The Farmer's Dog Review: Our Dachshund Finally Wants Dinner

Our Dachshund, Reed, would eat kibble, but only with the enthusiasm of a dog completing an obligation. He might leave it, circle back later, and eventually finish. The first difference we noticed with The Farmer's Dog had nothing to do with an ingredient list or a score on a website: he gets excited when we take the food out.

That's why we keep taking the extra steps fresh food requires. The box has to be unpacked, the food takes up freezer space, a pack has to thaw before dinner, and our packs aren't individual meals. One pack covers four separate feedings for Reed, so we have to divide and store it. It's also pricey compared with kibble.

The Short Answer

For our picky Dachshund, The Farmer's Dog made dinner dependable. Reed comes over ready to eat instead of circling back to his kibble later, and that change matters enough to us to accept the larger food bill and added prep.

It isn't as easy as pouring dry food into a bowl. The subscription moves part of feeding into the freezer and refrigerator, and "pre-portioned" doesn't always mean "one meal per pouch." Check the regular renewal price, not just the introductory discount, and clear freezer room before the first box arrives.

How The Farmer's Dog Plan Works

When we signed up, the online profile asked for Reed's age, weight, breed, activity, and body condition. The company uses those details to estimate daily calories and suggest recipes. Beef, turkey, pork, and chicken are the standard fresh-food choices.

The portion is a starting estimate, not a number set in stone. Weight, activity, age, treats, and health can all change what a dog needs. The company lets you adjust portions, and a veterinarian can help check body condition and set a calorie target, especially for a growing dog or one with a medical condition.

After that, boxes ship automatically on a schedule meant to bring the next order before the previous one runs out. There isn't one sticker price because the amount changes with the dog and recipe. You have to finish the profile to see the current quote for your dog.

What Arrives in the Box

Our order came in a branded cardboard box with an insulated liner and dry ice around the frozen food. Don't wait for the driver to arrive before clearing freezer space; the box is big. I treat delivery day like a grocery delivery now: make room first, open the box soon after it arrives, and move the packs straight into the freezer.

The food is cooked, sealed in flat pouches, and frozen for the trip. The packs stack more easily than rigid tubs, though a full shipment still takes up a noticeable section of the freezer.

Our liner was marked as biodegradable corn-starch foam. The printed instructions said to pull the foam out of the recyclable liner and dissolve it under warm water. Packaging can change, so follow the directions on your box instead of assuming every shipment uses the same material.

Handling the Dry Ice

The dry-ice warning is easy to see when the box opens: don't touch it. Dry ice can injure bare skin, so I keep Reed away while unpacking and leave any remainder alone until it's gone, as the package directs. It keeps the shipment cold; it isn't an ingredient in the food.

Our packs arrived frozen, and I check each one as I move it to the freezer. If a future box arrived warm or a pouch was split, leaking, or swollen, I'd photograph it and contact customer service before feeding it to Reed. I wouldn't guess when fresh dog food arrives in questionable condition.

Thawing and Storing the Food

The main routine change from kibble is remembering tomorrow's meal today. The company's feeding instructions say to move a pack from the freezer to the refrigerator about 12 hours before serving it. Once thawed, it can stay refrigerated for up to four days.

If I forget, the company recommends running the sealed pouch under cold water to speed things up. It doesn't need to be cooked again or served hot. I won't leave fresh food in the bowl all afternoon the way I might with dry kibble; the instructions say to throw it away after two hours at room temperature, or one hour above 90°F.

The routine works once it becomes a habit, but it's less forgiving than kibble. A frozen pack can't go straight from the freezer to the bowl, and travel requires a cooler or another feeding plan.

One Pack Means Four Feedings for Reed

"Pre-portioned" was the part I misunderstood. The plan calculates Reed's food, but one of our pouches is not one serving. We divide a pouch into four separate feedings.

