The box
Four bags, one dog: pacing the Exotic Collection Box
Updated
How long does the Exotic Collection Box last? There is no fixed number of days, and we will not invent one. It holds four bags (frog legs, baby octopus, scallops and 18 quail eggs), piece counts vary from bag to bag, and the pace depends on your dog's size and treat budget. Open one bag at a time.
What is in the box, bag by bag?
Four single-ingredient bags, one of each protein. The listing names them and says every bag has one ingredient.
- Freeze-dried frog legs, a medium sized leg per piece, listed for medium and large adult dogs.
- Freeze-dried baby octopus, whole baby octopus with the tentacles intact, listed for adult dogs of all sizes.
- Freeze-dried scallops, packed by weight, listed for adult dogs of all sizes.
- Freeze-dried quail eggs, 18 whole eggs, listed for adult dogs of all sizes.
The listing frames the box as a trial: four proteins side by side, so you learn which one your dog likes before you reorder any of them. That is a purpose, not a schedule, and it is the reason the pace is yours to set. The Exotic Collection Box page has the full listing.
Why can the box not be counted in days?
Because the pieces cannot be counted. The scallops are packed by weight, so the number of pieces changes from bag to bag. The octopus pieces are whole animals and the frog legs are whole legs, and both listings say the pieces vary from one to the next. Only the eggs come with a count, and that count is 18.
A day count would need a piece count, a dog, a daily routine and a promise about how the bag is used. We have the first of those only for the eggs, and nothing in the listing gives us the rest. So we do not print a number, and a page that did would be guessing for you.
The frog legs bag adds one more limit, since it is listed for medium and large adult dogs only. A single answer in days would have to cover dogs the listing does not cover, so we leave the number out.
How does the treat budget set the pace?
By being yours. The treat guidance from VCA is roughly a tenth of the day's calories, 10 percent, for a dog. That is a share of each dog's own day, so a larger dog has a larger budget and a smaller dog has a smaller one. The same bag disappears at different speeds in different houses.
Our labels add their own lines. Each bag is a treat or a meal topper and not a complete diet, and the scallop label asks you to adjust the amount to the size, age and activity of your pet. Nothing on the box gives a daily amount, so the arithmetic stays with you and your veterinarian.
For a dog whose diet comes from the veterinarian, the box listing asks you to check before a new protein goes in. It calls the box a treat box, not a diagnostic. That is a good line to keep in front of you while you decide how fast to move.
How do you keep the unopened bags while you work through one?
Leave them closed and open one at a time. The listing describes the box as a way to find out which protein your dog goes for, and one bag at a time keeps that easy to read. Our rotation guide goes into how that works, and we keep this page to the one-bag idea.
For storage, each label asks for the same two things after opening: a resealed bag and a cool, dry spot. The scallop label adds away from sunlight. Three of the four listings (frog legs, baby octopus and scallops) also say shelf stable. The quail egg listing does not use that word, so we do not say it about the eggs. Each bag carries its own best-by date, one year from production, so the box does not run on a single clock. Once a bag is open, we suggest finishing it within 30 days.
Wash your hands after handling the quail eggs, as the label says for any raw protein.
What happens when your dog finishes a favorite?
The box ends, and you order the bag you want. Each of the four is sold on its own, and the box listing says so. Your dog's favorite does not have to be bought as another box.
That is the practical answer to the question behind the pacing question. A box is a way to meet four proteins. When one of them turns out to be the one, the single bag is there. When none of them are, you have not committed to four reorders, which is the point of the listing.
For the other short pages in this series, see the guides hub.
Questions
Can a cat share the box?
No. The box is put together for dogs. It is listed as a dog treat, and the listing calls it four proteins most dogs have never eaten. Some of the individual bags are listed for cats too, but the box itself carries no cat serving line, so we do not add one.
How many treats are in the box?
The listing gives no piece counts. The scallops are packed by weight, so their count varies from bag to bag, and the octopus and frog legs vary in size and shape. The one count we have is the quail eggs: 18 whole eggs. Everything else is a number the listing does not give.
Does a big dog go through the box faster?
A larger dog has a larger daily calorie budget, and the 10 percent guideline from VCA is a share of each dog's own day, so a bigger budget means a bag can go faster. We stop short of a number of days, because the listing gives no piece counts to do the math with.
Can two dogs split one box?
That is your call. We would only add two points: VCA's one new food at a time advice applies to each dog separately, and remember that the frog legs bag is listed for medium and large adult dogs only. A smaller dog in the house is not covered by that bag.
Do the bags keep after opening?
Every label asks for a closed bag in a cool, dry spot. Frog legs, baby octopus and scallops listings say shelf stable, and the quail egg listing does not. Our guidance is 30 days from opening for each bag, and a sealed bag waits until the best-by date printed on it.
What if my dog only likes one of the four?
Then you know, which is what the box is for. Each bag is sold separately, so you can order the one your dog goes for without buying another box. The listing names all four: frog legs, baby octopus, scallops and quail eggs.