Where Is It Made
All of Farmers 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.
Can The Farmers Dog Be Used As A Topper
Yes, The Farmers Dog offers a Topper Plan so that pet parents can offer as much fresh food as they are able according to their budget. The Farmers Dog can be given as a meal topper for picky dogs, as its high protein and fat content makes it extra tasty. You can also use The Farmers Dog Meals as a supplement to your pups regular kibbled diet if your pup has trouble maintaining their weight .
What Brand Of Dog Food Is Killing Dogs
A pet food recall is widening after the Food and Drug Administration announced that more than two dozen dogs died after eating Sportmix brand dry kibble. The statement issued on Monday said that the suspect is aflatoxin, a byproduct of a corn mold Aspergillus flavus, which at high levels can kill pets.
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Recall History Of Nom Nom And Farmers Dog
As best we can tell, neither of these companies has ever been subjected to a recall. However, while their foods seem well-made and safe, keep in mind that theyre highly perishable and need to be kept refrigerated before serving.
If you dont store these meals properly, they could spoil and harm your dog, even if thats no fault of either company.
The Farmers Dog Fresh Dog Food Deliveries
The founders of The Farmers Dog are 2 dog lovers who were tired of seeing dry, brown pellets being marketed as a healthy food option for dogs.
They found these foods to be highly-processed and cooked to the point of being almost burnt.
Their mission was to redefine what pet food should look like and what it should do for our dogs.
Now its so good that apparently they even taste it themselves!
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Why Fresh Food For Dogs
Alternative foods are gaining popularity among pet parents. Disillusionment with large pet food brands, concern over the quality of ingredients, and an increased focus on how food affects a pets health have led many pet parents to consider a range of options from grain-free to raw food diets or making their own meals at home.
Fresh dog food delivery services take the place of making your pets food from scratch. They start with fresh, whole ingredients like lean proteins, veggies, and whole grains, package them up, and ship them to your door. These companies also make sure their recipes meet AAFCO standards for pet food, which means the foods include the vitamins and minerals needed to make a food nutritionally complete for your dog.
Many owners whove made the switch to fresh food say the diet has improved their pets coat, energy levels, and other health conditions. We werent able to test the long-term effects on our taste-tester dogs, but we can verify that they enjoyed each and every meal from this review.
You can feed these meals to your dogs as mixer add-ons and toppers to their current food, as a kind of dietary supplement, or feed them fresh food exclusively. If youre using these meal kits as a supplement, the cost is lower. Whatever you decide, its advised to slowly introduce the fresh food to your pet to make the transition from one food to another easier on your dogs digestion.
Who Is The Farmers Dog Best For
The Farmers Dog fresh dog food is especially great for:
- Picky Eaters. If your pup is a picky eater, theres slim chance hell reject this stuff. Its completely irresistible!
- If Youre Done With Training. Of course dog training is never completely over, but if your dog has the basics down and you dont have the constant training sessions were working on right now, the inability to use kibble as a training tool wont be a huge deal.
- If You Want to Share With Fido. Im mostly kidding, but honestly, this food looks so good that Im pretty tempted to take a bite out of it. I dont want to get Remy angry so I havent tried, but the truth is that it just looks tasty.
- If You Dont Move Around a Ton. Fresh dog food isnt very portable, so its best for owners who are relatively stationary and not moving or going on road trips with Fido constantly.
- If Your Dog Has Health Issues. Many owners who have sickly dogs or pups with unusual ailments have witnessed their dogs do a 180° on fresh dog food. If you have a sick pooch and you feel like youve tried everything, The Farmers Dog is certainly worth a trial run.
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Is The Farmers Dog A Scam
No, it is not a scam. This is legitimately a great dog food designed to work as a super-convenient subscription service. The way The Farmers Dog works is:
- You go to their site.
- You fill out a quick profile for your dog.
- Their custom technology will calculate an awesome meal plan designed specifically for your dogs needs. They take different things into consideration: age, weight, all sorts of factors completely personalized.
- And they cook and deliver it to you quickly. Its cooked within days before shipping it, frozen only for transportation reasons.
A General Guideline For Preparing Homemade Dog Food
My DIY dog food recipe is more of a general guideline, rather than an exact meal plan that I follow each week. My dogs diet changes the same way ours does, depending on what we do and what we buy or grow.
However, we almost always stay with this basic formula:
- 50 percent cooked protein
- 25 percent cooked complex carbohydrates
- Fats and supplements
- Eggshells
Protein is always meat and usually chicken, though weve also used turkey, pork, and beef. We feed any and all parts of the animals, but most commonly, we saute chicken breasts or chicken thighs in coconut oil and ground turmeric.