The Farmer's Dog says it uses a limited set of pouch sizes, so one pouch may cover a day, several days, or only part of a day depending on the dog. Our label tells us how much to feed. That saves us from guessing about calories, but we still have to divide the food ourselves.

We thaw a pack, open it, take out Reed's portion, then cover and refrigerate what's left. It isn't hard because he's small, but I'd still prefer a pouch for each meal, even if that meant a little more packaging. The current setup adds a utensil, a container, and cleanup every time we open a new pack.

What Changed for Reed

The biggest change in our house is easy to see at dinner. Reed ate kibble when he became hungry enough. With this food, he notices the pouch and comes over. We no longer wonder whether he'll wander back to his bowl later.

His fur seems softer to us, too. We're talking about one dog, and grooming, season, age, and general health can all change a coat, so I can't pin that on the food. Reed coming over when he sees the pouch is the change we keep seeing.

Fresh food isn't medicine, and I wouldn't trust claims that it cures allergies, digestive disease, or other conditions. If your dog has symptoms or eats a prescribed diet, talk to your veterinarian instead of relying on a testimonial.

What “Complete and Balanced” Actually Means

The company's recipe overview lists whole meats, organ meats, vegetables, fiber sources, and added vitamins and minerals. The Farmer's Dog says its on-staff, board-certified veterinary nutritionists formulate the recipes and that the finished foods are complete and balanced for all life stages under AAFCO nutrient profiles.

"Complete and balanced" tells me more than the fact that the food looks recognizable. The FDA explains that a food using that label must meet an AAFCO nutrient profile or pass an AAFCO feeding trial. It's meant to supply a pet's full diet, not just work as a topper or treat.

"Human-grade" sounds simple, but it has a specific meaning. Under AAFCO's definition, every ingredient and the finished product must be handled, processed, stored, and transported under the applicable human-food rules. The term describes how the food is made; it doesn't mean every recipe is right for every dog.

I also checked WSAVA's pet-food checklist. It asks who formulates the food, what qualifications that person has, how the finished food is tested, what quality controls are in place, and whether the company will share a typical nutrient analysis. WSAVA doesn't approve brands. The Farmer's Dog publishes answers to many of those questions and says customers or veterinarians can ask for detailed nutrient data, which tells me more than broad marketing language.

The Price Is Hard to Swallow

Kibble wins on price and storage. The Farmer's Dog calculates a quote from the dog's calorie needs and selected recipes, so a Dachshund costs less to feed than a large, active dog, but our plan is still expensive beside a bag of dry food.

I ignore the first-box promotion when I compare prices and start with the normal recurring charge. Divide that by the number of feeding days, then multiply the daily figure by 365. The yearly total is easier to compare with what you feed now. Include treats and any kibble you'll keep using so a partial plan doesn't look cheaper on paper than it is.

For us, the price comes back to the problem the food solved: Reed now wants his dinner. If your dog already loves a complete kibble, there's less reason to pay the premium.

Who I'd Recommend It To

I'd consider The Farmer's Dog if your dog resists dry food, you want help calculating a daily portion, and the recurring delivery fits your budget. You'll also need dependable freezer space and a regular feeding schedule.

I'd skip it if low cost, shelf stability, or easy travel comes first. Talk to a veterinarian before changing food for a puppy, a dog with pancreatitis or kidney disease, or any dog on a therapeutic diet. The standard plan adjusts calories and recipes to the dog, but it can't replace a veterinary prescription.

Our Verdict After Feeding Reed

Reed's empty bowl decides this review. The food takes more work than kibble, but he's excited to eat it, and that wasn't our experience before. His coat seems softer as well, though I can't pin that change on one cause.

The food has arrived frozen, the dry-ice and insulation instructions are clear, and the packs stack reasonably well. I still wish our pouches were true single servings. Dividing each one into four feedings and planning a 12-hour thaw are daily reminders that this is fresh food.

For a picky small dog, The Farmer's Dog can earn its freezer space if the price fits your budget. If your dog already loves kibble, the added cost and handling are much harder to justify.