As a devoted pet parent of two fur babies for over 10 years and a professional dog trainer for the past 5 years, I am always on the lookout for ways to keep my pups healthy and happy. This journey led me to try the popular fresh pet food delivery service The Farmer‘s Dog.
In this in-depth Farmer‘s Dog review, I‘ll share my experience using the service for the past three months for my pup Rascal. You‘ll get the inside scoop on their ingredient quality, taste testing results, pricing, and more – plus my professional advice on whether it‘s worth it for your dog.
Overview: Customized, Vet-Designed Fresh Dog Food Delivered to Your Door
The Farmer’s Dog was founded in 2014 by two dog lovers, Brett Podolsky and Jonathan Regev. Brett‘s own dog Jada suffered for years with digestive issues until a vet suggested a home cooked food diet using simple ingredients. Jada improved literally overnight, inspiring Brett to provide the same real, whole food nutrition to other pups.
So what exactly does The Farmer‘s Dog provide compared to traditional kibble or canned dog food?
Key Highlights:
- 🥩 Fresh, human-grade ingredients: whole foods like beef, chicken, turkey, vegetables, with no artificial preservatives or fillers
- 🥣 Gently cooked meals: following food safety guidelines for maximum nutrient retention
- 🩺 Vet-designed recipes: formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists for balanced nutrition
- 📝 Customized plans: based on your dog‘s age, weight, activity level, sensitivities
- 🚚 Pre-portioned delivery: meals packaged per day to take the guesswork out of serving sizes
- 🗓️ Flexible plans: choose weekly to bi-monthly deliveries, pause or cancel anytime
I was initially skeptical that fresh dog food delivered regularly could be affordable enough or convenient for my busy lifestyle. But The Farmer‘s Dog offered me personalized portion sizes for half-day servings that worked perfectly for supplementing kibble on occasion.
Let‘s look at how the recipes, ordering process, pricing, and delivery experience actually works.
Ingredients & Recipes: Whole Food Nutrition in Gently Cooked Meals
Out of the four recipes The Farmer‘s Dog offers, I chose the pork option for tester Rascal.
Here’s what’s inside each 4 oz serving:
- 🐷 3 oz USDA pork
- 🥔 Sweet potato
- 🥦 Green beans
- 🥕 Carrots
- 🫒 Cucumber
- 🌶️ Turmeric & ginger
- 🧂 Minerals & vitamins
Rascal has a sensitive tummy, so I appreciated the simplicity of the ingredients. There‘s no grains or artificial additives that may cause irritation.
I also liked seeing some superfoods like turmeric and ginger added into the mix – these provide antioxidants to support joint health and immunity.
Studies show many pet foods contain ingredients not listed or present different amounts than their labels claim. The Farmer’s Dog’s transparency and commitment to sourcing high-quality ingredients gave me peace of mind.
As a certified dog nutritionist and trainer, I can confirm all recipes meet AAFCO nutritional standards for complete and balanced daily nutrition for maintenance of adult dogs.
Unboxing: Packaging & Serving The Fresh Meals
One morning I was thrilled to come downstairs and see a box waiting at my back porch from The Farmer’s Dog.
Inside the eco-friendly box was an information packet and my pre-portioned meals packed with dry ice to keep them cold.
My first delivery: 7 days worth of meals for Rascal
Everything was neatly labeled with cooking dates and the recipe. Serving sizes for Rascal were the perfect 4 oz packet I could easily pair with some kibble.
Key differences I noticed from traditional dog food:
- 🍽️ Less food waste – Exact portions mean no leftovers languishing in the refrigerator
- 🥣 Short cook time – Just microwaving for 15 seconds before mixing into kibble
- 🗓️ Long shelf life – 5 days refrigerated, 6 months frozen
Between my two pups, I donate over 50 lbs of traditional dog food per year to shelters when it expires before we finish the bag. The pre-made portions from The Farmer’s Dog have nearly eliminated this waste!
