The Farmer's Dog Review #2 - Fresh Dog Food Brand Review & 50% Off Farmer's Dog Promo Code
Review #2! It’s been over three years since we wrote our first review of The Farmer’s Dog and over four years since we started feeding this fresh dog food to our long-haired dachshund, Django. Over the years, The Farmer’s Dog has introduced has launched a DIY Nutrient Mix for homemade fresh dog food and added salmon oil to its increasingly popular fresh dog food recipes. In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we provide an updated overview and review of The Farmer's Dog based on our extensive experience with the fresh dog food brand.More
Dog-Fancier
Review #2! It’s been over three years since Mike and I (Steph) wrote our first review of The Farmer’s Dog and over four years since we started feeding this fresh dog food to our adorable long-haired dachshund, Django.Â
We initially discovered The Farmer's Dog back in 2018. At the time, we were still feeding Django a lot of dog kibble. Although I'd throw a cooked egg, chopped strawberries, or even wild caught salmon on top of Django's dinner bowl, I wasn't happy feeding Django highly processed dog food day in and day out.
Dog kibble is highly processed? YES. You can read how dry dog kibble is made here and learn why kibble is not considered the best option for dog food. I knew there had to be something fresher and more nutrient-packed than pellet-shaped kibble. Fast forward to today, and The Farmer's Dog continues to be our family's favorite fresh dog food for Django.
In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we provide an updated overview and review of The Farmer's Dog based on our own experience feeding our dachshund Django The Farmer's Dog meals. If you have any questions about our experience or want to share your own experience with our community, please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you!
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WHAT IS THE FARMER'S DOG?
The Farmer's Dog is a fresh dog food delivery service that ships fully cooked and pre-portioned meals straight to your door.Â
Unlike dry dog food which is cooked at extremely high temperatures and de-moisturized to extend shelf life, The 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 6 months.
Subscription? Yes. While the Farmer's Dog does not require a long-term commitment, it is an auto-renewing subscription plan. When you buy a 2-week trial box (more on this below), you are also signing up for an ongoing meal plan subscription. You can select how many recipes you want to get with each order, and you can cancel, pause, or restart your subscription at any time.
“CAN YOU FEED PUPPIES THE FARMER’S DOG?”
Yes. Puppies older than 6 weeks can eat The Farmer's Dog. All four recipes offered by The Farmer's Dog (chicken, turkey, beef, and pork) are balanced to meet the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional standards for puppy development and growth.
The recipes provide the proper ratio of phosphorus and calcium to promote healthy canine teeth and bone development, and they are also loaded with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are vital for a range of bodily functions including immunity, eye and brain development, and joint, coat, and skin health.
“IS THE FARMER’S DOG VET APPROVED?”
Yes. The Farmer's Dog was formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and is known to provide 100% balanced and complete nutrition for dogs. Unlike dog kibble, which falls under the regulatory framework of “feed,” The Farmer's Dog uses clean, human-grade ingredients that are prepared in a USDA-certified kitchen.
Interestingly, from March 2014 to March 2020, The Farmer's Dog ran its own at-home feeding trial. The trial involved a mix of dogs varying in age, size, and breed and included Australian shepherds, French bulldogs, and Rottweilers. All 10 participating dogs were exclusively fed The Farmer's Dog while receiving occasional treats. Dr. Lisa Lippman, one of the most followed and socially influential vets in the U.S., took 49 blood values and found that each dog's nutrient level met AAFCO guidelines.
“IS THE FARMER’S DOG GOOD FOR DOGS WITH SENSITIVE STOMACHS?”
While The Farmer's Dog is not a miracle cure for any digestive problem (no food is), switching to a high-nutrient and fresh pet food may help dogs with chronic sensitive or upset stomachs. Why? For one, you will be ensuring your dog is eating real, whole foods at all times. When you fill your dog's bowl with The Farmer's Dog, you will be able to see each food ingredient listed in the recipe. There are no low quality proteins and fillers, artificial ingredients, or colorings that can lead to gastric problems.
