Different Dog Review

Every dog needs a balanced and healthy diet – but making home-cooked dog meals can be time consuming.

Over the past couple of years, some dog owners have switched from traditional dog food options in favour of freshly prepared meals.

While some pet parents like to cook their dog’s food in the kitchen, others don’t have time to do the proper research – and that’s before the pots and weighing scales come out.

There are a number of American companies that can provide freshly prepared meals that are delivered to your doorstep.

Website: www.differentdog.com

Different Dog are one of the standout companies in the United Kingdom that are looking to improve the diet of British dogs with freshly prepared meals.

We have taken a close look at Different dog, examining their recipes, delivery methods and customer reviews.

So let’s get right down to business and learn what Different Dog bring to the table.

Different Dog – The Basics

Different Dog make their mantra clear on their website’s homepage: changing the world, one dog at a time.

The British company want to improve the diet and nutrition of dogs around United Kingdom.

They point out on their website that worryingly a lot of traditional dog food is heavily processed.

This type of dog food has been around for decades and decades, with preservatives ensuring it has a long shelf life.

Different Dog write online that they hand cook their dogs meals before freezing the grub and delivering to your house – taking away the stress of pet owners cooking meals for their dogs at home.

Their meals can be served directly from the fridge to remove the hassle of making home-cooked food when you already have your own meals to think about.

While the marketing material on their website sounds promising, we prefer to examine the ingredients used and the customer testimonials.

How Different Dog Works

Different Dog require some details about your dog to produce your pooch’s personalised meals.

Basic information such as your dog’s name, age and weight is needed at the start of the questionnaire.

Different Dog ask pet parents to list whether their dog is slim, perfect, carrying an extra little bit of weight or needs to lose a few pounds.

Energy levels play a big role in portion size and customers can describe their canine as chilled, healthy, energetic or working dog.

There is also a section at the end of the questionnaire that allows dog owners to include any allergies their pet may have.

With key information submitted, Different Dog offer customers a variety of recipes. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients

Chicken Casserole – Chicken (Mince (55%), Liver (5%)), Red Cabbage, Sweet Potato (8%), Carrot (5.8%), Apple, Mushroom (3%), Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Parsley, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Turmeric.

Braised Beef – Beef (Mince (40%), Heart (15%), Liver (5%)), Spinach (12.9%), Squash (8%), Carrot, Apple (5%), Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Parsley, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals, and Turmeric.

RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK

Lamb Hotpot – Lamb 60% (Lamb Mince 40%, Lamb Heart 15%, Lamb Liver 5%), Red Cabbage (12.9%), Parsnip (8%), Carrot, Apple (5%), Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Sage, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Turmeric.

Turkey Fricassee – Turkey 60%, Cabbage (12.9%), Sweet Potato(8%), Carrot, Banana (5%), Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Coriander, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Turmeric.

Different Dog also have to festive specials on their menu for a limited time only.

Festive Feast – Turkey 60%, Cabbage (12.9%), Sweet Potato(8%), Carrot, Banana (5%), Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Coriander, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Turmeric.

Keep-Me-Trim Turkey – Turkey Breast Mince 60%, Red Cabbage, Butternut Squash, Carrot, Apple, Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Parsley, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Turmeric.

Best Paw Forward – Chicken 60% (Mince 55%, Liver 5%), Spinach, Beetroot, Parsnip, Pear, Mushroom, Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Mint, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewer’s Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Minerals and Tumeric.

Finally, the British company provide a meal for dogs who are feeling a tad lethargic.

Comforting Chicken (for dogs under the weather) – Chicken Mince 45%, Green Cabbage, Butternut Squash, Beef Heart (10%), Apple, Carrot, Powdered Egg, Salmon Oil, Coconut Oil, Slippery Elm Powder, Powdered Alfalfa, Powdered Ginger, Monocalcium Phosphate, Brewers Yeast, Chia Seeds, Kelp, Salt, Minerals and Turmeric.

Different Dog make new recipes every week. They are the first dog food company to do this, according to their website. There’s no doubt that one of Different Dog’s strengths is the variety of new recipes that they have an offer.

Different Dog offer three meal sizes: the full monty, half n’ half and tasty topper.

Their chefs select the recipes to include in your trial for your first delivery, which means you won’t be able to select your preferred recipe until the second delivery.

In 2021, Different Dog launched their Health+ range to cater to dogs who suffer from certain health conditions. Speaking to helloBARK!, Different Dog shed more light on their health-focused range.

Different Dog’s Health+ recipes include Low Purine And Phosphorus, Stay Supple Fish Supper, Heart Beef And Berries, Keep Me Trim Turkey and Comforting Chicken. If you have any questions, you can contact Different Dog who will work with dog owners to find the right recipe for their dog.

Meal Preparation

The meals arrive in compostable trays which can be stored in the fridge and freezer. You should move the trays to the fridge 24 hours before you intend to feed your dog.

Given the hectic lives of most pet parents, you may forget to transfer to the fridge. Once defrosted, Different Dog will remain fresh for five days.

When it is time to feed your pooch, you simply defrost, open the tray and spoon the appropriate portion into a bowl for your pup.

While some might feel rip-and-serve packets containing individual meals for your dog is perhaps more convenient, Different Dog’s pots will reduce the amount of recycling required.

Price And Delivery

Different Dog provide a premium service for pet parents so it doesn’t come cheap. However, it is an investment in your dog’s long-term health.

Every dog is different so the price can vary quite a lot, whether you have a Siberian Husky or toy Alaskan Klee Kai dog like me.

As mentioned above, Different Dog accommodate dog owners who wish to combine their grub with other dog food.

For my Alaskan Klee Kai (who weighs around 6kg), I can expect to pay around £66 a month (which equates to £2.36 a day) if I signed up to Different Dog’s premium dog meals.

Different Dog state on their website that they care as “passionately about the environment as we do about dogs”, which is why all their packaging is recyclable or biodegradable.

Your meals will arrive in recyclable boxes with sheep’s wool insulation to keep your meals cold – the sheep’s wool insulation can be used as compost once you’ve placed your pots in fridge or freezer. The trays are also compostable to help reduce your carbon paw print.

What Are Customers Saying?

Different Dog display some reviews at the bottom of their homepage. We found some more testimonials on Trustpilot, where they get an average rating of 4.9 stars out of 5 based upon nearly 800 reviews.

One customer with a dog who suffers from pancreatitis shed light on the positive impact of these meals:

RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK

Another pet parent revealed how excited her dog gets for Different Dog:

Finally, a pet parent revealed how her fussy eater is now content:

Our Verdict

There’s no doubt that Different Dog really do offer premium meals for British canines. My two Alaskan Klee Kai loved Different Dog’s meals, especially with so many different recipes to choose from.

They’re usually picky eaters but I found that they devoured every Different Dog recipe that we tried (apart from the fish recipe). The food looks and smells like human-grade meals, which isn’t always the case with dog food delivery companies.

However, I did find Different Dog’s food trays a little challenging to store in my normal-sized freezer. Receiving a month’s supply at a time, Different Dog ended up taking up two thirds of my freezer space. If I had a bigger freezer or a separate freezer for dog food, this wouldn’t be a problem.

Different Dog do provide a useful graphic to show how much space you’ll require in your freezer based upon your personalised subscription plan.

Different Dog are a high-end option for British dog owners who want to feed their canine companions a balanced and healthy diet. Their meals are the most expensive of the dog food delivery companies that I’ve reviewed in the UK. I would have to pay over £120 a month for my two dogs to eat Different Dog.

But I do consider to Different Dog to be one of the best options on the market but you will need to consider whether you’ve got the freezer space and the budget for their meals. If you have, you won’t find many better alternatives. If you are limited in terms of storage space and finances, you may prefer to go for a more economical option that can still meet your dog’s dietary needs.

You’ll need to be a first-time customer to use either of these offers!

Any Negatives?

Different Dog are doing a lot of things right judging by the good reviews online.

While a lot of their competitors use rip-and-serve packets containing individual meals, Different Dog use pots.

This could be viewed as a potential negative for some customers, but it commendable that this company is doing their bit to help protect the environment.

However, you may find it challenging to fit all your pots into your freezer depending on it’s size. In my experience, we had to sacrifice buying as much frozen food for ourselves given the dog food took up nearly two thirds of the freezer.

As I mentioned above, Different Dog provide a premium service so they’re meals are expensive.

Is This The Best Dog Food Delivery Service In The UK?

There are a lot of things to like about Different Dog, especially their variety of recipes and constantly evolving menus.

While we have reviewed some US companies who have the dog food delivery service down to a tee, Different Dog is one of the companies leading the way in England as freshly prepared dog meals become more popular in UK.

You can see our updated dog food delivery guide via the link below.

RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK

Anything Else To Consider?

We love how many different recipes are on Different Dog’s menu. This should really help to keep fussy eaters stimulated at dinner time.

Different Dog’s website provides good information about transitioning your dog onto their meals.

Important: We recommend consulting your local veterinarian to make sure this process goes as smoothly as possible.

Different Dog Conclusion – Our Final Thoughts

Different Dog are one of the first dog food delivery companies to hit the British market.

Founded in 2017, their variety of recipes is commendable and certainly promising for pet parents with fussy eaters.

Their meals are high grade and smell so good that you’ll be tempted to taste them.

You’ll need to consider whether you’ve got the budget and freezer space before signing up to Different Dog.

If neither are an issue for you, there aren’t many better options in the UK to provide your dog with a complete diet.