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The Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: 2024 Comparisson

Hallie Roddy

By Hallie Roddy

The Farmer's Dog vs Spot & Tango

With so many recalls happening in the pet food industry, it’s no wonder that so many pet owners are starting to switch to fresh pet food. These fresh food recipes often include human-grade ingredients without any harmful additives and preservatives, and our pets start to look, act, and feel better than ever before. Two of the top sellers of fresh dog food are The Farmer’s Dog and Spot & Tango.

Pet lovers would love to get their hands on healthy options for their pets, but few know what key components to look for in a dog food brand. We’re here to compare some of the leading fresh dog food brands in the industry today to help you make the most informed decision possible.

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A Quick Comparison

Image Product Details
The Farmer's Dog Fresh Dog Food The Farmer's Dog Fresh Dog Food
  • Limited human-grade ingredients
  • No artificial colors or flavors
  • Easy-to-use subscription service
  • Spot & Tango Dog Food Spot & Tango Dog Food
  • Human-grade ingredients
  • Offers fresh and 'unkibble' options
  • No artificial colors or flavors
  • Brief History of The Farmer’s Dog

    Gizmo fluffy white dog with The Farmer's Dog fresh food box_Kate

    The Farmer’s Dog got its start when the co-founder, Brad, got a new puppy, Jada. Jada was suffering from severe gastrointestinal issues for about two years. After trying nearly every dog food on the market, Brad decided to cook his own dog food based on the ingredients found on some of these kibble brands. Over time, Jada’s issues went away!

    Brad started this company with his co-founder, Jonathan, to deliver healthy meals to dogs across the country. Today, they have teamed up with some of the top veterinary nutritionists to create their recipes. Their name comes from the idea that farm dogs have some of the longest lifespans, and that they wish to continue to nurture this kind of simple, natural relationship.

    Brief History of Spot & Tango

    dog trying to reach a bowl of Spot & Tango food

    Russel Breuer and his wife started Spot & Tango when they became overwhelmed by the amount of dog food recalls in 2007. They wanted better for their pet Goldendoodle and wanted to provide farm-to-table meals for pets in the United States. They practiced 14 months of in-depth research, and with self-funding, were able to bring their vision to life. They pride themselves on being a ‘New York brand’ that sources local ingredients from the northeast region of the country. They even cook their food in New York kitchens before shipping it out to customers.

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    The Farmer’s Dog Manufacturing

    The Farmer’s Dog prepares all of its recipes in USDA-certified kitchens. Each recipe goes through a gentle cooking process at low temperatures to ensure no nutrition is lost. Once cooked, the food is then frozen, but not deep-frozen, and shipped safely to you. Each package is made fresh and free from the preservatives that typically allow dog kibble to sit on a shelf for years without spoiling.

    Spot & Tango Manufacturing

    Spot & Tango uses human-grade ingredients that are cooked at low temperatures and in small batches. This maximizes nutritional integrity. Each ingredient is also cooked separately before being mixed together and then getting flash-frozen to lock in the freshness. Each recipe is cooked fresh only days before arriving at your door.

    The Farmer’s Dog Product Line

    The Farmer's Dog fresh turkey recipe with white dog

    The Farmer’s Dog is specifically known for its line of fresh food. While the company only offers fresh food, there are four separate recipes to choose from: turkey, beef, chicken, and pork. Each recipe with made with human-grade proteins and whole veggies.

    Spot & Tango Product Line

    Spot & Tango products

    Spot & Tango does give you a little more variety when it comes to its food. The fresh food line is made with 100% fresh, whole ingredients that are free from preservatives, fillers, and additives. However, it only has three fresh recipes, namely turkey, beef, and lamb.

    Spot & Tango does offer dried, kibble-like food as well. The recipes are made with the same healthy ingredients and standards. The kibble recipes on offer are duck & salmon, beef & barley, and chicken & brown rice. Divider 2

    Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: Price

    Pricing is one of the most important factors for dog owners. While fresh food is more expensive in general, it doesn’t have to break the bank, either.

    The Farmer’s Dog Brand

    The Farmer’s Dog pricing starts at $2/day. With that said, the price will go up depending on your dog’s breed, size, and specific needs. So, you can expect to pay more per day for a German Shepherd with allergies than you would for a Chihuahua in good health. Even though it is pricier than traditional kibble, it is much healthier and better quality and does come with free shipping as a bonus.

    Spot & Tango Brand

    Spot & Tango offers a little more wiggle room when it comes to price. Their fresh food recipes start at $2/day, like The Farmer’s Dog. However, it offers the Unkibble recipes for as low as $1/day. Spot and Tango also offer free shipping with a subscription purchase. Keep in mind that the daily price for the food will be more expensive based on your dog’s breed, size, and any specific food requirements.

    Spot & Tango Unkibble Variety

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    Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: Warranty

    Because you’re dealing with food, it’s not common to have a warranty for these types of products. Still, both companies understand that the food might not work for your preferences.

    The Farmer’s Dog

    As far as we can tell, there is no money-back guarantee that comes from purchasing The Farmer’s Dog brand, although it does offer a 50% discount on your first purchase. Some customers also report finding codes for a free trial from time to time, however, there is nothing stated about free trials on the website.

