The Farmer s Dog Food A Taste Test Your Dog Will Pass with Flying Colors
The Farmers Dog Review: We Tried It andWe Loved It
With somany dog food choices available, choosing the right one foryour dog is downright daunting. The Farmer's Dog is well-known among fresh food brands, butis it worth it? We've put their food to the test to bring you an in-depth The Farmer's Dog review.
The Farmer's Dog has a lot to love. It's packed full of nutrients, comes inindividual portions, andpassed the taste test with flying colors. It did hog freezer space, butthat was a small price to pay fora happy dog.
Hungry formore information? Here's our breakdown.
How We Reviewed The Farmers Dog andWhy You Should Trust Us
To remain asimpartial aspossible, we paid forThe Farmer's Dog ourselves. This helps us to really measure the benefits of the food against the price tag. Andalthough we earn a small commission ifyou buy The Farmer's Dog, it doesn't increase the price to you. It simply helps us continue to write the best content foryouincluding this review.
The perfect fridge magnet foryou and your dogWhile youre cooking, suddenly, your dog looks at you. You want to give them a little treat but wonder if they can eat the food you are holding in your hand.
With our vet-approved magnet, youll know the answer at a glance! Plus, you can quickly scan our QR code to access the full article with all the explanations.
Whiletaste is a huge part of any dog food review, we've also included other factors such asthe price, shipping, ease of feeding, andanswers to any of your burning questions.
Short ontime? Here's a recap of our review!
1
- Fully cooked, fresh dog food
- Human-grade ingredients
- No preservatives or fillers
- Pre-portioned for easy feeding
- Ships right to your door
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
Why We Liked ItWe love that The Farmer's Dog is such a convenient fresh food option for dogs. It's made from human-grade ingredients, includes tons of protein, and provides a nutritious meal without preservatives or fillers.
The Farmer's Dog delivers pre-portioned food right to your home in environmentally friendly packaging. It hogs some of your freezer space and has to be thawed in the fridge in advance. Those are the only things that stand between this food and a perfect score.
Otherwise, it's amazing food! It passed the taste test with flying colors, plus it's easy to digest. It gives your dog more energy and shinier fur (I was surprised, too)! And hey, if you don't love it, don't fear. They offer a satisfaction guarantee.
Who Should Use ItThe Farmer's Dog is a fantastic food for any dog--especially picky ones. It's tasty, nutritious, and convenient.
Pros
- Great taste!
- Human-grade food
- Gentle on our dogs stomach
- Packed with protein
- After testing, our dog had noticeably shinier fur and more energy
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
Cons
- More expensive than kibble
- It required room to store in our freezer
- The packets required more effort to squeeze out than Id expected
- I had to thaw the packets in the fridge a day or two in advance
What is Fresh Dog Food?
The Farmer's Dog is a fresh dog food brand. Butwhat exactly does thatmean? Inshort, fresh dog food is fully-cooked food made from human-grade ingredients. It includes little orno preservatives, andit isn't dried orcanned food. Instead, its frozen dog food. Oncethawed, it's ready to eat.
Meat is, of course, the main ingredient. However, fresh dog food also comes packed with produce forextra nutritional value.
Becauseit's less processed, you can recognize the contents of fresh dog food just by looking inthe bowl. Along with the meat, you'll often see small pieces of vegetables, fruit, orgrains infresh dog food.
Ratherthanconfusing ingredients, fresh dog food keeps things simple. There's less risk of misleading labeling with such a short andsimple list of ingredients. Inkibble, it's hard to tell how much meat is eveninthere. Butwith fresh dog food, you can see foryourself how much of it is meat.
Whilelooking over the ingredients of The Farmers Dog foods, the only complex ingredients were vitamins like fish oil, zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, vitamin E supplement, andother supplements to meet your dogs nutritional needs.
Fresh foods have a huge advantage over traditional pet food fordogs with food allergies andany dog whois a picky eater, too. With such simple ingredients, its easy to avoid common allergies such aswheat, soy, orcorn. Andwith a way better flavor, fresh dog food is more likely to satisfy a picky eater.
Fresh dog food has had a huge surge inpopularity recently, andit's easy to see why. Many brands have individual servings of food made to your dog's specific needs, andmany of them boast vet-approved recipes.
Online reviews praise the health benefits seen first-hand from switching to fresh dog food like The Farmer's Dog.
Things to Consider BeforeBuying Fresh Dog Food
Ifyou're curious about making the switch to fresh dog food, there are a few things to consider.
