The Farmer’s Dog vs. Ollie – Which is the Best Dog Food Subscription? 

It’s exciting to get a dog. There’s so much to plan for — what kind of breed to get, what to name him, and of course, what to feed him! These days, more and more pet owners are opting for fresh food delivered to their doorstep. But what’s the best dog food subscription service?

While a decade ago there were few if any pet food subscription services, now there are many dog food subscription services out there. Maybe too many — there’s a serious variance in quality between these companies.

Two prominent, high-quality dog food subscription services are The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie. But what are the differences, and is one better than the other?

Why Choose a Dog Food Subscription?

Let’s be perfectly honest, sometimes you may prefer to take the quick route and pick up a bag of dog food at the grocery store. However, there is evidence that cheap, low-quality food can negatively affect your pet’s health.

A dog food subscription service can be beneficial for you and your dog for several reasons. There’s the convenience factor, the ability to personalize the food to your dog’s needs, higher levels of freshness and quality ingredients, and more.

Convenience

Having food delivered to you is convenient. You don’t have to deal with going to the grocery store if you run out of dog food, because it’s automatically sent to you on a schedule.

Personalization

Dog food subscription services use personalized plans. Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog work with veterinary professionals to personalize a meal plan to your dog’s breed, age, size, activity levels and dietary needs.

Quality and Freshness

Subscription service dog food companies like The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie use premium ingredients. These high-quality ingredients include whole proteins and vegetables that are human grade.

Consistency

One of the best things about dog food subscription services is that you’ll always have a regular supply of dog food. The Farmer’s Dog uses packaging that makes it easy to serve the right portions every meal, so you never run out of food and don’t over-feed. Plus, you’ll always have the same food — changing brands and types of dog food can be rough on a dog’s digestion.

Health Benefits

Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog offer well balanced meals that meet your dog’s nutritional needs. Some benefits of eating fresh, human-grade food include fresher breath and smaller poops (because more nutrients are being absorbed). It may also be a better option for dogs with digestive issues.

Expert Guidance

Many subscription services consult with veterinarian nutrition experts to ensure their meals are complete and balanced. Likewise, subscription services often have a dedicated customer support team — if you have any questions or concerns about your dog’s meal plan, there is always someone with the company you can speak with.

Background on The Farmer’s Dog

The origins of The Farmer’s Dog is the quintessential small business story. It all began with co-founder Brett Podolsky’s dog, Jada. For two years after Brett brought her into his family, she suffered from severe digestive issues.

He tried every dog food he could get his hands on but unfortunately, nothing helped her health issues. So Brad and his business partner Jonathan Regev decided to start their own dog food company.

Dog Food Research

So what did co-founders Brett and Jonathan do? What kind of research did they delve themselves into to create fresh and healthy dog food?

• Pet nutrition research that’s been compiled over decades
• Worked with the best pet nutritionists
• Listened to vets who suggested home cooking
• Created human-grade food that is nutritionally complete and balanced

Brett and Jonathan realized that not only is the food nutritious, it could be a good business venture. And so, they decided to build a dog food company. From there, the business took off. Now they have a nationwide delivery system.

The Farmer’s Dog Pros and Cons

The Farmer’s Dog strives to have fresh and healthy, human grade dog food ready at your convenience. Like any dog food company, there are a few pros and cons.

Pros

• High-Quality Ingredients: The Farmer’s Dog uses human-grade meat and vegetables. It’s free from by-products and preservatives, and uses no chicken meals.
• Personalized Meal Plans: The Farmer’s Dog tailors meals based on your dog’s age, breed, size and specific dietary needs. It also provides pre-portioned meals to ensure proper serving sizes.
• Freshness: The Farmer’s Dog meals are prepared fresh and shipped within days of preparation. They are also delivered in refrigerated packaging to maintain freshness.
• Fantastic Health Benefits: All recipes are designed (and approved by vet nutritionists) to be balanced and complete. Dogs often experience better digestive health after eating The Farmer’s Dog meals, as well as shinier coats, better breath and healthier skin.
• Convenience: The Farmer’s Dog has regularly scheduled deliveries to your doorstep. Over 100,000,000 meals have been delivered. Furthermore, your dog’s meals are also easy to store in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Transparency: The Farmer’s Dog clearly lists all ingredients and nutritional information and provides information on how and where the food is made.
• Veterinary Advice: It is important to the co-founders of The Farmer’s Dog that all meals be approved by veterinary nutritionists.
• Eco-Friendliness: The Farmer’s Dog is proud to use recyclable and eco-friendly materials for packaging and is always committed to sustainability.

