The 5 Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery Services (Review)

What Is Fresh Dog Food? Today, more and more pet owners prefer fresh food. Owners are concerned about improving their dogs’ health and try to choose the most beneficial and balanced diet for their pet.  

The term ‘natural nutrition’ refers to every except for commercial feed. The natural diet tries to emulate the diet of wild dogs closely. Since it is very difficult to feed dogs with whole wild animals, pet owners should think about how to meet dogs’ needs for healthy food in another way. The digestive system is typical of a predator and can fully digest meat and bones. The stomach acid is powerful and can easily and promptly dissolve even bones, cartilage, and raw meat. Gastric juices released in proportion to the amount of meat eaten, which can deal with low levels of bacteria. Meat is easily digested when food is not cooked.

It can be difficult to provide a nutritionally balanced diet at home without the advice of a professional veterinary nutritionist. According to studies, there are no essential nutrients in many homemade diets such as vitamins and Iodine.

You do not need to give all the vital nutrients at each individual feeding. When feeding natural and raw diets you can stick to diversity in subsequent foods.

It is great to feed your dog natural food, which contains everything necessary for the body of a carnivorous animal. All this talk about domesticating a dog and them no longer being able to digest raw food is illogical as they have not evolved that far from their predecessors. While kibble, canned food, and other modern dietary options can be a safe and easy choice, some pet owners believe that it cannot replace fresh meat, bones, and vegetables.^[6]

TOP-5 Fresh Dog Food Delivery Brands

However, if you use natural dog food delivery services, the food will be made from fresh ingredients and delivered in the shortest possible time, before having time to go off.

Refrigerated Food for Dogs Delivery Services Reviews

1. The Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog is a delivery service that prepares dog food from fresh ingredients and delivers fresh food to the customer. The company was founded in the year 2015. Fresh food is prepared in New York and delivered directly to the buyer. The company claims that it uses natural meat and vegetables of the highest quality in its recipes. The Farmer’s Dog company sells simple recipes developed to the quality standards of USDA-certified institutions. The preparation of food is overseen by a veterinarian. The formula can be adapted to your pet’s needs. Ready-made fresh food is delivered within a few days after cooking and is not frozen. The feed is pre-portioned and ready to eat. When cooking, the manufacturer does not use any preservatives. ^[1]

Features:

• Certified veterinary nutritionists participate in the development of recipes. Each serving is tailored to your dog’s needs.
• The formula of fresh feed does not contain preservatives. You will need to store the products chilled.
• Recipes are made from organic ingredients that are suitable for human consumption. The feed does not contain any dry granules.
• Delivery is carried out within 24 hours. The food is not frozen, so it is as fresh as possible.
• Eco-friendly packaging. All packaging materials used by the Farmer’s Dog company are recyclable.

Ingredient List:

Different recipes include products such as turkey, pork, beef, parsnip, chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, spinach, lentils, sweet potatoes, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, fish oil, vitamin B12, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, vitamin E, copper amino acid chelate, thiamine Mononitrate, sodium Selenite, Riboflavin, potassium iodide, vitamin D3, folic acid, fish oil, sunflower seeds, USDA beef liver, USDA pork liver, and more.

The buyer may ask not to include any ingredient in the feed recipe if their dog is allergic.

Available Tasty Recipes:

The Farmer’s Dog company provides a choice of three recipes: 

• Beef and lentil recipe (32% protein and 24% fat) 
• Pork and sweet potato recipe (39% protein and 25%) 
• Turkey and parsnip recipe (32% protein and 18%)

Nutrition Ranges:

• Protein: min. 9% — 11%
• Fat: min. 5% — 8%
• Moisture: 66% — 72%

Costs:

Prices for the Farmer’s Dog food range from $2 to $12 per day, depending on your dog’s size and breed. For a 25 pounds (11.34 kg), 6-year-old mixed-breed, the Full Meals plan will cost $29.78 per week. For a 70-pound, 6-year-old mixed-breed dog with a moderate activity level, the Full Meals plan will cost $70.14 per week.

When you first order, the Farmer’s Dog gives you the option to refund your money if you are not satisfied with the product provided. After placing your first order, you can choose delivery (14 times a day) at intervals of 2 to 12 weeks.