Coconut oil has a host of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, reducing allergic reactions, promoting wound healing, preventing yeast and fungal infections, and supporting arthritis or ligament problems.
Turmeric has long been studied for its powerful medicinal properties, including its use as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
We add it to the coconut oil since it is fat-soluble, and use it to support our pugs joint health.
Speaking of dark meat, we feed thighs and breasts interchangeably. While well remove the skin from poultry and trim off excessive fat from red meat, we dont worry about buying the leanest meat possible for our dogs.
A little fat is necessary for a well-rounded diet.
They tend to be the leftovers in our produce bin, so we never have to buy, say, a whole head of cauliflower just for the dogs.
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Is Wet Food Unhealthy Too
Most dogs will come running at the sound of an opening can, anxious for a large dollop of wet food to hit their bowl. Enticed by the smell of moist meats, wet dog food is usually packed with more protein, fewer carbs, and less preservatives than dry kibble.
However, wet food is still made from similarly low-quality, mass-produced meat byproducts, without the full nutritional quality your dog could thrive from.
The moisture applied to wet dog food does help to keep your dog hydrated , but on a minimal scale.
The fact of the matter remains that wet dog food, like dry kibble, is missing the large variety of fruits, vegetables, and high-quality meats that your dog needs for optimum health.
Tasty Topper And Travel Snack: Portland Pet Food Company
Price: $6.99 per 9 ounce meal pouch. For a 12lb dog, being used as a topper, it runs about $45/month.
Save 25% off your first subscription box and 10% off every box after that when you order through the link below
Our experience: Our 18-year-old Dachshund had many ailments towards the end of her life, one being Irritable Bowel Disease, which required her to be on single-source protein foods that she quickly grew tired of. After finding the Salmon & Rice flavor of Portland Pet Food, we thought wed give it a try, and she immediately loved it. We started with using it as a topper but shifted to feeding her just that food for meals. We felt at ease knowing she was enjoying her fresh food and was also getting the nutrients she needed to keep her going, especially towards the end. Now, we use a variety of flavors as a topper for our 2-year-old Boston Terrier and she loves it, too.What sets them apart: Portland Pet Food Companys human-grade, made-in-the-USA meal pouches are not intended to be full-on meal replacements rather, these concentrated meal packs are designed as mixers, toppers, or soft treats for picky dogs and busy families to compliment and boost the nutrition of your dogs regular kibble. They are shelf stable, travel well, and can substitute the occasional meal, which makes them a great option for a weekend away with your pup or as a treat to bring with you to the sitters.
We also liked that:
Portland Pet Food Company
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The Farmers Dog Expertise
While it isnt clear what involvement they have with The Farmers Dog, there are three veterinary professionals listed on their site who go on record to recommend The Farmers Dog. The professionals include Dr. Jonathan Block, Dr. Alex Schechter, and Dr. Catriona Love.
However, it does not appear these vets are directly involved in the ingredient selection or nutritional make-up of The Farmers Dog products.
However, in The Farmers Dogs FAQ Page, they mention that Our board-certified veterinary nutritionists carefully formulate each recipe to be 100% complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards.
There has been a push within the industry to be more transparent about how their recipes are formulated and which qualified professionals are involved.
Without a qualified professionals involvement, many believe that some dog food recipes are not properly formulated, and their nutritional make-up may not be adequate or suitable.
Other Fresh Home Delivered dog food brands, such as Nom Nom, have a dedicated pet nutritionist who formulates their recipes. In contrast, huge pet food brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin have an army of researchers and professionals.
Where To Buy The Farmers Dog Fresh Dog Food
The Farmers dog is a direct to consumer lightly cooked dog food brand that ships within the USA. They offer a Menu of four different recipes created using fresh human-grade ingredients. When you sign-up for The Farmers Dog meal plan they ask for details on your pup so they can pre-portion meals in daily servings to make feeding simple and easy.
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What Did Dogs And Dog Parents Have To Say About The Farmers Dog
Pros
- Dogs loved the food. The overwhelming majority of dogs enjoyed recipes from The Farmers Dog.
- It got the picky eaters excited about mealtime. Many pet parents were happy to see their picky eaters finally gobbling down their food and looking forward to meals.
- Parents liked the appearance of the meals. Several reviewers said that they liked that they could actually see small pieces of food. This gave them the peace of mind knowing the ingredients are as stated in the recipes.
- Many report positive health benefits for dogs. Softer coats, more energy, better weight maintenance, and more regular stools.
- Cost-effective because of reduced vet visits. I found several reviews saying that while they are paying more for food , they were saving on vet visits.
- Prompt customer service that goes beyond basic services. When I emailed them with queries, I always got prompt and in-depth answers within 24 hours. I found several reviewers saying they were contacted by The Farmers Dog to see if their shipment arrived on time. Three customers also said they received floral bouquets from the staff after informing them that their pups had passed away.