Cons

• Cost: The Farmer’s Dog is more expensive than traditional dog food brands. It also requires a subscription, which might not suit everyone’s budget or preference.
• Storage Requirements: All meals require refrigeration, which may be inconvenient for those with limited fridge space. You should also consider having freezer space for meals.
• Perishable Food: Because The Farmer’s Dog is fresh food, timely and proper storage is required.

Background on Ollie

Ollie began with one goal: ensure that dogs eat nutritious food that is healthy and fresh. At Ollie, they believe that their lovable pups are more than just pets. And this is why they wanted to provide food that was the cream of the crop.

Ollie And Their Meals

Olly is different from other pet food companies for several reasons:

• Ollie seeks the guidance of pet health nutritionists.
• Their ingredients are human-grade and made in professional kitchens.
• All recipes are packed with quality foods — proteins, vegetables, grains and fruits.

Ollie wants to do more than just provide healthy and nutritious food. In fact, they just came out with an ice cream that is delicious, nutritious, and so popular, it made the news. This is an example of how Ollie cares about dogs.

Ollie Pros and Cons

Like all dog food companies, Ollie has pros and cons. Let’s take a look at them right now.

Pros

• High-Quality Ingredients: Ollie uses human-grade proteins and vegetables. It’s also free from artificial fillers, by-products and preservatives.
• Personalized Meal Plans: Ollie personalizes all meals based on your dog’s age, breed, size and specific dietary needs. Pre-portioned meals ensure you feed your pup proper serving sizes.
• Freshness: Meals are prepared fresh and shipped within days of preparation from their facilities in Minnesota. They are also delivered in refrigerated packaging to maintain freshness.
• Fabulous Health Benefits: All of Ollie’s recipes are designed (and given the seal of approval by vet nutritionists) to be nutritious and balanced.
• Convenience: Ollie has regularly scheduled deliveries right to your doorstep.
• Transparency: Ollie strives to be transparent in the entire process, which is why they list all ingredients and nutritional information, as well as provides where and how the food is made.
• Sustainability: Packaging is eco-friendly and sustainable; they use recyclable materials.
• Partial Food Option: If a full subscription is out of your budget, you can order partial meal delivery and mix with your regular dog food.

Cons

• Cost: Ollie is more expensive than other subscription services. It also requires you to have a subscription.
• Storage Requirements: All meals need to be refrigerated, which can be inconvenient if you don’t have a large refrigerator or freezer.
• Adjustment Period: Just like humans, dogs also need time to adjust to new foods. They also could have temporary digestive issues because of the adjustment. Furthermore, dogs who are picky could have a harder time getting used to the taste and texture of the food.
• Delivery Issues: If there are delivery delays (which may not be Ollie’s fault), it could lead to issues if you run out of food.

Bottom Line

Both The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie offer a subscription service of fresh and nutritious food. They’re comparable in many ways, though we feel The Farmer’s Dog offers a better value than Ollie.

The Farmer’s Dog starts out at $2 a day for small dogs, whereas Ollie starts out at $4 a day for small dogs. With both providing high-quality food with transparent operations and great customer service, the lower price point is what puts it over the top.

When your dog is being transported, healthy food and plenty of water is extremely important. The dog-loving transporters on CitizenShipper have experience with feeding and storing fresh food while on the road. If you need to transport a dog, look no further than our #1-rated dog transportation marketplace.

As a Proud Partner, we’re offering you a Special 80% Discount on your first box of The Farmer’s Dog!

Disclaimer: CitizenShipper is a partner of The Farmer’s Dog and may earn commissions by referring customers.