Delivery Options:

It is easy to order food from the Farmer’s Dog. To start, the buyer must create a profile on the site and enter information about their dog (breed, age, weight, body shape, activity level, current nutrition, and other details. 

After that, the company will provide you with a recommended plan, which you can adjust by deleting any offers.

READ FULL REVIEW: Complete Farmer’s Dog Food Review

2. Pet Plate

Fresh dog food delivery service Pet Plate delivers unique recipes specifically to meet your dog’s needs. The company was founded in the year 2016. The production process takes place in New York. All feed formulas are developed by a certified veterinary dietitian (DACVN).

Freshly prepared food is delivered directly to your door, ready to eat. Dishes are prepared from products that are suitable for human consumption. The formula does not contain any by-products, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. All food is prepared from meat, fruit, and vegetables and is quickly frozen to preserve nutrients and ensure freshness. Portions of Pet Plate feed are delivered in closed containers. So, to feed your pet, you only need to open the container’s lid, and that’s it.

Each serving of food is balanced, containing only natural ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. Pet Plate employees claim that products will remain fresh in sealed containers for 10 days and 3-4 days after opening. Besides, food can be frozen for up to 18 months.

Features:

• Pet Plate company prepares its food under the supervision of veterinary nutritionists and from human-quality ingredients.
• Your dog’s nutrition plan is developed based on the animal’s needs, body condition, and activity level.
• All meals are delivered in 100% recycled plastic containers.

Ingredients List:

Natural and organic ingredients suitable for human consumption are used in the preparation of feed. Different formulas contain different ingredients. Besides, the owner may ask to exclude some products from the recipe if their dog is allergic.

The following meat ingredients are used in feed: Ground beef, beef liver, ground chicken, chicken liver, ground turkey, turkey liver, ground lamb, lamb liver.

The feed also contains other ingredients including: Sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, green peas, pumpkin, broccoli, quinoa, natural flavors, safflower oil, salmon oil, calcium carbonate, salt, vitamins, and minerals (taurine, vitamin E, iron fumarate) zinc oxide, manganese gluconate, thiamine Mononitrate, magnesium oxide, potassium iodide, sodium Selenite, vitamin D3).

Available Tasty Recipes:

Pet Plate offers four recipes based on four types of protein:

• Beef.
• Chicken.
• Lamb.
• Turkey.

Chompin’ Chicken recipe is ideal for dogs with sensitive digestive systems and for those who are overweight. The lamb-based recipe is an excellent option for dogs that are sensitive to other protein sources and puppies that need extra energy.

Nutrition Ranges:

• Protein: min. 10.8% — 12.5%
• Fat: min. 4.2% — 6.4%
• Moisture: 68% -74%

Costs:

Pet Plan food prices start at $3. For example, for a 25 pounds (11.34 kg), 6-year-old mixed-breed (Plug-Jack Russell Terrier mix) weighing approximately 20, a chompin ‘Chicken recipe-based meal plan costs $4.86 per day. If you calculate the ration for a 70-pound 6-year-old mixed breed (Labrador Retriever-Weimaraner mix), the price will be $9.00 per day. Pet Plate offers a 25% discount on your first order.

Delivery Options:

To use the services of the fresh dog food delivery service Pet Plate, you need to create a profile for your pet on the site and enter some basic information (gender, sterilized pet or not, breed, age, current weight, activity level, and preferred recipe). You can order up to four different recipes per delivery.^[2]

READ FULL REVIEW: Pet Plate Review

3. Spot and Tango

Spot & Tango offers services for preparing fresh food for dogs. The company makes fresh portions of food without preservatives, fillers, or artificial additives. All Spot & Tango recipes are developed by veterinary nutritionists. Diets are selected according to your dog’s individual needs, depending on the weight of the pet, breed, and age, as well as the lifestyle of your pet. All feed formulas meet the requirements of AAFCO. Spot & Tango offers a choice of three recipes without gluten and with the option of removing a dog’s allergens. All the ingredients that are used in feed are suitable for human consumption.

