Last Updated on February 29, 2024 by Kieran Beckles
Are you considering signing up to The Farmer’s Dog but you want to know the pros and cons of their fresh dog food service before you commit to a subscription plan?
The Farmer’s Dog is one of the leading dog food delivery company in the USA that have created a range of recipes containing human grade ingredients, customized on personalized meal plans, formulated by a board certified veterinary nutritionist and delivered to your door.
There’s little doubt that The Farmer’s Dog meals offer a healthier approach to dog food than some traditional pet food formats such as regular dry dog food like kibble, wet food or canned dog food found at your local pet store or supermarket.
We made the decision to ditch traditional kibble in favour of healthy food for Copper and Skye in 2019, feeding our Alaskan Klee Kai a popular UK dog food company who provide human grade food to British dogs for the past four years.
However, we had to start a search for new dog food brands when we moved back to the USA from the UK in 2023, leading us to place an order with The Farmer’s Dog and test their fresh food on our Alaskan Klee Kai.
Just like any dog, we’ve found there are pros and cons to feeding The Farmer’s Dog food to Copper and Skye, and we’ll share our honest thoughts on the fresh dog food brand to help other pet parents make an informed decision.
Cut To The Chase: You can save 50% on your first order of The Farmer’s Dog when you sign up here.
The Farmer’s Dog Pros
Pro 1: Real food
If you’re ready to sign up to receive healthy food from a dog food delivery company, you want to be confident your dog is eating human grade ingredients that you or I would likely eat as part of our diet.
This includes USDA-approved meat, vegetables like green beans and sweet potatoes, as well as The Farmer’s Dog nutrient blend which ensures your dog is eating a balanced diet.
The Farmer’s Dog doesn’t use any artificial additives, by products, flavors or preservatives, you won’t find meat meals or brown pellets, or any other nasties. I felt good knowing Copper and Skye were eating real food.
Pro 2: Gently cooked
When we first switched Copper and Skye to fresh dog food from commercial dog foods, I was struck by the healthier appearance and more appetizing smell coming from their fresh food meals.
The Farmer’s Dog gently cook their human grade dog food at low temperatures to lock in all the natural nutrients of the ingredients as well as retain all the natural aroma and flavour of the real food in The Farmer’s Dog recipes.
Dealing with a picky eater like Skye, I believe the gently cooked, minimally processed method that the pet food brand use helped to capture her attention and encourage her to regularly eat The Farmer’s Dog food.
Pro 3: Transparent labelling
One of my issues with feeding traditional dog food, such as kibble or wet food, is the confusing labels that a lot of dog food brands use on the packaging. Often, I’d notice mystery ingredients in my Alaskan Klee Kai’s dog food.
When signing up to The Farmer’s Dog, they were really transparent about the fresh ingredients in their recipes that are fit for human consumption.
I felt peace of mind knowing Copper and Skye were eating new food that contained ingredients I recognised, such as beef, chicken, pork, carrots, fish oil and brussels sprouts.
In your first box, you’ll find lots of information on The Farmer’s Dog food where you can read more about the human grade ingredients in your dog’s new meals.
Pro 4: Simple sign-up questionnaire
If you’re familiar with fresh dog food companies, you’ll know that The Farmer’s Dog will require pet owners to provide details about their dog, such as breed, weight, energy levels, health issues and more.
The Farmer’s Dog can help work towards a goal whether you’ve got a dog who lost weight and needs to put on some pounds or a dog whose a little overweight because they’ve been eating table scraps.
Having used a lot of different sign-up questionnaires while reviewing fresh dog food brands, The Farmer’s Dog have a simple ordering process that’s easy to use irrespective of technical ability.
Pro 5: Pre portioned meals
The Farmer’s Dog really stood out when it came to pre portioned meals. While a lot of fresh dog food brands claim to portion their meals for your dog, I’ve found very few actually do.
Copper needs to lose weight, Skye needs to gain weight. I was impressed to see The Farmer’s Dog labelled each dog’s individual meals. So I knew Copper and Skye were truly eating meals formulated to meet their specific needs.
The Farmer’s Dog food pouches have a portion guideline on the packet to display how much fresh food to feed at each mealtime. I found it easy to practice portion control feeding The Farmer’s Dog.
Pro 6: Competitively Priced
Having reviewed all of the leading fresh pet food companies in the USA, I believe The Farmer’s Dog represents the best value and best priced within the fresh food format (excluding custom dry food or raw food).
When signing up my Alaskan Klee Kai to receive their excellent food, I had to pay $193 a month.
I did a price comparison with Nom Nom and uncovered that Nom Nom is $75.56 more expensive than The Farmer’s Dog per month – or that’s a saving of $906.72 over the course of a year.