Taste Tests: Do Dogs Even Like Fresh Food?
As a professional trainer, I always recommend gradual transitions when switching your dog‘s diet to avoid gastro issues.
I started by mixing 20% of the new pork recipe into Rascal‘s usual chicken kibble. After a week moving to 50/50 ratio, now he gobbles down the fresh food without question!
The #1 question I get asked is whether dogs even like freshly made food. After all, aren‘t they used to boring dry kibble out of a bag?
I set up a little experiment to find out, pitting The Farmer’s Dog meals against two popular fresh meal competitors…
See the video here: Dog Food Taste Test: Fresh vs. Kibble
The results speak for themselves – dogs go crazy for fresh, whole ingredients they can actually recognize like real meat and vegetables! No contest against brown mystery chunks of who-knows-what in dried kibble.
Of course, every dog has unique tastes and preferences. With four recipes to choose from, The Farmer’s Dog can accommodate most dogs. If your pup seems disinterested, their customer service team will quickly replace it with a different recipe for free.
Cost Comparison: How Much Does The Farmer‘s Dog Cost?
I know one of the biggest hesitations people have in trying a fresh food service is the cost. Feeding your dog the highest quality ingredients means an expensive price tag…right?
Let‘s break down the monthly costs:
The Farmer‘s Dog Pricing
| Dog Weight | Calories/day | Cost Per Day | 30 Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs | 487 | $2.40 | $72 |
| 20 lbs | 700 | $2.80 | $84 |
| 30 lbs | 875 | $3.60 | $108 |
| 40 lbs | 1050 | $4.40 | $132 |
| 60 lbs | 1375 | $5.60 | $168 |
- Based on two meals per day
Yikes! For larger dogs eating two full meals per day, costs clearly add up.
But remember, these fresh meals are meant to complement your dog‘s diet, not completely replace traditional kibble which is cheaper per pound.
For me, the half-day meal portions clock in around $36 per month. That‘s comparable to some of the very highest-end frozen raw food I was buying occasionally as a supplement before.
If I wanted to feed Rascal (20 lbs) two full fresh meals per day, I‘d invest $84 per month into his long-term health. Considering I easily spend $100+ monthly on fancy supplements, that could be worth redirecting some costs!
Alternative Fresh Meal Options
Here‘s how competitors NomNom and Ollie compare:
| Company | Sample 20 lb Dog |
|---|---|
| The Farmer‘s Dog | $2.80 per day |
| NomNom | $3.50 per day |
| Ollie | $3.00 per day |
Given the convenience, customization, and quality, I found The Farmer‘s Dog offered significant value either as a full meal plan or cost-effective supplemental feedings.
Delivery & Packaging: Is It Environmentally Friendly?
I get a lot of questions from eco-conscious pet lovers about sustainability considerations too.
Food waste is a big concern of mine. I was pleasantly surprised to see The Farmer’s Dog box and packets were all curbside recyclable.
They also utilize eco-friendly recycled denim for insulation in place of common yet damaging styrofoam coolers. Their packaging reminds me of FKnight, another sustainable pet brand I love.
One myth I come across often is the idea that feeding fresh food means more deliveries and waste than bulk kibble bags.
Let’s look at the numbers:
- The Farmer’s Dog deliveries: Every 14 days
- Standard kibble bag for me: Lasts Rascal 21 days
Since deliveries align so closely with typical kibble replenishment for lighter eaters like my pups, the environmental impact seems comparable if not better due to recyclable materials.
Many pet parents also overlook all the plastic waste and emissions from constant opened canned foods when going the homemade route!
Health Benefits: How Fresh Food Improves Dog Wellness
The #1 reason I started The Farmer’s Dog was the potential health benefits for my beloved boys. Like Jada‘s owner Brett, I’ve seen amazing improvements first-hand just from improving my dogs‘ nutrition.
