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Updated April 2022
About two years ago I (Steph) did some research into kibble dog food. I realized I knew very little about what kibble actually is... How is it made? Why is every single piece of kibble identical in shape and size? Is it considered processed (quick answer: YES, very processed)? And most importantly, is even the highest quality dog kibble the most nutritious food option for my dachshund Django?
I quickly learned that feeding Django the same kibble diet day in and day out was not in his best interest and explored other nutrient-rich options. I soon came across fresh dog food brands including The Farmer's Dog. Fast forward two years and The Farmer's Dog is now a regular part of Django's diet. Do Mike (my husband and Django's dad) and I exclusively feed Django The Farmer's Dog? Nope. We're big proponents of mixing up Django's meals to some degree. Mike and I feed Django a mix of high quality organic or all natural dry dog food and nutrition-dense freshly made food (aka The Farmer's Dog).
Below is an honest review and comprehensive overview of The Farmer's Dog. All opinions are our own and based on our own experience feeding our dachshund Django The Farmer's Dog meals. We value your opinions and would love to hear about your own experience with The Farmer's Dog (or another fresh dog food brand). Please don't hesitate to leave a comment below!
What is The Farmer's Dog?
The Farmer's Dog is a subscription dog food service that sends freshly-made meals directly to your door. Unlike dry dog food which is cooked at extremely high temperatures and de-moisturized to extend shelf life, Farmer's Dog food is gently cooked at low temperatures to preserve the nutritional value of each ingredient. The food is then quickly frozen (not deep frozen) and shipped to your home. No preservatives are ever used in The Farmer's Dog recipes, so the food has a much shorter shelf life of 4 days once it is thawed in the refrigerator. If kept frozen, the packaged meals will stay fresh for 4 months.
Subscription? Yes. The Farmer's Dog is an auto-renewing subscription with no long-term commitment. When you first sign up for a 2-week taste trial (more on this below), you simultaneously enroll in an ongoing meal plan subscription. You can select how much food you want to receive with each order, and you can obviously cancel unprocessed orders at any time.
The Farmer's Dog Unboxing
Each Farmer's Dog box is shipped out and delivered incredibly quickly. Our box typically reaches us in 2 days time once our order is processed. Each box is insulated and packaged with dry ice, creating a makeshift freezer that ensures meals are 100% frozen upon delivery.
Something also worth mentioning... The Farmer's Dog has taken deliberate steps to keep its packaging environmentally friendly. The main cardboard box is recyclable, all insulating materials are biodegradable, and the food storage container that is included (see photo above) is also biodegradable. Even the meal packages are made from BPA-free and non-toxic materials.
In addition to the frozen pre-portioned dog meals, each order comes with a food storage container and feeding guide. Mike and I actually never use the food storage container and prefer to store refrigerated meals in a reusable tupperware container.
Recipes, Nutrition, and Quality of Ingredients
Recipes & Guaranteed Analyses
The Farmer's Dog currently offers four dog food recipes: turkey, beef, chicken, and pork. Each recipe is a blend of real whole foods, vitamins, and minerals and balanced to meet AAFCO standards by veterinary nutritionists. We include the ingredient list for each recipe below as well as the respective guaranteed analyses. You'll notice high quality USDA animal protein is always the first ingredient, and each recipe is complemented by nutrition-dense legumes, carbs and vegetables such as chickpeas, sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots. Essential vitamin and mineral supplements are also included and identified as 'TFD Nutrient Blend' and 'TFD Nutrient Pack'.
Quality of Ingredients
In terms of ingredient quality and nutritional value, The Farmer's Dog fires on all cylinders.
The Farmer's Dog uses high quality ingredients that are sourced from restaurant suppliers, local farms, and other human food purveyors that meet USDA standards. All Farmer's Dog meats are all-natural and antibiotic free with no hormones added. This last point is especially important to Mike and I. We only purchase organic meat or all-natural meat for our family that is made without antibiotics, added growth hormones, or animal by-products in feed.
Feed-grade ingredients (i.e. lower quality ingredients used for animal feed) are never used, and ingredients are never processed to extend shelf-life. As mentioned earlier, meals thawed in the refrigerator should be used within 4 days; frozen portions can stay in frozen for 4 months.
The Farmer's Dog's cooking and delivery process always preserves the nutritional integrity of the ingredients. Recall that the food is cooked at very low temperatures, frozen immediately, and delivered to your door within days of cooking.
Django the Dachshund's Taste Test
Django can't express in words how he feels about his Farmer's Dog meals, but I can tell you this... Every time we open a container of Farmer's Dog, Django gets very excited - to the point where he starts barking and/or jumping up if we don't put his dinner bowl down fast enough! It was actually incredibly difficult to capture photos of Django with a bowl of Farmer's Dog because he kept trying to jump on me and attack the bowl as I kneeled down to snap photos! So while I can't tell you which Farmer's Dog recipe he prefers or why, I can confirm that Django undoubtedly loves The Farmer's Dog. His behavior clearly suggests he favors this fresh dog food over any dry kibble we've ever given him.
How to order
To sign up for your dog's meal plan and determine pricing, head over to The Farmer's Dog website and click "REDEEM 50% OFF" - make sure to use one of our links so you get the 50% off discount. You'll enter a user-friendly portal that asks for your information (name, email) and your dog's information (age, weight, breed, dietary restrictions, etc). From here you will select your preferred meals: turkey, beef, chicken, pork, or a combination of the four. You can select up to three recipes to be delivered with each order. We always choose a mix of the recipes since we favor variation in the animal protein and legumes that Django eats.