Comparing The Farmer’s Dog to Ollie, I discovered that The Farmer’s Dog worked out $65.70 cheaper per month or I’d save $788.40 a year by feeding The Farmer’s Dog.
Pro 7: Alaskan Klee Kai Approved
We’ve covered a lot of the technical aspects of The Farmer’s Dog but perhaps the biggest factor when feeding any human grade dog food is whether your dogs love the food!
Skye is a really fussy eater but we had good success feeding The Farmer’s Dog food to my female Alaskan Klee Kai. She showed mealtime excitement, finished most of her food and didn’t suffer from any digestive issues.
However, I would say Skye much preferred the beef, chicken and pork recipes. Skye didn’t like the turkey recipe – I would find most of the turkey recipe left in her bowl (and Copper finishing off Skye’s meals).
Pro 8: A cooler bag
It’s a small pro but I liked that The Farmer’s Dog provided a cooler. If you’re a dog owner who likes to travel but wants to use The Farmer’s Dog food, you’ve got to keep their pet food cold.
The cooler bag allows pet owners to bring some of The Farmer’s Dog food on the road if you’ve got a road trip planned but want to ensure your dog is still getting well feed with all their essential nutrients.
The Farmer’s Dog Cons
Con 1: Premium price
If you’re reading The Farmer’s Dog food review, I suspect you know that their good food will cost more than tradition pet food. However, some dog owners may consider the premium price a con.
While The Farmer’s Dog is cheaper than Nom Nom, Ollie, Spot and Tango, Just Food For Dogs and more, The Farmer’s Dog still costs more than regular dog food purchased at the pet store.
Con 2: Only 4 recipes
The Farmer’s Dog only have four recipes – beef, chicken, pork and turkey. Compared to a lot of fresh dog food brands in the USA, this is acceptable meal variety.
However, there were some dog food providers in the UK who had over 10 recipes on offer! I’d love to see some more protein options on The Farmer’s Dog menu.
Con 3: No custom scooper or meal container
While The Farmer’s Dog use a portion guideline on each meal pouch, I’d love to have a custom scooper to use with their food to make sure I’m getting the exact portions for Copper and Skye.
Some fresh dog food brands include a meal container so you don’t have to deal with leftover food in your fridge or any potential mess. I’d love to see this added to their service in the future.
Con 4: Freezer space required
The Farmer’s Dog is shipped cold with dry ice in eco-friendly packaging. Once you get your first box, you’ll need to store the healthy dog food in the freezer (and some thawed pouches in the fridge).
When it comes to The Farmer’s Dog, you’ll beed freezer storage which could be an issue depending on the size of your freezer. If you’ve got limited space, it could be a real headache, especially if you’ve got two dogs or many dogs who are eating The Farmer’s Dog.
The Farmer’s Dog: Our Verdict
Now that you’ve heard my pros and cons, it’s time for The Farmer’s Dog food review. Do they offer the best food? Would I recommend to other dog owners with picky eaters?
If you’re ready to ditch traditional dog food in favour of a fresh approach, I believe The Farmer’s Dog represents a good option thanks to their minimally processed, gently cooked recipes.
You’ve read my pros and they outweigh the cons. We had good success feeding The Farmer’s Dog to Copper and Skye, who enjoyed the beef, chicken and pork recipes.
While their food does carry a premium price, I consider The Farmer’s Dog to represent the best value for money within the fresh dog food marketplace.
Being transparent, we didn’t continue with The Farmer’s Dog long term because we decided to switch to a combination of an air dried dog food brand and a raw dog food brand.
But I would be open to returning to The Farmer’s Dog in the future – and I believe they’re a great choice if you prefer the idea of feeding fresh dog food meals over dry or raw food.
Where To Buy The Farmer’s Dog
You can sign up to The Farmer’s Dog through their website or the button below where you’ll be prompted to enter key details about your dog or pets to start the ordering process.
Do We Have A Discount For The Farmer’s Dog?
We reached out to The Farmer’s Dog and managed to secure a 50% discount for our Life With Klee Kai community. To save 50% on your first order, you can hit the button below or sign up via their website.
Wrapping Up
We’ve reached the end of our pros and cons of The Farmer’s Dog and their dog food subscription plan.
If you’re ready to adopt a healthy approach and introduce a diet containing real ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, USDA-approved meat and much more, The Farmer’s Dog is a good option.
Just like any dog food brand, The Farmer’s Dog dog food service has its advantages and disadvantages, and your experience could be different to mine as every dog is different.
Kieran runs Life With Klee Kai on social media and other online platforms alongside his wife Yasmin. With over 10 years of experience as a journalist and a passionate dog owner, Kieran loves to combine his passion for pets and writing to share useful insights and product reviews to help other dog owners.