If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of fresh dog food ads, you’ve probably seen Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog pop up again and again. Both promise human-grade ingredients, customized meal plans, and happier, healthier pups—but which one actually deserves a spot in your freezer?
I put these two subscription heavyweights nose-to-nose to see how they really compare in terms of quality, convenience, price, and (most importantly) dog approval. Spoiler alert: both brands deliver on nutrition, but depending on your priorities, one may edge out the other.
How it Works
Both Ollie and Farmer’s Dog are subscription services offering customized meal plans, so you’ll need to do a little work to get everything set up. Here’s what to expect:
Ollie: After completing a detailed questionnaire about your dog’s age, breed, weight, activity, and health needs, Ollie crafts a personalized meal plan. You can choose from fresh meals and gently baked kibble, plus treats and supplements. You’ll get helpful tools like a scoop and container for messy-free feeding.
The Farmer’s Dog: Same concept—start with a questionnaire and get vet-designed, portion-controlled, gently cooked meals delivered frozen. Everything arrives beautifully packaged and ready to thaw and serve.
Ingredient Quality & Sourcing: Ollie Stands Out for Transparancy
On the surface, there are very few differences between Ollie vs Farmer’s Dog as far as ingredients go. Both brands meet AAFCO and WSAVA nutrition standards.
Ollie uses human-grade, minimally processed ingredients—meats, fruits, veggies—with no fillers, flavors, or preservatives. All of their recipes are vet-formulated to be complete and balanced.
The Farmer’s Dog also uses human-grade ingredients in their and vet-developed recipes. Their meals feature visible ingredients—like lentils, kale, carrots—and include salmon oil for omega-3s.
However, when it comes to transparency, Ollie comes out way ahead simply because they make it so easy to see what you’re getting BEFORE you start the subscription process. You can look up each recipe on their site without logging in or starting the questionnaire. Each one comes with a full ingredient list and guaranteed analysis, along with clear explanations of why those ingredients were chosen. No digging required—just click a recipe and all the details are right at your fingertips.
The Farmer’s Dog, on the other hand, requires a bit more digging. You won’t get a full ingredient breakdown until after you’ve filled out their questionnaire (and handed over your email). Even then, it’s a little buried—you’ll need to click “nutrition facts” at the end of your plan setup to see recipe details. That said, the Farmer’s Dog customizes each recipe to meet your dog’s needs, so your ingredients may be different than mine. Still, I like to see a general breakdown before I hand over my email and waste time answering questions.
Taste, Texture & Recipe Variety: Ollie Wins for Taste & Variety
Texture-wise, both Ollie and Farmer’s Dog are pretty similar. I think Ollie is a bit more stew-like while Farmer’s Dog is more “hearty savory oatmeal” like. Even though they look alike to me, Freya preferred the texture of Ollie.
When it comes to taste, Ollie was the biggest hit with Freya. I have to take her word for it. I’m willing to go the extra mile to give you a full picture in my reviews, but eating dog food- even if it’s made with human-grade ingredients- just isn’t gonna happen. Besides, I’m an even pickier eat than my dog!
As far as fresh food recipe variety goes, both Ollie and Farmer’s Dog have four core protein options. Both offer beef, chicken, and turkey. Ollie offers lamb as the fourth option while the Farmer’s Dog offers pork.
Ollie goes a step further by also offering two gently baked kibble-style recipes (chicken and beef). Freya likes it enough to eat it as a treat. I use it in her training games. It’s also great for dogs who like a little crunch in their meals since you can mix it with the fresh foods. Ollie also offers a wider variety of treats and supplements that you can add on to your subscription, where The Farmer’s Dog only offers one type of treat.
Packaging & Convenience: Almost a Tie
Both brands ship directly to your house in a way that keeps everything cool even in the dead heat of summer. The fresh meals are packaged in BPA-free plastic wrap, making them pretty easy to fit into your freezer even if you’re short on space.
If ongoing shipping and packaging is your only concern, then it’s an even tie. However, I feel like Ollie edges ahead with the initial delivery. Along with your food and a guide on how to transition, you also get a really cute container and two different types of scoops. I just love that extra attention to detail.
Which is Cheaper? It Depends...
Both Ollie and Farmer’s Dog offer steep discounts of at least 50% on your first box. Ollie adds even more value with frequent “freebies.” For example, my first box included a free Embark DNA test kit. Right now, they’re tossing in a free Fi dog collar when you subscribe. The offer changes frequently, though, so if you see something you really want, grab it right away.
The Farmer’s Dog, on the other hand, offers a free bag of treats when you subscribe. However, keep in mind that you’ll be charged for those treats (worth about $12) with your next box. So, if you just want a one-off freebie, make sure to remove them from your subscription.
In terms of ongoing prices, The Farmer’s Dog is cheaper overall. The actual amount depends on your dog, of course, but here’s how it breaks down for me and my large-breed dog after the initial discounted box:
- Ollie- $73.33 per week for full fresh plan or $41.30 a week for half-fresh.
- The Farmer’s Dog- $52.22 per week
The Farmer’s Dog ships every 26 days, so in that case I’d pay roughly $208 a month all at once. Ollie’s shipping schedule depends on your plan.
Final Verdict: Ollie is the Winner
Ollie and The Farmer’s Dog are both amazing brands, so you really can’t go wrong with either of them. If price alone is your main consideration, then I’d give this to The Farmer’s Dog.
However, price is only part of the equation. Factoring in Freya’s preference (and really, that’s the biggest factor here), Ollie comes out ahead. Add in the other extras, like the ingredient transparency, the gently baked kibble, the nifty freebies with your first box, and the wider variety of treats & supplements, and I just feel like Ollie gives you mor bang for your buck.
That said, if you don’t want or need more variety, The Farmer’s Dog is still a very solid choice.