- First, andmost importantly, does your dog have any allergies? Ifso, check out the recipes online beforebuying to make sure you receive a recipe thatyour dog can safely eat. Most subscription fresh dog food companies ask about allergies beforeyou order, aswell.
- Next, the price. Fresh dog food has a lot to offer, andbecause of thatit costs more thankibble.
- The feedback of other customers helps to reveal how good orbad a dog food is beforeyou order it.
- Thats wherewe come in. With our The Farmer's Dog review, I hope to shed some light onyour burning questions. Ill give you the whole picture of what to expect.
- Lastly, get ready to clear out some space inyour freezer. Fresh food is good stuff, buttwo weeks worth of it will easily fill a corner of your freezer.
Overview of The Farmers Dog Food
So, The Farmer's Dog is a fresh dog food. Butwhat should you expect from them?
Like other fresh dog food brands, The Farmer's Dog sends food frozen inthe mail.
Each packet holds enough food forone day, whichmeans no measuring is necessary whendinner time rolls around.
Forour The Farmer's Dog review, I received a two-week supply of dog food customized to breed, age, weight, andmore. Information booklets, a storage container, andan insulated tote bag were also included.
Butwhat really sets The Farmer's Dog apart from other fresh food brands? Like any dog food, it has some key features to consider.
History of The Farmers Dog
The Farmer's Dog food didn't just appear overnight with some vet nutritionists' help. Infact, its origins begin with a very sick puppy. One of The Farmers Dogs founders had a puppy, Jada, whosuffered from serious digestive issues. She tried every food available andnothing helped.
Atthe advice of his vet, the co-founder of The Farmer's Dog tried cooking forJada himself. And, almost immediately, Jada recovered. Whileeating homemade dog food, Jadas digestive issues virtually disappeared.
Given the tough, dry quality of most commercial dog food, Its no surprise thatJadas homemade dog food eased her digestive issues. Infact, a study by the Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer andEnvironmental Sciences found thata fresh food diet with human-grade food is significantly easier to digest.
Jadas homemade food was perfected andrefined with the help of board-certified veterinary nutritionists from there. Sincethen, Jada's home-cooked food evolved into the fresh dog food thatThe Farmer's Dog is known fortoday, andfills millions of dog bowls per month.
Meet Brother: Our Canine Expert onThe Farmers Dog Food
To give the best, unbiased review possible, I had to call inan expert.
His name is Monster X, also known asBrother, andhe is the youngest of four dogs inour home.
I know what you're thinking. First, thatMonster X is an amazing name fora dog (it is). Butalso, whydo we call him Brother?
Well, Brother is actually related to one of the other dogs (Gojira). Sincehe's the little brother, the nickname stuck.
Brother's still pretty youngonly about a year oldand he's one of the sweetest Blue Heeler mixes you'll ever meet. He's the social butterfly of the dogs, a gentle soul, andhe absolutely loves food.
The Farmer's Dog: Our Review
Ordering the Food
Ordering the food was very easy. I took The Farmer's Dog quiz whichwas very intuitive andstraightforward. I gave all the information about my dog: age, size, weight, activity level, allergies, etc.
I also found the site visually very well done, more sothan other competing brands.
The Arrival of the Food
Shortly afterordering from The Farmer's Dog, I received a welcome email andshipping notification forBrother's food. I was amazed athow quickly everything was confirmed andshipped outand the box arrived only two days later.
Inside the box, the food was kept cool with a dry ice packet andbiodegradable foam. Clearly, they worked wonders to keep everything chilled. The food was still frozen solid whenit arrived.
The package included 14 days' worth of The Farmers Dog food recipes forBrother andcame inthree different varieties: the pork recipe, the beef recipe, andthe turkey recipe. Along with the food, instructions onhow to feed andstore the food, information about the ingredients, anddirections onhow to transition Brother over to his new food were included. Plus, a handy food storage container was included forsaving the second half of a packet fordinner each day.
Brother doesnt have food allergies, butthe list of ingredients inThe Farmers Dog recipes both online andinthe papers included with each box is a nice touch.
There was also a high-quality insulated tote bag included. AssoonasI pulled it out, I thought it would be perfect forbringing The Farmer's Dog food whiletraveling with Brother. It would also work forany time thathe's out of the house.
A phone number forcustomer support is right oneach package incase of questions, andthe serving instructions were oneach package aswell sothere was no confusion about how much Brother was supposed to eat per meal. InBrother's case, one packet supplied a day's worth of food andcould be divided up into meals throughout the day.
Forextra support, an email address was also listed inaddition to the phone number onthe back of the information booklet along with a QR code forfeeding tips. I love thatyou can set up text notifications fororder updates, aswell.
