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Great for:
- Palatability as A Pup Above cooks all of the fresh food using the sous vide style.
- Sustainability as the brand’s meals are shipped using 100 percent recyclable packaging.
- Affordability as the meals are cheaper compared to several other fresh food options.
Great for:
- Convenience as the Farmer’s Dog features excellent delivery times, good customer service, and free shipping.
- Sustainability because the brand utilizes eco-friendly packaging
- Dogs with grain sensitivity as the meal plans do not have it.
Today’s best fresh dog food platforms like A Pup Above and The Farmer’s Dog provide high-quality food for subscribers. Their amenities allow you to order on a subscription or one-time order basis, so there is good flexibility. The ingredients are also sourced from organic sources, meaning you do not have to worry about safety. That being said, both brands have differing features. Let’s see how each one stacks up as the best dog food delivery service for you.
A Pup Above Features
Pros
- The foods are affordable compared to the other fresh dog subscription platforms.
- The recipes are diverse as there are both grain-inclusive and grain-free options
- Dog owners do not have to use a subscription program to use a Pup Above if they do not want to.
- The sous vide cooking style makes the food palatable but healthy as none of the nutrients are removed.
Cons
- There are limited customization options, as with other fresh food options. It is probably because of the brand’s simplified ordering process.
- A Pup Above does not provide leftover containers with purchases. You may need a container to store the remaining food after meals.
Diverse, High-Quality Ingredients
A Pup Above features four meal plan formulas: Texas beef stew, Turkey Pawella, Porky’s Luau, and Chicka Chicka bow wow. Nutritious vegetables complement the base animal proteins like russet potatoes, tomatoes, green peas, apples, kale, thyme, parsley, and carrots. Each recipe has a simple ingredient list, and the foods are prepared specially.
Sous Vide Cooking
The term sous vide is a French term meaning ‘under vacuum.’ It works by sealing food in food-grade bags, and submerging them in water. The water slowly cooks the food at 180 degrees F until it reaches a temperature of 165 degrees F. Harmful pathogens like salmonella are killed in the process while keeping nutrients intact.
Pricing
The first thing to consider is if you want a one-time purchase or a subscription plan, as they have different rates. Subscription should save customers 10 percent, and you can edit the recipe to change the shipping frequency. That being said, feeding a five-pound dog would cost about $1.88 a day, but that rate increases for larger pets. With a one-time purchase, it is possible to get a 3-pound bag for $39.99 or a 7-pound bag for $79.99. With a large dog, you would purchase a 7-pound bag to last one or two weeks if you complement the diet with kibble.
The Farmer’s Dog Features
Pros
- Efficient delivery as the food is delivered within days of cooking and flash frozen to preserve the nutrients.
- You can also personalize the meal plans to meet the dog’s special needs.
- The Farmer’s Dog allows auto shipping, so you can adjust or pause anytime.
- Impressive quality standards as the dog food is developed by board-certified ACVN veterinarian nutritionists.
- Human-grade ingredients which do not contain any harmful preservatives or additives.
Cons
- The quotes on the meal plans are a bit expensive compared to the other fresh food brands.
- The food packs must be transferred from the freezer to the refrigerator so they can thaw. It can also be a hassle as the packs are messy after opening them.
Customized Meal Plans
The dog profile from the platform considers over 15 different health issues like grain sensitivity, digestive problems, or allergies [1]. You can also add any other health issues which have not been considered. This personalization ensures the resulting meal plan is in the dog’s best interests and will make for a healthier diet.
Delivery and Packaging
The Farmer’s Dog has a delivery window of two days to your door. It comes in bulk and in a recyclable cardboard box with dry ice. Inside the box is a recyclable food storage container with several plastic packages with frozen meals. As the packs are flat, they are also easy to store the remaining ones within the freezer. The Farmer’s Dog also pre-portions the packages in small amounts, along with instructions on how to feed the dog daily.
Pricing
The cost is based on the personalized dog profile attributes such as weight, age, and activity levels. If you have a healthy small dog, it may cost about $2 a day. This increases if you have a mixed-bred one-year-old, large dog with no health conditions. You may spend $7.7 a day on the higher side. Fortunately, it comes with free shipping, so you do not have to worry about that.
Overview of Each Product
The brand provides affordable yet high-quality food for subscribers, which is admirable considering the value for money. It also provides grain-free options, and you can choose between a subscription or order on a one-time basis. There may be an issue in personalization as the goal is to provide simple profiling and delivery, though this is the only drawback.
Choose A Pup Above If:
You want a very palatable high-quality dog food brand that is still affordable.
The Farmer’s dog is a high-quality fresh dog food brand with diverse meal plans. They also offer free shipping on the items though the pricing is a bit high compared to its competitors. The food is also pre-portioned, which is great for storage and serving.
Choose The Farmers Dog If:
You want a high-quality dog food brand with diverse personalization options on the profile but are not concerned about the overall cost.
