Tailored Pet Review – Is This Grain Free Dog Food Worth It, and How Does It Compare to Others?

People love their pets, and those across the United States spent around 38.4 billion dollars on food and treats for their furry friends in 2020. But it can be hard to know what the best food for your dog is. (1)

Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and breeds. They also have varied tastes and dietary needs.

With all these differences, it only makes sense that your dog would need a diet made with high-quality ingredients that’s specifically developed for them to feel their best.

This is especially important for puppies, senior dogs, and dogs who have food allergies and intolerances. In fact, it’s estimated that around 10 percent of dogs in the United States suffer from some type of food allergy. (2)

While you can try to make your own dog food at home to accommodate your dog’s diet, it isn’t the easiest thing to do for everyday meals. It’s also not always the healthiest option for your dog in the long term, as they will have particular nutritional needs that need to be met.

That’s why many pet food companies are now making meals from better-grade ingredients and in different formulations to accommodate the varying needs of dogs.

Tailored Pet vs. Open Farm

This article will be looking at two brands that provide more personalized, high-quality food options for dogs — Tailored Pet and Open Farm.  

Tailored Pet makes kibble that’s specifically customized to your dog’s needs. This is done using the answers you give to their short quiz, including weight, allergies, activity level, and more.

Open Farm produces a wide variety of dog meals with set recipes. Their meals come in dry, wet, and gently cooked (fresh meal) options. Open Farm’s “tailored” aspect comes in when you fill in a quiz about your dog. After that, they will recommend their best recipes for his or her needs.

Both Tailored Pet and Open Farm have grain-free recipe options (although they have grain options too).

The main thing that we love about both brands is their commitment to using high-quality ingredients and manufacturing their food in USA facilities that are held to high safety standards.

25% off: Open Farm

What is Open Farm Pet Food?

Open Farm is a Canadian dog food company with its manufacturing facility based in the US.

It’s committed to producing nutritious dog food made from ethically sourced, premium ingredients.

They also offer a wide variety of meal options to suit various dog needs. This means you get recipes with a variety of protein bases in different formats — like wet, dry, freeze-dried, and gently cooked.

While their recipes are not customizable like Tailored, they have plenty of recipe options to choose from. So you should be able to find something that meets your dog’s needs (even grain-free meals).

Plus, to help you through the selection process, you can fill in a quick quiz about your pup on the Open Farm website. And it will recommend their best meals for your dog.

What Makes Open Farm Pet Food Different?

Open Farm is all about improving canine nutrition by producing dog food made from top-quality ingredients that go through strict selection criteria. 

Other Open Farm Products Available

Open Farm also offers:

• Treats
• Bone broths
• Supplements
• Cat food

What is Tailored Pet Dog Food?

Tailored Pet provides dry dog food that is also made with high-quality ingredients and customized to your dog’s unique dietary needs.

They offer many different recipes for dogs, including different kibble sizes, which is helpful for smaller dogs. Their meals are only available online and they offer free shipping to the continental United States.

50% off your first meal: Tailored Pet

Why Is Tailored Pet Dog Food Different?

Tailored Pet food is tailored to your dog’s needs based on a series of questions about them, including their age, allergies, food preferences, activity level, and overall health.

Once you answer these questions, Tailored Pet creates a customized recipe plan for your dog.

Tailored Pet meals are dry foods made with whole meats. Although they are dry, they are only cooked for a short amount of time to ensure that most nutrients and amino acids stay intact.

In contrast, some commercial dry foods are cooked for long periods and at high temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit or more, meaning that they may be less nutritious for your dog. This is because the intense cooking process degrades many of the nutrients in the food. [3]

Tailored Pet food’s short cooking process still pasteurizes the food to remove any harmful microorganisms, making it easier for your dog to digest, while also keeping more of the nutritional value of the ingredients.

Because Tailored Pet food is a dry kibble, it can be good for your dog’s teeth, helping to scrape away tartar as they eat. (4)

Some formulations are also coated with freeze-dried meats for a more delicious taste. And it’s easy to store because it doesn’t require refrigeration.

On top of that, they can deliver your pup’s meals straight to your door.