The first box you receive is a 2-week taste trial consisting of 14 daily meals. Since Django weighs 14lbs, our first box included 7 pre-portioned meal sleeves (3 beef, 2 turkey, 2 pork). You will receive more or less pre-portioned meals depending on your dog's breed and weight.
Keep in mind that when you place your first order, you are simultaneously enrolling in an ongoing meal plan subscription. After checkout, you can alter how much dog food you want to receive with each order, and you can obviously cancel unprocessed orders at any time.
How much does The Farmer's Dog cost?
The Farmer's Dog pricing will vary based on your dog's weight. To give you a ballpark estimate for cost, we priced out three scenarios based on different dog breeds and weights: a 14 lb dachshund (what our sausage dog Django weighs), a 25 lb french bulldog, and 50 lb standard poodle. We highlight cost per day for (1) the 2-week test trial period (2) every billing cycle thereafter. Keep in mind these daily pricing include shipping costs and assume you are exclusively feeding your pup Farmer's Dog meals. The cost per day will obviously be cut in half if, for example, you feed your dog half Farmer's Dog and half organic kibble (like we do with Django).
You'll notice that shipment frequency depends on dog size. For a smaller dog like Django, our meal plan bills and ships every 8 weeks. For a 25 lb frenchie, the plan bills and ships every 5 weeks. For a 50 lb standard poodle, the plan bills and ships every 3 weeks.
Click here to go to The Farmer's Dog main website and calculate the cost of a meal plan for your dog.
Is it worth it? One final thought.
Mike and I have tried almost every fresh dog food subscription service out there, and The Farmer's Dog is a clear favorite of ours. We'll continue to add the turkey, pork, and beef recipes to Django's dinner bowl so long as the quality and nutritional value of The Farmer's Dog remains stellar and Django continues to drool over the meals.
What is the one downside of The Farmer's Dog for us? The cost. The daily cost of feeding Django The Farmer's Dog is obviously greater than the cost of just feeding Django dry dog food. Like meal delivery services for humans, we are paying more for fresh, high quality ingredients that are packaged conveniently and delivered straight to our door in record time. All of this understandingly demands a higher price than standard dry dog kibble which can stay packaged on a store shelf for years.
If you are looking to save a few dollars, a great way to combat the cost of The Farmer's Dog is to use the meals as a 'topper' on top of a high quality dry dog food. Mike and I often do this at home with Django to significantly extend the lifespan of each Farmer's Dog box. The best part? Django doesn't seem to notice - he's just happy to be getting fresh, homemade dog food in his dinner bowl!
34 comments
DJANGO
@Lugh O’brien Hello, and thanks so much for your comment! From what we’ve read and researched, The Farmer’s Dog 75% moisture content level is actually quite normal for fresh dog food. Unlike dry dog kibble which may have moisture content in the 10% area, you’ll typically see fresh dog food moisture levels in the 60-80% area.
With all of that said, I totally understand how The Farmer’s Dog may not be a reasonable option for your three Aussie/Boston siblings given the cost. It’s definitely a higher cost dog food option given the fresh nature of the ingredients and convenience of getting it shipped straight to your doorstep.
Please give your beautiful Aussie/Boston pups a huge cuddle from us today! Wishing you four all the best <3
@Lugh O’brien Hello, and thanks so much for your comment! From what we’ve read and researched, The Farmer’s Dog 75% moisture content level is actually quite normal for fresh dog food. Unlike dry dog kibble which may have moisture content in the 10% area, you’ll typically see fresh dog food moisture levels in the 60-80% area.
With all of that said, I totally understand how The Farmer’s Dog may not be a reasonable option for your three Aussie/Boston siblings given the cost. It’s definitely a higher cost dog food option given the fresh nature of the ingredients and convenience of getting it shipped straight to your doorstep.
Please give your beautiful Aussie/Boston pups a huge cuddle from us today! Wishing you four all the best <3
Lugh O'brien
It’s an informative article, but I wouldn’t recommend this product because it’s 75% water. My three rescue Aussie/Boston siblings, love running across our 50 acres of woodlands, but they would burn through a $50 bill a day for me to buy them this food.
It’s an informative article, but I wouldn’t recommend this product because it’s 75% water. My three rescue Aussie/Boston siblings, love running across our 50 acres of woodlands, but they would burn through a $50 bill a day for me to buy them this food.
DJANGO
@KATYA Hello! Yes, we still feed The Farmer’s Dog to Django. We’re big fans of including some variation in Django’s diet, so we order it 2-3 times a year. When Django is not having The Farmer’s Dog, he’s enjoying another fresh dog food mixed in his a high quality kibble.
To answer your question, we use The Farmer’s Dog as 50% of the food in Django’s breakfast and dinner bowls. This makes it more than a topper, I suppose, and allows us to use up an entire sleeve within a week and before it goes bad. If we just sprinkled a little on top of his bowl, I agree that we’d probably also not use the food quickly enough and waste money as a result.
Are you able to increase your long haired doxie’s portion size of The Farmer’s Dog a little to ensure the sleeve is used up within the week?
