The Farmers Dog vs Ollie: Which Fresh Food Fits Your Dog

Last Updated: November 12, 2026

Table of Contents

• How The Farmer's Dog and Ollie Compare at a Glance
• The Farmer's Dog vs. Ollie Review: Recipes, Ingredients and Nutrition
  • Recipe variety and formula range
  • Ingredient quality and sourcing
  • Nutritional adequacy: the part most comparisons miss
  • Grain-free versus grain-inclusive
  • Texture, fat content, and how the food handles
  • For comparison: a shelf-stable formula's label
  • When a veterinarian should guide the choice
• Ollie vs. The Farmer's Dog Price: What You Actually Pay Per Month
  • How each service builds its price
  • A like-for-like cost worksheet
  • What the fresh plans cost relative to shelf-stable options
  • Discounts, trials, and what changes the math
• Ollie vs. The Farmer's Dog vs. Nom Nom: Where the Third Option Fits
  • Feeding Guidelines and Calorie Needs Across Brands
• What Customer Reviews and Reddit Users Report About Both Services
• Storage, Thawing and Choosing a Kibble Alternative for Your Dog
• Booking a Trial Bag and Matching Your Dog's Needs
• Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing between The Farmer's Dog and Ollie usually comes down to monthly cost, recipe variety, and hands-on work, and a farmers dog vs ollie comparison makes those trade-offs easier to see. ViandPet starts from a different premise, and this comparison shows where each fits.

How The Farmer's Dog and Ollie Compare at a Glance

Both services sell fresh, portioned meals delivered on a recurring schedule. The two are closer in format than in day-to-day experience, so the differences that matter show up in price per meal, recipe selection, and packaging and storage.

Fresh subscriptions suit owners who want convenience and are comfortable with a recurring cost. If you want a food you can buy once and store in the pantry, a bag-based option may fit better.

The Farmer's Dog vs. Ollie Review: Recipes, Ingredients and Nutrition

Both services pitch recipe variety and ingredient quality. Owners check protein sources, vegetables and grains, and whether each recipe is labeled complete and balanced for the dog's life stage.

Recipe variety and formula range

A dog with a poultry allergy or beef sensitivity needs a recipe that avoids that protein entirely, and the smaller the list, the harder that is to guarantee long term.

Ingredient quality and sourcing

Check sourcing on each company's website rather than relying on marketing summaries. Look for named suppliers, where proteins are sourced and raised, and a full ingredient list with the guaranteed analysis. Ask whether the recipe includes added supplements, and compare guaranteed analysis figures where published.

Nutritional adequacy: the part most comparisons miss

In the United States, a dog food claiming to be "complete and balanced" should carry a nutritional adequacy statement tied to the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles, naming the life stage, growth, adult maintenance, or all life stages. The statement also indicates how adequacy was substantiated: by formulation, by an AAFCO feeding trial, or by a family-member product.

Calorie density matters alongside adequacy. Fresh foods carry more water than kibble, so the same weight delivers fewer calories; compare metabolizable energy (kcal/kg or kcal/cup) rather than scoop size. The label's feeding amount is a starting point, not a guarantee.

A named AAFCO statement plus published calorie content is the minimum bar for comparing any two foods, fresh or shelf-stable. If a company cannot point you to that statement for a given recipe, treat the "complete and balanced" claim as unverified.

Grain-free versus grain-inclusive

Grain-free is not automatically better; the FDA has investigated a possible link between certain grain-free diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), so owners considering one for a large or predisposed breed should raise it with their veterinarian (the FDA). Grain-inclusive recipes avoid that question entirely.

Texture, fat content, and how the food handles

Fresh cooked food is soft and moist, which suits senior dogs and picky eaters but spoils faster and requires refrigeration.

For comparison: a shelf-stable formula's label

For ViandPet's dry formulas, the ingredient list is fully printed on the bag. The Viand Dry Kibble Regular Bite lists lamb meal and chicken meal as first ingredients, with a guaranteed minimum of 26% crude protein and 16% crude fat. A highly concentrated food is not automatically right for every dog, so review the transition guidance before switching, and confirm the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement on the bag matches your dog's life stage.

When a veterinarian should guide the choice

For a healthy adult dog, comparing named AAFCO statements and calorie content is usually enough to shortlist. For puppies, seniors, and dogs with kidney, heart, urinary, or gastrointestinal disease, a veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist should set the diet. Bring the label and adequacy statement to that conversation.

Ollie vs. The Farmer's Dog Price: What You Actually Pay Per Month

Fresh subscriptions are priced by the dog's weight and calorie needs, so the monthly figure depends heavily on dog size. In a farmers dog vs ollie price comparison, the most useful check is cost per month for a dog of the same size, using the same feeding amount, then seeing how discounts and serving assumptions change the answer.

