Different Dog Review: Does This Fresh Dog Food Live Up to the Hype?

As a pet parent, you always want to give your four-legged friend the best of everything, including what they eat.

Sometimes, though, that isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially if your dog has decided to go on a hunger strike because they don’t like the food they’re currently eating.

Or, maybe you’re dealing with a dog who has a food allergy – one of the most common types of allergies in dogs – and want to find a new type of food that might help them feel better. [1]

Freshly cooked dog food just might be the answer for you because it features a limited number of ingredients, all human-grade, and is precooked into meals with lots of different flavors. Recipes are also pre-approved by veterinary nutritionists to ensure they meet your pup’s unique dietary needs. 

What are Dog Owners Switching to Fresh Dog Food?

These are some of the main reasons dog owners consider switching over to a freshly cooked diet:

Helps with picky eaters: having a variety of freshly cooked meals for your dog is ideal because finicky dogs will be more likely to eat them.

Free From harmful additives: these diets are free from preservatives, dyes, thickeners, and other harmful ingredients, making it easier on your dog’s digestive system. [2, 3]

Allergen-friendly: for pups with digestive issues, a freshly cooked diet may help to give them some relief. And for dogs with allergies and food intolerances, feeding them a grain-free diet with one protein could help relieve these issues. [4] 

What is Different Dog Food?

Different Dog is known for its homemade dog food, made with human-grade ingredients using fresh, locally sourced meats and produce.

And because they contain fresh vegetables, fruits, vitamins, and minerals, their freshly cooked foods aim to provide your dog with a complete, well-rounded diet.

Different Dog Special Discount

Get 35% off your first two boxes with code MASPASCC35 – Different Dog

Different Dog Meal Options

Different Dog offers 11 meal options for your Dog, featuring either beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pheasant, or lamb as the primary protein. This ensures a good variety of foods for your Dog to choose from.

Shepherd’s Pie

Lamb (mince, heart, liver), cauliflower, red cabbage, swede, pear, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, mint, chia seeds, kelp, minerals, and turmeric.

Pheasant Stew recipe

Pheasant, red cabbage, butternut squash, carrot, banana, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, parsley, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Beef and Berries

Beef (mince, heart, liver), red cabbage, squash, sweet potato, blackberry, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, coriander, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Braised Beef 

Beef (mince, heart, liver), spinach, squash, carrot, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, parsley, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Chicken Casserole

Chicken (mince, liver), red cabbage, sweet potato, carrot, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, parsley, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Catch of the Day

White fish, broccoli, sweet potato, squash, apple, mushroom, flaxseed oil, olive oil, parsley, moncalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Get 35% off your first two boxes with code MASPASCC35 – Different Dog

Pawfect Picnic

Chicken (mince, liver), broccoli, sweet potato, red pepper, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, parsley, monocalcium phosphate, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Lamb Hotpot

Lamb (mince, heart, liver), red cabbage, parsnip, carrot, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, sage, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Keep-Me-Trim Turkey

Turkey, red cabbage, squash, carrot, apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, parsley, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Turkey Fricassee

Turkey, cabbage, sweet potato, carrot, banana, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, coriander, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

Comforting Chicken

Chicken, cabbage, squash, beef heart, apple, carrot, powdered egg, salmon oil, coconut oil, slippery elm powder, powdered alfalfa, powdered ginger, monocalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, kelp, minerals and turmeric.

What Do Different Dog Meals Look Like?

If you’re wondering what Different Dog meals look like, this is what Instagram fans posted of their first meals arriving for their dogs.

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A post shared by Hazel The Cockapoo (@hazelcockapoo_)

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A post shared by Ruby Strachan (@wee.ruby.the.spaniel)

What are Pet Parents Saying About Different Dog?

Different Dog customers have overwhelmingly positive things to say about their food. Their meals score an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars overall, with 623 reviews submitted, on Trustpilot.

Desiree raved about how the food helped to clear up her pup’s allergies.

Another pet parent commented on how the food has helped their dog’s tummy issues a few days after starting the diet as well.

While this reviewer mentioned how her dog loved the food and it helped soothe her dog’s tummy issues:

Get 35% off your first two boxes with code MASPASCC35 – Different Dog

Summary of Different Dog Reviews:

• Most dogs enjoyed the taste of the food.
• Pet parents liked that the packaging was recyclable and compostable.
• The food helped ease tummy issues and allergy symptoms for some dogs.
• Deliveries work well for multiple-dog households.
• Customer service made customers feel like family.

Do Dogs Like Different Dog Food?

The consensus of reviews on Instagram indicates that dogs love Different Dog food.

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A post shared by Dexter (@dexter.daxie)

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Overall, most dogs seemed to love Different Dog food and some even found the packaging in the recycling to lick it clean.

Can I Choose My Dog’s Meals?

Yes, you are able to choose which meals your dog gets to try and customize your order. Currently, Different Dog offers 11 options for your dog to choose from.