Also, one last comment – The Farmer’s Dog food typically stays good for us for 6-7 days. I think The Farmer’s Dog does indeed suggest using up a sleeve within 4 days. If the food still smells perfectly fine after 5-6 days, I see no reason not to use it!
I hope this helps answer your question! Definitely reach out if any other questions come to mind. Steph (and Django) <3
@KATYA Hello! Yes, we still feed The Farmer’s Dog to Django. We’re big fans of including some variation in Django’s diet, so we order it 2-3 times a year. When Django is not having The Farmer’s Dog, he’s enjoying another fresh dog food mixed in his a high quality kibble.
To answer your question, we use The Farmer’s Dog as 50% of the food in Django’s breakfast and dinner bowls. This makes it more than a topper, I suppose, and allows us to use up an entire sleeve within a week and before it goes bad. If we just sprinkled a little on top of his bowl, I agree that we’d probably also not use the food quickly enough and waste money as a result.
Are you able to increase your long haired doxie’s portion size of The Farmer’s Dog a little to ensure the sleeve is used up within the week?
Also, one last comment – The Farmer’s Dog food typically stays good for us for 6-7 days. I think The Farmer’s Dog does indeed suggest using up a sleeve within 4 days. If the food still smells perfectly fine after 5-6 days, I see no reason not to use it!
I hope this helps answer your question! Definitely reach out if any other questions come to mind. Steph (and Django) <3
DJANGO
BONNIE CANNON Hello, and I apologize for the delay with this reply. The best thing to do in this type of situation is to contact The Farmer’s Dog support team. Their email is helpthefarmersdog.com, and they are incredibly responsive and happy to help their customers. They will be able to pull up your pending order and confirm the subscription cost for your pup based on the preferences you selected during the ordering process.
BONNIE CANNON Hello, and I apologize for the delay with this reply. The best thing to do in this type of situation is to contact The Farmer’s Dog support team. Their email is helpthefarmersdog.com, and they are incredibly responsive and happy to help their customers. They will be able to pull up your pending order and confirm the subscription cost for your pup based on the preferences you selected during the ordering process.
katya
Hi-
Are you still using Farmer’s Dog food? Question: How do you use as a topper? We also have a long haired doxie -but a mini who is 9 pounds. We had a subscription but cancelled it because we can’t go through enough food in 4 days –because we also like to mix it with his farmina kibble to save money. I know Django is bigger but is that ever an issue for you?
Hi-
Are you still using Farmer’s Dog food? Question: How do you use as a topper? We also have a long haired doxie -but a mini who is 9 pounds. We had a subscription but cancelled it because we can’t go through enough food in 4 days –because we also like to mix it with his farmina kibble to save money. I know Django is bigger but is that ever an issue for you?
Bonnie Cannon
I ordered our trial order today but after putting in my CC info I got disconnected from finishing the questionnaire. I never got to the billing info after the trial and I need to know how much the subscription cost will be for my GiGi. How much and how often does it bill my card ? Thank you so much !
I ordered our trial order today but after putting in my CC info I got disconnected from finishing the questionnaire. I never got to the billing info after the trial and I need to know how much the subscription cost will be for my GiGi. How much and how often does it bill my card ? Thank you so much !
Bonnie Cannon
I ordered our trial order today but after putting in my CC info I got disconnected from finishing the questionnaire. I never got to the billing info after the trial and I need to know how much the subscription cost will be for my GiGi. How much and how often does it bill my card ? Thank you so much !
I ordered our trial order today but after putting in my CC info I got disconnected from finishing the questionnaire. I never got to the billing info after the trial and I need to know how much the subscription cost will be for my GiGi. How much and how often does it bill my card ? Thank you so much !
DJANGO
@MARY BREWER It’s nice to hear from you, and I’m so sorry for the delay with this reply! It’s very normal for a dog’s stools to change on a new food, and they can take some time to regulate and normalize.
Smaller, firmer, and less frequent stools can be due to 3 things:
(1) Good and/or improved digestive health. Dogs eating healthier, fresher food should be absorbing more nutrients from the food (relative to a more highly processed diet that is less nutritious). This is because their body is now able to use nutrients from the majority of what they eat, leaving less food as “waste” in the form of stools. Dogs that eat highly processed and less nutrient-dense food often have larger stools since their body discards more unnecessary calories as waste.
(2) Diet low in fiber. If your pup is actually having difficulty going to the bathroom and/or is straining with firm and crumbly stools, this may be a sign of low fiber in the diet. If this is the case, your pup may benefit from trying a diet with slightly higher fiber levels. If the stools are just slightly firm, you might discuss with your vet whether a fiber supplement is something that might be beneficial.
(3) Dehydration. Of course, dehydration can lead to small and hard stools. If your dog is consuming the same amount of water each day, this is likely not the culprit. With that said, you could consider adding a small amount of water to his food bowl to foster better hydration.
We hope this helps!
@MARY BREWER It’s nice to hear from you, and I’m so sorry for the delay with this reply! It’s very normal for a dog’s stools to change on a new food, and they can take some time to regulate and normalize.
Smaller, firmer, and less frequent stools can be due to 3 things:
(1) Good and/or improved digestive health. Dogs eating healthier, fresher food should be absorbing more nutrients from the food (relative to a more highly processed diet that is less nutritious). This is because their body is now able to use nutrients from the majority of what they eat, leaving less food as “waste” in the form of stools. Dogs that eat highly processed and less nutrient-dense food often have larger stools since their body discards more unnecessary calories as waste.