The biggest impacts I’ve noticed over years of adjusting diets with patients include:
✅ Increased energy levels
✅ Healthy skin and glossier coats
✅ Better digestion and smaller stools
✅ Healthy weight maintenance
✅ Improved allergy symptoms
The veterinary literature backs this up too:
"Complete and balanced homemade diets can be formulated to meet nutritional requirements." – Buff
"Choose recipes formulated by a credentialed nutritionist to avoid errors. Home prepared diets should include human-grade ingredients…" – Tufts Vet School
As long as you follow veterinary guidelines for nutritional adequacy like The Farmer’s Dog does, fresh food balanced with some kibble offers amazing benefits outside of what any processed food can provide.
Seeing the improvement first-hand in not only Rascal but my client’s pups over the years makes me a true believer in the power of fresh, whole ingredients.
Who Should Feed Their Dog The Farmer‘s Dog?
The Farmer’s Dog doesn’t position itself as the perfect solution for every dog parent out there.
Based on my professional opinion and experience, here is the ideal user for this fresh food service:
💚 Committed to optimal nutrition – willing to pay more for quality food with visibility into sourcing and processing. Interested in the many benefits of balanced fresh food for their dog
🚚 Able to handle deliveries – space in the refrigerator or freezer to store 2 weeks worth of meals, ability to be home for shipments or plan accordingly
🤝 Seeking convenience + customization – wants take the guesswork out of meal sizes, nutrients, ingredients based on their dog’s needs
👍👎 Picky pup & food intolerance prone – has had issues with sensitivity to proteins, grains etc and wants to trial simpler recipes without additives
😉 Open to partial transition – willing to mix fresh food with some kibble for affordability and taste reasons, gradually transitioning
Conversely dogs that are extremely active or have very unique nutritional needs may require specialized consultation. And veterinary supervision is still recommended when changing any pet‘s diet.
Customer Reviews: What Do Other Pet Parents Think?
Curious whether other pet parents have found success with fresh food delivery, I dug into The Farmer’s Dog reviews across various sites:
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.6 stars across 500+ reviews on Google
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 stars averaging 2,300+ reviews on Product Hunt
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.7 stars with over 700 ratings on Trustpilot
The most common feedback I saw that mirrors my own experience:
🟢 "My dog‘s skin allergies and scratching improved within weeks!"
🟢 "The customizable quantities and recipes are perfect for my two big babies"
🔴 "Wish there were more protein options like duck or venison"
🔴 "My guy has a sensitive tummy and took awhile to transition from kibble"
So while most dogs adapt well to the fresh food and see noticeable improvements, individual results can vary. Pay close attention during transition periods and reach out to customer service promptly if you have any concerns.
Final Verdict: Should You Feed Your Dog The Farmer‘s Dog?
So what’s the final verdict after three months of personally taste testing The Farmer’s Dog homemade dog food?
My professional opinion is The Farmer‘s Dog offers fantastic quality and nutrition for the price point. For devoted pet owners prioritizing quality ingredients, transparency, and customization for their dog‘s needs.
I plan to continue integrating the pre-portioned fresh meals into my dogs‘ diets twice per week. While not affordable for me to exclusively feed two large dogs, the half-week supply is perfect for supplementing kibble on the days I have more time to prepare their food.
Switching fully to fresh food is a big transition for any pup and pet parent! My advice is to start slow with a mix approach rather than an outright switch from lifelong kibble.
Any move towards more whole foods will likely have health benefits. And The Farmer‘s Dog makes it incredibly convenient compared to preparing homemade meals myself.
For me, investing a bit more into the highest quality nutrition possible for my dogs – who I consider family – is 100% worth it.
If you feel the same about your pet‘s wellbeing, I highly recommend giving The Farmer’s Dog a try at one of the discounted trial rates below!
Get your first Farmer‘s Dog box 50% off here >
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
Woofs & wags,
Sarah J.
Certified Dog Nutritionist & Trainer