I also received an email toward the end of the two weeks to let me know thatanother box would be packed andshipped out forBrother ina couple of days andit asked ifany changes needed to be made beforehandorif you'd like to cancel the order.
I really liked thatpart. It's easy to get trapped ina subscription becausethe next charge has already gone through beforeyou remember it's coming. The Farmer's Dog gives you a heads-up incase you forget with time to change things asneeded.
One of the things I did notice about the shipping supplies is the eco-friendly packaging. Insulating The Farmers Dog meals was eco-friendly biodegradable foam thatclaimed it could be easily dissolved inwater. Good forthe planet, and, according to them, very satisfying to do.
I was looking forward to thatpart, actually, butit isn't nearly assatisfying asthey claim. Running it under the sink just burned a hole inthe foam with the water butdidn't dissolve away from the hole whichmade fora lot of moving the foam around andspraying water everywhere. Still, atleast it's eco-friendly.
OnceBrothers food was unpacked I was faced with a new dilemma: finding room forall of it inthe freezer. Two weeks worth of pet food sounds like a lot, butcoming face to face with the sheer volume of food to be stored still came asa shock.
Transitioning to The Farmer's Dog
I thawed one packet of food forBrother to eat right away (he was soexcited, he evenpicked out whichpacket he wanted to try). Two more went into the fridge, andthe rest of the packets took up a whole corner of the freezer.
Adjusting to thawing food inadvance threw me fora loop, aswell. I thought thatmoving a packet of food from the freezer to the fridge would mean it was thawed andready to feed the next day. Well thatwasnt exactly the case. Turns out it was still partially frozen the next morning.
Onthe bright side, Brother was soexcited about eating thathe didnt mind the half-frozen state of The Farmers Dog food. And, armed with the knowledge thatI needed to prepare a couple of days inadvance, I started keeping two packets inthe fridge atall times just sothere would always be thawed food available.
According to The Farmers Dog, food can be kept forup to 6 months inthe freezer andup to 4 days inthe fridge. I didnt want to risk having packets inthe fridge fortoo long, soI didnt put more thanthree packets inthe fridge ata time.
Onthe bright side, ifyou do end up with a completely frozen block of dog food inthe morning youre not out of luck. Running a packet fora few minutes under warm water thaws them out pretty quickly.
The Farmer's Dog made it pretty simple to switch Brother from dry food to their food overall. I was worried Brother might have an upset stomach from such a drastic change infood, buthe had no trouble whatsoever.
Forthe first two days, Brother ate 25% of The Farmer's Dog food and75% of his old food. Fordays 3 through 6, he ate half andhalf, andafter that, he was all good to eat 100% The Farmer's Dog food from then onout. Andboy did he eat it.
Brothers Review of The Farmer's Dog
I wasn't sure ifBrother would like The Farmers Dog asmuchashis old food, butevery time he ate all of The Farmer's Dog food portion of his meal beforeeventouching his old food (which he also loved).
His favorite variety was the beef recipe, followed by the turkey recipe, andhe licked his lips evenwhile waiting forthe packet to be opened.
Now, Brother isnt a very picky eater, butits safe to say he was a huge fan. Every time, he wolfed down his dinner andchased his bowl around the kitchen licking up every last taste of The Farmer's Dog food init beforebegging formore.
I was pleased to see thatThe Farmers Dog was high enough quality to be safe forhuman consumption, even. It certainly looked more like real food thandog kibble. It evensmelled like real food, soits no wonder Brother went absolutely bonkers forit.
The Farmer's Dog's Results
I was skeptical about whetherI would see noticeable changes inBrother afteronly two weeks. To my shock, I did notice some changes eveninthat short amount of time.
The first change I noticed was Brother's energy levels. He's pretty energetic normally, butafter the first day, he was way more active. He was bursting with excitement andzooming around the house.
Usually, his older brother Gojira is the hyper dog out of the four, zooming around the house andsqueaking his toys atthe speed of light. Evenafter the first meal with The Farmers Dog food, Brother was keeping up with Gojiras bursts of energy, matching his hyper energy more thanusual.
The other changes thatI noticed were more subtle. Brother's fur has always been coarsemore sothan the other dogs. Butatthe one-week point, I noticed thatit became less coarse. It was a small butnoticeable difference. He's no longer asrough to pet, andhe's gained a beautiful, new shine to his fur. My guess is thatthe vitamin E supplement andfish oil inThe Farmers Dog food have breathed new vitality into his skin andfur.
