Proper nutrition has become an important part of our lives. We are all far more concerned about what we put into our bodies today than we were even just ten years ago. We spend time checking ingredients and watching what we eat.
Some of us even prefer to shop organic and locally when possible. When we do go out to eat, many of us check reviews. Why do we do all this? Because good nutrition improves our health, our quality of life and our mood.
All these great things that we do for ourselves, we can now do for our dogs. Our dog’s kibble is tired and mostly synthetic. Too many dogs deal with poor health which impacts their quality of life and their mood. Just like us.
We often have to deal with allergies, digestive problems and too many vet visits, and we’d like to do better by our dog, but making raw or cooked meals for our dog is difficult and time-consuming.
Is there a solution?
Enter The Farmer’s Dog. This company makes pre-portioned fresh cooked meals that are customized to your dog and delivered to your door for convenience.
Co-founder Brett Podolsky’s beloved dog Jada spent the first two years of her life sick with digestion issues. He tried everything he could, but nothing worked until he switched to healthy cooked meals for her. That fresh food gave her relief. From that day on Jada’s quality of life and “happiness quotient” went way up!
That got him thinking. What if he could help other dog owners provide the same nutrition and relief to their own dogs without the hassle of experimenting and trial and error? He teamed up with his friend Jonathan Regev and soon after The Farmer’s Dog was born.
The duo worked with veterinarians and vet nutritionists to create recipes that blended human grade ingredients, creating balanced and nutritious meals. Protein sources are wholesome, and each recipe contained only one protein type for better digestion. Whole fruits and veggies delivered critical vitamins and minerals. Once the recipes were finalized, production began!
The recipes portions are customized based on your dog’s size and weight and delivered frozen to your door. Each meal is stored in a plastic bag, which is meant to be a day’s worth of food. The eco-friendly bags are flat and rectangular, making them easy to stack and store in your freezer, and they thaw in the fridge overnight.
With your scheduled deliveries you’ll never have to run out at the last minute to get dog food.
Where is it made?
All of Farmer’s Dog recipes are prepared in USDA kitchens. Each meal is gently cooked at low temperatures in accordance with USDA facility standards. After cooking, the food is quickly frozen to ensure freshness and its safe shipping to their clients.
All the ingredients are human-grade and sourced from reputable food suppliers that meet USDA standards. Feed-grade ingredients are never used.
The Farmer's Dog sought the advice of several board-certified Vet Nutritionists regarding the formulation of their recipes. Dr. Catriona Love, Dr. Alex Schechter, and Dr. Jonathan Block played the major roles in the recipe development.
Their recipes are formulated to be 100% complete and balanced, adhering to the AAFCO guidelines. Since the meals are prepared and shipped fresh, preservatives are not needed. Just keep them frozen and thaw before feeding.
What Types of Dog Food Do They Offer?
The company has three recipes of cooked food delivered frozen to your house:
Pork and Sweet Potato
Beef and Lentils
Turkey and Parsnip
To preserve freshness, the meals are delivered the same week that they’re prepared in the company’s kitchens. As a part of the sign-up process, you’ll create a personalized profile about your dog or dogs. The company uses that information to prepare and deliver your dog’s nutritionally balanced food.
Each recipe centers around a single protein source and offers plenty of whole fruits and veggies plus balanced carbs leaving your dog full and energized all day.
Defrost and serve when your dog is ready to eat and use the included plastic container to store leftovers or unused portions in the fridge for a day or two. The bags aren’t resealable, unfortunately.
The flat bags are easier to store in a freezer for those of you who don’t have a deep freezer, but it would be nice if the bags themselves sealed. Otherwise, it’s convenient and doesn’t have a lot of excess packaging. Plus, the company is eco conscious and their packaging is all eco-friendly.
The Farmers Dog is about to release a DIY program. You’ll receive the raw ingredients and recipe and cook the food yourself in your own kitchen. If you’re interested, you can keep an eye on the company’s website for more details.
The Farmer’s Dog Food Recipes
Here are some details on each recipe that may help you choose one for your pet. You can find each recipe by going through the questionnaire directly on their website.
Turkey and Parsnip
Turkey is a lean protein source and parsnips are a great way to keep your dog feeling full throughout the day. Whole fruits and veggies round out the vitamins and minerals aspect. The Farmer’s Dog also has a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals added to the foods that help balance the diet.
This is a good one if your dog has trouble maintaining a proper weight because turkey is an excellent source of lean protein.
