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In this review
In this review
We adopted our third dog last year - a Frenchie named Wanda - and we are obsessed. But our dogs’ different needs have forced us to rethink their diets. Between our senior Goldendoodle losing energy with age, our younger Doodle’s beef allergy, and Wanda’s picky tastebuds, we were struggling to find the right kibble for each of them.
After hearing that fresh, minimally processed dog food can help with energy & joint health, food sensitivities, and picky eating, we decided to take a closer look.1
To start our fresh journey, we put the 4 leading brands to the test - Freshpet, The Farmer’s Dog, JustFoodForDogs, and Ollie - over the course of 2 months. With the help of Veterinarian Dr. Sarah Furtney (and Wanda, Walter, and Oliver), we reviewed each brand on ingredients, variety, taste & experience, quality standards, and price. Read on to find out our top pick.
Should I Feed My Dog Fresh Food?
We asked Dr. Furtney, our Vet, if most dogs could benefit from switching to a fresh diet. In short: probably.
“Kibble relies on meat meals and by-products rather than whole, clearly named meats. It contains more preservatives and lower moisture content to extend shelf life, as well as cheap fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or unspecified carbohydrates.”
Compared to kibble, a fresh diet can lead to:
- Better digestion: “Whole-food ingredients are easier to digest and absorb, meaning improved gastrointestinal comfort, firmer stools, and reduced gas.”1
- More energy and vitality: “Increased playfulness, improved mobility (especially in seniors), and more sustained energy throughout the day.”1
- Healthier skin & coat: “Visible improvements of softer, glossier coats, less itchiness, and reduced shedding.”2
- Better Taste: “Fewer additives means flavor comes from real ingredients, enhancing natural taste.”
The Top Fresh Dog Food Brands, Compared
Ingredients
Fresh dog food means high-quality, recognizable ingredients - gently cooked to preserve nutrients. Per Dr. Furtney, our Vet:
- “Protein provides the building blocks for muscle, immune function, tissue repair, and enzymes ”
- “Fat is the most energy-dense nutrient and supports skin, coat, brain, and joint health.”
- “Carbs like rice, oats, or sweet potatoes support steady energy and healthy digestion, but shouldn’t be the primary ingredients. Avoid unnecessary fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives and colors."
- “Key vitamins dogs need in their diets are Vitamins A, D, E, and B-Complex.
- Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, and skin & coat health.
- Vitamin D supports strong bones and teeth.
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cells and supports strong muscles.
- B-Complex Vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid, etc.) support energy metabolism, red blood cell production, and nervous system health.”3
We compared each brand’s chicken recipe using Dr. Furtney’s guidance.
🥇 First Place: Freshpet.
- Whole-food ingredients with no unnecessary fillers: chicken, egg, carrots, pumpkin, ground oats, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberries, and spinach.
- Highest protein (14.5% crude protein min.) and fat (9.0% crude fat min.) of the group. Protein is important for maintaining muscle mass, and fat is the most important source of energy in a dog's diet.4
- The most comprehensive vitamin blend: Freshpet is the only recipe that lists a vitamin A supplement, plus D3, E, and B-Complex vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, biotin, and folic acid).
🥈 The Farmer's Dog
- Uses whole ingredients: chicken, chicken liver, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and chia seeds.
- Less protein-dense and energy-rich than Freshpet with 11% crude protein min. and 6% crude fat min.
- Lists vitamins D3, E, and B-Complex (B1, B2, B6, B12, and folic acid), but is missing vitamin A.
🥉 JustFoodForDogs
- Uses whole ingredients, but carb-heavy: long-grain white rice and long-grain brown rice are the 2nd and 3rd ingredients. JFFD is the only brand to include seed oils in its recipe (sunflower oil, flaxseed oil), which may contribute to inflammation.5
- Lower protein and fat than Freshpet and The Farmer's Dog, with 8% crude protein min. and 3% crude fat min.
- Lists vitamins D3, E, B1, B2, B12, and pantothenic acid, but is missing vitamin A, B6, and folic acid.
❌ Ollie
- Uses whole foods, but rice is the 2nd ingredient.
- Matches JustFoodForDogs on the lowest protein and fat of the group: 8% crude protein min. and 3% crude fat min.
- Fewest vitamins of the group: D3, E, B1, B2, and B6 are listed, but vitamin A, B12, and folic acid are not.
Variety
Each brand offers several recipe options, but flexibility is important - especially for picky eaters.
🥇 Freshpet: Offers 5 recipes and lets you subscribe to all of them at once, meaning it offers the most day-to-day variety.
🥇 The Farmer's Dog: Offers more total options with 7 recipes, but only lets you subscribe to 3 at a time.
🥈 Ollie: Offers 5 recipes, but only allows you to subscribe to 4 at a time.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: Offers 11 recipes, but only allows you to subscribe to 1 at a time. That means your pup eats the same meal every day for 8 weeks.
