Sundays makes a compelling case on paper: vet-founded, air-dried, human-grade, no synthetic vitamins. In practice, it works very well for many dogs and frustrates some owners on shipping and subscription management. This review covers every recipe, real pricing by dog size, how it stacks up against The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie, and the situations where it genuinely shines — or doesn’t.
Key Answers Before You Subscribe
These are the questions dog owners actually have after seeing the ads — answered plainly, based on ingredient data, AAFCO standards, and verified subscriber experience.
Sundays is an air-dried dog food subscription brand founded by Dr. Tory Waxman, a small-animal veterinarian, after her own dog became chronically ill on conventional food. The food is made in a USDA-monitored facility in Ohio. The air-drying process works at roughly 142°F — low enough to preserve natural vitamins, minerals, and flavor, while eliminating pathogenic bacteria. That temperature is far below the 400–500°F extrusion temperatures used in standard kibble production. Every ingredient is classified as human-grade, meaning it meets the same FDA and USDA handling, storage, and production standards as food intended for people. The result is a shelf-stable, jerky-textured food that pours straight from the bag into a bowl — no refrigeration, no prep, no rehydration needed. Recipes are formulated by veterinary nutritionists and reviewed by a board-certified animal nutritionist with a Ph.D.
Most commercial dog foods — including premium kibble — achieve their AAFCO-required nutrient levels by blending a synthetic vitamin and mineral premix into an ingredient base that lacks those nutrients naturally. Sundays takes a different approach: starting with organ meats (heart, liver), bone, and a range of whole vegetables, fruits, and seeds that together cover the full nutrient profile without needing an additive pack. Liver alone is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence — rich in iron, zinc, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, and CoQ10. Fish oil from New Zealand contributes omega-3 fatty acids. This whole-food nutrient sourcing is why some nutritionists prefer it: bioavailability from whole foods is generally higher than from synthetic isolates. The trade-off is that recipes can’t be easily adjusted for specific deficiencies the way synthetic premixes can — which matters for dogs with documented nutritional disorders.
Pricing is calculated per dog based on weight, age, activity level, body condition, and recipe. There is no flat rate. Based on real subscriber accounts and independent pricing analyses verified in 2026: small dogs under 20 lbs run approximately $56–$105/month; medium dogs approximately $105–$138/month; large dogs 60+ lbs approximately $184–$251/month; giant breeds can reach $300+/month. Subscription pricing includes roughly 20% off versus one-time orders and free ground shipping. A verified long-term subscriber documented paying $184.40/month for two 15-lb dogs in May 2026 — up from $139.98 when they started in 2023, a 32% increase over three years. Your exact price requires going through the quiz at sundaysfordogs.com. The 14-day money-back guarantee applies to first orders only.
As of July 2026, Sundays has never issued a recall — the brand’s full history is clean on the FDA’s animal feed recall and advisory database. The air-drying process at 142°F is sufficient to eliminate Salmonella and other pathogens that cause the most common pet food safety events. Because Sundays avoids synthetic vitamin premixes, it also sidesteps one of the most frequent recall triggers in the pet food industry: vitamin D toxicity from over-supplementation. The most common safety-related complaints in verified reviews involve spoiled or stale bags — not contamination — linked to shipping delays or damaged packaging on arrival. If a bag arrives with an off smell or visible mold, contacting customer service immediately is the right step. Check the FDA’s current pet food advisory database at fda.gov/animal-veterinary before any feeding decision.
The beef recipe is the most universal option — formulated to meet AAFCO standards for all life stages, including large breed puppy growth. The chicken recipe is formulated for adult dogs only, making it unsuitable as the sole diet for puppies or nursing females. The turkey recipe also meets all life stages standards and is a useful rotation option for dogs with beef sensitivities. The fish recipe, newer to the lineup, offers a distinct protein source and omega-3 profile for dogs prone to skin or coat issues. All four are free from wheat, soy, gluten, and potatoes — common allergen sources in standard kibble. For multi-dog households or rotation feeders, the “mix and match” subscription option lets you alternate recipes without repricing. Small Bites versions of all four recipes became available in September 2026, cut into training-sized pieces for dogs under 20 lbs.