Features:

• The company provides a good discount if you transfer your dog to a new diet. You can buy Spot & Tango for the first two weeks at a reduced price.
• Environmentally friendly packaging. All packaging materials used by the company are recyclable and biodegradable.
• Made from USDA certified ingredients.
• They do not contain preservatives, growth hormones, artificial additives, gluten, grain, wheat, soy, and corn.
• They are prepared at low temperatures in small portions in a USDA / FDA-approved kitchen.

Ingredients List:

All recipes contain natural ingredients. The protein consists of three types of meat-Turkey, beef, and lamb. Other ingredients: red quinoa, millet, cranberries, apple, spinach, carrots, peas, eggs, parsley, egg, brown rice, blueberries, apple cider vinegar, safflower oil, vegetable broth, natural blend of vitamins and minerals.

Available Tasty Recipes:

Spot & Tango offers a choice of several recipes at different prices and with different ingredients. There are three main recipes based on three different types of protein:

• Turkey with spinach and organic vegetables.
• Beef with millet, cranberries, and vegetable broth.
• Lamb with brown rice, blueberries, and carrots.

Nutrition Ranges:

• Protein: min. 11.80%
• Fat: min. 6.64%
• Moisture: 70%

Costs:

The cost of the Spot & Tango diet depends on the needs of your dog. For example, a portion of a turkey recipe might cost $4.05; a beef recipe would cost $4.36, and a portion of lamb feed would cost $6.19.

Spot & Tango offers a 20% discount on a two-week trial. If the customer likes the quality of services after the first two weeks, they can always switch to a full meal plan.

Delivery Options:

The ordering process in Spot & Tango is similar to other services. The customer must enter information about the dog, including the pet’s age, body type, current weight, activity level, and any special health conditions (such as obesity, arthritis, or digestive problems). After that, Spot & Tango will generate recipe recommendations for your pet. There is more than one option to choose from so that the customer can mix and match recipes.^[3]

4. Darwin’s Pet

Darwin’s Pet fresh food delivery service is a company that creates fresh, healthy, and high-quality meals for your pets. This company allows pet owners to develop individual, custom-sized dishes that use high-quality ingredients. These dog food does not contain grains and has a ratio of 75% meat to 25% vegetables. Their diet guarantees complete and balanced nutrition in accordance with AAFCO standards.

Features:

• Each diet is designed to meet your pet’s overall nutritional needs.
• All manufactured feeds are gluten-and grain-free.
• The meat used does not contain hormones or steroids.
• 75% meat, 25% vegetables, and nutrients.
• All of Darwin’s Pet dishes are designed by veterinarians.

Ingredients List:

At the time of writing this review, Darwin’s Pet food delivery service has five recipes. Sources of protein are meat, necks, wings, stomachs, liver, and hearts.

Also, almost all recipes contain organic vegetables such as: yams, romaine lettuce, zucchini, carrots, yellow squash, celery, and parsley, as well as fish oil, sea salt, choline chloride, zinc Proteinate, vitamin E, manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, vitamin B12, iodine, vitamin D3.

Available Tasty Recipes:

The Darwin Natural Selections product line includes five dog food recipes based on one type of protein: Chicken, duck, turkey, beef, and lamb, but all based on the same formula: 75% meat and 25% vegetables. The most popular are the natural products of the premium class.

Darwin’s pet also offers a more cost-effective BioLogics Raw product. This line’s feed is made from “traditionally” grown beef, Turkey, chicken, and vegetables from “The same farms that supply your supermarket”.

Besides, Darwin’s Pet provides the opportunity to choose a veterinary nutrition plan (Intelligent Design). This line is designed specifically to support dogs with specific health problems.

Nutrition Ranges:

• Protein: min. 46%
• Fat: min. 35%
• Moisture: 72%

Costs:

For a dog weighing 40 pounds (18.14 kg), you will need to spend more than $6.00 per day on the cheapest option (BioLogics chicken) or over $12.10 per day (natural choice duck).^[5]

Delivery Options:

Darwin’s Pet delivers products directly to customers. When ordering food, as in other companies, the owner will need to enter the pet’s name, weight, and protein preferences. After that, you will receive individually portioned packages tailored to your pet’s needs.

