pets should not eat (ASPCA, People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets). That is a good reason to keep human birthday cake out of reach and to hand the dog a treat that is built for dogs instead. The same ASPCA page notes that chocolate and xylitol can cause serious problems, so guests should know the rules before the cake comes out.

When you give the first box, offer a single piece of one treat at a time. VCA Animal Hospitals recommends introducing new treats one at a time and in small amounts, and suggests treats stay near a tenth of daily calories (VCA, Dog Treats). A birthday dog who eats a whole bag in one afternoon is not the goal. If the dog has a food allergy or a prescription diet, ask the owner first, and ask the vet if you are the owner.

When the birthday is soon

Order as early as you can. The first box ships in 1 to 3 business days, then the carrier takes over, so a gift for a specific date needs a buffer on both ends. If the date is too close to promise, a card saying a box is on its way is a fine way to mark the day, and the box becomes a pleasant extra when it arrives.

A note card and a plan

Because the box arrives on its own schedule, the best birthday gifts tell the recipient what is coming. Send the owner a short message saying the box is a monthly subscription, that it renews until canceled, and where to find the subscription terms. Tell them the protein notes you entered, so they can change them by contacting us. Gifts that surprise people with a recurring charge are not gifts, so say it plainly.

Looking for something broader than a birthday? Try our dog gift box page, or see how it works and the FAQ.