Best dog food delivery services: Pet Plate, Ollie, Chewy and more

Gary Gerard Otten/Spot and Tango

For pet parents who are all about farm-to-table food and the health and well-being of their dog, Spot and Tango might be a perfect pick. The human-grade dog food is made from locally farmed fresh ingredients in New York, in small batches with no artificial additives, preservatives or fillers. The fresh dog food delivery recipes are formulated by veterinary nutritionists and come in preportioned packages (determined by your dog’s age, weight and lifestyle) that are vacuum-sealed for freshness. The dog food arrives frozen and just needs to be defrosted before serving. You’ll get 50% off your first order and have a two-week trial period to test whether this meal delivery service works for you. If you decide to cancel in that time period, you’ll get your money back.

Frequency and pricing: Weekly delivery; $2 per meal and up, depending on your dog’s age, weight and breed. You can snag 50% off your first box with promo code CNET50.

It’s pretty universally accepted that fresh food is better for you than processed food and many pet owners believe the same holds true for pet food. If you prefer to feed your furry friends fresh-made meals, Nom Nom is the closest you can get to homemade. The company sends you perfectly portioned, fresh pet food made from restaurant-quality ingredients and tailored to your pet’s size, age and weight. It currently offers four recipes for dogs and two for cats, as well as supplements and treats.

Frequency and pricing: Weekly, biweekly or monthly deliveries; $96 to $328 per month for dogs, depending on dog size, and $245 to $256 per month for cats.

Balance is a key part of any diet — including your dog’s diet! That’s why Pet Plate offers balanced dog food recipes with all the right nutrients for a good diet, designed by vets. The company uses USDA meat and fresh food to create precooked, preportioned meals for feeding your dog, so all pet parents have to do is open the container and plate it up for their dog. There are four different fresh recipes available — chicken, beef, turkey and lamb — and you can even heat the meals up in the microwave if your dog is fussy about that.

Frequency and pricing: Weekly deliveries; $2.50 to $19 per day, depending on your dog’s health, age, weight and breed.

Chewy is essentially the Amazon of pet products. This online retailer carries a huge variety of supplies for all types of animals, from cats and dogs to reptiles and horses, and when you opt into autoshipments of your go-to pet food, you’ll save 5% to 10% on select brands. So no more worrying about running out of kibble — or potty pads or tick medicine or whatever. Plus, Chewy is known for its top-notch customer service, which is available 24/7.

Frequency and pricing: Choose your own frequency; pricing depends on what products you order.

Dogs have unique nutritional needs — you wouldn’t feed a Chihuahua the same amount of dog food you would a Newfoundland. That’s why The Farmer’s Dog creates a personalized profile and diet for your dog based on breed, age, activity level, ideal weight and sensitivities, and it makes adjustments to your dog food plan as needed. The Farmer’s Dog uses human-grade ingredients (such as chia seeds and fish oil) to create easy, ready-to-serve meals — all you have to do is open the package and let your pooch dig into the dog food.

Frequency and pricing: Choose your ideal frequency anywhere between every two and 12 weeks; $16 to $90 per week based on dog size.

Cats deserve fresh, quality food, too! If you’re a proud feline owner, you might like Smalls, which is one of the few pet food delivery services catering solely to the kitties out there. Smalls uses fresh, high-quality ingredients that are lightly cooked to create all-natural, grain-free cat food. It might as well be homemade food. The company even coaches you through transitioning your cat to its meals and offers a full refund if your cat sticks up its nose at the food (as cats are apt to do).

Frequency and pricing: Choose your frequency anywhere between weekly and every six weeks; $2 to $3.50 per cat, per day.

Like Chewy, PetFlow is an online marketplace dedicated to all things pets. It caters to cat and dog “pet parents,” and you can choose to have products automatically shipped to you on a recurring schedule so that you never run low on food, treats or other supplies. Get all your favorite brands of dry food, canned food and other pet products. Plus, for every order shipped, PetFlow donates a bowl of food to animal shelters, so it’s a purchase you can feel good about.

Frequency and pricing: Choose your ideal frequency anywhere from every two to 16 weeks; price depends on the products you choose.

Ollie is another popular option for fresh dog meals that are catered to your dog’s diet and individual needs. It’ll provide you with a portion recommendation based on your pup’s age, weight and so on, and you’ll get deliveries of its four vet-formulated recipes made with fresh, human-grade meat, vegetables and supplements. Oh, and it offers healthy dog treats, too!

Frequency and pricing: Biweekly or monthly; $9 to $42 per week.

BarkBox

Like to treat your dog? This monthly themed collection of toys and treats is a fun surprise for both of you. In each box, you’ll get two toys, two full-size bags of treats and a chew, all made in the US or Canada. None of the treats contain wheat, corn or soy, and if your dog has allergies, you can choose a box that’s free of turkey, chicken and beef. Further customization is available if you chat with a customer service rep. If your dog is tough on toys, you might want to upgrade to the Super Chewer option below, but in either case, another fun bonus is that the company will send your buddy a birthday present — because you truly cannot spoil your dog too much.

National Dog Day Deal: Get $5 off your first box with a multimonth subscription.

Frequency and pricing: Monthly delivery; $22 to $29 per month, depending on length of subscription.

BarkBox

For dogs that really go to town on bully sticks, bones and toys, the Super Chewer BarkBox is a great way to treat them to fun surprises each month. You get two toys designed by BarkBox to be superdurable and interesting for your dog (no fluffy stuffing to worry about), two long-lasting chews and two full-size bags of treats each month. As with the regular box, there’s always a fun theme (like Knights of the Hound Table) and you can choose an allergy-friendly option if need be. With the Super Chewer subscription, if your dog does manage to destroy a toy, BarkBox will send you a free replacement at no charge, no questions asked.

National Dog Day Deal: Get $5 off your first box with a multimonth subscription.

Frequency and pricing: Monthly delivery; $29 to $39 per month, depending on length of subscription.

Bully sticks are a favorite among many dog owners, as they keep pups busy for hours and are easier to digest than rawhide. Bully Bundles will make sure you always have extra bully sticks on hand, as it sends you a monthly delivery of 100% beef sticks, and because its product is fresh and cooked for longer, the sticks don’t smell as bad as other popular products. You can choose between 6- and 12-inch bully sticks, as well as how many you want each month — anywhere from six to 60.

Frequency and pricing: Monthly; $13 to $100, depending on the size and quantity.

Dogs are pretty much synonymous with joy, so it’s only appropriate that this subscription box is called PupJoy. It’ll send you monthly healthy treats, chews and toys for your furry friend and you can even customize your product selection if your dog has food sensitivities, is a “power chewer” or only wants toys.

Frequency and pricing: Monthly; $26 and up, depending on customization.