Fresh Pet Dog Food Review

Synthetic Minerals And Vitamins

Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Choline Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Iodate, Biotin , Thiamine Mononitrate , Riboflavin , Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid , Niacin , Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin 12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement

These are a lot of synthetic minerals/vitamins/salts and point towards quite a highly processed food. Thats despite the companys claim of cooking it at lower temperature than cooking kibble.

Did you know? The process of cooking food destroys many of the naturally occurring minerals and vitamins in meats and plants.

By the way, according to Dogs Naturally Magazine editor in chief, Dana Scott, most synthetic vitamins are manufactured in China. Read more on her insightful article EVERYTHING You Wanted To Know About Choosing A Dog Food.

Update and BTW: I received my Raw Dog Food Nutrition Specialist certificate from Dogs Naturally Magazine in early 2020.

What Is Fresh Pet Food Exactly

Fresh pet food brands like Freshpetfound in the fridge in your local pet storehelped commercialize fresh options for pet owners. Today, there are dozens of brands out there, and many are available as subscription services that function the same way: You create a dog profile, complete a questionnaire, customize your delivery frequency, and voilà! Next thing you know, freshly made pet food arrives at your door packed in dry ice.

In my research, I found more than a dozen companies that market fresh pet food diets for cats and dogs, and their cooking methodologies, ingredients, and storage recommendations vary widely. According to Bullen, the term fresh pet food doesnt really have a specific definitionit just refers to pet food thats made with fewer or no preservatives. It could be made at home with boiled chicken and cooked plain rice, or it could be produced with recognizable ingredients in a facility, packaged without preservatives, and then frozen. For the brands we list here, we researched those that offer food thats commercially produced and thoroughly cooked at a low temperature, and that contain some combination of meats, grains, fruits, and vegetablesit tends to look like you took a humans Thanksgiving dinner plate and mixed it all together.

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

Don’t Miss: Royal Canin Small Dog Food

Overview Of The Freshpet Brand

The tagline FreshPet uses is real food fresh from the fridge. Their recipes features 100% natural farm-raised poultry, beef, and fish as well as fiber-packed garden veggies and antioxidant-rich fruits.

They offer dozens of different products in multiple forms including bagged meals, rolls, and stews. They also offer a selection of meal mixers and dog treats.

FreshPet makes a big deal about not using rendered meats or by-product meals in their products.

To The Average Consumer, That Sounds Great, But What Does It Really Mean?

Fresh meats like real chicken or beef contain about 70% moisture which cooks out during extrusion the process used to make commercial dry food.

Rendered meat meals are already cooked to remove moisture before adding them to the mix, making them a more concentrated source of protein.

They are not inherently bad, but it is important to evaluate the quality named meat meals like chicken meal are better than generic meat meals like poultry meal or poultry by-product meal.

Another claim FreshPet makes, in addition to starting every recipe with real meat, is that they use fresh fruits and vegetables in their recipes.

These ingredients provide natural sources for key nutrients, but every recipe also contains vitamin and mineral supplements as needed for nutritional balance. All of that is fine, but there are some additional ingredients that may be of concern.

Its also important to note that FreshPet makes use of plant proteins .

Where Can I Buy Freshpet Dog Food

Freshpet does not deliver directly to your door. But depending on where you live and product availability, Freshpet can be purchased online via these retailer partners:

Additionally, many local grocery and pet stores carry Freshpet dog food. You can search your area on the Freshpet website for retailers closest to you.

Also Check: Good Dog Food For Chihuahuas

There Are No Questionable Ingredients

As we mentioned above, their ingredients lists are full of foods, not chemicals or additives. Even better, theyre foods youll recognize and could buy in the grocery store if you were so inclined.

You can even see many of those foods in their rolls, so you know theyre telling the truth about whats in there.

Even more impressive, is whats not in there: no cheap fillers, no animal by-products, no hormones or antibiotics. Just real food.

Do All Fresh Dog Foods Meet Aafco Nutrition Standards

Sadly, many do not.

Some fresh pet foods can be found at local farmers markets around the country. These micro brands tend to be produced by smaller businesses and home hobbyists without professional guidance.

Many fail to meet basic FDA regulations or AAFCO nutrient guidelines.

Minor brands like these are rarely tested for Salmonella and other disease-causing bacteria. Which is why we do not include any of these products on this page.

