Most dog owners view their four-legged companions are important members of the family. As such, there’s been a shift in recent years, with more and more pet parents making the switch from big name pet food brands to more boutique offerings that promise healthy, customized, and convenient pet food […]
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Most dog owners view their four-legged companions are important members of the family. As such, there’s been a shift in recent years, with more and more pet parents making the switch from big name pet food brands to more boutique offerings that promise healthy, customized, and convenient pet food delivered straight to your door.
While there are now myriad brands offering the pet food deliveries—both in fresh and kibble form—no two dogs are the same, so if you want to find the top dog food food delivery service for your particular four-legged friend, you’ll need to take pup’s specific needs into account. There are oodles of factors that play into your dogs nutrition, including breed, age, medical history, where you live and how active they are. Depending on your dog's needs, it’s nice to have a diet that made from whole meats and digestible carbohydrates, with various fiber sources along with fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, author and dog trainer. He says that when looking for a new dog food, be sure to read the label, check the nutrients, and do your research on how the recipes are formulated. Regarding what to look for, he says, “First up would be a complete and highly digestible protein to ensure your dog has all ten essential amino acids. Second, a good source of fiber, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. Third, the food should be cooked at a low temperature to ensure all the nutrients remain intact.”
Of course, it’s always a good idea to check in with your own veterinarian before switching food. It’s also important to introduce them to the new diet slowly. “Switching your dog's food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite,” says The American Kennel Club.
Another good move? Making sure the dog food company has a veterinarian or pet nutritionist on staff. “By having a veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist on staff, they are ensuring that pet food is well-balanced, since dogs’ and cats’ needs are different than humans,” says Dr. Tori Countner, DVM, of Balanced Pet Vet in Los Angeles.
While all these factors may seem overwhelming, we’re here to help. Read on for some of the best, vet-approved dog foods available for delivery right now.
Best Fresh Dog Food Delivery Service
Preportioned Kits Make Mealtime A Breeze
One dog food delivery service that comes highly recommended by several of the vets we talked to is Nom Nom, which offers well-balanced, fresh pre-portioned meals for both dogs and cats. “Nom Nom is my personal favorite dog food delivery service,” says Dr. Erica Irish, DVM, a veterinary advisor for Woof Whiskers. She adds that the brand’s diets are crafted by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist who follows guidelines established by Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Dr. Renee Streeter, DVM, DACVN, Veterinary Nutritionist, also noted that NomNom works closely with nutritionists to design their meals, and that they have supplements and kits to help manage your dog's microbiome.
Nom Nom’s system is easy to use. The brand sends pre-packaged meals (two a day), so all pet parents need to do is open one and pour it in the bowl. Each package has the name and a list of all the ingredients in it, so there’s no question about what you’re feeding your dog.
Nom Nom offers four dog recipes—Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck and Turkey Fare—and you can select from several delivery frequencies, including every week, every two weeks or every four weeks. The pre-portioned meals cater to your pet’s unique dietary needs and have been shown to improve energy in the first week and stamina after the first three months. Plus, if you don’t know which recipe your pet will like best, you can try samples with no subscription necessary.
Best Ready-To-Serve Meals
Whether Your Dog Likes Their Meal Hot or Cold
This vet-recommended dog food delivery service strips away the hassle of sourcing, cooking and measuring. Unlike some others dog food delivery services, each day’s meals also includes organic treats and supplement cookies (meant to help with digestion and mobility).
Dr. Streeter is a veterinarian responsible for developing PetPlate’s meals, making recipes and balanced meals for dogs of any breed. “Depending on your dog's needs it is nice to have a diet that is made from whole meats, digestible carbohydrates, has various fiber sources and contains fruits, and vegetables,” says Dr. Streeter.
Consequently, PetPlate meals are made with human-grade and whole ingredients—essentially, the same sorts of ingredients you’re eating with a knife and fork. Meal options include Barkin’ Beef, Chompin’ Chicken, Tail Waggin’ Turkey and Lip Lickin’ Lamb.
When it comes time to order, PetPlate asks that you share your pup’s unique characteristics to get a timely meal plan catered to fit their nutritional needs and preferences. All meals can be served cold or warmed-up in the microwave-safe (and recyclable) containers.
Most Convenient Packaging
Just Defrost And Serve
Another well-known delivery service that gets a stamp of approval from Dr. Irish is Ollie, which she says offers nutritionally sound dog food developed by animal nutritionists. There are four human-grade recipes to choose from, including beef, turkey, chicken and lamb. Each also includes fruit (like blueberries and cranberries), plant-based proteins (like chickpeas, lentils, and peas), and leafy greens and root vegetables (like kale and sweet potatoes). Ollie does not use fillers, artificial flavorings or preservatives.
Unlike some of the other brands on this list in which you can see the chunks of meat and veggies, Ollie is very well ground up, so it looks very uniform in texture and color.
Dr. Streeter also notes that “Ollie only uses 100% human-grade ingredients which are highly digestible, and similar to PetPlate and NomNom, personalize its meal plans based on your dog’s caloric needs.”
Should you try it, the starter box has everything you need to get going, including two weeks’ worth of packs that can be stored in your freezer until serving time, a feeding guide (customized based on the profile you filled out on your dog to help ensure the transition goes smoothly), a “pup-tainer” to store leftovers in and a serving scoop to help dish out portions.
Best Human-Grade Dog Food Delivery Service
Meets Industry Standards For Humans and Pets
“Human-grade” is one of the many buzzwords that brands throw around when describing dog food. But don’t mistake it for something you can eat, too. The term refers how the food is handled, not the actual ingredients. According to Tufts University, human-grade dog food must be stored, handled, processed and transported according to the same regulations used for human food. But with pet cancer, diabetes and obesity on the rise, some studies have shown that there is an increase in overall health when dogs consume fresh pet food versus the processed kind, which is why brands like Farmer's Dog lean into minimally processed human-grade food.