How each service builds its price

The only fair comparison is monthly cost at a fixed dog profile, a 20-pound dog and a 70-pound dog will see very different spreads, and a puppy or highly active dog costs more than a sedentary senior of the same weight.

Compare the same number of days of food, not the same number of shipments.

A like-for-like cost worksheet

Rather than trust a single quoted number, build the comparison yourself with the same inputs on both sites:

1. Enter the same dog weight, age, activity level, and body condition score on each company's plan builder.
2. Record the quoted per-day price and the daily portion in ounces or cups.
3. Multiply the per-day price by 30 for a monthly figure, and by 365 and divide by 12 for an annualized monthly average.
4. Note any first-order discount, referral credit, or free-trial offer separately, because those lower the first month only.
5. Divide the monthly cost by the calories delivered per day to get a cost-per-calorie figure, the cleanest way to compare a fresh plan against a kibble bag.

What the fresh plans cost relative to shelf-stable options

For a concrete anchor on the shelf-stable side, ViandPet's dry options are sold as one-time purchases. The Viand Dry Kibble Regular Bite Dog Food 16 lb bag is listed at $72.00 and, per its label, holds about 66 cups, enough to feed a 75-pound dog for a month when fed exclusively.

The Aelyon All-Natural Dehydrated Chicken Based Dog Food 7.0 lb bag is listed at $95.00. Its label notes that a 25-pound dog would use roughly 8.5 pounds a month on Aelyon alone.

To compare fairly, run the worksheet above for your own dog's weight on each fresh service, then divide the bag price by the number of days it lasts for the shelf-stable options. That gives you a true cost-per-day figure across all four formats instead of a marketing headline.

Discounts, trials, and what changes the math

Those are real but one-time savings. The variables that move long-run monthly cost most are dog weight, activity level, the recipe chosen (higher-protein recipes can price differently), and how often you skip or pause a delivery. If you travel or keep a second food in rotation, your effective monthly spend drops because you feed fewer subscription days per month.

Ollie vs. The Farmer's Dog vs. Nom Nom: Where the Third Option Fits

Where you land among the three usually depends on which recipes your dog accepts and the monthly cost at your dog's size. A picky eater may do better with whichever service offers recipes they already enjoy. The practical test is the same: compare cost per month at your dog's weight, then check whether the recipes match your dog's needs.

ViandPet's dry formulas are sold as one-time purchases, so they suit owners who want to buy a bag, store it, and feed it without a delivery cycle.

Feeding Guidelines and Calorie Needs Across Brands

Feeding amounts differ across brands, so never assume one bag or meal plan transfers directly to another. Per the ViandPet Lite label, one cup per 35 to 40 pounds of body weight per day is the recommended starting point, adjusted for activity. Watch the stool: it should be firm and well formed, and if it turns loose, cut back the amount.

The Lite formula is designed with fewer calories than the regular formula. Ask your veterinarian to confirm the right daily calorie target for your dog before you commit to any feeding plan.

What Customer Reviews and Reddit Users Report About Both Services

ViandPet customers describe their experience in their own words. One owner wrote that their dogs "LOVE the food" and praised the individual care they received as a customer. Another reported that their 10-year-old Akita had done well on the food for many years. These are individual experiences, not controlled results, and they should be read that way.

Storage, Thawing and Choosing a Kibble Alternative for Your Dog

Fresh subscriptions require freezer or refrigerator space and planning to thaw meals safely. Thaw portions in the refrigerator rather than on the counter, and discard any food left out for an extended period. Keep your chosen service's storage instructions in mind before the first delivery arrives.

Dry kibble is simpler to store. Keep the bag sealed in a cool, dry place, and transfer it to an airtight container once opened if the bag does not reseal. Many owners find a shelf-stable bag fits a busy household better than a freezer full of portioned meals.

If you are looking for a kibble alternative to fresh food, match the choice to your dog's age, activity level, and any sensitivities. Dogs with specific health conditions should be reviewed with a veterinarian before a diet change.

Booking a Trial Bag and Matching Your Dog's Needs

Before committing to any food, start with a small quantity and a gradual transition. Switch over several days, mixing an increasing share of the new food into the old, and watch for changes in stool, appetite, and energy.

If you want to compare options on your own terms, you can browse ViandPet's dry food range and review the feeding guidelines for your dog's weight. For ViandPet's own dry foods, choose a bag size based on how many days you want it to last, and confirm the right amount with your veterinarian.

The right choice depends on your dog's size, your budget, and how much convenience you need. A fresh subscription may suit an owner who wants meals delivered on schedule, while a shelf-stable bag suits one who wants a simpler, one-time purchase.

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