Pet
Food
Delivery
Ah, the things we do for our paw pals. We buy them clothes, and insurance, spend more on their grooming than our own, we schedule dog playdates. We could go on and on. However, some pet owners really pull all the stops when pampering their dogs. Here are some of the things some lucky fur babies enjoy:
• They get to stay in posh pet hotels.• They fly first class.• They get to live in custom-built houses or rooms.• They get to have lavish bark-day celebrations (even a bark Mitzvah!)• They enjoy regular bubble baths and spa dates.• They get to wear diamond collars and other gem-studded accessories.• They sleep on personalized dog beds.• They keep cool in custom-made dog pool decks.I mean, we totally get it. Our furry friends bring so much joy into our lives, so what's a little bit of pampering, right? Okay, so maybe it's not exactly a "little bit" at this point, but you know what I mean. Nothing is too big or too much for our furry best friends.
So what baffles me is why some dog owners still let their four-legged family members eat table scraps. Sure, it can be hard to resist giving them a bite from your dinner plate, especially when they’re staring at you with those cute puppy dog eyes.
First, let's consider the behavioral and social issues that may occur when you feed your furry friends table food. According to canine researchers, dogs' mental abilities are on par with that of a human child aged 2 to 2.5 years. If you keep feeding them table scraps, they will learn very quickly that:
• Begging works, so they'll start hovering around you during meals or snack times (yup, even with house guests).• They can steal food off the dinner table or the kitchen worktop.• They can refuse to eat their own food and only say yes to table food. After all, why munch on dry kibble when they can have pizzas, roast chicken, and puppuccinos?Not only are we reinforcing bad habits in dogs by feeding them table scraps, but there are also health repercussions.
• Obesity• Digestive problems• Allergic reactions• Toxin exposureFeeding our canine companions table scraps is not the only problem, though.
Like "fast food" for humans, commercial dog food contains ingredients that shouldn't even be in your dog's diet. In fact, a study by the Nagoya City University Medical School revealed that "preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin that are contained in dry pet food can be a hotbed for cancer growth and other diseases". And don't get us started on the questionable ingredients and processes dog food manufacturers use.
So now you might think homemade dog food is the way to go. Not so fast! Whipping up nutritionally-balanced dog food from scratch can be pretty demanding on your time and finances. Plus, you'll have to figure out which ingredients are safe or unsafe for your dogs to eat. How can you ensure that your home-cooked dog food meets Fido's unique dietary requirements?
More and more people are skipping the supermarkets and opting for dog food subscription services. Why?
Over the last few years, food delivery subscription services have been popping up left and right, offering various options for dogs of every shape, size, breed, age, and activity level. Some even take into account your pooches' dietary requirements, allergies, and medical history. Our team has reviewed just about every dog food delivery service out there, old and new, and picked the best ones in terms of price, ingredients, meal plans, packaging, customer service, shipping, and delivery. Some of our dogs also lent a hand, er paws, in sniff and taste testing their recipes to make sure everything is delicious, even for the picky eaters! For us, the best dog food delivery service has to tick the following boxes:
Fur parents are, shall we say, a different kind of breed. We all love to spoil our dogs, treating them to spa days, interactive toys, frozen treats, and more. Bella and Cooper's doggie wardrobe is probably taking up your entire closet! But not all spoiling is good, especially when it comes to dog chow. Yup, we're talking about human food scraps and excessive dog treats. If you're not onboard the dog food delivery train yet, here's why you should subscribe:
• It's fresh, healthy, and convenient dog food delivered straight to your door. No more lugging around heavy bags of dog food, that's if you even remember it, after back-to-back meetings at the office!
• It lets you personalize your fur babies' diet. After all, you won't feed your Shih Tzu that same type and amount of dog food as you would a Siberian Husky, right? With a dog food delivery service, you can input your dog's breed, age, activity level, weight, sensitivities or allergies, and more.
• You'll get far more choices than what you'd see at most brick-and-mortar groceries or pet stores. Whether it's raw food, grain-free, wet dog food, canned food, or dry kibble, they're sure to have it in any flavors — chicken, beef, or fish! It's perfect for picky eaters, dieting dogs, senior dogs, puppies, big dogs, and your little Chihuahua!
• As dogs grow older, their bodies change. So do their eating habits and nutrition requirements. Most dog food delivery services work with veterinary nutritionists to design meals and recipes that suit dogs of any breed.
Do you mean, besides the fact that you won't have to chop your own ingredients, veggies, raw liver, etc.? Dog's dietary needs are different from humans, so your recipes may not be the best for your furry pals despite your well-intentioned cooking. On the other hand, dog food delivery services typically have a veterinarian or pet nutritionist on staff to ensure that your pet gets a well-rounded meal, regardless of their size, breed, age, or health conditions.
You'll be surprised to know that dog food subscription services don't cost an arm and a leg. In fact, it might even work out cheaper than buying dog food at your local store! Of course, gourmet services or raw food can be pricier than your dog's regular chow, but we believe it's well worth it. After all, we're talking about our pup's health and wellbeing here. On average, dog food delivery services can cost between $40 to $150 per month, but some, like PetPlate, deliver for as little as $1 per day. Some like Ollie and Nom Nom give significant discounts of up to 60%, while others offer free shipping and a money-back guarantee. At the end of the day, the final price will depend largely on your type of dog and its dietary needs.
Dog food subscription services have become popular lately, and there are many options out there that it can be overwhelming, to say the least. With that said, we've tested enough to know which boxes each one should tick. These are the following:
• Their food has to be approved by either the USDA or the FDA and meets the nutritional standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
• Their meals are created by licensed veterinary nutritionists with all the good stuff (protein, whole food ingredients, carbohydrates, grains, etc.) with no preservatives or fillers.
• Their food has to be human-grade. No, human-grade doesn't mean the hoomans can eat it. It means that the ingredients and the final product were handled, processed, and stored in compliance with regulations for good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for human edible foods. Why? It means less processing and higher safety standards. The Farmer's Dog, Bezzie, and pretty much what we have on the list above meet this requirement.
• Those are pretty much the big three, but we'll give plus points to any service that offers free shipping, flexible delivery options, money-back guarantees, and great customer service.