To start a personalized plan with Farmer’s Dog, you’ll need to enter information like your dog’s breed, age, activity level, weight and food sensitivities. The food—made fresh under the guidance of a veterinarian to meet industry standards for dogs—are then shipped to your home a few days later as pre-portioned meals. There are no preservatives or fillers, nothing is processed, and all of the ingredients and kitchens used meet the USDA standards for human consumption.
We especially love Farmer’s Dog’s packaging. It’s made of a cornstarch wrap that literally melts away when run under hot water in the sink. Each package also has your dog’s name on it, so you know for sure that it was customized specifically for them.
Best Raw Dog Food Delivery Service
Safely Handling Raw Meat So You Don’t Have To
Raw diets, which involve feeding your dog raw meats, organs and bone, have become increasingly in vogue over the last few years. Despite their rising popularity, raw diets are somewhat controversial and not recommended by all vets. Dr. Irish warns there’s an increased risk of illness—most notably caused by salmonella and E.coli—for both you and your pet.
But according to Dr. Countner, some dogs do well on this kind of diet and if you want to feed raw, delivery services offer safely prepared meals to minimize your own handling of raw meat. “There are some great raw foods on the market that are well balanced, safely prepared with minimal pathogen risk and that dogs love,” says Dr. Countner.
We Feed Raw is one of the most popular raw diet delivery services today, offering meal plans that consist of 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat and 10% edible bone, as well as a vitamin and mineral mix. The recipes are formulated by an animal nutritionist, and the brand uses USDA human-grade meats from farms in the USA. There are no preservatives, artificial flavors, added antibiotics or hormones. The brand also offers meal plans, bulk patties, treats and bones. Plus, all ingredients are subject to high-pressure processing, designed to neutralize pathogenic bacteria.
Best Food for Special Needs Dogs
Specially Designed And Even Prescription Meals
JustFoodForDogs focuses on making well-balanced daily meals for healthy pets and those who need extra help due to medical needs. Just Food for Dogs emphasizes that it works closely with veterinary nutritionists to design their meals. Dr. Streeter also points out that JustFoodForDogs has prescription meals.
For prescription meals, the process is a bit more involved. Pet parents submit their dog’s medical records and the JustFoodForDogs nutritional team builds a customized diet. Once the diet formulation is complete, you have two options: prepared or DIY.
The prepared diets operate much like others on this list, with the brand making and packaging the meals in their custom kitchens to be sent to you. For the DIY option, you prepare your dog’s food yourself and JustFoodForDogs prepares a custom nutrient blend to include. The blend is meant to pair with your specific pet’s diet to ensure it’s complete. Of course, you should always consult with your own veterinarian before switching your dog’s diet, especially if they have medical issues.
Best Delivery Service for Dog Kibble
Fido’s Favorite Food, Delivered Automatically
If you’re happy with your dog’s current kibble or wet food diet, you can still get the convenience of delivery through Chewy. The online pet retailer sells dog and cat food from top brands like Hill’s Science Diet, Purina, Iams, Pedigree and more, and you can use the AutoShip feature to have pet supplies delivered on a customized recurring schedule. Plus, many products are available for discounted prices when you sign up for AutoShip, helping to save you money each month.
Additionally, Chewy is known for superb customer service—to ensure you’re happy with your purchase, Chewy allows you to return items for up to a year.
Best Dry Food
Not Your Pup’s Ordinary Kibble
If you’re not looking to ditch dry kibble but still want a better option for your pup, try Spot & Tango’s UnKibble. Unlike traditional kibble, this UnKibble is made without meat meals or powdered “mystery meats,” and it’s available in three flavors: Duck & Salmon, Beef & Barley and Chicken & Brown Rice.
Like others on this list, Spot & Tango offers ready-to-serve meals made with no artificial additives, preservatives or fillers. The brand’s fresh recipes are made from only a dozen GMO- and hormone-free ingredients, and each one is complete and balanced for puppies and adults according to AAFCO's nutritional standards. Recipes include Turkey & Red Quinoa, Beef & Millet and Lamb & Brown Rice.
Best Sustainable Dog Food
Good for Pooches, Good for the Planet
Jiminy's
Good for your dog and good for the planet, Jiminy’s is known for their commitment to making tasty, sustainable dog food. The brand uses insect protein (largely cricket) and complex carbohydrates (like oats, sweet potato, and flax seed), both necessary for maintaining healthy muscles and joints, as well as giving your dog the energy to play and go for walks. It’s also hypoallergenic, meaning it’s good for dogs who have allergies or tend to get upset stomachs.
What makes it stand out, though, is how small of a footprint it has compared to other dog food brands, because it uses less water and less land to produce. For instance, Jiminy’s uses 67 percent less land than a brand that uses chickens and saves 220 gallons of water per bag. At $46 for a 10 pound bag, it’s more expensive than many of the dry food bags you’d find in your local pet food store, but given the quality and eco-friendliness, we’re here for it. Be sure to start small, though, to make sure your pooch likes the flavor.
Best Customizable Dog Food
Meals Informed By Your Dog’s Health Goals
While most pet food delivery brands want to know your dog’s age, breed and activity level in their initial assessment, Hungry Bark goes a step beyond: It wants to know your health goals for your dog. That helps the brand build a custom meal plan for your pet that not only includes dry food (recipes include Superfoods with Lamb and Turkey, Superfoods with Salmon, Superfoods with Chicken, Turkey, and Brown Rice and superfoods with Turkey and Duck), but also supplements and high protein mix-ins.
The supplement chews may look like treats, but they help with things like anxiety, joint, heart health, digestion, allergies and just getting in their regular vitamins.