Tailored Pet vs Open Farm

Meal Options	Limited ingredient kibble	Human-grade or humanely-raised meats: Kibble Wet food Freeze-dried Gently cooked (fresh meals)
Meal Protein Options	Chicken Beef Lamb SalmonDuck Bison Wild boar	Chicken Beef Lamb Fish Turkey Pork Venison
Allergies or Exclusions	Grains Gluten Eggs Flax Chicken Red meat Potatoes	You can choose meals that don’t have the ingredients you wish to exclude.
Formulated by Veterinarians?	Yes, recipes developed by veterinarians and pet nutrition experts.	Recipes developed with Animal Nutritionist and Food Scientist input.
Made in the USA	Yes	Yes
Recyclable Packaging	Yes, the recyclable bags are crafted by TerraCycle.	Yes, recyclable with TerraCycle.
Delivery Area	48 contiguous states plus the District of Columbia.	48 contiguous states.
Free Shipping	Yes	Free for orders over $50
Refund Policy	100% money-back guarantee	Returns within 15-days of purchase
Price Range	$25 – $50 per month Depending on the size of your dog	Kibble: From $19.99/4lb bag Wet food: From $3.99/12.5oz box (354g) Freeze-dried: From $9.99/3.5oz bag (99g) Gently cooked: From $9.99/16oz pouch (454g)
Subscriptions Available	Every 2 to 12 weeks Select frequency at checkout	Every 1 to 8 weeks Select frequency at checkout
Reviews	4.4 out of 5 stars from 1,471 reviews.	4.7 out of 5 stars from 746 reviews
Special Offer	50% off your first meal: Tailored Pet	25% off: Open Farm

Tailored Pet vs. Open Farm — Which is Better?

If your dog has food sensitivities, then Tailored Pet may be better as they allow you to exclude a wider variety of ingredients (e.g., grains, eggs, gluten) from their recipes.

On the other hand, if ingredient sourcing and transparency are more important to you, Open Farm may be the preferred choice. 

While both brands use premium-quality ingredients in their recipes, Open Farm does not include any red meat meal or poultry meal in their recipes. They only use ocean-caught fish meal which has full source traceability. This means they can verify that the fish are not fed any antibiotics or artificial feed.

Tailored Pet, on the other hand, still includes protein meal. With protein meals, leftover meat from manufacturing processes (that are not suited for humans) is dried and ground into a fine powder. While it should not contain animal by-products like feathers or bones, the sources of the protein may not be as clear. (8)

Plus, our comparison of their chicken recipes showed that Open Farm contains more protein than Tailored Pet. However, protein content can vary depending on the meals recommended to you following the online quiz. 

In terms of the meal variety that each brand offers, Tailored Pet gives more customization to your dog’s particular details. This could suit fur parents who want to be sure they’re meeting their dog’s nutritional needs for their age. Or if they’re helping their pup adjust their weight.

While Open Farm doesn’t offer full customizability, there is a short quiz that you take about your dog. And they recommend which of their recipes are best for your dog. Plus, it also offers more choice in terms of meal types. They have dry, wet, freeze-dried, and gently-cooked (fresh) meal options to choose from. 

Overall, we find both brands to have much better ingredient quality than most store-bought kibble. So the best way to see which is best for your pup is to give both a try!

Offer on Open Farm Meals

25% off your first order: Open Farm

Offer on Tailored Pet Meals

50% off your first meals: Tailored Pet

Any Further Considerations?

While Tailored Pet and Open Farm doesn’t offer free trials, you usually get a discount on your first order. So this is a more cost-effective way to try both brands to see which is better for your pup.

Also, if your dog doesn’t enjoy the food, both companies offer a money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

To save more in the long-term, you can swap to a subscription on either brand and a discount will be applied.

50% off your first meal: Tailored Pet

Tailored Pet Review

How Did Tailored Pet Start?

Tailored Pet was founded by Jason Plotsko, Steve Joyce, and Ryan Hunter in April of 2020. The company is based in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, with manufacturing plants in Texas and California.

They developed their products with veterinarians and pet food experts to cater to each dog’s specific nutritional needs.

What’s Great About Tailored Pet?

Tailored Pet makes dry dog food that is literally designed just for your dog’s unique nutritional requirements.

The food comes delivered right to your door and is made with better quality ingredients than many commercial kibbles.

How to Sign Up for a Tailored Pet Food Subscription?

Signing up for a Tailored Pet food subscription is easy and only takes a few minutes. To get started, you’ll need to fill out a questionnaire about your dog. 

The quiz will ask questions about your dog, including their:

• Name
• Gender
• Whether your dog is spayed/neutered/pregnant
• Birthdate
• Breed
• Size
• Weight
• Physical condition (underweight, ideal, or overweight)
• Activity level
• Health conditions
• Food allergens
• Ability to move around
• Skin and coat condition
• Stools
• Teeth and gums
• Overall health and immunity
• Current brand of food
• Main protein desired (based on your other answers)

You can even choose the color of your dog’s personalized label for their food. After taking the quiz, Tailored Pet comes up with a recipe formulated just for your dog’s needs.

Here, you can determine how large a bag of food to purchase, whether you want to make a one-time purchase or start a subscription, and how often you’ll receive your subscription.

Your payment information is also required to complete your initial order and start your subscription.

50% off your first meal: Tailored Pet

How Does Tailored Pet Food Delivery Work?

Tailored Pet offers free delivery for all their orders, including their subscription orders.

To sign up for their subscription delivery service, you’ll have to take the Tailored Pet Food Quiz.

Once you answer the questions, you’ll be able to choose from ordering an 8-pound bag of food, a 20-pound bag of food, or a 40-pound bag of food for your dog’s first order.