(2) Diet low in fiber. If your pup is actually having difficulty going to the bathroom and/or is straining with firm and crumbly stools, this may be a sign of low fiber in the diet. If this is the case, your pup may benefit from trying a diet with slightly higher fiber levels. If the stools are just slightly firm, you might discuss with your vet whether a fiber supplement is something that might be beneficial.
(3) Dehydration. Of course, dehydration can lead to small and hard stools. If your dog is consuming the same amount of water each day, this is likely not the culprit. With that said, you could consider adding a small amount of water to his food bowl to foster better hydration.
We hope this helps!
Mary Brewer
My dog Rocky absolutely loves this food. I started off mixing it with kibble but switched to the pack a day schedule after a month.
Is it normal that his poop is considerably much smaller than it was on straight kibble. He is 2 years old. Thank you.
My dog Rocky absolutely loves this food. I started off mixing it with kibble but switched to the pack a day schedule after a month.
Is it normal that his poop is considerably much smaller than it was on straight kibble. He is 2 years old. Thank you.
Kitten car seat
You shared such a beautiful information I really liked it very much.
You shared such a beautiful information I really liked it very much.
Buy Dog food
This is my first time visit to your blog and I am very interested in the articles that you serve about dog food. Provide enough knowledge for me.
This is my first time visit to your blog and I am very interested in the articles that you serve about dog food. Provide enough knowledge for me.
DJANGO
@JEN It’s nice to hear from you! One of our favorite organic dry dog food brands for Django is the Organix chicken and sweet potato recipe by Castor & Pollux. This recipe happens to be grain-free, which you may not want. Another really good option to consider is The Honest Kitchen’s Dehydrated Free Range Chicken & Whole Grain Dry Dog Food.
You can read more about both recipes in this DJANGO Dog Blog article (copy/paste link in new browser bar). They are ranked #1 and #5 on our recently updated list:
>>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/the-best-organic-all-natural-and-grain-free-dog-foods <<<
Hope this helps, Jen! Best to you and your pup <3
@JEN It’s nice to hear from you! One of our favorite organic dry dog food brands for Django is the Organix chicken and sweet potato recipe by Castor & Pollux. This recipe happens to be grain-free, which you may not want. Another really good option to consider is The Honest Kitchen’s Dehydrated Free Range Chicken & Whole Grain Dry Dog Food.
You can read more about both recipes in this DJANGO Dog Blog article (copy/paste link in new browser bar). They are ranked #1 and #5 on our recently updated list:
>>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/the-best-organic-all-natural-and-grain-free-dog-foods <<<
Hope this helps, Jen! Best to you and your pup <3
Jen
Thanks for the information! I like the idea of good quality organic kibble and topping off with farmer’s dog :) What brand of organic kibble do you feed your dogs? I am trying to find a good brand.
Thanks for the information! I like the idea of good quality organic kibble and topping off with farmer’s dog :) What brand of organic kibble do you feed your dogs? I am trying to find a good brand.
DJANGO
@SARA This is a great question! I went ahead and emailed The Farmer’s Dog support team with your question. We’ve actually never had to look into this question before since Django (our dachshund) devours his breakfast and dinner within minutes every time :)
Here is the answer to your question from Lindsay at The Farmer’s Dog:
“Thanks for reaching out! Once thawed, our packs stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be kept in the freezer for 4 months.
Since our food doesn’t contain any preservatives, I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out in the bowl longer than an hour. If your dog seems hesitant about eating his recipes, I’d suggest adding a touch of warm water and fluffing it up with a fork. This can help to take the chill off the food and typically gets pups back on track with their fresh recipes. Let me know if this helps at all. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Always here to help with anything you and Django need :)"
Also, it’s good to mention that The Farmer’s Dog Customer Support team can be emailed directly via help@thefarmersdog.com. They are always incredibly receptive to emails and questions and reply back quickly!
@SARA This is a great question! I went ahead and emailed The Farmer’s Dog support team with your question. We’ve actually never had to look into this question before since Django (our dachshund) devours his breakfast and dinner within minutes every time :)
Here is the answer to your question from Lindsay at The Farmer’s Dog:
“Thanks for reaching out! Once thawed, our packs stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be kept in the freezer for 4 months.
Since our food doesn’t contain any preservatives, I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out in the bowl longer than an hour. If your dog seems hesitant about eating his recipes, I’d suggest adding a touch of warm water and fluffing it up with a fork. This can help to take the chill off the food and typically gets pups back on track with their fresh recipes. Let me know if this helps at all. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Always here to help with anything you and Django need :)"
Also, it’s good to mention that The Farmer’s Dog Customer Support team can be emailed directly via help@thefarmersdog.com. They are always incredibly receptive to emails and questions and reply back quickly!
Sara
How long can the food be out of the fridge in my dogs bowl to be good to eat?
How long can the food be out of the fridge in my dogs bowl to be good to eat?
DJANGO
@KIM COLLINS Hi Kim. I’m so sorry to hear about your pup’s allergies. Has he ever had fresh dog food before? Sometimes allergy tests aren’t completely accurate — there are instances where a dog who’s allergic to a specific ingredient in dry food does very well on the fresh version!