Also Check: Can I Buy Dog Food With Food Stamps

I Have Been Using Fresh Pet For Years

I have been using fresh pet for years. I have 9 dogs and as you can imagine we go through alot. Over the last 8 months every 3rd roll or so is slimy and has to be thrown away. You cannot return it, so money lost. The inconsistencies of a good product has me looking for an alternative. I’m not sure what is going on, maybe distribution and storage issues, I don’t know, but I can’t feed this to my dogs

Date of experience:February 11, 2022

Reply from Freshpet

Hi Tamara,We’re really sorry you had that experience — it’s not up to par with our quality standards, and we hate to see you leave Freshpet because of it. The slimy appearance can sometimes occur if there’s damage to the packaging that allows air/oxygen to enter the roll, but that should not have happened as frequently as you’re noting here.We’d like to make this right by you and hopefully earn your trust back. If you’d like, please give our Customer Care team a call at 789-3737, any time from Monday to Friday between 9am 9pm EST, and from Saturday to Sunday: between 9am 1pm EST. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.

Freshpet Natures Fresh Beef Recipe

This roll is filled with meat, as the first four ingredients are beef, chicken, beef liver, and beef broth. That gives your dog a wide array of vital amino acids, as well as a good shot of moisture from the broth.

The veggies are all good, as it uses carrots, peas, and brown rice. We suppose they could have added a few superfoods in there like blueberries or cranberries, but every food has room to improve.

Our biggest issue comes with the inclusion of eggs, which can cause digestive issues in some dogs. If your dog isnt bothered by them, though, theyll just add more protein.

You May Like: Royal Canin Canned Puppy Food

What Did Our Test Dog Think

Our test dog Archie has been testing fresh foods for some time and he generally loves it. That being said, he wasnt a fan of some of FreshPets products.

We used the Grain-Free Beef and Pumpkin Recipe stew as a meal topper and he seemed to like it well enough, though it wasnt particularly appetizing by human standards.

The FreshPet Select Roasted Meals chicken recipe was much more well-received. It had a strong chicken aroma with visible pieces of chicken as well as preformed nuggets. Archie gobbled the food up with no problems.

Though FreshPets roasted meals and stews went over well, we cant say the same for the Vital Grain-Free Multi-Protein Recipe roll.

According to the feeding recommendations, you should cut the roll into slices then chop the slice into smaller pieces.

The roll looked like a sausage with pieces of carrot and unidentifiable white substance scattered throughout, but it didnt look very appetizing. Archie didnt think so either.

He sniffed the food and sampled it but then looked at me as if he was asking whether he really had to eat it.

Overall, I didnt have a problem with the FreshPet stews and roasted meals, but I cant say I recommend the rolls.

The recommended feeding amount was also concerning. FreshPet recommends about 1 pound of food per day for a dog of Archies size thats half of the 2-pound roll. C

Should I Be Feeding My Dog Freshpet Dog Foods

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Freshpet Review Should I be Feeding My Dog Freshpet Dog Food?

Freshpet has firmly established themselves in the pet food market as one of the best sources of fresh, natural food for your dog. But is their food really better for your dog than standard dog food, and is it worth the extra expense?

The short answer is that we think that it is!

We believe in the mantra that just like you, your dog is what it eats. Therefore, it is worth investing in fresh food that contains as few chemicals, preservatives, or other nasties as possible to ensure that they thrive.

Just like we know that it is good for us to eat fresh meals made from quality fresh ingredients, the same is true for our pets.

Freshpet, however, is just one of several companies that is trying to meet demand for this type of canine nutrition by cooking up fresh, short-life, preservative-free dog food daily and shipping it out on the same day.

However, Freshpet differs from other services, such as The Farmers Dog, Nom Nom Now and My Ollie, which are running delivery services that send direct to customers within certain catchment areas.

Freshpet is making their products available for customers to buy in the refrigerated food sections of certain stores, such as Whole Foods and Safeway.

Contents & Quick Navigation

You May Like: How Is Pedigree Dog Food

Terrible Uk Customer Service

I started a subscription, but my dog didn’t like the food. I cancelled the subscription and got an email confirming this. Still ended up getting charged for and receiving the next batch. 2 weeks on i still can’t get a refund. called multiple times and sent multiple texts.

Date of experience:July 13, 2022

Reply from Freshpet

Hello Pavan, We’re sorry to hear about your experience with our subscription service. We’re very new at direct to customer deliveries, and we’re aware that the service is not perfect just yet. The subscription app we use is not linked to inventory levels at the warehouse, and we’re looking at ways to fix this. In reviewing our records, our records show that your subscription has been canceled, despite not meeting the original obligations at sign-up. Along with this, a refund has has been processed for you. If you happen to get a future delivery, please contact us right away, and feel free to donate the food to a local shelter since your dog is not interested in the food.

