Why is Farmer s dog so expensive

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

How Much Does The Farmers Dog Cost And Is It Worth It?

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Wondering how much The Farmers Dog costs and if it is worth it? Review this article.

If you have a dog, youve hopefully already factored the cost of pet care into your budget.

When it comes to feeding your dog, however, youre not always better off buying the packaged kibble thats on the grocery store shelf. It may not contain the best nutrients, especially if your dog has allergies, digestive issues or special needs.

But can you afford to pay for something like The Farmers Dog, a freshly made dog food with human-grade ingredients? I think you might be surprised.

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How Much Does It Cost to Feed Your Dog?

The average person spends up to $550 a year on food for their dog, according to Petfinder.

Food expenses vary, though. Your dogs size and activity levels dictate the amount of food consumed. Of course, the quality of the food also affects the price.

Heres the deal: You get what you pay for. When you go with a highly processed commercial dog food, you could end up paying more down the road in veterinary bills.

Not only can you see the signs of improved health with a more natural dog food, writes Jeffrey Levy, DVM, PCH, but you will also save money in the long run due to fewer and lower veterinary bills.

The healthier your pet is, the less likely s/he will be to have fleas, skin problems, allergies and many other common disease problems.

Other Brands vs. The Farmers Dog Cost

For commercial kibble from a decent mass-market brand, you will spend about $1 per day for a 25-pound dog, and around $2 per day for a 55-pound dog.

On the other hand, an adequate amount of fresh dog food made from real cooked meat and vegetables for the same dog is more expensive.

The Farmers Dog cost is:

Around $4 to $5 per day for a 25-pound dog
Around $8 to $9 per day for a 55-pound dog

But, again, this isnt exactly comparing apples to apples. First, a well-rounded meal thats made from whole ingredients is not comparable to many kibbles.

All of our ingredients are human-grade and sourced from restaurant suppliers, local farms or other human food purveyors, according to The Farmers Dog website. We never use feed-grade ingredients, and we dont process our ingredients to be shelf-stable, getting the most natural nutrients available.

In this video, I show you exactly what arrives in the box, and what my canine reviewer thought about The Farmers Dog:

Farmers Dog Review

Farmers Dog has carved a niche in the pet food industry by offering fresh, human-grade meals that cater to the health and well-being of our canine companions. The brand emphasizes transparency, quality, and personalization, a refreshing contrast to many off-the-shelf pet foods.

Pros:

Fresh Ingredients: Farmers Dog uses fresh, human-grade ingredients which are a noticeable step up from many traditional dog foods that contain fillers, by-products, and artificial preservatives. This is why your pets meals have to be stored in the fridge.
Customized Meals: The food is tailored for individual dogs based on factors like age, breed, activity level, and health needs. This personal touch can be especially beneficial for dogs with special dietary needs.
Convenience: Meals are pre-portioned, eliminating the guesswork of how much to feed your dog. Theyre packed with insulation and delivered directly to your door, making the process hassle-free.
Transparency: Farmers Dog lists all ingredients clearly and provides insights into their sourcing. The brands transparency extends beyond just the ingredients; theyre also forthright about their preparation processes.
Positive Reviews: Many dog owners have reported positive changes in their dogs health, energy levels, and coat condition after switching to Farmers Dog.

Cons:

Cost: High-quality ingredients and tailored meals come at a price. Farmers Dog is notably more expensive than many mainstream dog food brands. However, for many pet owners, the benefits justify the higher cost.
Storage: Because the food is fresh and doesnt contain preservatives, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. This might be inconvenient for those with limited space.
Limited Variety: While the brand offers a few different recipes, some dogs or owners might desire a wider variety of flavors or ingredients.

Conclusion:Farmers Dog provides a fresh and wholesome alternative to traditional dog food options. The focus on high-quality, human-grade ingredients and personalization stands out in an industry that often prioritizes mass production. While it may be a pricier option, the potential health benefits and convenience might make it worth the investment for many pet owners. However, as with any pet food, its essential to consult with a vet to ensure it meets your dogs specific needs.

If youd like a more in depth review, check out my article here.

What Type of Food Is Best for Your Dog?

Veterinarians knowledge of canine nutrition has come a long way in the past few decades. Thirty years ago, experts believed that dogs were carnivores. They now understand that dogs are omnivores.