If you haven’t already done so, I’d also suggest checking in with your dog’s veterinarian to see if The Farmer’s Dog recipes could be a good fit. The dog food could be worth a try, but I’d only proceed after getting your vet’s approval. Also, just a reminder that we included The Farmer’s Dog recipes’ full ingredient lists and guaranteed analyses above in our article.
One last thing… The Farmer’s Dog’s customer support team is very responsive and helpful. You may want to contact them directly with any of your allergy concerns. Their support email is help@thefarmersdog.com.
@KIM COLLINS Hi Kim. I’m so sorry to hear about your pup’s allergies. Has he ever had fresh dog food before? Sometimes allergy tests aren’t completely accurate — there are instances where a dog who’s allergic to a specific ingredient in dry food does very well on the fresh version!
If you haven’t already done so, I’d also suggest checking in with your dog’s veterinarian to see if The Farmer’s Dog recipes could be a good fit. The dog food could be worth a try, but I’d only proceed after getting your vet’s approval. Also, just a reminder that we included The Farmer’s Dog recipes’ full ingredient lists and guaranteed analyses above in our article.
One last thing… The Farmer’s Dog’s customer support team is very responsive and helpful. You may want to contact them directly with any of your allergy concerns. Their support email is help@thefarmersdog.com.
Laura Hudson
Chezar mentioned anal gland issues. If the issue is excessive scooting and VERY painful expressions at the vet due to build up in the annal glands, I have an easy suggestion to cure it. My dog had this issue and the vet recommended removing the annal glands. I then went to an integrative (wholistic) vet for another option. She suggested chopping up apples and adding them to each meal. I chop up about a slice or a small handful for my 14 lbs dog each meal. You have to be patient, but in 6 months his annal gland issue disappeared. He needs the extra fiber the apples give him and whatever else is in them that works their magic on keeping his annal glands healthy.
Chezar mentioned anal gland issues. If the issue is excessive scooting and VERY painful expressions at the vet due to build up in the annal glands, I have an easy suggestion to cure it. My dog had this issue and the vet recommended removing the annal glands. I then went to an integrative (wholistic) vet for another option. She suggested chopping up apples and adding them to each meal. I chop up about a slice or a small handful for my 14 lbs dog each meal. You have to be patient, but in 6 months his annal gland issue disappeared. He needs the extra fiber the apples give him and whatever else is in them that works their magic on keeping his annal glands healthy.
Kim Collins
Hi- My dog has many food allergies. Am I able to send what my dogs allergies are and you create a food of which he isn’t allergic to?
Thank you,
Kim
Hi- My dog has many food allergies. Am I able to send what my dogs allergies are and you create a food of which he isn’t allergic to?
Thank you,
Kim
DJANGO
@DARLENE Hi! You ask a great question. It is not actually accurate to compare the Guaranteed Analysis of The Farmer’s Dog (or any other fresh dog food brand) to the Guaranteed Analysis of processed and dry dog food. This is because one dog food is fresh and still contains all of its natural moisture, whereas the other dry dog food contains very little water and is highly processed.
The nutritional and fiber content percentages of The Farmer’s Dog and other fresh dog food are naturally very different from what you may be used to seeing on dry dog kibble labels. To accurately compare labels, you would have to convert the Guaranteed Analysis of The Farmer’s Dog to a dry matter basis.
A few other things to keep in mind:
- The Farmer’s Dog recipes are mostly meat alongside a variety of produce; the recipes are purposely designed to deliver an optimal protein and fiber profile for dogs while keeping protein/fat content in a healthy range.
- The Farmer’s Dog recipes are formulated by board-certified ACVN nutritionists to ensure they are 100% nutritionally complete and balanced. This includes ensuring fiber content meets a proper threshold.
- The Farmer’s Dog regularly sends batch samples to labs to confirm they show adequate levels of the appropriate nutrients for a healthy diet.
- Some dry dog food counts by-products such as corn and wheat as fiber. In doing so, this makes the fiber content look very high when truthfully it counts as indigestible by-products.
Lastly – and this is just from personal experience feeding The Farmer’s Dog to my dachshund Django – but my husband and I have never suspected that our little guy Django was more hungry after we switched to The Farmer’s Dog. If anything, I think he was more happy and satisfied after we made the switch. Fresh dog food is more aromatic and enticing for him, and he always seems pleased after eating it!
Hope this helps answer your question!
- Steph (and Django)
@DARLENE Hi! You ask a great question. It is not actually accurate to compare the Guaranteed Analysis of The Farmer’s Dog (or any other fresh dog food brand) to the Guaranteed Analysis of processed and dry dog food. This is because one dog food is fresh and still contains all of its natural moisture, whereas the other dry dog food contains very little water and is highly processed.
The nutritional and fiber content percentages of The Farmer’s Dog and other fresh dog food are naturally very different from what you may be used to seeing on dry dog kibble labels. To accurately compare labels, you would have to convert the Guaranteed Analysis of The Farmer’s Dog to a dry matter basis.
A few other things to keep in mind:
- The Farmer’s Dog recipes are mostly meat alongside a variety of produce; the recipes are purposely designed to deliver an optimal protein and fiber profile for dogs while keeping protein/fat content in a healthy range.
- The Farmer’s Dog recipes are formulated by board-certified ACVN nutritionists to ensure they are 100% nutritionally complete and balanced. This includes ensuring fiber content meets a proper threshold.