How long this food will last varies based on the size of your dog and is specified by Tailored Pet during the ordering process.

If you decide to sign up for a subscription, you can choose to have deliveries made every two to 12 weeks via FedEx.

What Other Products Does Tailored Pet Offer?

Tailored Pet offers add-on treats ($14 for 16oz) for:

• Growing Puppies
• Adult Dogs
• Senior Dogs

Their products aren’t available in stores, but you can purchase them on their website: Tailored Pet.

50% off your first meal: Tailored Pet

Tailored Pet Dog Food Reviews & Testimonials

Tailored Pet got an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars from 1,471 reviews on their website.

Most customers noted that their pups enjoyed eating the food and that it helped with issues like digestive upset and skin itchiness. 

Some mentioned that their petite pups enjoyed the smaller kibble that was personalized just for their size. 

Also, those with older dogs noticed an improvement in their overall energy level.

Pros and Cons of Tailored Pet

Pros:

• Most dogs seemed to love the food, even picky eaters.
• Generally, the food helped improve digestive health, energy levels, and the dogs’ skin and coat.
• The packages come with lots of fun extras for dogs and are customized with the dogs’ name on the food.
• For many small dogs, the kibble is personalized to a smaller size and works well for them.
• For some miniature and toy breeds, the smaller-sized kibble may still be too large for them to eat comfortably.
• Some dogs may not like the taste of the food, while others seem to adore it.

Cons: 

The main complaint of the dissatisfied customers was that their dog wouldn’t eat the food and didn’t like the taste. A few mentioned that they felt that the size of the kibble pieces was too large for their toy and miniature breed dogs.

Of the positive reviews, many users noted that they loved the fun extras they received in their box, like dog toys and bandanas. They also appreciated that the packaging was all recyclable.

Abby B. says:

Stephanie V. says:

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Is Tailored Pet Food Worth It?

Tailored Pet food is worth it as it is an affordable alternative to commercial kibbles. The meals are tailored to your dog’s particulars and delivered right to your home. This makes it both a nutritional and convenient choice for pet owners. In addition, their food is competitively priced and contains good quality ingredients for your pup too.

Why Is It Important to Have Tailored Meals?

Having food that is adjusted for your dog’s needs is especially important for many dogs to stay healthy.

For example, growing puppies need more nutrients in their food, and older dogs require ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin added to their diet to help with their mobility. And large breed puppies need a slightly different balance of nutrients in their food than smaller pups to prevent bone and joint issues later in life.

Finally, dogs with food allergies and food intolerances require limited-ingredient diets to prevent itchy skin and stomach upset. (7)

By proposing the right meal balance for your dog, Tailored Pet gives you a bit more control over your dog’s diet. The fact that it comes in a dry food format also helps make it more convenient and easy to serve. You can also leave it out during the day for them to snack on.

Dry food works well for many dogs but may not work for pooches who are used to a canned food diet and may prefer it over the dry kibble. It’s also a good idea to speak with your veterinarian if your dog is currently on a prescription dog food diet because Tailored Pet isn’t designed to treat any medical conditions.

How Does Tailoring Dog Meals Help?

Although many commercially available dog food brands offer several different formulations of their food for dogs of different sizes, breeds, ages, and health conditions, Tailored Pet helps as you don’t have to sort through all the meal options. 

Their quiz tailors the food plan to find the best meal for your dog and can be adjusted as they age. Plus, it’s delivered to your door, so it avoids your having to go to the supermarket or pet store to stock up on dog food.

If you want to give Tailored Pet a try, you can rest assured that your dog will be eating a good quality food appropriate for their individual details and conditions. And you get your first meals at half price too!

Tailored Pet Food FAQs

Does Tailored Pet offer one-time (non-subscription) orders?

Yes, you can sign up for a subscription or order one-time orders at any time. However, all subscription orders are given a 10 percent discount, while stand-alone orders don’t receive a discount. Both subscription and one-time orders receive free shipping.

Can you alter your subscription online?

Yes, you can change your pet’s recipe or add an additional pet through the website.

Can I halt my subscription if I’m going on vacation?

Yes, subscriptions can be put on hold while you’re away.

Are Tailored Pet foods customized to the size of my dog?

Yes, the kibble size is smaller for small, miniature, and toy breeds.

Can I return Tailored Pet food if my dog doesn’t like it?

Yes, Tailored Pet offers a money-back guarantee on their products if you contact customer care.

Where is Tailored Pet food made?

All Tailored Pet products are made in the USA.

Does Tailored Pet have formulations for overweight dogs?

Yes, if your dog is overweight, they have formulations specifically designed to help them lose weight.

Alternatives to Tailored Pet and Open Farm

If you’re looking for more specialized fresh dog food delivery services, you can check out our comparison of these two providers of human-grade, fresh dog meals: Ollie and Pet Plate.