He also gained about 4 lbs! I couldn't believe itbut he's still young andgrowing. He's not fat atall, andI believe the extra weight is going right into getting stronger andtaller. I was amazed thattwo weeks could make such a big difference. I can only imagine how much difference feeding The Farmer's Dog food forlonger periods of time might make.
AndThe Farmer's Dog food was a winner fortaste! Brother clearly preferred it to his old food. He was excited to eat every time, anddespite having a clear favorite (the beef recipe), he happily chowed down onthe other two varieties aswell.
Seeing Brother soenthusiastic andjoyful makes the whole thing worthwhile. AndI'm happy to see thatthe food is not only delicious butwas healthy forhim, aswell.
The Farmer's Dog Price: How Much are You Going to Pay forIt?
Let's talk numbers. Fresh dog foods costs more thanmost commercial dog foods, regardless of brand. This food is no exception to that, either. The Farmers Dog cost more thankibble. Andhonestly, thatmakes sense considering what you get. Human-grade ingredients, food tailored specifically to your dog, anddelivery right to your door.
Eventhoughyou pay more forThe Farmer's Dog thanyou would formost kibble, the long-term benefits of switching could save you money over time. Fewer vet visits mean fewer vet bills, andfewer trips to the store will more thanmake up the difference inprice. A fresh diet may cost more, butthe benefits of a healthier diet with fresh ingredients may well make you a fresh food advocate, too.
The price forThe Farmer's dog varies depending onsize andweight. Butfor Brother, whois 52 pounds andmedium-sized, the full price fortwo weeks was right around $140. Ifyou have a smaller pet, youll pay less. Meal plans go aslow as2 dollars per day. Andfor large dogs well, you will be paying more thanit cost forBrothers food.
Our 50% off coupon will make a big dent inthe cost, though. Forfood similar to Brothers, it would bring the price down to roughly $75 fortwo weeks worth of fresh food.
Naturally, shipping is free. Its also shockingly fast, arriving inabout two days with a dry ice packet andfoam insulation to keep your fresh food frozen evenifyoure out andabout whenit arrives.
The Farmer's Dog Reviews: What Do Other Dog Owners Think?
We've scoured the internet to check out what other people wrote intheir The Farmer's Dog food review to compare it to our experience. Overall, the reviews forThe Farmer's Dogs fresh food were positively glowing. Not only do people praise the high-quality food, butthey also noticed the great customer service they received.
Andthere are lots andlots of stories of dogs wholove the taste somuch they'll lick their bowl andhunt forany leftover pieces. Andmany others had dogs with better health, fewer stomach problems, anda better appetite.
The Farmer's Dog Fresh Food Alternatives
Curious about what other fresh pet food companies are out there? Here are the main features of three other popular brands.
Nom Nom
Nom Nom is another freshly made dog food brand created by dog lovers whowanted better, more nutritious meals fortheir own dogs. They deliver gently cooked meals made with premium ingredients, formulated by their in-house vet science team.
Nom Nom's ingredients keep it simple with premium proteins andnutrient-rich veggies, andthe only additives are vitamins andsupplements like fish oil, vitamin E supplement, andzinc amino acid chelate. Onaverage, Nom Nom costs more thanThe Farmers Dog, butit is still a great choice.
Features
- High-quality freshly made food
- Customized to accommodate your dog's individual needs
- Order meals with subscription ortest recipes with Sample Pack
- Formulated by board certified veterinary nutritionists
- Choose a full portion (entire meal) orhalf portion formixing inwith food
Ollie Dog Food
Like The Farmers Dog, Ollie offers fresh dog food thatis designed specifically foryour dogs individual needs. It was formulated with the help of veterinary nutritionists. Its delivered right to your dog (just the same asthe other fresh food brands inthis review).
Inaddition to beef, chicken, turkey, orlamb, Ollies food includes healthy ingredients such assweet potatoes, rosemary, spinach, andblueberries. Ollie offers slightly lower prices compared to The Farmers Dog, whichmakes it a great choice forlower budgets.
Features
- USA andAustralia sourced human-grade ingredients
- High protein recipes designed by vets
- No soy, corn, orwheat
- You choose how often andhow much food your dog gets
- Highly customizable, whichis great forpicky eaters ordogs with allergies
Spot andTango
Spot andTango is another popular brand inthe fresh dog food industry. It was founded inthe wake of a dog food recall whenthe founder began feeding his dog homemade food. Like the founders of The Farmers Dog, he noticed significant benefits to his dog and, inspired by this change, began selling fresh dog food with high-quality ingredients.
Spot andTango has similar pricing to The Farmers Dog, also contains human-grade ingredients from local suppliers, andboth have a satisfaction guarantee. Unlike The Farmers Dog, Spot andTango also offers an UnKibble food whichis, essentially, less processed, better-tasting kibble.
- Sources real ingredients from local farms
- Human-grade food cooked inUSDA-certified kitchens
- Also offers a fresher kind of kibble
- A wide variety of food choices
- Comes inindividually portioned pouches
The Farmer's Dog Recalls
Wondering ifThe Farmer's Dog food has ever been recalled? You'll be pleased to hear thatthey have a clean record with no recalls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Farmer's Dog Raw Food?
The Farmer's Dog food is not raw food. Its cooked atlow temperatures andready to serve right out of the package oncethawed.
Do I Need To Cook The Farmers Dog BeforeServing It?
Nope! The Farmer's Dog food is fully cooked. Just squeeze it out of the package oncethawed andit's ready to eat.
Does The Farmer's Dog Offer Any Discounts?
We have a 50% discount forDogsPlanet readers whobuy The Farmer's Dog food through our links!
What IfMy Dog Doesnt Like The Farmer's Dog?
Ifyour dog doesn't like The Farmer's Dog food you have a couple of options. The Farmer's Dog can send you different recipes to try, orif you prefer, you can get a refund from them ifyou donate the food to a pet shelter.Andyour dogs current food agrees with them more, dont stress. You can cancel The Farmers Dog atany point just by going onto their website, sending them an email, orgiving them a call.
Is The Farmer's Dog Good ForDogs?
Yes! The Farmer's Dog food is vet-approved andmeets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards forbalanced andcomplete dog food. Board-certified vet nutritionists helped to formulate these recipes to make them ashealthy foryour dog aspossible.The Farmers Dog provides a healthy diet option into your dogs golden years, too. Your dogs age will come more gently whenyour dogs diet comes from reputable food suppliers thatyoull find infresh meals thatpreserve nutrients better thandry pet food.
Can You Refreeze The Farmer's Dog Food?
Aslongasa pack of The Farmer's Dog food is still cold to the touch, they are safe to refreeze.
Does The Farmer's Dog have a Return Policy?
AlthoughThe Farmer's Dog food can't be returned, you can still get a refund orreplacement. Ifnecessary, The Farmer's Dog can send different recipes to you orif you want a refund simply donate the food to a shelter andThe Farmer's Dog will refund what you paid.
WhereIs The Farmer's Dog Located?
The Farmer's Dog is located inNew York, NY inthe USA.
Do I Have To Prepare Anything?
Nope! Just thaw andpour it out of the pouch andinto your dog's bowl.
How Do I Cancel The Farmers Dog Subscription?
Committing to a subscription is equal parts convenient andscary. Ifyou're worried you won't be able to cancel ifthings change, fret not. You can pause, cancel, orrestart your subscription atany time onThe Farmer's Dog's website.You'll also get an email a couple of days beforea new shipment is sent to give you a chance to cancel beforehand ifneeded, aswell.
Is The Farmers Dog Food Grain-Free?
Yes! The Farmer's Dog food is grain-free. You won't find any wheat, corn, orsoy inthis food.
Is the Farmers Dog Vet Approved?
The Farmer's Dog is vet approved. Board-certified veterinary nutritionists helped to formulate their food to match the standards of AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) fora complete andbalanced dogs diet.
Conclusion
Finding a healthy dog food thatyour dog loves is overwhelming with somany choices onthe market. Dry food dominates most of those choices, butfresh dog food's benefits have earned it newfound popularity.
With higher-quality ingredients, less processing andpreservatives, andthe convenience of having your dog food portioned andshipped right to your door, there's a lot to love. It's an easy choice thatchecks off all the boxes forconvenience, healthy ingredients, anda dog-approved taste.
Andifyou're curious about trying fresh food, The Farmer's Dog is a great choice. It's vet-approved, grain-free, andtailored individually to your dog's specific needs. Andifyou don't like it, you can cancel anytime, try a different recipe, orget a refund.
The Farmer's Dog is pretty tasty, too. Just ask Brother, whochases his food bowl around to lick every last bit of this food andstill begs formore. The newfound look of pure joy inhis eyes every time we pull out a pouch of The Farmer's Dog food made every penny of the price worth it.
Want to try it foryourself? Click here to order The Farmer's Dog food athalf off. Your dog will thank you!
I'm Michelle Ropp, a writer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, USA. For all my life, I've been in love with dogs and the written word. I grew up surrounded by incredible dogs, and share my home with four amazing Heeler mixes now. It was only natural for my two passions to combine, and I've enjoyed writing about dogs ever since.