- The Farmer’s Dog regularly sends batch samples to labs to confirm they show adequate levels of the appropriate nutrients for a healthy diet.
- Some dry dog food counts by-products such as corn and wheat as fiber. In doing so, this makes the fiber content look very high when truthfully it counts as indigestible by-products.
Lastly – and this is just from personal experience feeding The Farmer’s Dog to my dachshund Django – but my husband and I have never suspected that our little guy Django was more hungry after we switched to The Farmer’s Dog. If anything, I think he was more happy and satisfied after we made the switch. Fresh dog food is more aromatic and enticing for him, and he always seems pleased after eating it!
Hope this helps answer your question!
- Steph (and Django)
Darlene
If the fiber content is so low how does the good fill a dog up?
If the fiber content is so low how does the good fill a dog up?
DJANGO
@CAROL Hi Carol! No, The Farmer’s Dog does not contain anything with lutein in it. Although I suspected the answer was no, I contacted The Farmer’s Dog myself yesterday to verify this information. Here is the direct email answer from Holland, a customer service representative at The Farmer’s Dog:
“While we do not offer lutein in any of our recipes; all of them include zinc, thiamin, and Omega-3 fatty acids- all of which aid in promoting your pup’s eye health. I’m including a link to our full AAFCO nutrient panel here, which includes all of the information you requested. A few notes on how to read this document:
The as-fed column lists the amount (in weight) for the macronutrients per 100 grams of each recipe as it comes out of the pack — these numbers cannot be compared to other brands
The dry matter column lists the amount (in weight) for all nutrients per 100 grams of each recipe if you removed all the water and were left with just the dry solids — look here if you’re comparing to kibble
The per 1000kcal column lists the amount (in weight) for all nutrients per 1000kcal of each recipe, and is standardized for any food type as long as you have the per 1000kcal numbers for another option — look here to calculate the amount per serving
Additionally, I wanted to highlight that our fresh food contains all of its natural moisture (just like the food you buy for yourself from the grocery store!), while dry foods often have all of their moisture cooked out using harsh rendering and processing. This is the reason why you’ll notice our food has a higher moisture content than you may be used to seeing."
@CAROL Hi Carol! No, The Farmer’s Dog does not contain anything with lutein in it. Although I suspected the answer was no, I contacted The Farmer’s Dog myself yesterday to verify this information. Here is the direct email answer from Holland, a customer service representative at The Farmer’s Dog:
“While we do not offer lutein in any of our recipes; all of them include zinc, thiamin, and Omega-3 fatty acids- all of which aid in promoting your pup’s eye health. I’m including a link to our full AAFCO nutrient panel here, which includes all of the information you requested. A few notes on how to read this document:
The as-fed column lists the amount (in weight) for the macronutrients per 100 grams of each recipe as it comes out of the pack — these numbers cannot be compared to other brands
The dry matter column lists the amount (in weight) for all nutrients per 100 grams of each recipe if you removed all the water and were left with just the dry solids — look here if you’re comparing to kibble
The per 1000kcal column lists the amount (in weight) for all nutrients per 1000kcal of each recipe, and is standardized for any food type as long as you have the per 1000kcal numbers for another option — look here to calculate the amount per serving
Additionally, I wanted to highlight that our fresh food contains all of its natural moisture (just like the food you buy for yourself from the grocery store!), while dry foods often have all of their moisture cooked out using harsh rendering and processing. This is the reason why you’ll notice our food has a higher moisture content than you may be used to seeing."
Carol
Does the farmers dog contain anything that has lutein in it
Does the farmers dog contain anything that has lutein in it
Carol
Does the farmers dog contain anything that has lutein in it
Does the farmers dog contain anything that has lutein in it
DJANGO
@JEANNIE Hi Jeannie, it’s nice to hear from you! You ask a great question about the kcal count for The Farmer’s Dog meals. You can view the exact number of calories your dog will eat per day on The Farmer’s Dog website when you are ordering and/or within your Farmer’s Dog account.
Once you enter your dog’s information (breed, weight, age, etc), The Farmer’s Dog will let you select which recipes you’d like (up to three) and also show you the nutritional information for each recipe (under the ‘See details’ links). Here you can view each recipe’s ingredients, nutritional breakdown, and kcal count. In other words, how many calories your dog will get daily if you feed her exclusively The Farmer’s Dog.
For instance, our dog Django is 13.5 lbs and a healthy weight for his breed. If we feed Django only The Farmer’s Dog, he will get a total of 265 calories per day. These numbers will obviously be different depending on your dog’s breed, age, weight, activity level, etc.
As for whether your girl will be satisfied with 435 Kcals of The Farmer’s Dog, I can’t say! Django is definitely satisfied with The Farmer’s Dog and doesn’t beg for food afterwards (he does the opposite – plays or lays down contently after eating). But every dog is different and some dogs are insatiable! And don’t get me wrong, Django is happy after eating, but he’d definitely eat MORE if I let him :)
@JEANNIE Hi Jeannie, it’s nice to hear from you! You ask a great question about the kcal count for The Farmer’s Dog meals. You can view the exact number of calories your dog will eat per day on The Farmer’s Dog website when you are ordering and/or within your Farmer’s Dog account.