- Many loved the environmentally-friendly packaging. Especially the fact that the insulation could be dissolved in water and is biodegradable.
Cons
How To Contact The Farmers Dog
If you still have questions after The Farmers Dog review, you can reach out to customer service by sending an email to or reaching out by phone: -780-7957.
Explore healthy dog food and treats for your pup with Jinx.
Spoil your furry pal with toys delivered right to your door. Check out the Bark Box subscription.
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Is The Farmers Dog Worth It
Yes. The Farmers Dog is worth the cost, in our opinion. You get personalized meal plans formulated by veterinary nutritionists to give your dog the ingredients they really need. The recipes are made from real food in human-grade kitchens before the food is frozen and delivered to your door.
Instead of providing a one-size-fits-all solution, The Farmers Dog gives your pet customized nutrition.
The Farmers Dog cost varies. You might spend $3 a day for a small dog or about $8 for an energetic Lab mix. Every animal is unique, and this high-quality dog foods ingredients and pricing reflect your pets distinctive needs.
I love seeing comments like these from Facebook:
Try out The Farmers Dog. Your dog will feel the difference and youll see it.
What Are The Farmers Dog Plans
The Farmers Dog fresh food delivery plans are based on the number of dogs you have and their nutritional needs and the brand will make suggestions based on information you provide about your pets. You have the option to change your delivery preferences at any time to rush meals or delay them.
The brand also offers a DIY Nutrient Mix plan which features nutrients dog owners can add to their own home-made dog food.
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Is Fresh Dog Food Worth The Price
Price is a big concern for many pet parents. And yes, traditional dry or canned dog food is less expensive than fresh dog food. But when something is cheaper, it usually comes at a cost to something else in this case, it could be your dogs health.
There are also cases where dry dog food may end up actually costing dog owners more in the long run. As mentioned, a poor diet could lead to chronic health problems in your dog which results in expensive vet bills.
Ultimately, if you can afford it then fresh dog meals are a service worth considering more seriously.
It could prolong the lifespan of your fur-kids by feeding them food thats wholesome and nutritious. And we all want to maximize the time that we have with our best friends.
Transitioning To Homemade Dog Food
Most dogs dont have a problem making the switch to homemade food. If yours is prone to digestive issues, start slowly by mixing a little bit of the homemade food with the commercial food.
Over the course of a week or two, gradually increase the amount of homemade food while decreasing the commercial food.
If your dog vomits or has diarrhea, try introducing only a couple of new ingredients at a time until their systems are well adjusted to the fresh diet.
For dogs with health issues, please consult with a veterinarian if you arent sure what kind of supplements are needed. Use your best judgment, the way you would when feeding yourself or your family.
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Preparation Of Our Homemade Diet
All of the information above might seem intimidating, but I assure you that making the actual meals for our dogs takes no more than 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.
First, we cook our complex carbs, whether theyre grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables.
While that pot is simmering on the stove, we cook the meat in a separate pan in coconut oil and ground turmeric. After its cooled a bit, we add chunks of meat to our food processor and pulse until theyre broken down into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.
Then, we gather whatever vegetables or fruits we have in the kitchen , chop them up as needed, and toss them into the food processor.
We also add a few clean, crushed eggshells to the mix. A few pulses turns all this food into smaller pieces, making them more digestible for our dogs.
Finally, we add the cooled, cooked carbs to the food processor and do a couple more pulses to combine. Everything should have a finely crumbled texture by this point.
Since dogs have short digestive tracts, its crucial that you break down the food to increase its bioavailability that is, making all the nutrients in those wholesome ingredients more digestible in a dogs system.
I prepare enough food to last my two pugs an entire week. Its unbelievably easy, and I like knowing exactly what goes into their food. Friends will watch us feed our pugs and remark that it looks good enough for them to eat!
The Farmers Dog Food Packaging
All the packets of food come in a cardboard box with a thick layer of insulation and dry ice so that your food will remain cold when it arrives.
Remember to transfer most of the packets to the freezer once the food arrives. As all defrosted packets stored in the fridge need to be consumed within 4 days and can last in the freezer for 4 months.
Individual food packets come in soft plastic packaging thats slim and flat so it takes up less space in the fridge and freezer. To open it, you will need a pair of scissors to cut it open and squeeze out the food.
They also provide a biodegradable tray and plastic lid for you to keep any left-over portions of food you may have for your dogs next meal.
As a bonus, they also provide a free reusable insulated cold bag so that you can transport the packets of food while maintaining the cold temperatures.
Theyre very environmentally conscious at The Farmers Dog. So all their packaging is either biodegradable , or recyclable.
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