5. Raw Paws Pet Food

Raw Paws was founded in 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The service provides pet owners with a wide selection of natural food and other treats. All feeds are made from meat that meets the high standards of the USDA. Besides, Raw Paws provides its clients with free advice in relation to their diet. Raw Paws provides pet owners with high-quality products that will help you keep your pet healthy and happy. 

Features:

• The company state that all products used in the feed preparation process do not contain hormones and antibiotics.
• Raw Paws recipes contain the right ratio of meat, bones, and organs.
• All products are grown in eco-friendly conditions. 
• Food is not delivered in individual portions, but in one and five-pound tubes. 
• The Raw Paws website contains portion offers for dogs of various sizes.

Ingredients List:

The company provides a variety of recipes and treats. The main sources of protein in the feed are chicken meat, heart, liver, beef, minced beef, duck, etc. Other ingredients in the feed include herring oil and tocopherol D-alpha. This contains a large amount of nutrient-rich phosphorus, which helps provide the dog with energy for an active lifestyle. Raw Paws products also contain nutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin K, Niacin, potassium, and selenium. These vitamins and minerals are useful for growth and development and for improving the appearance of skin and coat.

Available Tasty Recipes:

Raw Paws produces raw food mixes consistent with the BARF diet (bones and raw food). The company pays close attention to the quality of the ingredients used. The production uses only meat from the United States, which does not contain hormones and antibiotics.  

A wide range of mixes, diets and treats are available.

• Blend Complete Ground: 78% meat, 12% organs, and 10% bones.
• A brand mix of ground beef and vegetables: 85% beef (78% meat, 12% organs, and 10% bones) and 15% vegetables.
• Duck: 80% meat, 10% organs, and 10% bones and others.

Nutrition Ranges:

• Protein: min. 70%-90%
• Fat: min. 15%
• Moisture: 60%

Costs:

Raw Paws offers several feed options, each of which is priced differently. However, based on the fact that the food is not divided into portions and consists of raw meat, organs, and bones, rather than a more nutritious mixture, feeding your dog “Raw Paws” will cost significantly less than the food prepared by many of its competitors. 

Besides, Raw Paws offers free shipping on orders over $49 and various coupons. Check the website for more information.

Delivery Options:

Raw Paws feeds are delivered to customers in one-and five-pound tubes, rather than in individual portions. The company provides free advice on feeding guidelines and nutrition plans. 

Raw Paws products are delivered to all States except Alaska and Hawaii. However, it does not deliver frozen food to some regions of Western Central Nevada and Eastern California near the Nevada border.^[4]

Benefits Of Fresh Dog Food

For some dogs, feeding a natural diet may help them build a healthy immune system and can be beneficial for their digestive system. It has also been associated with lower periodontal disease and reduced atopic skin disease. This is due to their biology. Dogs are predators: their body structure is similar to that of wolves. 

Possible advantages of a natural diet:

• improves digestion, particularly in those dogs who are sensitive to food additives and grains;
• reduces the amount of excrement and its odour;
• Coat can become stronger and shinier;
• pets may become more energetic;
• teeth are cleaned and become healthier; it is especially superior to feeding wet, canned diets which can cake on teeth;
• sharply reduces the risk of urinary tract diseases;

The main source of energy for dogs is animal protein, which is found in fresh meat and offal, as well as the stomach contents of their prey. When Pets are switched to natural food, their digestion is normalized. The acidity of the gastric juice is restored and the food may be better absorbed. 

Stool quality improvement

When owners feed their pets correctly, their body absorbs most of the food. The volume of the stool can be reduced by half. On a natural diet, pets often defecate less often: once a day or even less frequently. The stool becomes dry and the associated odour may improve. Wild dogs do not leave odorous traces, so as not to become a victim of larger predators.

Pets that are fed high-carb foods may have a hard time absorbing excess carbohydrates and because their bodies can’t cope with excess nutrients, they produce more waste products. Frequent, smelly or loose stools may be a sign of digestive issues which could be caused by an improper diet.^[7]

Improving the health of the fur

Pets should receive unsaturated omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. They can improve skin health as well as fur quality and shine. In nature, dogs get fatty acids from their prey. When pets switch to natural food, their fur’s condition may noticeably improve after a few short months.