Second, with The Farmer's Dog, you will know exactly what ingredients you are feeding your dog at all times. Unfortunately, not all commercial pet food companies are transparent about the ingredients in their recipes. A 2014 study confirmed that almost 40% of processed dog food contained ingredients not listed on the pet food label. Many brands mislabeled cans and containers. Some even claimed to use ingredients that were not even found in the food! Although wet dog food was more likely than dry dog food to have missing or inaccurate ingredients listed, errors were found in both types of dog food.
THEÂ FARMER'S DOG UNBOXING
Each Farmer's Dog box is insulated and packaged with dry ice that keeps the dog food safe and cold throughout the intended day of delivery. We have never experienced a situation where Django's food arrived thawed or in bad condition. With that said, if you do ever have an issue with your delivery, email [email protected]. The Farmer's Dog support team is incredibly responsive and always eager to help its customers.
The Farmer's Dog meals are pre-portioned and packaged within non-toxic, BPA-free plastic sleeves. When our Farmer's Dog box arrives, we put every sleeve in freezer. When we need to thaw food for Django, we simply put a new sleeve the refrigerator the night before we need it, and it's ready by morning. Another option for thawing is to simply run the frozen sleeve under warm water for a few minutes.
Each Farmer's Dog box comes with a feeding guide for your pup and a silicone food storage container. Although Mike and I rarely use the food storage container—we typically put a rubber band around Django's food sleeves—the container is high quality and a nice option for storage.
It is also worth mentioning that The Farmer's Dog is an eco-friendly U.S. company. This is especially important to Mike and I. We built DJANGO, our dog accessories and apparel business, with environmental philanthropy in mind. A lot of our products, including our best selling Tahoe Collection, promote environmental welfare with every sale.
The Farmer's Dog has taken many steps to ensure every piece of its packaging is fully recyclable. The shipping boxes and plastic wrappings, for instance, are both recyclable. Even the insulation which keeps the dry ice frozen throughout transport is eco-friendly. Fun fact: it's made of dissolvable corn starch! Simply run the insulation under cold water in your sink and it will dissolve quickly—and not clog your drain.
RECIPES, NUTRITION, AND QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS
The Farmer's Dog currently offers 4 fresh dog food recipes: chicken, turkey, beef, and pork. They are balanced to meet the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional standards for growth (i.e., puppies), reproduction (i.e., pregnant or nursing dogs), and maintenance (i.e., adult dogs).
Each recipe contains whole muscle and organ meat, fiber-packed legumes, and fresh vegetables like Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. It also includes human-grade salmon oil and an essential vitamin and mineral supplement called 'TFD Nutrient Blend' (or 'TFD Nutrient Pack'). Below we have included the ingredient list and guaranteed analyses for each Farmer's Dog recipe.Â
RECIPES & GUARANTEED ANALYSES
QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS
As mentioned earlier, The Farmer's Dog food is made with high quality, human grade ingredients. They are safe for both you and your dog to eat.
All Farmer's Dog ingredients come from local farms, restaurant suppliers, and other wholesale food distributors that meet USDA standards. The beef, chicken, pork, and turkey are all-natural and do not have additives or preservatives. This is important to Mike and me because we only buy organic or all-natural meat without any antibiotics, added growth hormones, or animal by-products for our family.
The Farmer's Dog has better overall nutritional value than dry dog food. Kibble is made by mixing animal proteins, vegetables, legumes, fruits, grains, and oils into a coarse flour-like substance. It is then pressure-cooked above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the dog food mixture is forced through a spaghetti-shaped die, and the tasteless, dry pellets are sprayed with artificial flavorings and colors so your dog actually wants to eat them at dinnertime.
Unlike dry dog food, you can see each individual ingredient in The Farmer’s Dog meals. Each recipe is also gently cooked at a relatively low heat. Then it is quickly frozen and shipped straight to your door within days of cooking.
“DOES THE FARMER'S DOG USE ORGAN MEAT?”
