I knew something was up when Theo started leaving kibble behind in his bowl
I’d never known Theo to skip a meal, but roughly 4 months ago, all of a sudden, the kibble we’d sworn by for a year wasn’t cutting it. I kept an eye on him as soon as I saw the change, and I finally scheduled a vet visit when I noticed that he was losing weight.
At that fateful appointment, our foolproof family vet, Dr. Dana Leone, suggested we look into fresh dog food. Thus began my hunt for the best fresh dog food on the market. In all of my research, Ollie and Sundays for Dogs repeatedly appeared as top contenders. Here’s what I learned…
What IS “Fresh” Dog Food?
Ollie and Sundays for Dogs are fresh dog food brands that make their meals from real, whole, and natural ingredients. The “fresh” style of canine fare is produced with as minimal processing as possible. This stands opposed to traditional kibble and canned dog food brands, which rely on ultra-processed components (i.e. chicken by-product meal) and speedy overcooking methods. Fresh dog food can be found in both wet (frozen) and dry (shelf-stable) formats, and is typically slow-cooked to maximize nutritional value.
The goal of fresh dog food is to replicate the whole foods an animal might eat in the wild, and to in turn improve their overall health. Sounded pretty good to me…
Benefits of Fresh Dog Food
There are oodles of science to back up the benefits to fresh dog food. Research has linked it with:
- Improved Digestion: Turns out, doggos share my affinity for fiber. Fresh food has been linked to regular, smaller, and less stinky (!) bowel movements. Score.
- Weight Management: By cutting out the starchy fillers and meat-adjacent “meals” that kibble brands rely on, fresh dog food avoids low-quality ingredients associated with weight gain. Many fresh dog food brands also recommend a customized serving for each dog, ensuring they’re receiving the right amount of calories.
- Higher Energy Levels: Not only do quality ingredients create ready-to-use energy, but the aforementioned improved digestion leads to better sleep. This means dogs on fresh food will be well-rested on top of all that stored-up, whole-food-fueled energy.
- Heightened Cognitive Functioning: Fresh dog food is formulated to include brain-healthy components rich in antioxidants (blueberries, spinach, etc) which, as we know is true of all living beings, support learning capabilities and alertness.
- Longer Lifespan: One study I found saw dogs live roughly 33% longer when fed fresh food as opposed to canned food. That was all I needed to hear, really…
I had to imagine that fresh dog food tasted pretty darn good. But the health benefits of fresh dog food? Those are what really got me.
Deciding Between the Best Fresh Options
Once it became clear that I’d be comparing Ollie and Sundays for Dogs, I established how they compare on a few key fronts. For starters, they both…
- Use human-grade ingredients
- Have vet-formulated recipes
- Have NO fillers or artificial flavors
- Are slow-cooked to preserve nutritional value
- Meet AAFCO & WSAVA guidelines
- Are made in US kitchens
That said, after comparing their variety, customization, and flexibility (oh my!), it became clear that Ollie was the best match for us.
Why We Went With Ollie
Food Format & Variety
Since Theo seemed pretty bored of his old kibble, variety was very important to me. I wanted to find a fresh food brand that allowed us to switch up flavor profiles and keep things interesting. Turns out, Ollie has 5 flavor options (Chicken, Lamb, Beef, Pork, and Turkey) while Sundays for Dogs has only 3 (Beef, Turkey, Chicken).
Ollie food comes in two forms: Baked (dry) or Fresh (wet), the latter of which is flash-frozen to maximize quality. Three Ollie meal plans provide the option to further customize your pup’s experience: Full Fresh, Half Fresh, and Mixed. Theo loves a soft treat (pup cups, I’m looking at you) so I liked the idea of combining soft and crunchy textures for him.
Sundays for Dogs has a unique air-drying method for all of their food. I was curious—reviews said the texture was reminiscent of dog treats?—but committing to air-dried only worried me a bit.
Customization & Flexibility
Both brands have welcoming new customer surveys that allow their respective teams of veterinary nutritionists to get a sense of (a) who your dog is and (b) what they need from their food. I took both quizzes for the sake of my research.
For Theo, Ollie suggested a Mixed Plan of Fresh Turkey Dish with Blueberries alongside Baked Chicken Dish with Carrots. Our Ollie menu came with instructions on portion sizing and how to seamlessly transition into serving fresh food. They also promised me a 50% off discount on our first delivery or “Starter Box.”
Theo’s recommendation from Sundays for Dogs was their Beef Recipe. To their credit, they also gave me a 20% off code for my first order. It was a nice gesture, but I was more excited about Ollie’s half-price introductory delivery.
While browsing the Ollie website, I noticed that they offer treats and supplements as optional add-ons in every delivery, which I thought was a fun little bonus. (These Beef & Sweet Potato Jerky Strips have “Theo” written all over them!). Not only that, but I read that registering with Ollie unlocks access to free health screenings and on-demand support through the Ollie app. Every detail kept getting better!
Convenience & Freshness
A big draw for me, to both Ollie and Sundays for Dogs, is the fact that they’re sold as subscriptions. But on top of doorstep delivery, our first Ollie box also included a free “Puptainer” to store leftovers as well as a scoop for serving.
Ollie’s Fresh recipes come in vacuum-sealed packs that make portioning extra easy, as each contains just a handful of servings (according to your pup’s size and needs!). A pack has to pulled from the freezer roughly 24 hours before serving so that it can defrost, which can sometimes be difficult to remember, but I always have our bag of Baked Ollie food to fall back on.
Plus, defrosting dog food, in my eyes, accentuates its quality. Each time I pull fish or meat (for us) and a Fresh pack (for Theo) from the freezer, I’m reminded of the immense dietary upgrade that Ollie represents.
With Ollie, We Lived Happily Ever After
Although both Ollie and Sundays for Dogs are marketed as “fresh” dog food, to me Ollie felt slightly more deserving of the title… and that’s why I chose them.
Ollie’s Baked and Fresh preparation styles felt intuitive to me (more so than the treat-esque air-drying of Sundays for Dogs). Plus, with 7 total recipe options and 3 adaptable meal plans, I felt confident that Ollie’s range would be more than enough to keep Theo entertained.
The fact that Ollie personalized a menu and serving schedule for Theo made me feel confident in my decision—I knew that this team knew my dog, and were doing everything they could to support him.
In Ollie, I found exactly what I was looking for: a quality fresh dog food supplier. That said, I also found a support system, resources, and the peace of mind that Theo was eating the right food (and portions) for him and him alone.