Beef and Lentils
Beef is a hearty meat and lentils are an excellent grain-free alternative that provide a complete carbohydrate source as well as more protein.
It’s good for athletic dogs who need a denser protein count than others. Plus, fish oil and the vitamin blend help keep digestion and the immune system running smoothly.
Pork and Sweet Potato
Pork is an excellent option for pickier dogs or for those who may be allergic (or sensitive) to poultry or beef. Those protein sources are common allergens for dogs. Plus, dogs love pork, it is usually a dog favorite!
The more exotic pork option could help alleviate any lasting sensitivities your dog has had to other foods in the past. It’s an excellent choice if your dog needs a break from chicken or beef or even turkey. You may also find that after a nice break, he is able to enjoy those other meats again.
Do They Offer Cat Food?
The Farmer’s Dog does not currently make any cat food recipes as of this writing.
While the homemade or freshly prepared cat food market is still extremely small, it is likely that many established companies, such as The Farmer’s Dog, may soon take advantage of.
Many cat owners are just as enthusiastic and passionate about their kitties diet as dog owners can be, so it is a space in the industry that will surely be filled.
The Packaging
Farmer's Dog ships their products directly to their customers, hence no middlemen. With that, it means that the costs are lower for the company.
Their packages are environmentally friendly. The cardboard box can be recycled and the insulator inside is biodegradable. It can be composted, or simply run water over it in the sink and watch it dissolve. Lastly, the individual food pouches are all BPA-free.
How Much Does It Cost?
Knowing that it is made from fresh, quality, and wholesome ingredients, expect that The Farmer's Dog costs more than your average kibble. However, if you compare it to a premium quality wet/canned food or other frozen raw diets, cost is almost the same.
Their plan starts at $2 per day and increases depending on the data you enter about your dog. They offer free shipping, which is a good deal. As you know, the monthly cost is proportionate to the size of your dog. Also, it is quite costly if you have multiple dogs at home.
With the data I entered for Lexi, a Standard Poodle, the cost is $51.74 per week. You will see this info during your check out.
See below to check how this brand stacks up against other dog food brands for costing:
Recall History
The Farmer’s Dog has a clean record of production: no recalls, no issues. They follow rigorous safety standards in their kitchens and source ingredients only from trusted providers so that each part of production is safe.
To come up with this review, we did our research about the brand and tested it ourselves. Well, my dogs, Lexi & Stirling did! I was impressed with how thorough yet easy the ordering process was.
The company offers a 50% discount on your first trial and their subscription fees are reasonable.
Bear in mind that my dogs are Standard Poodles, not so small and quite willing to turn their “royal noses up” at most foods.
When we got our box, I was happy to see that the meals were already pre-portioned and it was very convenient to stack them up at the freezer. Lexi and Stirling watched the entire unpacking process with great interest and lots of tail wagging. They had already figured out that this was for them!
Though the pouches were not easy to open, any scissors will do the trick for you. Once open, I squeezed the food to their bowls.
My babies had been excited since the box arrived– guess they can smell the good food inside even before opening.
When giving them their bowls, they were both ready to eat. Bowl-licking good! (see the videos below).
I really loved this food because my poodles were just so darned happy to get it! But it wasn't just because they loved it, it was also because they didn't have any digestive issues after eating it! That's huge for us here.
In the past, anytime that I have attempted a food change both have had major digestive troubles, even though I did the change gradually. But not with Farmer's Dog.
They both seemed to love the Beef & Turkey recipes. They didn't stop licking their bowls clean! I can also clearly see the ingredients of the food, which makes me so happy. The Farmer's Dog was a big hit with those two poodles!
There's real comfort in knowing they are getting great food that immediately benefits them! All paws raised from this household!
We listed the ingredients because this fresh food recipe uses a limited ingredient approach to your dog’s health and well-being. The single protein source is easy to digest and doesn’t trigger common beef or poultry allergies the way the other two recipes might in sensitive dogs.
It uses sweet potato as the primary carbohydrate source, which is rich in vitamins and a lower glycemic choice. Regular potato isn’t our favorite because of the possible risk of triggering an enlarged heart condition, but other whole fruits and veggies offer critical vitamins and minerals.
The portions are customized to your dog’s size and weight and arrive at your door in biodegradable packaging. You could even wet the interior packing materials and send it down the drain (it’s that safe). There are several options for meal delivery timelines so that you can find one convenient for you.
The food is going to be a much more significant investment than kibble would be and it requires freezing and/or refrigeration, which could be a hassle for some. You won’t have the shelf life of kibble so you may have some food go bad in the beginning until you get your habits down.
