The Farmer’s Dog is a pet food delivery service that ships customized, pre-portioned meals directly to your door. Their dog food contains human-grade ingredients tailored to your pup’s unique nutritional needs.
But is Farmer’s Dog’s fresh food worth the premium price tag? This in-depth Farmer’s Dog review covers everything you need to know about this personalized dog food subscription.
In This Review
We’ll cover all aspects of Farmer’s Dog’s meal plans and pricing, ingredients and nutrition, customer reviews, and company background. Here’s what we’ll be discussing:
Farmer’s Dog Food Overview
- How It Works
- Subscription Options and Cost
- Delivery Areas
Ingredients and Nutrition
- Ingredient Quality and Sourcing
- Nutritional Analysis
- Special Diet Formulas
Taste and Variety
- Flavor and Texture
- Meal Variety
Customer Reviews
- What Real Pet Owners Say
- Potential Downsides
Company Background
- Company History and Mission
- Manufacturing and Safety Standards
Our Verdict
- Pros and Cons
- Is Farmer’s Dog Worth It?
Let’s start with an overview of how Farmer’s Dog’s customized meal plans work.
How Farmer’s Dog’s Custom Meal Plans Work
Farmer’s Dog creates personalized pet food recipes tailored to your dog’s unique nutritional needs. Their process works like this:
- Take a Quiz: Answer questions about your dog – weight, age, breed, activity level, etc.
- Develop a Plan: Their veterinary nutritionists design a custom recipe to meet your dog’s calorie and nutrient needs.
- Deliver Fresh Meals: Meals are cooked, pre-portioned, and shipped fresh directly to your door.
- Adjust as Needed: Tweak recipes to match changing needs as your dog ages.
Your dog gets a specialized meal plan developed by veterinary nutritionists. Meals are cooked in USDA-certified kitchens and shipped fresh nationwide.
But how much does this customized service cost? Let’s look at the subscription options and pricing next.
Overview of Farmer’s Dog Subscription Options and Cost
Farmer’s Dog offers personalized meal plans for dogs of all life stages, with prices starting at $5 per day. Here are the subscription options:
Pricing:
- Starts at $5 per day ($150 per month)
- Increase with larger portions or multiple dogs
- Average cost is $185 per month
Meal Plan Options:
- Puppy
- Adult
- Senior
- Custom (for special needs)
Portion Sizes Available:
Weight Range | Daily Portions |
---|---|
Up to 25 lbs | 2 servings |
26-40 lbs | 3 servings |
41-115 lbs | 4 servings |
116+ lbs | 5+ servings |
Delivery Schedule: Choose weekly or biweekly deliveries. Pause or cancel anytime.
Farmer’s Dog is competitively priced for human-grade, customized pet food. Keep reading to see if the ingredients and nutritional value justify the cost.
Assessing Farmer’s Dog’s Ingredients and Nutrition
Farmer’s Dog foods contain high-quality whole food ingredients tailored to your dog’s needs. Here’s an overview of their ingredient sourcing and nutritional analysis.
Ingredient Quality and Sourcing
- Human-Grade: All ingredients must pass standards for human consumption.
- Whole Foods: Formulas feature meat, vegetables, grains and supplements.
- Regional and Sustainable: Ingredients are ethically raised and locally sourced when possible.
- No Artificial Additives: No fillers, by-products, artificial preservatives or additives.
Farmer’s Dog meets rigorous standards for ingredient quality and sustainability. Their whole food recipes avoid lower-quality fillers common in commercial kibble.
Nutritional Analysis
All recipes are formulated by veterinary nutritionists to meet AAFCO standards. They offer complete and balanced nutrition tailored to your dog’s needs:
- Custom Calorie Levels: Matches your dog’s ideal energy needs.
- Balanced Nutrients: Complete proteins, healthy fats, natural carbs, vitamins and minerals.
- Monitored Macros: Adjusts protein, fat and carb ratios for life stage.
- Supplements: Adds omega fatty acids, probiotics and antioxidants.
Customized calorie counts and macronutrient ratios ensure your dog gets optimal nutrition.
Formulas for Special Diets
Farmer’s Dog also creates customized recipes for dogs with special nutritional needs:
- Allergies: Avoid common allergens like chicken, beef, dairy.
- Sensitivities: Omit ingredients like grains or legumes.
- Medical Conditions: Formulas for kidney disease, pancreatitis, obesity and more.
Their veterinary team works directly with you to tailor recipes to your dog’s health conditions.
Clearly Farmer’s Dog offers high standards of ingredient quality and complete, balanced nutrition. But how does the food actually taste? Let’s look at reviews of texture and flavors next.
Farmer’s Dog Food’s Flavors, Texture and Variety
Farmer’s Dog features whole food recipes cooked to retain flavor and texture. Here’s an overview of their meal varieties:
Flavor and Texture
- Meat-Centric: Features fresh, human-grade proteins like beef, turkey, chicken.
- Vegetable Inclusion: Blends like carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes.
- Grain-Free or Whole Grains: Options like brown rice or quinoa for fiber.
- Broths for Moisture: Adds chicken or vegetable broths.
- Minimal Processing: Cooked at lower temps to preserve texture and taste.
Dogs enjoy the savory flavors and natural textures. The moisture helps increase palatability.