Once you enter your dog’s information (breed, weight, age, etc), The Farmer’s Dog will let you select which recipes you’d like (up to three) and also show you the nutritional information for each recipe (under the ‘See details’ links). Here you can view each recipe’s ingredients, nutritional breakdown, and kcal count. In other words, how many calories your dog will get daily if you feed her exclusively The Farmer’s Dog.
For instance, our dog Django is 13.5 lbs and a healthy weight for his breed. If we feed Django only The Farmer’s Dog, he will get a total of 265 calories per day. These numbers will obviously be different depending on your dog’s breed, age, weight, activity level, etc.
As for whether your girl will be satisfied with 435 Kcals of The Farmer’s Dog, I can’t say! Django is definitely satisfied with The Farmer’s Dog and doesn’t beg for food afterwards (he does the opposite – plays or lays down contently after eating). But every dog is different and some dogs are insatiable! And don’t get me wrong, Django is happy after eating, but he’d definitely eat MORE if I let him :)
DJANGO
@STUART MCMILLAN Hi Stuart! You can select up to three recipes when you order The Farmer’s Dog. If you want to feed your dog only one recipe, this is definitely an option. In this case, you would simply select Turkey as your dog’s meal plan. If you want to feed your dog a more varied diet of two or even three recipes (i.e. Turkey, Beef, and Pork), this is also an option when you’re placing your order. Price-wise, it does not make a difference whether you order the same meal or a mix of 2-3 recipes. You will still get the same amount of food with your delivery.
As for what is the better option for your dog (feeding him 1 recipe consistently or alternating recipes in his dinner bowl), this really depends on your dog and his tolerance for variation in his diet. If your dog does well with some variation like our dog Django, I personally prefer offering more variety with protein, legumes, veggies since it provides a more diverse nutrient profile.
If your dog tends to do better with more consistency, however, selecting just one recipe at checkout may be the best idea. If your dog has a more sensitive stomach or a history of allergies, I’d suggest asking your vet for his or her recommendation on which recipe would be the best recipe(s) to proceed with.
@STUART MCMILLAN Hi Stuart! You can select up to three recipes when you order The Farmer’s Dog. If you want to feed your dog only one recipe, this is definitely an option. In this case, you would simply select Turkey as your dog’s meal plan. If you want to feed your dog a more varied diet of two or even three recipes (i.e. Turkey, Beef, and Pork), this is also an option when you’re placing your order. Price-wise, it does not make a difference whether you order the same meal or a mix of 2-3 recipes. You will still get the same amount of food with your delivery.
As for what is the better option for your dog (feeding him 1 recipe consistently or alternating recipes in his dinner bowl), this really depends on your dog and his tolerance for variation in his diet. If your dog does well with some variation like our dog Django, I personally prefer offering more variety with protein, legumes, veggies since it provides a more diverse nutrient profile.
If your dog tends to do better with more consistency, however, selecting just one recipe at checkout may be the best idea. If your dog has a more sensitive stomach or a history of allergies, I’d suggest asking your vet for his or her recommendation on which recipe would be the best recipe(s) to proceed with.
Stuart McMillan
Can you feed your dog just the turkey meal? Or do you alternate days with each type of meal? Should you use all 3 different meals are can you use just 2 different meals?
Can you feed your dog just the turkey meal? Or do you alternate days with each type of meal? Should you use all 3 different meals are can you use just 2 different meals?
Jeannie
Our little ( not anymore) Mudge is a rescued girl. We don’t know her exact breed, but she is very overweight now at age 8 (we think ) . She is NEVER
satisfied with 435 Kcals to help her lose weight. She is very demanding and won’t give up without further treats etc. What are the odds that she will be happy with 435 Kcals of Farmers Dog foods and is there a calorie count available on the packages to know
how many she us getting?
Our little ( not anymore) Mudge is a rescued girl. We don’t know her exact breed, but she is very overweight now at age 8 (we think ) . She is NEVER
satisfied with 435 Kcals to help her lose weight. She is very demanding and won’t give up without further treats etc. What are the odds that she will be happy with 435 Kcals of Farmers Dog foods and is there a calorie count available on the packages to know
how many she us getting?
Jeannie
Our little ( not anymore) Mudge is a rescued girl. We don’t know her exact breed, but she is very overweight now at age 8 (we think ) . She is NEVER
satisfied with 435 Kcals to help her lose weight. She is very demanding and won’t give up without further treats etc. What are the odds that she will be happy with 435 Kcals of Farmers Dog foods and is there a calorie count available on the packages to know
how many she us getting?
Our little ( not anymore) Mudge is a rescued girl. We don’t know her exact breed, but she is very overweight now at age 8 (we think ) . She is NEVER
satisfied with 435 Kcals to help her lose weight. She is very demanding and won’t give up without further treats etc. What are the odds that she will be happy with 435 Kcals of Farmers Dog foods and is there a calorie count available on the packages to know
how many she us getting?
DJANGO
@HOWARD CHEZAR Thanks for the comment! It’s nice to hear from you, although I’m sorry to hear your dog is having anal gland issues. We’ve never had any issues feeding Farmer’s Dog to Django. Of course, every dog is different, and some dogs have specific food allergies or dietary needs that only a veterinarian can help you address. We’re not medical professionals – just loving dog parents – so please consult your vet with any health questions you have. Anal gland issues can be caused by several factors including food allergies, skin allergies, obesity, low thyroid, etc. Your vet knows your dog best and is the best person to figure out what is causing your pup’s problem. If food allergies are indeed the culprit, your vet should be able to determine which allergies exist and recommend any necessary dietary changes.