While there is no organ meat in the Farmer's Dog turkey recipe, its other recipes include human-grade liver.Â
Beef, chicken, and pork liver actually have more nutrients than muscle meat. They are also packed with essential nutrients, including Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A, B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12), and minerals, such as copper, iron, and selenium.Â
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DJANGO'S PERSONAL REVIEW OF THE FARMER'S DOGÂ
In 2019, we started feeding Django The Farmer's Dog. At the time of writing (March 2023), he still loves it. One funny thing about Django? Whenever we take The Farmer’s Dog out of our refrigerator, his tail starts wagging, he spins around in circles, and he even barks at us as if to say, "Give me my Farmer's Dog, Mom!!!!". He's only done this once or twice before when we fed him a different high quality fresh dog food.
For full transparency, Mike and I don't feed Django 100% The Farmer's Dog. Rather we usually feed Django 50% Farmer's Dog and 50% organic or all-natural dog kibble with high quality animal proteins and limited ingredients.
If you're hesitant to order The Farmer's Dog because of the cost, using The Farmer's Dog for 50% of your dog's daily food intake is a great option and a way to save. Some even use The Farmer's Dog as a topper, i.e. their dog may eat 25% The Farmer's Dog and 75% another dog food.
WHERE TO BUY THEÂ FARMER'S DOG FOOD
To buy The Farmer's Dog, head over to thefarmersdog.com and click "You have been gifted 50% off your first box. Redeem now." Use one of our links to get 50% off your first Farmer's Dog box.
You will enter a user-friendly customer portal that asks for your information (name, physical address, email address, and phone number) and your dog's information (age, breed, weight, body condition, eating habits, etc). From here, pick your preferred recipes: beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or a combo of the four. You can select up to 3 Farmer's Dog recipes per order. Since Mike and I want Django to eat a variety of high quality animal proteins and veggies, we always choose a mix of recipes.Â
Your first Farmer's Dog box will be a 2-week taste trial. Since our long-haired dachshund, Django, weighs 14 lbs, our first box included 7 pre-portioned meal sleeves (2 pork, 2 turkey, and 3 beef). The amount of pre-portioned meals you will receive is based on your dog's breed, body condition, and weight.
Please note when you order your first Farmer's Dog box, you are signing up for an ongoing fresh dog food subscription plan. After checking out, you can change how many Farmer's Dog recipes you get with each order. You can also cancel, pause, or restart your Farmer's Dog meal plan subscription at any time.
HOWÂ MUCH DOES THE FARMER'S DOG COST?
The Farmer's Dog cost varies based on your dog's weight and body condition (i.e., underweight, ideal, overweight, etc.). To give you an idea of how much The Farmer's Dog costs, we have calculated the price for 3 different dog breeds and weights: a 14 lb dachshund (what our sausage dog Django weighs), a 25 lb Boston terrier, and a 50 lb Australian Shepherd.
We overview the cost per day, week, and month for (1) a 2-week test trial period (2) every billing cycle afterward.
Keep in mind the daily price includes free shipping for U.S. residents and assumes you are only feeding your pup The Farmer's Dog recipes. If you use The Farmer's Dog as a mixer (i.e., 50% Farmer's Dog and 50% organic dry dog food), you can cut the cost in half. Want to slash the price by 75%? Use The Farmer's Dog as a dog food topper.
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IS THE FARMER'S DOG WORTH IT? ONE FINAL THOUGHT
Mike and I have tried almost every fresh dog food subscription service out there. The quality and nutrition of The Farmer's Dog, Django's love for the food, and the responsive and warmth of the customer service team is why we've been loyal customers of the company for 3+ years.Â
If you are looking to switch your dog to fresh dog food, definitely consider The Farmer's Dog. You also cannot go wrong with the 50% OFF first box offer the company is currently offering. If you have any hesitations, or if your dog has specific dietary restrictions or needs, please consult your dog's veterinarian first.
The Farmer's Dog is easily one of the best (if not the best) fresh dog food option out there right now. Give it a try, and please let us know how you and your pup love it!Â
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Limited time only - get 50% off your first Farmer's Dog box with this link.Â