Taste & Experience
We fed each brand to Oliver, Walter, and Wanda for two weeks, taking note of their appetites, energy levels, and poops.
🥇 Freshpet is the only brand that won on taste and led to noticeable improvements in our dogs.
- Oliver loved every bowl. He was at the kitchen counter before we finished scooping by day 2. We noticed more energy from Oliver after just a week on Freshpet – he played more with his siblings throughout the day and had no trouble keeping up with them on walks.
- Walter ate every meal with the same enthusiasm despite his dietary restrictions. Walter stuck to Freshpet’s 2 beef-free recipes, and we noticed healthier, log-shaped poops during his 2-week test.
- Wanda cleaned her bowl at every meal, which almost never happens.
🥈 Ollie won our dogs over on taste, but didn’t improve energy or digestion.
- Oliver licked every bowl clean. He was happy at mealtime, but his energy didn’t change. He was still hanging back on walks and napping more than his siblings.
- Walter cleaned his bowl every meal, and his stomach handled the beef-free recipes fine. There were no upset days, but we didn’t notice any improvements in his poops.
- Wanda ate every meal without complaint and only left food behind when we fed her the Lamb & Pork recipes. An improvement over kibble, but not the excitement we had hoped for.
🥉 The Farmer’s Dog received lukewarm reactions.
- Oliver finished his meals without complaint, but we didn’t see any difference in his energy. He kept slowing down on walks and sat out most of the play sessions.
- Walter ate well and had no stomach upset. His poops were firm, but more pellet-like than we’d like to see.
- Wanda picked around the veggie pieces and left a little behind at most meals. She treated it about the same as her old food - no change in her picky eating.
❌ JustFoodForDogs was the least popular with all three dogs.
- Oliver ate it, but the excitement faded by the end of week 1. His energy and stamina stayed the same as on his old food.
- Walter was fine at first, then lost interest. He was gassier than when he was on his old kibble diet, but there were no upset days.
- Wanda hesitated at nearly every meal and needed to be coaxed. By week two she was refusing food, the opposite of what we needed for a picky eater.
Quality Standards
According to Dr. Furtney, the best dog foods are formulated by an on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist - trained specifically to evaluate and formulate dog diets - and third-party tested for ingredient quality. The Clean Label Project (CLP) is a national non-profit that independently tests foods for contaminants that can impact long-term health.6 We consider CLP Certified dog foods to represent the highest standard of quality in the industry.
🥇 Freshpet has a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff and is the only brand with Clean Label Project Certification across its entire product line. That means every recipe was independently tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial contaminants.7, 8
🥈 JustFoodForDogs has Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists on staff, and two recipes have earned CLP Certification (Lamb & Brown Rice, Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni).7, 8
🥉 The Farmer’s Dog has Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists on staff, but only one recipe (Beef) is CLP Certified.7
❌ Ollie: No Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist on staff and no CLP certifications.
Price
With three dogs eating two meals a day, cost adds up fast, and portion size makes a huge difference. Below is what each brand costs per meal for a big dog (like Walter, 75lb) and for a small dog (like Wanda, 11lb).
🥇 Freshpet: $3.28/meal for a big dog or $0.78/meal for a small dog with TCD's discount. The most affordable option for both sizes, with the strongest nutrition and the best overall results in this test.
🥈 The Farmer's Dog: $4.85/meal for a big dog or $1.21/meal for a small dog. Mid-pack on price, but with less protein and fewer vitamins than Freshpet.
❌ Ollie: $6.15/meal for a big dog or $2.36/meal for a small dog. The most expensive option for Wanda, despite having the lowest protein and fat, fewer vitamins, and no on-staff Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist.
❌ JustFoodForDogs: $8.72/meal for a big dog or $2.07/meal for a small dog. By far the most expensive option for our Goldendoodles, and on the pricier side for our Frenchie for the most limited recipe options.
Our #1 Choice for Fresh Dog Food: Freshpet
After testing the top four fresh dog food brands, Freshpet is the clear winner.
It’s the most affordable option with the strongest nutritional profile, third-party testing, and is formulated by experts. It’s also the only brand that led to noticeable improvements in our dogs’ energy, digestion, and appetites.
We've made the permanent switch to Freshpet for the whole household, and couldn’t be happier with the results. Oliver is keeping up with his siblings on walks and at the park, Walter is happily eating beef-free recipes without the gassy side-effects, and Wanda, our pickiest eater, now comes running when she hears the bag open. For us, feeding one brand to all dogs made mealtimes much easier.
Our Veterinarian, Dr. Furtney, agrees: “I recommend Freshpet because it provides balanced nutrition, supports digestion and hydration, and feels closer to ‘real food.’”
Ready to try Freshpet? Use TCD's exclusive discount to get 50% off your first box. Freshpet also offers an extra 5% off recurring discount for households with multiple dogs:
