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Dog Nutrition

The Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: Our 2026 In-Depth Comparison

Nicole Cosgrove
By Nicole CosgroveUpdated on June 17, 2026
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Dogster_Dog Food The Farmer_s Dog VS Spot & Tango

It’s easy to get lost when venturing through the pet food jungle. With our dogs being part of the family, we want only the best for them when it comes to food. Trying to find the best brands, tasty recipes, and nutritious ingredients can leave even the most confident dog owner scratching their head when it comes to making the right choice. This is especially true when you enter the world of fresh dog food.

Fresh, delivered dog food is taking the pet world by storm which means several brands are popping up with the potential to be great. Two of the most popular are The Farmer’s Dog and Spot and Tango. These two brands offer dogs and their owners several tasty options. But how do you pick the right one? By taking an in-depth look at both of these impressive dog food brands, we’ve done most of the work for you. Fido is off the hook when it comes to beta testing and you can go on with your life as a proud pet parent.

Let’s take a look at how things match up in the Farmer’s Dog vs Spot and Tango battle so you can order the tastiest, most nutritious dog foods for your pup. Your pet will shower you with licks and kisses of appreciation. We won’t even ruin the fun by telling them we did the hard part.

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A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Spot and Tango

Dog trying to reach a bowl of Spot & Tango Unkibble

Okay, this wasn’t an easy choice, but in our opinion, Spot and Tango comes out on top of this versus battle. While your pet is sure to benefit from either of these brands, the reason we feel Spot and Tango is the best is the development process (led by veterinarian nutritionists) and the extras they offer your dog such as their unkibble. The turkey and red quinoa recipe is easily one of our favorites. You should definitely follow this link to let your dog give it a try.

As we said, this wasn’t an easy choice. Both of these brands are great tasting and healthy for your dog. You won’t go wrong either way. But if you’d like to read more about what each one has to offer and why we feel Spot & Tango is slightly better, check out the rest of our review for a breakdown and more information on how we came to this decision.

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About The Farmer’s Dog

Farmer's Dog Food

The Farmer’s Dog delivers fresh dog food made from only the best ingredients. They have used decades of work alongside pet nutritionists to make the best of their pet-food service. Let’s take a look at what sets them apart from the rest.

How It Started

One of the most memorable things about The Farmer’s Dog is their beginnings. It all started with a little dog named Jada. This cutie suffered from terrible digestive issues during her earlier years which sent her owner Brett on the search for something she could handle. After speaking with a veterinarian, he was told to try fresh foods. In no time, Jada was eating and feeling better. This gave Brett an idea.

Brett called in his friend Jonathan and his pup Buddy to help him develop a dog food company that offered dogs the foods they truly needed. While listening to their fave music, doo-wop, the two of them used their crafted foods to start delivering nationwide to other dogs and owners who wanted only the best.

Finny licking her lips with the farmers dog food

Meeting the Standards

Another great thing about Farmer’s Dog is the standards they strive to uphold. All of their ingredients are sourced from reputable sources. Their meats are all USDA approved as well. Even their kitchen is approved. Their fresh dog food is approved by the AAFCO to be safe for dogs no matter their life stage. This makes their delivery options great for people with dogs of varying ages in the home.

Pros

  • Uses only USDA meats
  • Foods are approved for all life stages

Cons

  • No fresh kibble option
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About Spot and Tango

spot and tango beef and barley

Like The Farmer’s Dog, Spot and Tango’s delivery service provides pets and their owners with amazing, fresh foods made from ingredients they can trust. We’ll take a look at how they use personalization and nutrition to make dogs happier and healthier. Read on below.

Veterinarian Nutritionist

The team at Spot and Tango didn’t just work alongside veterinarians and nutritionists when crafting their recipes, they allowed them to formulate them. This ensures each recipe offered by this company is designed with your dog's nutritional needs in mind. You’ll also find these formulas are great at keeping off excess weight and boosting their energy. This is thanks to the knowledge and understanding of a dog’s requirements, no matter the age, veterinarian nutritionists have.

Personalization is Key

While Spot & Tango only use USDA-certified meats and the best reliably sourced veggies in their meals, they also help you personalize the right food plan for your pet. (And yes, their kitchens are also USDA-certified.) The quiz on their page is designed to help them understand the needs of your pet so they can supply you with only the best foods available. With their tasty recipes and the addition of their unkibble, your dog will be thankful for the chance to enjoy these meals. Their veterinarian will thank you too.

spot and tango fresh food

Pros

  • Formulated by veterinarian nutritionists
  • Uses only USDA-certified meat
  • Personalized plans for individual dogs

Cons

  • Pricing increases with the size of dogs
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Here’s a look at our 3 favorite The Farmer’s Dog recipes your pooch will love.

1. The Farmer's Dog Pork Formula Recipe

The Farmer's Dog Pork Recipe

Farmer’s Dog’s pork formula is easily a favorite of pups. This tasty recipe is made from fresh ingredients and free of unwanted preservatives to make it a safer, healthier option for your dog. Unfortunately, this tasty option for dogs is Farmer’s Dog’s lowest in protein content.

This recipe includes USDA pork, potatoes, sweet potatoes, USDA pork liver, cauliflower, green beans, fish oil, and the Farmer’s Dog’s special nutrient blend.

Pros

  • Delivered fresh for your pup
  • Made from only the best ingredients
  • Preservative-free

Cons

  • Does not contain high levels of protein

2. The Farmer's Dog Chicken Formula

The Farmers Dog Chicken Recipe

Everyone and their dog loves chicken. This tasty recipe is packed with all the ingredients your pets will love when dinner time rolls around. This healthy option is ideal for dogs who love chicken in their diet. If your dog is a bit picky, however, they may not be a fan of this recipe.

This recipe includes USDA chicken and chicken liver, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, bok choy, fish oil, Farmer’s Dog’s special nutrient blend.

Pros

  • Made with USDA grade chicken
  • Preservative-free
  • Includes TFD’s nutrient blend

Cons

  • It may not be the favorite of picky dogs

3.  The Farmer's Dog Beef Formula

The Farmers Dog Fresh Beef Recipe

This formula is packed with all the healthy ingredients your dog needs. Featuring The Farmer’s Dog’s specialized nutrient blend which includes additional taurine and B vitamins, this recipe is sure to be a winner with your canine.

This recipe includes USDA beef, lentils, carrots, USDA beef liver, fish oil, sunflower seeds, kale, and TFD’s nutrient blend.

Pros

  • Added nutrients for healthier dogs
  • USDA approved meats

Cons

  • None that we found
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Now, let’s take a look at 3 of the most popular recipes from Spot and Tango for your pup.

1. Spot and Tango Turkey and Quinoa Recipe

Turkey and Red Quinoa recipe

Like everything from Spot and Tango, this tasty recipe is made from 100% fresh ingredients with no artificial fillers, preservatives, or additives. It is also hormone and GMO-free which is ideal for both puppies and adult dogs.

This recipe includes turkey, spinach, red quinoa, carrots, apples, peas, apple cider vinegar, parsley, eggs, safflower oil, vegetable stock, and lots of vitamins and minerals.

Pros

  • Hormone and GMO-free
  • Only uses 100% fresh ingredients
  • Great for both puppies and adults

Cons

  • None that we found

2. Spot and Tango Lamb and Brown Rice Recipe

spot and tango lamb & brown rice

This formula is the best Spot & Tango has to offer. Like their other recipes, it is crafted from only the freshest ingredients and offers no gluten to help your doggy avoid an upset tummy. As we said, this is the top-of-the-line recipe from this company so be prepared to pay a little more when adding this recipe to your food options list.

This recipe includes lamb, brown rice, carrots, blueberries, spinach, peas, eggs, apple cider vinegar, parsley, vegetable stock, safflower oil, vitamins, and minerals.

Pros

  • Uses only the freshest lamb and vegetables available
  • No gluten
  • High in vitamins and minerals

Cons

  • The most expensive recipe they offer

3. Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Unkibble

Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Unkibble

Unkibble is easily one of the best-known offerings from Spot and Tango. Every Unkibble recipe is formulated for both puppies and adult dogs. By using a unique drying process, Spot and Tango offers pets who love kibble the opportunity to keep enjoying it the fresh way. All ingredients are 100% fresh and free of any artificial additives.

This recipe includes barley, beef, flax, green beans, beef liver, carrots, cranberries, beets, beef heart, kelp, rosemary, salt, mixed tocopherols, vitamins, and minerals.

Pros

  • Made from fresh meats and veggies
  • Includes needed vitamins and minerals
  • Ideal for dogs who prefer kibble

Cons

  • It May become expensive for owners with larger sized dogs
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Spot and Tango and The Farmer’s Dog Recall History

We scoured the internet and made a few calls, but to the best of our knowledge, neither Farmer’s Dog or Spot and Tango have dealt with a recall of their products. Therefore, they are considered recall-free companies as of the time of this review.

The Farmer’s Dog vs Spot and Tango

While we feel confident in backing either of these companies, we still stand by our pick of Spot and Tango as the overall winner. Let’s take a look at the big comparisons and you may see why.

Ingredients

When it comes to fresh veggies and USDA-certified meats, both Farmer’s Dog and Spot and Tango are on point. Both companies work hard to ensure every freshly made meal they send with their delivery services uses only the best to give dogs around the country the opportunity to enjoy great meals and kick the store-bought dog food they’re used to.

Price

This is possibly the only area where we feel Farmer’s Dog comes out on top. While both options offer similarly priced starting plans, if you have larger-sized dogs, your pricing may go up a bit with Spot and Tango. This isn’t uncommon, considering larger dogs do need more food so it didn’t alter our decision.

Selection

Here’s where things get tricky. Yes, Farmer’s Dog offers four regular recipes when it comes to dog food while Spot and Tango only offer three. Still, we feel Spot and Tango win in this area. The recipes they do offer are more creative and one includes lamb, a great substitute for dogs with allergies. You’ll also find that Spot and Tango’s unkibble is a popular food option many owners and their pets love. Both companies also offer dog treats you can add to your order.

Finny enjoying her The Farmer's Dog turkey recipe

Another great thing about Spot and Tango’s selection is it caters to smaller breeds of dogs. With Farmer’s Dog, all of their recipes are designed with medium to large dogs and their needs in mind. For people with smaller pooches, Spot and Tango would be the better option.

Nutritional Value

Again, both brands are on point when it comes to nutrition. With each recipe whipped up, they strive to ensure your pet gets all the vitamins, minerals, and added nutrients they need to live happier and longer lives. This gives you, as the pet owner, peace of mind when it comes to feeding your dog. Gone will be the days of wondering if the food in their bowl is truly safe for them to eat.

The one thing we feel gives Spot & Tango the edge here is the fact veterinarian nutritionists have formulated their recipes. These are the experts you want designing your pet’s food options and are one of the main reasons we chose Spot and Tango as our overall favorite.

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In Summary

If you want the best for your furry pal, you can’t go wrong with Spot and Tango or The Farmer’s Dog. Both brands offer great foods, decent prices, and amazing nutrition. Add in the fact they bring it to your door, what more can you ask? Since we have to pick a favorite, however, Spot and Tango is our pick. Their great selection and veterinarian nutritionist development are what put them over the top for us. When you’re ready to introduce your dog to the world of fresh eating, take a look at what these two have to offer and make the choice you feel is best for you and your spoiled pooch.

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Nicole Cosgrove
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Nicole Cosgrove

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