Unleashing the Truth: Decoding the Cost of Dog Food Delivery

You lucky dog! These days, you don’t have to stick with the same-old-same-old grocery store bag of kibble. There are dozens of fresh and dry dog food delivery services to choose from. But, while you want the absolute best for your dog, it’s hard to know what kind of costs to expect.

Different factors will determine your pet pal’s food bill, from the type of dog to the kind of food. We’ll help you understand what goes into the monthly cost of a dog food delivery service so that you can determine which is best for you.

What is Dog Food Delivery?

In today’s busy world, who has time to stop at the store to pick up dog food every day? Taking a cue from human meal delivery services, dog food delivery companies take care of mealtime for you. They’ll send your doggy’s diet right to your door, often with free shipping.

Dog food delivery services can deliver many different types of food but generally focus on fresh ingredients without preservatives or processing. They’re a step above the kibble you’ll find in the pet food aisle. The biggest benefit is that your dog is getting healthy, fresh meals every day - and you don’t have to run out to the store to get them.

Factors that Affect Food Costs

With most delivery services, you can customize your meal plan online based on your dog's body type and dietary needs. You can also choose what ingredients to add or exclude. The company will then calculate a personal quote based on your pup. To avoid sticker shock when you see that grand total, here are some factors to consider as you calculate your monthly dog food delivery cost.

Size & Breed of Dog

What kind of dog will you be feeding? Everyone knows that a Great Dane has a bigger appetite than a chihuahua. The size of your pooch will make the biggest difference when it comes to your monthly food cost. So, expect to spend significantly more if you have a big dog.

Dogs come in all sizes, from about 3 pounds to over 300. You should try to feed your dog 2-3% of its ideal body weight each day. Small breeds like dachshunds, pugs, and Yorkies require about ¾ to 1 ⅔ cups. Medium breeds like beagles, labs, and collies require about 1 ¾ to 2 ⅔ cups. Large breeds like German shepherds, golden retrievers, and mastiffs require 3 to 4 ½ cups. With any dog food delivery service, they'll help nail down the perfect portion size specifically for your dog, so you don't have to do all the guesswork. 

You should also consider your dog’s complete diet. Will they be eating custom-delivered food exclusively, or will you be combining it with store-bought food? Many companies offer a "topper" plan as well as a full-meal plan. For about half the price of a full meal plan, you can feed fresh food as a supplement to your dog’s daily kibble.

Type of Food

While many people will argue one way or the other, there is little difference between dry and wet food where nutrition and digestibility are concerned. The choice will lie in your lifestyle, budget, and dog’s dietary needs and preferences. Luckily, dog food delivery companies offer a variety of both wet and dry options, as well as combinations of the two. However, the cost will vary significantly by the type you choose.

In general, fresh food is the most expensive, followed by wet/canned, and dry kibble. For example, superior-quality dry dog food is typically offered at about half the weekly cost of a fresh food meal plan. Companies will also offer a variety of ingredient options like beef, salmon, chicken, and turkey for protein, carbs like quinoa and brown rice, and various fresh veggies. Some of these selections will have a higher price tag than others.

Custom Plan vs. Standard Selection

One of the perks of dog food delivery services is that they can create custom meal plans tailored to your dog’s needs. Custom plans can help address factors like unique health conditions, activity level, or life stage with specific ingredients. But of course these custom meal plans will cost more. On average, a custom meal plan can cost two to three times more per month than a standard selection. As such, if your pup isn’t picky and is in fairly good health, but you still want the high quality of a fresh food delivery service, opt for a company's standard recipes.

In Summary

There are many dog food delivery services, offering a variety of dog food types, options, and plans. With a fresh dog food delivery subscription, you can create a customized plan where you choose the frequency, amount, and ingredients of your dog’s food, and then get it shipped right to your door.

In general, a fresh dog food subscription will cost three to six times more per month than premium-quality dog kibble. But, with fresh dog food you get human-grade, whole-food meals made without preservatives, additives, or hormones, allowing your dog to enjoy healthier, tastier meals.