
Last Updated on May 7, 2025 by Kieran Beckles
Are you deciding between Tally’s Ranch and The Farmer’s Dog but want to hear from someone who has tried both?
I’ve searched for the best human-grade dog food for my Alaskan Klee Kai dogs over the past two years across a range of pet food formats.
It’s been a process, but I’ve uncovered some options that my picky eater, Skye, likes while helping Copper shed some pounds and improve bowel movements.
In this article, I’ll be comparing one of the most popular fresh dog food brands, The Farmer’s Dog, and a relatively new freeze-dried raw company, Tally’s Ranch, to help pet owners stuck between these two options.
The Farmer’s Dog Vs Tally’s Ranch: Our Verdict

I’ll cut right to the chase if you want to know my verdict without having to read on. I recommend Tally’s Ranch.
I preferred Tally’s Ranch because I don’t have to deal with the hassle of half-open meal packets in my fridge that create a mess.
Tally’s Ranch beef and chicken recipes are shelf stable, so pet owners can reseal the bag to keep their pup’s food fresh.
They provide a scooper, which means I don’t have to handle dog food, although it’s not customized to meet your dog’s needs.

While Skye does enjoy The Farmer’s Dog for the most part, my fussy female Klee Kai does show some fussiness with some of the recipes.
I didn’t have any such issue with Tally’s Ranch. Copper and Skye consistently finished their meals for the duration of the trial subscription.
Tally’s Ranch came in slightly cheaper than The Farmer’s Dog at $171 for a month’s supply. The Farmer’s Dog costs $193 a month. That’s a $22 difference.
I would recommend Tally’s Ranch ahead of The Farmer’s Dog, especially if you’re interested in giving freeze-dried raw a go to see the potential benefits.
Who Is Tally’s Ranch?

Tally’s Ranch is a freeze-dried raw company that is a relatively new operator in the pet food subscription space in the USA.
They use a freeze-drying process, which sets them apart from The Farmer’s Dog and other fresh dog food companies who cook their food at low temperatures.
Tally’s Ranch currently offers two recipes: beef and chicken. This isn’t the biggest range and significantly less than The Farmer’s Dog, considering they’ve got four recipes on offer.

You don’t get a customized scooper, but Tally’s Ranch does provide detailed feeding guidelines, which allowed me to ensure Copper and Skye eat the correct potions.
Tally’s Ranch did pass the taste test with Copper and Skye. My Alaskan Klee Kai dogs finished their Tally’s Ranch portion during our trial subscription. I wasn’t sure how my dogs would react because they typically eat raw dog food with dry food as a topper. But Tally’s Ranch was a hit.
As the company becomes more established in the pet food space, I hope to see more recipes and more customization. But I was impressed.
Who Is The Farmer’s Dog?

The Farmer’s Dog is one of the most popular dog foods in the pet food subscription space. If you’re a pet owner, you’ll likely have encountered one of their advertisements or an influencer promoting them.
They use human-grade ingredients in their recipes that are tailored to meet your dog’s needs. They’ve got four recipes available to order: beef, chicken, pork and turkey.
The Farmer’s Dog requires pet owners to fill out a questionnaire about their canine companions to allow the dog food brand to tailor their recipes to meet each dog’s needs.

I was impressed to see The Farmer’s Dog follow through on the customization of the food. Copper and Skye received individual meal packets with unique feeding guidelines.
The Farmer’s Dog doesn’t provide a meal container, which would be a nice touch to avoid half-opened meal packets left in the fridge. So it can be a little messy at mealtime when it comes to scooping the food into your pet’s bowl.
The Farmer’s Dog is one of the most affordable fresh frozen pet food brands that we’ve reviewed at $193 a month. They’re a great choice if you like the idea of feeding fresh.
Wrapping Up

So there we have it! We’ve reached the end of our comparison article.
It’s a close call between these two pet food companies because I believe they both provide a good service.
It may come down to the preference of each pet owner: do you want the convenience of dry food, or do you like the idea of fresh frozen meals?
While it’s a close call, I’d recommend Tally’s Ranch because I liked the idea of getting the benefits of raw with the convenience of dry food.
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.