The Farmer's Dog Fresh Dog Food

What "fresh" food actually is

This is gently cooked whole-ingredient food, refrigerated or frozen, portioned to your dog's calculated calorie needs and delivered on a subscription. It is not raw, and it is not kibble.

The two things that genuinely separate it from a bag of dry food are water content and processing. Fresh food is around 70% moisture, similar to wet food, where kibble is around 10%. And it is cooked once at lower temperatures rather than extruded at high heat.

The company states its recipes are formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and made to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles, and its portioning is calculated from the weight, age, activity and body-condition details you enter. Check the AAFCO statement on the pack you actually receive, as you should with any food.

Where the evidence is strong and where it is not

Being straight about this matters, because fresh-food marketing runs well ahead of the research.

Well supported: higher moisture intake is good for dogs, calorie-controlled pre-portioned feeding is an effective way to prevent obesity, and obesity is one of the most consequential health problems in pet dogs. If a fresh subscription stops you free-feeding and eyeballing portions, that alone is a real health benefit — and it is available from any food, fed by weight.

Plausible but not established: claims that fresh food produces better coats, more energy, longer lives or better digestion than a well-formulated kibble. Long-term comparative outcome studies in dogs are scarce. Owners report improvements, and owner reports are not controlled evidence.

The honest position: this is a well-formulated, convenient, calorie-controlled way to feed a dog that many dogs do very well on. It is not proven to outperform a good kibble on health outcomes.

The questions worth asking any premium food

Veterinary nutrition bodies suggest owners ask the same questions of every brand, boutique or supermarket:

A company that answers these directly is telling you something useful. Ask them of this brand and of whatever you are comparing it against.

The practical realities before you subscribe

Fridge and freezer space. This is the one people underestimate. A large dog's delivery is a significant volume of food, and it needs refrigeration. Measure your freezer before ordering for a big dog.

It is a subscription. Deliveries arrive on a schedule, and you need to manage pauses around holidays. Check the cancellation terms before starting, not after.

Handling. Gently cooked food is handled like human food: refrigerate on arrival, use opened packs within the stated window, wash bowls properly, and wash your hands. It spoils — you cannot leave it down all day the way kibble is often left down.

Travel and boarding. A kennel or a pet sitter may not be able to store or serve it, so having a plan for a shelf-stable option is sensible.

Cost. This is the most expensive way to feed a dog, and it scales steeply with body weight. Feeding a large breed this way is a substantial ongoing commitment.

Transitioning

Over seven to ten days, gradually increasing the proportion. Fresh food is richer and more digestible than kibble, and stools typically become smaller and softer — that is expected rather than a problem.

Portions look small compared with kibble. That is correct: the food is calorie-dense relative to its dry matter and pre-portioned to a calculated need. Feeding "what looks right" defeats the main practical benefit.

Weigh your dog monthly and adjust with the company's guidance. Calculated portions are a starting estimate, not a permanent truth — dogs' needs change with season, age and activity.

Who should look elsewhere

If cost or freezer space is a constraint, a good kibble fed by weight to body condition achieves most of the practical benefit. If your dog has a diagnosed condition needing a therapeutic diet, that comes from your vet and no subscription substitutes. And if you travel often or use boarding kennels, a food that needs refrigeration adds logistics you may not want.