Reviewed by: Judy E.
Pet lover's team
Nov 29, 2024
As a dog parent, you like to give your best buddy quality treats and chews. Real Dog offers subscription-based treats, chews, and other products. Our Real Dog food delivery review covers how the food is made, how the subscription works, benefits, and any drawbacks to help your search for the best dog food delivery.
Our team has researched and reviewed Real Dog food delivery. We believe its main features are as follows:
Every month, Real Dog makes up a new menu with a new selection of proteins. Below we share what our team found out about what goes into Real Dog boxes.
The Treat & Chew box contains three bags of single-ingredient chews and 3 bags of single-ingredient treats. The air-dried treats are made of different organ meats, muscle meats, and seafoods each month. For example, flavors of the month have included pork liver, duck wing, and beef blackstrap.
With the Chew Only Box, your furry friend will get 3 bags of light, medium, and heavy chews. The light chews provide a quick, nutritious snack. Medium chews are a little larger and more challenging for your dog and keep your pet entertained while you’re on the phone or eating dinner. Heavy chews are long-lasting treats that can keep your pup entertained for hours.
With every monthly delivery, the Treat Only Box includes 3 bags of organ meats, muscle meats, and seafood treats. The organ meat treats contain a variety of hard-to-find organs besides liver. The muscle meat treats are thinly sliced, lean proteins that are great for training. A variety of fish fillets, whole fish, and other seafoods provide Omega-3s.
Designed with small breeds, senior dogs, and puppies in mind, the Mini Box includes 2 bags of treats and 1 bag of chews in the starter box. Subsequent shipments will provide 1 bag each of treats and chews.
Besides the boxes of treats and chews, Real Dog offers add-on products. Here are the Real Dog add-ons that are available to order.
Super Chews are individually packed, large chews that keeps dogs busy for multiple chews. You can purchase Super Chews as a standalone subscription or add as many as you like to your Real Dog Box order.
Based on the ancestral canine diet, Ancestral Meatballs are a high-value treat. The meatballs are made of muscle, organ, bone, seafood, and fiber. Each package contains 8 ounces of Ancestral Meatballs. Order alone or as an add-on.
Made from 50/50 liver and other secreting organ meat, Real Dog Food Toppers are an easy way to add nutrition to your dog’s diet. Organ meats are dried and ground into a shelf-stable powder that you can sprinkle over your pet’s food. Food Toppers can help balance home-made dog foods or stimulate a finicky eater’s appetite. Like the other add-ons, you can subscribe to Food Toppers or add to your box order.
Real Dog does not have a USDA-inspected facility, but the company is registered with the FDA and licensed by the California Department of Health. The treats and chews are processed in a facility in San Diego that is regularly inspected by the FDA and California Department of Health.
Real Dog products are available on a month-to-month subscription basis. Read below to learn about how the Real Dog subscription process works.
The Real Dog ordering process is fairly straightforward. First, decide which product and/or add-ons you’d like to order. Before you order, you have an opportunity to inform Real Dog of any allergies or food intolerances so your order can be prepared accordingly.
All Real Dog subscriptions are on a month-to-month basis. There is no long-term commitment, and you can skip shipments or cancel your subscription at any time. Subscription prices depend on the products that you order, with the largest boxes costing the most. Shipping is free with your box subscription or order of three or more add-ons.
After your first box, the certified pet experts at Real Dog become familiar with your dog’s needs and sensitivities. According to the Real Dog website, all customer service staff are certified professional canine nutritionists (CPCNs). Your food orders will be prepared to accommodate your pet’s preferences and needs.
We have looked at how Real Dog food is made and how the subscription works. In the following sections, we review benefits and any drawbacks our team found after researching Real Dog.
When searching for the best pet food delivery, you want to find safe products made without additives. The treats, chews, meatballs, and food toppers at Real Dog are prepared without additives or preservatives. We think that pet parents will appreciate knowing that their pup is receiving food deliveries that are additive-free.
Each month, Real Dog rotates the proteins in their boxes. For example, organ meat may be pork liver one month and a different organ the next month. According to the company website, varying the proteins can be beneficial for a dog’s digestion.
Real Dog recipes are formulated by “experienced dog nutritionists.” One of the conventional hallmarks of quality dog food is development by veterinarians, but there is no mention on the Real Dog website of veterinarian participation. According to the website, the company keeps informed of the latest pet nutrition developments and conducts workshops and training sessions for the veterinary industry.
Before switching dog food brands, it’s always a good idea to talk to your veterinarian.
Real Dog offers a Wellness membership on a monthly or annual basis. Members have the opportunity to consult with certified professional canine nutritionists (CPCNs). We’re impressed with the membership perks, which include:
As Real Dog notes, the CPCNs are not veterinarians and cannot prescribe medications or diagnose your pet’s health issues. Talk to your veterinarian about any concerns you have about your pet’s health or nutrition needs.
Real Dog provides a variety of customer support resources. The website provides an email address and text number for contact information, but the website does not specify hours of availability. There is an FAQ page with extensive information about Real Dog food products, billing, shipping, and other topics of interest. There is also a chat option that is available 24/7 and appears to be automated.
Other resources on the Real Dog website include research articles, information about courses and workshops, and a feeding calculator.
Sometimes even the best dog food delivery isn’t right for your best buddy’s taste buds. If your furry friend just doesn’t care for a particular Real Dog product, let the company know within 30 days of delivery. The company will replace the product and will not include it in future orders for your pet.
Real Dog formulates and prepares its pet foods with a great deal of care and thoughtfulness. Although the treats, chews, and other products are not advertised as AAFCO compliant or USDA-approved, Real Dog foods are prepared in an FDA-inspected facility. The California Department of Health also inspects the facility.
The company provides a detailed explanation of its food philosophy and its reasons why it bypasses AAFCO profiles and USDA certifications. According to the Real Dog website, the recipes are developed by pet nutrition experts, not licensed veterinarians. We encourage pet parents to check with their veterinarian before trying any new dog food.
Overall, we are impressed with Real Dog’s attention to detail and quality in the preparation of its dog food. For example, we like the fact that the menu changes every month and that the treats and chews are made in small batches from single ingredients. We think that pet parents will appreciate the availability of CPCNs to answer questions. However, the CPCNs are not veterinarians and cannot replace the advice of your vet.
From treats and chews to food toppers, we like the variety of boxes and add-ons that are available by subscription. We also applaud the fact that you can cancel your subscription or skip shipments at any time.
After our research and review, we believe that Real Dog food delivery offers a quality product. We recommend Real Dog as a choice in the search for the best dog food delivery.
Our team seriously researched for the Best Dog Food Delivery and this website provides in-depth reviews to help you find the best one for you based on your needs. Each review provides important insights about a specific Dog Food Delivery to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your pet. Our reviews cover Dog Food Delivery Services with different features, prices, designs, and materials.
