If you’re looking for a fresh dog food brand, JustFoodForDogs and The Farmer’s Dog are two popular options. Both offer high-quality, human-grade meals that are delivered to your door. But which brand is right for you and your dog’s diet? Let’s take a look at how they compare in terms of their ingredients, pricing, customization options, and more.
Nutritional Value
Unlike kibble and as makers of fresh pet food, both brands offer superior nutritional value. They both exceed AAFCO standards, and both use whole food, human-grade ingredients approved by the USDA for human consumption. Both food diet options are free from fillers and preservatives and are excellent choices for picky eaters.
Where they differ is with variety. JustFoodForDogs can make custom meals that meet a specific dog’s needs or that can help support a health condition. They even have options for large-breed dogs. Each custom meal is developed to ensure all types of dogs can get a complete and balanced meal with quality nutritional support.
Ingredients & Meal Options
JustFoodForDogs has a much wider selection of food than Farmer’s Dog. Where Farmer’s Dog offers four grain-free recipes to choose from (turkey, beef, pork, and chicken recipe), JustFoodForDogs has nearly a dozen recipes — including grain-free and grain-inclusive options. JFFD also has dog meals that feature novel proteins, like lamb and venison. Both offer recipes with high protein and healthy veggies.
The other thing that sets JFFD apart from Farmer’s Dog is the fact that pet parents can get a customized diet formulated especially for their pet. If none of the available options work for their pet, or their pet needs a diet that supports a medical condition, they can work with an on-staff veterinarian and Nutrition Consultant to develop a meal plan using ingredients that meet their specific dietary needs.
JustFoodForDogs also offers veterinary-prescribed food options for renal support, hepatic support, metabolic support, and other health issues. They even have a cat food recipe.
JustFoodForDogs Recipe Options:
- Beef & Russet Potato
- Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni
- Chicken & White Rice
- Lamb & Brown Rice
- Fish & Sweet Potato
- Venison & Squash
- Joint & Skin Support
- Large Breed Support
- Metabolic Support
- Renal Support
- Hepatic Support
- Fresh Cat Food
- Custom
Farmer’s Dog Recipe Options:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Pork
- Turkey
Shelf Life
Make freezer space! Unlike dry dog food, fresh dog food by nature has a limited shelf life since no preservatives are used.
Currently, The Farmer’s Dog only offers frozen fresh dog food, which does not make things like travel, boarding, or road trips easy. JustFoodForDogs offers a convenient shelf-stable version of their fresh food recipes called Pantry Fresh.
Affordability
In general, dog owners who chose to feed their pooch fresh dog food are making an investment in their pet’s health. According the The Canine Journal, Farmer’s Dog costs about $2 per day, whereas JFFD costs about $1.36 per day. JustFoodForDogs touts itself on being more affordable than other fresh food brands with what they call “Mission-Based Pricing”.
In addition, JFFD offers DIY supplement kits for pet parents who want to save extra money without compromising on the quality of their dog’s food. Each kit comes with a nutrient blend, shopping list, and recipe instructions to ensure dog parents are making nutritionally balanced meals at home.
Farmer’s Dog has a slightly more attractive “first order” offer at 50% off their first box, while JFFD offers 40% off your first autoship order.
Veterinary Support & Research Efforts in Canine Nutrition
JustFoodForDogs is the pioneer in canine nutrition. In fact, the peer-reviewed scientific studies referenced by their competitors are JFFD studies. The company has an unwavering commitment to advancing the standards of canine nutrition through evidence-based research. Currently, JustFoodForDogs diets are the subject of various ongoing research initiatives that are looking at the impact of whole food on health and wellness and chronic disease.
JFFD dog food company employs board-certified veterinary nutritionists that formulate all of their recipes to meet specific dietary needs, including the needs of dogs that would otherwise be on prescription diets.
According to Hepper: “Just Food For Dogs offers a better nutritional value than The Farmer’s Dog. This is primarily because their recipes are formulated by veterinarians and reviewed by multiple veterinarians. They also offer recipes to meet specific nutritional and medical needs, while The Farmer’s Dog mainly focuses on generalized feeding requirements for the average dog.”
Accessibility
Currently, The Farmer’s Dog is only available online. JustFoodForDogs is available online, in their own retail stores, and in Petco stores across the country.
The Bottom Line
Both The Farmer’s Dog or JustFoodForDogs offer healthy meal options for dogs backed by science. Both offer autoship dog food delivery services of human-grade food. If your pets have specific needs or sensitive stomachs, however, JustFoodForDogs is your best bet. JFFD can simply accommodate more types of dogs and their individual needs.
No matter what dog food you choose, always get the advice of your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist. Feed your dog the appropriate portion sizes based on their activity level, life stage, and weight.