Based on the answers to the Different Dog questionnaire, the company will determine how many pots your dog needs each week.

Then, you pick out the flavors you want your dog to try. You can also pick the ingredients you want to avoid as well.

Finally, you can select whether to receive orders every two, four, or eight weeks.

Get 35% off your first two boxes with code MASPASCC35 – Different Dog

What is the Average Cost of Different Dog?

Different Dog foods are tailored to your dog’s size, weight, body type, exercise level, and heath, so it’s hard to determine an exact price range for their foods.

However, to give you an idea of the average cost, we filled out the Different Dog questionnaire with a few common dog sizes. The prices shown below are based on feeding a pup exclusively on a Different Dog diet. 

Note that these numbers are just estimates and not exact prices, which will vary by your dog’s individual characteristics.

Take the questionnaire to see how much your dog’s meals may cost.

Get 35% off your first two boxes with code MASPASCC35 – Different Dog

Is Different Dog Food Worth It?

The reviews show that Different Dog is a nutritious, homemade dog food that most dogs seem to love. Pet parents have praised the food’s high-quality ingredients that are locally sourced, the quality of the customer service, and the environmentally friendly packaging. 

Some found that the use of fewer ingredients in each meal, and the lack of additives and preservatives, helped eliminate their dog’s food allergies. 

Compared to other options on the market, Different Dog is fairly cost effective, ranging between £2 to £6 per day for small to large size dogs. This is about the same cost as a high-end canned or dry food. 

In addition to the positive reviews, the fact that the food is delivered to your door, makes it a convenient choice.  

If you’re looking for a healthier food choice for your pup, the quality of the ingredients and the great customer service Different Dog offer make it worth testing out.

Different Dog Food FAQs

How Do I Transition My Dog to Different Dog Food?

To prevent any tummy upset during the transition from your dog’s current food to Different Dog, the company recommends you slowly add the new food to your dog’s old food over a two-week period.

The best way to do this is to start with 25 percent of the new food for the first three days, increasing the percentage of new food by 25 percent every three to four days.

Can I Feed My Dog Different Dog and Another Food?

If you want to see if your dog likes Different Dog’s meals or simply want to incorporate their foods into your dog’s existing diet, you can use the meals as a topper to their current food.

In fact, you can sign up for a subscription which is based on using Different Dog as a topper to your dog’s meals (and not a full meal). This plan would give you a 25 percent daily portion for your dog.

Can Different Dog Meals Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze your Different Dog meals when they arrive. As Different Dog meals are made with no preservatives, they are actually frozen just after they are cooked to keep them fresh.

They then ship them to you still frozen using Eco-Chill Bio-Marine Ice Packs to keep them cool.

Once they arrive, pop the pots into the freezer to keep them fresh for up to 12 months.

Before serving the meals to your dog, you can defrost a pot in your refrigerator for 24 hours or put a frozen pot in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Once you defrost the food, it’s good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Are Different Dog Foods Only Available with a Subscription?

No, you can actually order Different Dog meals separately on their website or with a subscription. You can also order a taster hamper of their foods to see which ones your dog likes best before signing up for a subscription.

Subscription orders save you 10 percent off of the regular prices. To start a subscription, you have to go through the Different Dog questionnaire to determine which foods will work best for your dog.

The questionnaire is short and asks about things like your dog’s age, weight, body type, allergies, and exercise routine.

Is Different Dog Packaging Recyclable?

Different Dog advise that their packaging is recyclable, biodegradable, and reusable. That’s because the packaging is made from environmentally friendly sugarcane pulp.

You can recycle the boxes that the orders come in. The sheep’s wool insulation in the box is recyclable and you can compost it too. The pots that the food comes in are recyclable and compostable as well.

When shipped, the foods are kept cold using Eco-Chill Bio-Marine Ice Packs. You can reuse these gel ice packs to keep other things cold as you can refreeze them. Or, empty them out in your sink and recycle the plastic casing. The gel inside is non-toxic and dissolves easily in hot water.

Best of all, you can save up all of your sheep’s wool insulation from your orders, and once you have a full box worth of wool, let Different Dog know. They will send you a return label to ship it back to them.

Just drop off your box of wool at your local Collect Plus.

What is the Best Fresh Dog Food for the UK?

Fresh dog food is growing in popularity across the UK and abroad. Several companies now offer food via subscription and in stores.

These companies include Freshpet, Different Dog, Butternut Box, and Pets Love Fresh. They all make freshly cooked wet foods that are delivered right to your door. 

Two of the best dog food companies that produce fresh dog food locally are Different Dog and Butternut Box. These companies offer subscription foods that are tailored to your dog’s needs and we’ve compared them here to determine which of the two are the best choice for you. 

Although the Different Dog company is a more recent addition than Butternut Box, they are growing rapidly in popularity. Different Dog won the Best Natural Dog Food at the Small Business Awards in 2018 and a Pet Industry Foundation award in 2020.