Still, many dog food manufacturers use sneaky tricks to lead consumers to believe theyre buying balanced and nutritious products for their pets. Some proteins are not easily digestible. For example, corn, a primary ingredient in many conventional dog foods, is one of the least digestible proteins, according to PetMD. Corn is much less digestible than muscle meats, organ meats and egg whites.

Many raw materials that are unfit for human consumption can be legally added to dog food. To add carbohydrates, some manufacturers use cheap grains, which deliver energy but not many other vitamins and minerals.

Plus, most dog foods that you find on grocery store shelves are formulated to meet the average dogs minimum nutritional requirements. Your dogs health and metabolism might be very different from those of the typical canine.

All of this might make you wonder if youre better off cooking fresh dog food from scratch. Theres a convenience factor involved in feeding your pet, though. Many people would balk at the idea of spending time cooking separate meals for their dogs. Fortunately, there is a happy medium.

Is The Farmers Dog Worth It?

Yes. The Farmers Dog subscription is worth the cost, in our opinion. You get personalized meal plans formulated by veterinary nutritionists to give your dog the fresh food ingredients they really need. The recipes are made from fresh, human grade food in their kitchens before the food is frozen, and delivered in an insulated cardboard box to your door.

Instead of providing a one-size-fits-all solution, The Farmers Dog gives your pet customized nutrition. Their custom meal plans are grain-free and typically include ingredients such as: chicken, beef, turkey, pork, carrots, green beans, broccoli, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, etc.

To create your customized meal plan, they have a short questionnaire where you follow theinstructions, fill out the form (dogs name, age, weight,breed, allergies, etc.) and at the end, receive a fewboard-certifiedmeal plans for your pet.

The Farmers Dog cost varies. You might spend $3 a day for a small dog or about $8 for an energetic Lab mix. Every animal is unique, and this high-quality dog foods ingredients and pricing reflect your pets distinctive needs.

I love seeing comments like these from Facebook:

Try out The Farmers Dog. Your dog will feel the difference and youll see it.

The Farmers Dog 50% Off Trial

For a limited time, you can get an amazing 50% off your first order right now. No promo code required. Give The Farmers Dog a try today and get your pup thriving on a healthy, wholesome diet thats just about the closest thing to homemade out there! Learn more here.

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Written by Dave Baker

Dave Baker, founder and publisher of Petful, is a journalist and editor who has worked at The New York Times and The Nation magazine. He was also part of the 2006 Pulitzer Prizewinning team at The Times-Picayune newspaper of New Orleans. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Petful is now based. A longtime advocate for pet food safety, Dave has been passionately tracking pet food recalls for nearly 15 years, and nearly 40,000 pet parents are subscribed to his recall alerts which often arrive faster than even the recall alerts put out by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Howmuch doesFarmers Dogcost?

Kibbletypically costs around $1 per 25lbs per day (ie a 50lbs dog would cost around $2 per day inkibble.Farmers Dogcosts roughly $4 per 25lbs per day.

Where is theFarmers Doglocated?

TheFarmers Dogs headquarters is located at 214 Sullivan Street, New York.

Why is theFarmers Dogso expensive?

TheFarmers Doguses fresh,human-grade ingredientsin their customrecipes. Their food is filler-free,grain-freeandboard-certified. Their preparation process and use of high-gradeingredientsall contribute the price of their premium dog meal subscriptions.

Where to buy the Farmers Dog food?

The Farmers Dog is a subscription based direct to consumer business model. In other words, you pay a subscription fee every couple weeks and the box of frozen-fresh dog food gets delivered to your door.

The Farmers Dog Review

Written by Kasey Caminiti

, managing editor, deal hunter, and eyeliner aficionado.

Updated February 27, 2024

The Farmer's Dog
Pros
- Healthy
- Affordable
- Pre-portioned
Cons
- Not resealable
- Need to thaw

I will happily admit that I am totally obsessed with my two dogs. There are several dog beds placed in different rooms of my home so my pups always have a cute spot to relax. I have dog toys, water fountains, treats, harnesses, life jackets (yes, I own a life jacket for my dog), and so much more dog paraphernalia in my home. But where I draw the line regarding spoiling my pups is dog food. I respect people who cook chicken, rice, and veggies for their dog every night, but Im not that person. Yes, I want my dogs to eat healthy food, but I am not trying to be too inconvenienced. You might remember The Farmer's Dog from the viral 2023 Super Bowl commercial that pulled on everyone's heartstrings. So, my dogs Rufio and Ace put The Farmers Dog to the test to see just how paw-some it is.