    Spot & Tango

    A lot of customers wonder if these companies will offer free samples. Instead of giving away samples, Spot & Tango offers a 14-day, 100% money-back guarantee on your first order. The short, two-week trial gives customers a low-risk opportunity to try out the food and see how their dog reacts without fully committing to the brand.

    white dog patiently waiting for The Farmer's Dog chicken recipe fresh food in bowl
    Image credit: Kate | Hepper

     

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    Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: Customer Service

    Customer service is another component to consider when switching dog food brands. You want the company to be easy to reach and helpful whenever you’re having a problem. How does each brand compare to the others in this category?

    The Farmer’s Dog

    The Farmer’s Dog does clearly list all of the ways to contact them via the bottom of its home page. It offers several options, including email, phone, and social media. This isn’t as technology-driven as other sites that offer a live chat, but users don’t seem to mind too much. Reviews state that they are quick to answer questions, and the workers are friendly and helpful.

    Spot & Tango

    Spot & Tango is a little further along in the customer service department. On the bottom right corner of the company’s site is a chat button where you can find links to some of the most common questions you might have. These prompts include things like finding your order or building a plan. The live chat is also available 24/7 for customer convenience. On top of that, you can also contact them through email, text, or phone consultation.

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    Head-to-Head: Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango Turkey Recipe

    When it comes to each company’s fresh turkey recipes, there are only a few subtle differences between the two. Spot & Tango does seem to use more whole foods than The Farmer’s Dog.

    Spot & Tango Fresh Turkey

    Ingredient Lists

    Farmer’s Dog: USDA Turkey, Chickpeas, Carrot, Broccoli, Parsnip, Spinach, Fish Oil

    Spot & Tango: Turkey, Red Quinoa, Spinach, Carrots, Peas, Apple, Eggs, Parsley, Apple Cider Vinegar, Safflower Oil, Vegetable Stock, Vitamins & Minerals

    While Spot & Tango has a larger variety of ingredients, it has very similar additions of vitamins and minerals in the recipe. Each one is rich in vitamins B12, and D3. It also contains zinc, potassium, magnesium, and other essential ingredients for a healthy pooch. We also compared the overall protein, fat, and fiber percentages.

    Overall Analysis

    The Farmer’s Dog

    Crude Protein: 8%
    Crude Fat: 4.5%
    Crude Fiber: 1.5%
    Moisture: 76%

    Spot & Tango

    Crude Protein: 13.69%
    Crude Fat: 5.86%
    Crude Fiber: 1.44%
    Moisture: 8.5%

    Our Verdict:

    Overall, it seems that the better turkey recipe overall comes from Spot & Tango. It has a wider assortment of ingredients for more nutrition, plus the overall protein and fiber content is higher. However, The Farmer’s Dog is higher in moisture and lower in fat. It also competes by using ingredients that are just as clean and healthy for dogs.Divider 2

    Head-to-Head: Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango Beef Recipe

    The only other fresh food flavor that we can compare between brands is the beef recipes. Once again, Spot & Tango has a larger assortment of ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. Keep in mind, though, that this may or may not be a benefit to your dog, depending on any food restrictions or allergies they may have. For those who want to keep their ingredients list shorter, they might prefer the recipe from The Farmer’s Dog.

    The Farmer's Dog Food Sample

    Ingredients Lists

    The Farmer’s Dog: USDA Beef, Sweet Potato, Lentils, Carrot, USDA Beef Liver, Kale, Sunflower Seeds, Fish Oil

    Spot & Tango: Beef, Millet, Spinach, Carrots, Peas, Cranberries, Eggs, Parsley, Apple Cider Vinegar, Safflower Oil Vegetable Stock

    Overall Analysis

    Farmer’s Dog

    Crude Protein: 11%
    Crude Fat: 8%
    Crude Fiber: 1.5%
    Moisture:  72%

    Spot & Tango

    Crude Protein: 11.85%
    Crude Fat: 5.85%
    Crude Fiber: 1.04%
    Moisture: 69.84%

    Our Verdict:

    Even though Spot & Tango does shine in its variety of healthy ingredients and the amount of protein the recipe includes, it lacks in other areas. The Farmer’s Dog beef recipe has a higher percentage of fat, fiber, and moisture. It’s so close, but we think The Farmer’s Dog wins by a hair.

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    Overall Brand Reputation

    Variety

    Edge: Spot & Tango

    The main reason that Spot & Tango wins in the variety department is because it has more than one product. This company offers both dry and fresh foods, whereas The Farmer’s Dog only offers fresh food.

    Price

    Edge: Spot & Tango

    Spot & Tango is only slightly better on prices than The Farmer’s Dog. This is because it has a dry food option that customers can opt for instead of fresh food. The pricing for the dry food is cheaper, but the fresh food options cost about the same as The Farmer’s Dog.

    Ingredients

    Edge: Spot & Tango

    Spot & Tango gets yet another win in the ingredients category. Its ingredients list is extremely clean, with absolutely zero questionable or unrecognizable ingredients. Spot & Tango also puts more of a variety into the recipes, which is only going to offer your pet an even larger variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.Divider 2

    Conclusion

    It is a close call when determining which of these two fresh food brands is better. Overall, we found that Spot & Tango is the better brand based on the price, variety, ingredients, customer service, and variety offered to customers. Of course, this isn’t to say that The Farmer’s Dog can’t compete. It’s equally as reputable for roughly the same prices.

    At the end of the day, each brand is going to be a great choice for your pet. Their overall gut health will improve, and with that, so will their energy and physique. There are thousands of customer reviews supporting each brand, and you can’t go wrong with one or the other.

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