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Sophia Carlisle/Business Insider
I've been on a journey with my pup to evaluate the best fresh dog food delivery services. Among these companies, The Farmer's Dog is one of the oldest. The service launched in 2014 when it began delivering fresh frozen dog food to people's homes.
The Farmer's Dog sent me two recipes (beef and turkey), which I fed to my 50-pound pit mix, Lyla, for a week. During testing, I recorded my experience with ordering, delivery, ease of feeding, and, most importantly, the tail wags accompanying mealtimes.
Recipes: The Farmer's Dog recipes meet the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional standards for puppies and adult dogs. The company also fulfills all of the Global Nutrition Guidelines set by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA).
The Farmer's Dog offers four recipes: beef, chicken, turkey, and pork. Each recipe also contains salmon oil, an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Research shows that the best fish oils for dogs can support skin, joint, immune, and cardiovascular health.
Recipe | Ingredient highlights | Guaranteed analysis |
Beef | Beef, sweet potato, lentils, carrot, beef liver, kale, sunflower seeds, nutrient blend, salmon oil | Crude protein: 11% min Crude fat: 8% min Crude fiber: 1.5% max Moisture: 72% max |
Turkey | Turkey, chickpeas, carrot, broccoli, spinach, parsnip, nutrient blend, salmon oil | Crude protein: 8% min Crude fat: 4.5% min Crude fiber: 1.5% max Moisture: 76% max |
Pork | Pork, sweet potato, green beans, cauliflower, pork liver, nutrient blend, salmon oil | Crude protein: 9% min Crude fat: 7% min Crude fiber: 1.5% max Moisture: 75% max |
Chicken | Chicken, chicken liver, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, chia seeds, nutrient blend, salmon oil | Crude protein: 11% min Crude fat: 7.5% min Crude fiber: 1.5% max Moisture: 75% max |
Ordering: You must fill out a simple questionnaire about your dog before ordering. It includes questions about your dog's age, weight, breed, and activity level. Before your order ships, The Farmer's Dog will email you a billing and shipment notification.
Customization: After inputting your dog's information during signup, The Farmer's Dog provides recipe recommendations. You can order those recommendations or choose your own combination of up to three recipes. The food cannot be customized for food intolerances or allergies.
Delivery: Delivery times vary, and food is shipped on a recurring schedule to ensure you never run out. You can also pause or change your delivery schedule at any time.
Packaging: Food is packed in a large box insulated and cooled with dry ice. Individual recipes are in vacuum-sealed plastic bags that can be easily stacked in the freezer. You'll also receive a plastic container to store opened bags of food in the refrigerator.
After completing the questionnaire on the website, I placed my order. My recipes shipped a few business days later, and the box arrived promptly. When I picked it up immediately after delivery, I found the dry ice had melted completely, and the recipe resting on the top of the stack had thawed. While the food was still cold and safe to serve, I recommend unpacking and storing it as soon as it arrives.
Sophia Carlisle/Business Insider
I was pleased to see how easily the packages fit inside my freezer. The Farmer's Dog packages its food in long bags that can be stacked and organized easily. If you have a deep, narrow freezer, you won't have to worry about having enough space. With some other fresh dog food delivery services, the tall, square packaging was ill-suited for my narrow freezer.
Beyond storage, I was impressed with how convenient it was to serve the food. In addition to including a feeding guide in the box, there are feeding instructions on each package. With other fresh dog food services, I had to log in to my account to see directions for feeding, but The Farmer's Dog took the hassle out of that.
Sophia Carlisle/Business Insider
As for the food itself, Lyla was a fan. She liked both the beef and turkey recipes enough to keep coming back to her bowl for breakfasts and dinners — something that is tough to get her to do with any single brand of food. I could distinctly see each ingredient in the food, and it more closely resembled something I would eat as opposed to typical wet dog food.
A few things kept The Farmer's Dog from rising to the top in our rankings. First, it's tough to find information about the recipes if you're just browsing its website. You must complete the feeding questionnaire and enter your email address to access recipe details, including ingredient lists and nutrition information. Even after I placed my order, I had difficulty navigating the website to find the recipe information. In addition, the Farmer's Dog does not offer any grain-inclusive recipes. If you're looking for grain-inclusive food or more recipe variety, I recommend Just Food for Dogs or Nom Nom.
While The Farmer's Dog meets all the AAFCO and WSAVA standards Insider Reviews uses to evaluate dog food, the company claims that fresh food is healthier than shelf-stable kibble and wet food. At this time, there aren't enough studies to back that up. If you're considering changing your dog's diet, always consult your veterinarian to see which foods are most appropriate for their specific needs, including any existing issues related to their health.
The Farmer's Dog is an excellent fresh dog food delivery service with recipes that are a breeze to store and serve. Even better, it's one of the least expensive services I tested: Two weeks of food came to just $130, one of the most budget-friendly fresh dog food prices among the services I tested. The Farmer's Dog may be your best bet if you're looking for an affordable, convenient subscription.