More energy

Anecdotally, some owners notice that after the transition to a fresh diet, pets become more energetic. Animals get energy from protein as well as carbohydrates and fats. Gluconeogenesis is not limited to predators or even carnivores. Protein should NOT be the main energy source and should make up only about 25-35% of the diet.

Sound teeth

An animal’s dental health depends partly on genetics, and they are similar to humans in this respect. In the wild, dogs do not suffer from much gum disease or tooth loss. They gnaw and chew raw bones, meat, connective tissue, hides, and wool. This is how they help keep plaque build up low and clean their teeth.

Natural food contains very few carbohydrates. From an excess of carbohydrates and sugars on the teeth of animals, a starch film is formed. Because of this, plaque appears, gum diseases develop, and teeth are destroyed. To prevent these issues from developing, you need to ensure your pet is not being fed too many carbohydrates and implement daily tooth brushing.

Bones and cartilage can serve as natural ‘toothbrushes’ for predators. Taking care of dental health is very important: bacterial infections from the mouth can spread throughout the animal’s body to the heart and liver. Caution is advised though as bones can potentially fracture teeth and splinter and damage the GI tract, even causing perforations and sepsis.

READ MORE: Dog Gums Health

Healthy urinary tract

Meat contains about 65%-70% water. Dry food contains a large amount of carbohydrates and very little water (only about 7-10%). When pets eat dry type, they tend to have less urine in their bladder at any given time, meaning the urine is more concentrated and can also be more alkaline. This increases the risk of urinary tract inflammation and stone formation. Predators in the wild do not typically have such problems because they get enough liquid in their natural diet.

Happy owner

Another advantage of a natural diet is calm owners. People who have switched their Pets to raw food no longer need to worry that there are harmful additives in the feed. Owners always know what they are feeding their pets because it includes only natural products, which is easy to check.^[8]

READ MORE: Wet vs Dry Dog Food

Fresh Dog Food Delivery vs Buying In-Store

Many of the poorer quality, economy-class feeds consist of ingredients such as flour, dyes, gluten, and preservatives with the addition of “meat by-products”. As a rule, meat by-products are at the best skin, lungs, and ears and at worst, ground horns and hooves. The content of “meat” in such feeds varies from as little as 4% up to 52%. (I would want to see the source for this as there are so many diets on the market, this would be hard to back up).

Over the years, dogs have been eating game, poultry and other animals in raw form. Even premium products from the store goes through intensive processing during production, including heating to very high temperatures. Heat treatment reduces the nutritional value of all components. They lose vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Manufacturers compensate for the loss of nutrients with supplements. 

Most fresh and raw food companies will develop products with the help of veterinarians. The result is a healthy diet that consists of real meat with the addition of organic fruits and vegetables. Companies also tend to pay attention to the source and sustainability of ingredients.

Most manufacturers of fresh dog diets can sell their products in portion-sized packages in stores. However, when dealing with fresh products, you need to be careful because they can quickly go stale.

FAQ

Article Sources:

1. “Fresh Human-Grade Dog Food Delivery | The Farmer’s Dog.” The Farmer’s Dog, thefarmersdog.com
2. PetPlate: Fresh Dog Food Delivery. petplate.com
3. Fresh, All-Natural Dog Food Delivered To You, Spot and Tango spotandtango.com
4. Pet Food, Chews, Treats, Supplements, Free Shipping, Low Prices, Raw Paws Pet Food rawpawspetfood.com
5. Darwin’s Natural Pet Products — Delivering Raw Pet Food Direct to Your Door, Darwin’s Pet Food darwinspet.com
6. Sabchuk, Tabyta. “Effect of Feeding Frequency of a Diet Containing Soya Hulls on the Food Intake and Behaviour of Dogs” Journal of Nutritional Science, Cambridge Core, 8 Dec. 2014, doi.org/10.1017/jns.2014.34
7. Bradshaw, J. “Sensory and Experiential Factors in the Design of Foods for Domestic Dogs and Cats” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, Cambridge Core, 28 Feb. 2007, doi.org/10.1079/PNS19910015
8. Elliot, Delia. The Pros and Cons of a Raw Food Diet for Dogs, Petplan, 9 Apr. 2015, petplan.co.uk/pet-information/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-raw-food-diets-for-dogs