@HOWARD CHEZAR Thanks for the comment! It’s nice to hear from you, although I’m sorry to hear your dog is having anal gland issues. We’ve never had any issues feeding Farmer’s Dog to Django. Of course, every dog is different, and some dogs have specific food allergies or dietary needs that only a veterinarian can help you address. We’re not medical professionals – just loving dog parents – so please consult your vet with any health questions you have. Anal gland issues can be caused by several factors including food allergies, skin allergies, obesity, low thyroid, etc. Your vet knows your dog best and is the best person to figure out what is causing your pup’s problem. If food allergies are indeed the culprit, your vet should be able to determine which allergies exist and recommend any necessary dietary changes.
Howard Chezar
We r temporarily taking our dog off Farmer’s dog and going back to basic healthy kibble with grain
Our dig has developed anal gland issues what do you think about the cause? Allergy to something possibly in FD chick peas etc are a protein substitute etc so we have to go back to basics
We r temporarily taking our dog off Farmer’s dog and going back to basic healthy kibble with grain
Our dig has developed anal gland issues what do you think about the cause? Allergy to something possibly in FD chick peas etc are a protein substitute etc so we have to go back to basics
DJANGO
@CLAIRE Hello! It’s nice to hear from you, and thanks for the question. Our dachshund Django is just under 5 years old and in good health. Django is also a healthy weight. Luckily Django has never had any health issues, so we cannot (and would never) claim that any food we give him has helped address specific health issues or concerns. We are also not medical professionals — just loving dog parents — and would not feel comfortable saying one particular product has helped Django the most.
What I can say is that we (Mike and Steph) strive to give Django the healthiest diet and lifestyle possible so he lives a long, happy, and healthy life with us. We only feed Django healthy dog food and treats and avoid anything with low quality protein sources, artificial ingredients, preservatives, etc. We often boil plain organic chicken for Django and add this as a topper to Django’s meals. Occasionally we add an organic egg to his bowl. This morning Django had a few chopped up fresh organic blueberries and strawberries in his breakfast bowl with leftover plain baked salmon from last night. You get the point :)
We love The Farmer’s Dog because it checks all the boxes we’re after when it comes to high quality dog foods. It’s made with whole, real ingredients including high quality animal protein, and preservatives/chemicals/artificial flavors are never added. The food is gently cooked and nutrition dense vs. highly processed kibble. On top of that, Django loves it. Is The Farmer’s Dog the only good dog food out there? Of course not. But we love it and consider it to be a great option for those looking for fresh, healthy dog food options.
If your dog has specific health issues, I would definitely recommend speaking directly to your vet and asking if there are specific dietary changes you can make that may help your dog. We’re not in a position to advise anyone on doggy medical issues or health concerns and would never suggest one food will successfully address a problem.
Thanks again for reaching out, and let us know if you have any other questions of course. Stay well!
@CLAIRE Hello! It’s nice to hear from you, and thanks for the question. Our dachshund Django is just under 5 years old and in good health. Django is also a healthy weight. Luckily Django has never had any health issues, so we cannot (and would never) claim that any food we give him has helped address specific health issues or concerns. We are also not medical professionals — just loving dog parents — and would not feel comfortable saying one particular product has helped Django the most.
What I can say is that we (Mike and Steph) strive to give Django the healthiest diet and lifestyle possible so he lives a long, happy, and healthy life with us. We only feed Django healthy dog food and treats and avoid anything with low quality protein sources, artificial ingredients, preservatives, etc. We often boil plain organic chicken for Django and add this as a topper to Django’s meals. Occasionally we add an organic egg to his bowl. This morning Django had a few chopped up fresh organic blueberries and strawberries in his breakfast bowl with leftover plain baked salmon from last night. You get the point :)
We love The Farmer’s Dog because it checks all the boxes we’re after when it comes to high quality dog foods. It’s made with whole, real ingredients including high quality animal protein, and preservatives/chemicals/artificial flavors are never added. The food is gently cooked and nutrition dense vs. highly processed kibble. On top of that, Django loves it. Is The Farmer’s Dog the only good dog food out there? Of course not. But we love it and consider it to be a great option for those looking for fresh, healthy dog food options.
If your dog has specific health issues, I would definitely recommend speaking directly to your vet and asking if there are specific dietary changes you can make that may help your dog. We’re not in a position to advise anyone on doggy medical issues or health concerns and would never suggest one food will successfully address a problem.
Thanks again for reaching out, and let us know if you have any other questions of course. Stay well!
Claire
Thanks for your review. But what I’d like to know is that did it fix any issues Django had? Other than truly liking the food, I mean what doggie wouldn’t like that stuff?
Thanks for your review. But what I’d like to know is that did it fix any issues Django had? Other than truly liking the food, I mean what doggie wouldn’t like that stuff?
Claire
Thanks for your review. But what I’d like to know is that did it fix any issues Django had? Other than truly liking the food, I mean what doggie wouldn’t like that stuff?
Thanks for your review. But what I’d like to know is that did it fix any issues Django had? Other than truly liking the food, I mean what doggie wouldn’t like that stuff?
NormanWilkes
Useful and great knowledge to learn. thank you!
Dogs’ Products
Useful and great knowledge to learn. thank you!
Dogs’ Products