I’m So Disappointed With The Service

I’m so disappointed with the service I’ve received from Fresh Pet. My dog loves the food and so I wanted to guarantee supply. For some weeks my order was correct & arrived in good time. But then I didn’t received an order for three weeks. I contacted Fresh Pet who stated they have had supply issues and did not have our items in stock. Coincidentally, my orders started arriving again but this time with items substituted. I didn’t mind at first but now my last 8 orders have had “substitutes”. I called Fresh Pet to let them know I cant keep changing my dogs diet & they didn’t seem to understand the issue as the substitute is of the same cash amount. I believe the call centre and “help line” are all out-sourced, and it shows. They don’t care.

Date of experience:July 05, 2022

Reply from Freshpet

Recommended Reading: Can Food Allergies Cause Diarrhea In Dogs

Review: Freshpet Dog Food

This post contains affiliate links. Sites like Amazon and Chewy give us a small amount of $ if you purchase something using a link from us .

We also run advertisements on the site. Please understand that the ads are randomly generated and we do not control which ads you see when.

My dog sees a lot of variety in his dog food. We test many different products, but there is one food I have come to use as his main source of nutrition and what he eats on a regular basis.

This is because my dog absolutely loves the taste, it is less processed than most conventional dry kibble dog foods, and doesnt use unnecessary animal byproducts, preservatives, or artificial flavors and colors.

How Do Fresh Dog Food Subscription Programs Work

Most fresh dog food subscription programs work the same way. First, youll answer a few questions about your dogs age, weight, breed, activity level and allergies, which creates a custom feeding profile for your pet.

Finally, youll set up a delivery schedule. And soon after that, fresh-made pet food arrives at your door, packed in dry ice.

Recommended Reading: How To Prepare Raw Dog Food At Home

The Verdict: Is Nom Nom Dog Food Worth It

After trying Nom Nom ourselves and doing all the research there is to give a thorough review, we can safely say that for both humans and dogs alike, Nom Nom is worth it.

From my point of view, the fresh, scientifically researched ingredients, the process through which you get your subscription, and the daily price breakdown all make Nom Nom a great option for improving your pets diet and overall health and livelihood. I feel great knowing that Im giving Kodhi the exact amount of nutrition she needs so shes her healthiest and happiest no more guesswork. Plus, Kodhi is worth it!

With the research first-hand experience in how much better fresh, AAFCO-certified food is for your dog, its a no-brainer to at least give Nom Noms trial a go. Kodhis improved shedding, more regular bathroom breaks, better breath, and excitement about every meal makes Nom Nom one of the best decisions Ive ever made for her.

Your dog will have real, whole ingredients in their meals, and youll see in both their energy and lasting health benefits that the change is worth it. Not only do they offer a trial, but, if after 30 days you dont see a difference, Nom Nom offers a money-back guarantee. Try their trial today!

Have you or someone you know tried Nom Nom or any other fresh food? Wed love to hear about it in the comments below!

Freshpet Monthly Cost Comparison

Because it is fresh food it must be refrigerated and this can be problematic if you need to travel with your dog.

While Freshpet is available in stores locally, you may have to try more than one to find the recipes you want. Not all stores carry the same items or product lines.

One small complaint is the rolls packaging is not easy to open. It will require scissors and may get messy when removing the food from the tube shaped packaging.

Recommended Reading: Who Makes Exclusive Dog Food

Freshpet Reviews From Dog Owners

Freshpet dog food reviews from a large number of pet parents say that their dogs love this food. Its more expensive than other dog foods, but many people feel its worth it because their dogs love the taste so much, and they like that it is all-natural.

Some Freshpet reviews point out that the downside to all-natural dog foods is that they dont have many preservatives in them, which means the food spoils faster than traditional dog foods. This isnt a big deal for most people since dogs eat the entire package in one feeding.

Ive tried many different brands of dog food and Ive found that Freshpet is very good. My dog loves the product and he is staying healthy on this food. Im happy and will continue using this product.

We have had a hard time finding a food that our dogs can eat without getting itchy skin or throwing up. Since we started feeding them Freshpet Select dog food, they have been happy, healthy, and shiny. The regular rolls are too big for my small dogs so I buy the chub roll and cut it up into sections. The pieces freeze well so you dont have to worry about wasting food if you cut too much off at once. I love how healthy this food is and how much my dogs like eating it.

Bought this for my dog with a sensitive stomach. He loves it, I love it because he is not throwing up anymore. I will continue to buy this food until they stop making it. It is a little pricey but worth every cent.