Meal Variations
While recipes are customized, dogs receive a variety of recipes each week:
- 5 Recipes Rotated: Keeps meals interesting and promotes variety.
- New Proteins Introduced: Continually expands your dog’s palette.
- Seasonal Fruits/Veggies: Features freshest produce like apples in fall.
- Balanced Nutritionally: All recipes optimized to meet your dog’s needs.
Frequent recipe changes keep dogs engaged at mealtimes.
Now let’s see what real pet owners say about their dog’s interest in the food.
Farmer’s Dog Customer Reviews: What Real Owners Say
Farmer’s Dog earns rave reviews for taste and quality. Here are some common compliments:
Dogs Love the Flavor
- “My picky eater scarfs down every meal!”
- “My dog licks her bowl clean every time.”
- “The savory smell gets my dogs drooling before meals.”
Increased Energy and Health
- “My senior dog acts years younger on this food.”
- “My dog’s coat is softer and shedding less.”
- “My pup has so much more energy for walks now.”
Convenience of Delivery
- “No more lugging heavy bags from the store.”
- “So easy to have meals automatically delivered.”
- “I can pause deliveries or adjust portions anytime.”
However, there are some potential downsides to consider:
Higher Cost
- “This costs 3-4 times more than kibble.”
- “The monthly price was more than I budgeted for dog food.”
Packaging Waste
- “There is a lot of single-use plastic sent each shipment.”
- “I wish they used eco-friendly packaging.”
Picky Eaters
- “My dog took a while to warm up to the new textures and flavors.”
- “Adding a topper or broth helped transition picky eaters.”
While expensive, most owners feel Farmer’s Dog’s personalized nutrition is worth the premium price. Next we’ll look at the company behind the food.
Farmer’s Dog Company Background and Manufacturing
Farmer’s Dog was started in 2014 by two pet owners interested in feeding species-appropriate diets. Here are some details on their history and food production:
Company History and Mission
- Founded in 2014 by Jonathan Regev and Brett Podolsky
- Headquartered in New York City with kitchens in California
- Stated mission is to “disrupt the $31 billion pet food industry”
- Closed $100+ million in total venture capital funding
Farmer’s Dog aims to provide fresher, healthier, personalized pet food options.
Food Safety and Manufacturing
- Meals produced in USDA-certified kitchens
- Ingredients must pass human-grade inspections
- Food safety procedures meet FDA standards
- Co-packers specialize in high pressure pasteurization (HPP)
- Kitchens follow human-grade Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP)
Farmer’s Dog adheres to strict human-food safety standards in their production process.
Now that we’ve covered how their service works, let’s sum up the key pros and cons.
Farmer’s Dog Review: The Pros and Cons
Here is a final overview of Farmer’s Dog’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros
- Veterinary designed recipes personalized to your dog
- Human-grade ingredients tailored to your dog’s needs
- Meals cooked fresh and shipped nationwide
- Dogs enjoy the flavors and texture
- Convenient automatic deliveries
Cons
- Higher cost than commercial kibble
- Generates more packaging waste
- Some picky dogs need transition time
The Verdict:
Farmer’s Dog provides high-quality customized nutrition, but at a premium price point. Ultimately it offers convenience and peace of mind knowing your dog’s meals are tailored to their needs.
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Is Farmer’s Dog Worth It? Who Should Buy It?
Farmer’s Dog costs more than commercial kibble, but less than some other fresh dog foods. It’s a good choice for pet owners who:
- Want customized nutrition for their dog’s age, size and health status
- Prefer the convenience of pre-made fresh meals
- Don’t mind paying a premium for human-grade ingredients
Dogs with allergies or sensitivities can also benefit from personalized recipes tailored to their needs.
For healthy dogs without special needs, Farmer’s Dog may be more cost than necessary. But owners report even picky pups love the tasty recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Farmer’s Dog Food
Still have some questions? Here are answers to common queries about Farmer’s Dog:
How long does Farmer’s Dog food last?
Farmer’s Dog meals are perishable and stay fresh for 7 days. The meals ship frozen with dry ice and arrive partially thawed. Transfer any uneaten portions to the fridge or freezer.
Can you customize recipes?
Yes, work with their team to adjust protein sources, veggies, or grains. You can omit common allergens or add supplements too.
Is it easy to pause or cancel deliveries?
Yes, you can easily adjust deliveries in your online account dashboard. Pause, cancel, or change meal quantity at any time.
Is Farmer’s Dog less expensive than other fresh pet foods?
It depends, but Farmer’s Dog is price competitive. Pricing is similar to brands like NomNomNow or Ollie that also ship fresh nation-wide.
Does my dog need a transition period switching foods?
Gradual transitions help avoid digestive upset. Mix a little into their current food, slowly increasing the ratio over 2 weeks.
Can I order sample packs to try it?
Yes, Farmer’s Dog offers a sample box of 8 meals for small dogs to try. Contact their customer service team to order a sampler.
Give Farmer’s Dog’s Customized Meals a Try
Farmer’s Dog offers species-appropriate nutrition tailored uniquely to your pup. Their customized approach provides convenience and peace of mind knowing your dog’s diet is optimized to their needs.
While pricier than kibble, Farmer’s Dog features high-quality ingredients and balanced nutrition. If looking for an easy, customized way to feed your dog fresh whole foods, their meal delivery service hits the mark.