The best dog food delivery for 2021 – CNET [CNET]

The best dog food delivery service is one that marries the right type of food at the right price for your four-legged friend. There are dozens of options for ordering pet food online and so, naturally, some will be a better fit for your pup, your schedule and your budget. With so many options for ordering dog food and pet supplies over the web, it’s good to go into your search armed with some information about what each subscription service or dog food supplier offers and why it might make sense for you — and that’s exactly what we’re here to do. The below is an outline of the burgeoning category along with some of the best dog food delivery options to try in 2021. The good news is most of these dog chow subscription services let you try it out risk-free for a short stint and cancel if it’s not a good fit.

Why dog food delivery has become so popular

If you shop online for dog stuff or anything else, you’ve likely noticed a serious spike in the number of internet vendors, including ones that sell pet supplies and dog food. Chewy.com is still the largest of them all. No, seriously, you can buy just about anything for your pooch via this Amazon-esque pet marketplace including dog food subscriptions. But there are also some really wonderful, small startups that offer exceptional, prepared dog chow — fresh and otherwise — along with other various offerings for Fido.

Dog food delivery has become very popular over the past couple of years and especially during the pandemic, for reasons that may be obvious. When you order dog food online, you’ll get more choices than at most brick-and-mortar stores. You also have the convenience of not having to lug that heavy kibble to the car and home. You can also do a bit more price comparing when you use online dog food delivery since there are dozens of online retailers and many of them carry the most popular brands. 

From the menu options and ingredients to pricing, available accessories and add-ons, these dog food delivery outfits run the gamut, which is why we’re here to help you find the very best dog food delivery service in 2021. 

Read more: Best gourmet dog treats to buy online

Different types of dog food delivery

Before we doggy paddle into the deep end, you should know that pet food delivery options in 2021 go far beyond dry kibble or canned chow. There are custom blends, fresh dog food, raw dog food and cook-at-home dog food. Basically, there’s a dog food delivery company out there that can meet any canine’s niche dietary demands. That said, it’s good to know what you’re looking for and what’s best for your dog given its breed, age and other factors. If you’re not sure, have a chat with your vet and let them know some of the dog food subscriptions you’ve been considering and what you’re leaning towards.

Do you want to serve your furry pal raw or fresh dog food, for instance? Try the Farmer’s Dog. Perhaps grain-free, wet dog food or dry kibble makes the most sense. There are plenty of options fort hose. Do you need food for a puppy or an adult dog? Do you want to feed them homemade dog food? Or is canned OK? It goes even deeper than that: Maybe your dog prefers sweet potato, chicken, beef, fish flavors or fresh dog food made with brown rice. Some dogs have allergies, so there are dog meal delivery services that will account for that too. All these factors can be addressed by dog food subscription services for a nutrition-focused pet parent looking to get the absolute best quality dog food delivered at home. 

Specialty dog food delivery 

Most of the fresh dog food delivery services use natural ingredients, and many can be tailored to your pup’s dietary needs. In many cases, you can buy dog food online that’s developed with the input of a veterinary nutritionist and without “anti-nutrition” fillers like corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives. There are plenty of fresh, unprocessed dog food options and even raw dog food options for the pickiest of pets and those keeping their canine companion on a special diet. 

We’re certainly not here to make sweeping statements on what type of dog food is best — we’ll leave that to the experts — but rather to relay your options for buying dog food online. When you do determine which type of chow is the best for your best friend, you can find the delivery service that will best match your needs. 

The best dog food delivery is one that fits your budget

There are also considerations to be made regarding how much dog food delivery costs. As you may have guessed, some of these custom, gourmet dog food services get mighty expensive, but there are also some cheap dog food delivery services that will still deliver quality chow — some starting at as little as $1 per day. There are some big deals on dog food delivery too if you know where to look (don’t worry, we do). So read over these fresh dog food delivery service options carefully as many, including Spot and Tango, Chewy and NomNomNow, have big first-time order discounts — some as much as 50% off your total cart or first order. 

So then, for picky eater dogs, dieting dogs, older dogs, young dogs, big dogs and your little dog, too: These are the best dog food delivery and pet food subscription services. Note that we haven’t personally used all of the services listed; our determinations are based on the differences outlined below and the specific offerings of each. With that in mind, these are the suggestions we’d make to our family and friends, based on our research. We continue to update this list periodically. 

Read more: Best meal delivery service for humans in 2021

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• The best pet insurance for 2021

This post was originally written by Camryn Rabideau for Chowhound and has been updated by David Watsky.