What is The Farmers Dog?

The Farmers Dog is a fresh dog food brand that offers vet-developed meal plansthat are formulated with human-grade ingredients. Founded in 2015 by two dog lovers who wanted to bring healthy and convenient dog food to the market, The Farmers Dog prides itself on making sure that their dog food is nutritious, affordable, and accessible, all while maintaining high safety standards for delivery.

The Farmers Dog

New customers can save 50% on their first order of Reviewed-approved fresh dog food from The Farmers Dog.

Save 50% on your first order

How I tested The Farmer's Dog

I received 14 days of dog food for each of my dogs. I was very cautious about transitioning them from dry dog food to The Farmers Dog so I spent a little more than the recommended one week of transitioning. I started with about 75% dry dog food and 25% The Farmers Dog and increased it until they were eating 100% The Farmers Dog. The meal plans for both dogs included the beef recipe, pork recipe, and turkey recipe. The feeding suggestion was half a package per day for each dog.

What I liked about The Farmers Dog

My six-year-old Boston Terrier is like a garbage can in that he will eat anything, even if it doesnt agree with him. His bowel movements can be grossly impacted if he eats something weird. Needless to say, I dont love having to deal with that. After only a few days of eating The Farmers Dog, I noticed that Rufios backyard business was very (consider this your TMI warning) regular, solid, and clean. It was fantastic. Both dogs obviously enjoyed their meals each day and I noticed that they seemed fuller after eating, in a good way. In particular, Rufios mooching was less intense.

I definitely noticed more of a change in Rufio, maybe because hes older and a little more sensitive to food. Ace still has puppy energy and has (thankfully) been trained to not beg for table scraps, so I didn't notice a huge change in his behavior, but he seemed more excited about meal time than before.

What I didnt like about The Farmers Dog

The slim, compact packaging was great for freezer storage, but it was difficult to squeeze out when feeding. I tried to use a utensil to scrape the last bits out of each package and always felt like I was wasting some or that it was too much effort and gave up. The packaging is not resealable. You are provided a takeaway container to store your open packet in the fridge but I wouldve preferred being able to seal it shut, especially during the transitional first week when I was using one packet over a few days.

How does The Farmers Dog work?

To get started with The Farmers Dog, youll take a short quiz about how many dogs you have, breed, age, weight, dietary restrictions, activity levels, and diet history. After you complete the quiz, The Farmers Dog will determine the appropriate meal plan withrecommended recipesand weekly pricing. Your pups meals will be formulated with USDA human-grade fresh ingredients and packaged into pre-portioned packs so all you have to do is open and pour. The refrigerated deliveries are flexible based on your schedule and feature eco-friendly packaging. You'll want to store your packs in the freezer and thaw a new pack 12 hours before you're ready to use it. Each pack stays fridge-safe for up to four days after thawed.

How much does The Farmers Dog cost?

Meal plans start at about $2 to $12 per day and delivery options range from one week to three months of food and include free shipping. Right now, The Farmers Dog is offering a 50% discount to first-time customers on their first box of dog food. Two weeks worth of The Farmer's Dog meals for Rufio and Ace would have been $119.30, but with the 50% discount on my first box, my total came to $63.56. That breaks down to $31.78 for each dog for two weeks and $2.27 per day. For reference, a 40-pound bag of dry dog food would cost us $60 and last a little less than one month, equating to $2.30 per day for each of our two dogs.

What ingredients are in The Farmers Dog dog food?

The Farmers Dog outlines every recipe on their website and in a product card sent with your dog food delivery. The recipes vary and can include the following ingredients:

Meats: Whole beef, turkey, pork, chicken, and a beef and chicken liver combination
Fresh vegetables: Carrots, green beans, brussels sprouts, and broccoli
Fiber-rich foods: Chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and lentils

Where can I buy The Farmers Dog dog food?

Right now, you can only shop The Farmers Dog on the brands website to guarantee your personalized meal plans are delivered in refrigerated and environmentally-friendly boxes.

Is The Farmers Dog worth it?

Yes! I think The Farmers Dog is worth it. Both my dogs loved it and it seemed to improve their digestion. I have plenty of freezer space, so storing the food wasnt an issue, but I could see how storing several packages of dog food might not be ideal for everyone. The cost was comparable to our usual dry dog food, so as long as you have the space, I would highly recommend The Farmer's Dog!