Last Updated on September 13, 2026 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?
The Farmer's Dog Or Tally's Ranch: Quick Verdict |
 This matchup is a classic standoff between premium fresh convenience and shelf-stable savings. While Tally’s Ranch is significantly cheaper thanks to its freeze-dried format, The Farmer’s Dog justifies its higher monthly cost the second your dog digs in. Copper and Skye showed an immediate, clear preference for the moisture-rich, gently cooked fresh recipes, and daily pre-portioned packs eliminate measuring cups entirely. If your budget has room for fresh food, The Farmer’s Dog is worth the upgrade; if you need to keep monthly feeding bills down, Tally’s Ranch is the sensible shelf-stable pick. |
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 At-A-Glance Table
| Brand | The Farmer's Dog | Tally's Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Available in stores | No | No |
| Meal customization | 4 portions per pouch | Feeding guidelines |
| Recipes | 4 core recipes | 2 core recipes |
| AAFCO compliant | Yes | Yes |
| My monthly cost | $251.04 | $220 |
| Cold storage required | Freezer | Shelf table |
| Picky Eater approved | Loved | Enjoyed |
| Best For | Value | Convenience |
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 The Farmer’s Dog.
Skye really enjoyed The Farmer’s Dog despite my fussy female Klee Kai showing some fussiness with other fresh dog food companies.
I didn’t have any issues with The Farmer’s Dog. Copper and Skye consistently finished their meals throughout the trial subscription.
I liked 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.
Best Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food: We rank the best options we've tried in this guide
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, so I don’t have to handle dog food, but it’s not customized to your dog’s needs.
Tally’s Ranch was slightly cheaper than The Farmer’s Dog, at $219 for a month’s supply. The Farmer’s Dog costs $251.04 a month. That’s a $30 difference.
I would recommend The Farmer’s Dog ahead of Tally’s Ranch, especially if you’ve got a picky eater like my female Klee Kai, Skye.
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.
Discover our #1 pick: I compared our favorite We Feed Raw to Tally's Ranch in this article.
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.
Read more: We also compared Tally's Ranch and Sundays For Dogs in this article.
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.
Do you want to learn more about The Farmer's Dog? Read our pros and cons article.
The Farmer’s Dog have recently introduced a meal container with your first order, and it’s a great size to store multiple meal pouches. We love it, especially as we previously lamented the lack of a container to store half-used packets.
The Farmer’s Dog is one of the most affordable fresh frozen pet food brands that we’ve reviewed at $251.04 a month. They’re a great choice if you like the idea of feeding fresh.
The Farmer’s Dog Vs Tally’s Ranch Price Comparison
| Brand | The Farmer's Dog | Tally's Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Daily price per dog | $4.18 | $3.65 |
| Monthly price | $251.04 | $219 |
| Annual cost | $3,012.48 | $2628 |
The Farmer’s Dog Vs Tally’s Ranch FAQ
The Farmer’s Dog offers fresh dog food in fully customized, pre-portioned meal pouches. They offer four recipes to cater to picky eaters. Tally’s Ranch offers freeze-dried raw dog food in two recipes.
I’ve fed The Farmer’s Dog and Tally’s Ranch to my fussy Alaskan Klee Kai dog Skye, and her favorite was The Farmer’s Dog. She consistently finished her fresh-food meals, but she was a little fussier with freeze-dried raw.
The Farmer’s Dog is more convenient because it offers customized meal pouches with a pre-portion guide. However, it does require fridge and freezer space. Tally’s Ranch offers greater convenience for storage because its food is shelf-stable.
The Farmer’s Dog offered greater customization than Tally’s Ranch when I tested these brands on my dog. I was impressed that Copper and Skye’s meals were individually labeled and clearly portioned to meet their specific weight goals.
The Farmer’s Dog is more expensive than Tally’s Ranch based on my subscription price for my two Alaskan Klee Kai dogs. I paid $251.04 for The Farmer’s Dog, while Tally’s Ranch cost $219 a month. That’s a $32 difference per month.
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 each pet owner’s preference: do you want the convenience of dry food, or do you prefer fresh, frozen meals?
While it’s a close call, I’d recommend The Farmer’s Dog because Skye consistently finished their fresh dog food.
Kieran Beckles is an NCTJ-qualified journalist, a former pet nutrition student, and co-founder of Life With Klee Kai. He has been reviewing pet food and products since 2018, testing over 50+ brands, and has raised his dogs, Skye and Copper, since 2017. His work blends hands-on testing and nutrition knowledge to help pet owners make informed decisions.