The upside is that if you’re frequently at the vet for your dog’s stomach trouble or skin issue, this food may alleviate some of the triggers that cause them, reducing your vet trips. Many people saw improvements in their dog’s overall health on this type of food, so spending more money upfront for better health and fewer vet visits ultimately plays in your favor.
Is It Worth It?
If you ask me, every dog deserves the highest quality food one can afford, and you might be surprised that this brand, The Farmer's Dog, is actually quite affordable for the level of quality and freshness it delivers.
Ultimately, investing in fresh, quality dog food could save you down the line. The healthier the dog food, the more his system is improved. It means fewer vet trips, hence fewer vet bills! Not to mention how happy and healthy your pet will become.
Remember that cheap quality dog foods will eventually take a toll on your pet's health as it is causing some nutrition gaps which can lead to deadly and costly health issues.
Benefits of Feeding Premium Food
Regulated & improved digestion, less diarrhea & gas
Reduced stool odor & volume
Less shedding, healthier coat
Increased vitality and energy
Healthy weight loss (for dogs on the heavy side)
Improved oral and dental health
Reduced UTI (better urinary health)
Your pet will not be transformed overnight, mind you, but you will be surprised to see their changes in no time.
And to minimize stomach upset, especially if your pet is used to eating kibble, you should transition your pet accordingly. Just follow the guide that they will send you along with the food.
Simply go to their website, The Farmer's Dog. Scroll down a bit until you see the “Redeem 50% Off” button at the upper right-hand corner. It will lead to the page where you will need to fill out your pet's profile.
Indicate how many puppers you have, their names, home zip code and of course your name. Also, there's a question if you believe if fresh dog food is best or not.
From there you will then have to enter some specifics about your beloved pet: spayed/neutered, age, breed, activity level and weight, body type, etc.
After completing your dog's profile, you will then choose which recipe you want prior to shipping and billing information page.
Tips for Transition
Even though The Farmer's Dog is made with real, wholesome ingredients making it super digestible for your pet, any sudden changes to your dog's diet can cause digestive upset to some.
To minimize this issue, transition him slowly by mixing the Farmer's Dog food with his current food or put it first as a topper.
Begin with small amounts of the fresh food with the goal to replace his current diet, gradually increase the amount of the fresh food and decrease the amount of the current food each day.
The entire transition period should not take more than 7-10 days, providing your pet is not having any issues at all.
There is no denying the wonderful benefits of fresh dog food and The Farmer's Dog is one of the top choices on the market today. Not only do we trust the safety and quality of their ingredients, but my dogs genuinely loved them! The entire process was quick and hassle free for me.
Nonetheless, every story has its pros and cons. Here is our list:
Pros
Process is thorough and customized according to dog's caloric needs
Meals are pre-portioned and came in fresh and frozen
Great for storage; packaging is environment friendly
Formulated by Vet nutritionists
Fresh, wholesome and all-natural ingredients
Diet plan customization
Delivery schedule can be changed
Builds a strong immune system
Promotes healthier skin & coat
Cons
Order process is a bit lengthy
Limited recipe choices
Hard to locate the detailed info about the recipes
Expensive
Needs refrigeration
Final Verdict
Overall, I am impressed with this brand (plus Lexi & Stirling love it!) Their website is well designed and clean, delivering a good user experience.
Should you have any concern regarding your order, you may contact their customer service. You can either call them directly at the number provided or you can email them. The Farmer’s Dog prides themselves on excellent customer service & they don't rely on generic chat bots to handle their customer concerns.
I also liked how the food looks, seeing that it was indeed of high quality and how easy it was to give it to my pets.
So, if you have the dough to spare, I highly recommend this food brand.
No. Not to our knowledge or based on any information we were able to get online.
Is The Farmer’s Dog food grain-free?
Yes, none of the three recipes contain grains.
Is The Farmer’s Dog food raw?
No. The ingredients The Farmer’s Dog uses to prepare their foods start raw but the food is cooked to improve safety. The food is cooked at a much lower temperature than commercial kibble, however, to preserve more of the nutritional value.
Can I cancel my food subscription?
Yes, you can change or cancel your subscription at any time.
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An individual with a profound affection for animals, who was brought up in an environment surrounded by dogs, cats, and chickens. A self-taught enthusiast in the realm of pet care. At present, the proud caretaker of two rescued felines and two lovely mixed-breed canines.