Yes — and for large-breed owners, this is the single most cost-effective way to feed it. Using Sundays as roughly 25% of a meal on top of a quality kibble base brings the palate and nutritional benefits of human-grade ingredients to the bowl at a fraction of the full-diet monthly cost. For a 60-lb dog, full-diet Sundays runs $184–$251/month; as a 25% topper on premium kibble, that drops to approximately $46–$63/month in Sundays costs. The nutritional math still works because the whole-food vitamins and omega-3s in Sundays supplement whatever the kibble base may lack in bioavailability. Just confirm your total diet remains AAFCO-complete and balanced when mixing — your vet can verify this quickly at a routine visit.
Based on BBB filings and verified review platform data: the most documented complaint is automatic order processing after accidental subscription reactivation — Sundays’ system queues and ships an order immediately upon reactivation, before the user can cancel it, even if the next scheduled delivery date appears weeks away. Second most common: shipping delays of two weeks or more after payment, with slow customer service response during those gaps. Third: occasional bags arriving damaged, crumbled, or with an off odor. Positive experiences consistently cite palatability — dogs that refused kibble or fresh food often eat Sundays readily — improved coat quality, and digestion improvement within two to three weeks. The food quality complaints are a minority; the logistics and subscription management complaints are the majority. Managing your subscription actively and keeping an updated payment method on file reduces the friction significantly.
On a dry matter basis, Sundays beef runs approximately 41% protein and 29% fat — well above the AAFCO adult dog minimum of 18% protein and 5% fat, and above most premium kibbles which typically land at 28–34% protein. Carbohydrate content sits around 21%, compared to 40–55% in most extruded kibble. Because air-dried food has much lower moisture content than fresh food, the actual volume you feed per meal is smaller than kibble — which is where the “more expensive but you feed less” argument has real merit. A dog that needs 2 cups of kibble daily may need roughly 1–1.25 cups of Sundays for equivalent caloric intake. The higher caloric density means a bag lasts longer than its weight would suggest versus standard dry food.
Every Sundays Recipe — What’s Actually Inside
Four recipes, all air-dried, all human-grade. The differences matter depending on your dog’s life stage, protein sensitivities, and skin and coat needs.
The flagship recipe, and the most broadly applicable. First five ingredients: USDA beef, beef heart, beef liver, beef bone, and quinoa. Beef heart provides taurine and CoQ10; beef liver contributes B-complex vitamins, iron, and vitamin A at levels that make synthetic supplementation unnecessary. Quinoa is an ancient grain with a full amino acid profile — notable because most grains used in dog food are incomplete protein sources. The formula also includes pumpkin (fiber, beta-carotene), fish oil from New Zealand (omega-3 fatty acids), kale, blueberries, carrots, apples, flaxseed, and cranberries. No corn, wheat, soy, or potato. Guaranteed analysis on dry matter basis: approximately 41% protein, 29% fat, 21% carbohydrate. Meets AAFCO standards for all life stages including large breed puppy growth — the only Sundays recipe with that designation.
First five ingredients: chicken, chicken liver, eggs, millet, and oats. Millet and oats provide a carbohydrate base with more fiber and a gentler glycemic impact than corn or white rice. Eggs contribute complete protein and natural lecithin. The chicken recipe has the highest palatability scores in independent testing — reviewers consistently note that picky dogs who ignore beef willingly eat the chicken formula. The critical limitation: this recipe meets AAFCO adult maintenance standards only, not growth or reproduction. It cannot serve as the sole diet for a puppy, a pregnant female, or a nursing female. For a household with multiple dogs at different life stages, the beef or turkey recipe is the safer all-purpose choice. The formula is otherwise structurally similar to the beef recipe — same fruit and vegetable roster, same absence of synthetic additives.
First five ingredients: turkey, turkey heart, turkey liver, egg yolk, and millet. Structurally the closest recipe to the beef formula in nutritional profile — all life stages approved, organ-forward protein base, similar vegetable and fruit roster. Turkey is a commonly recommended novel protein for dogs that show mild reaction to beef or chicken, making this a useful rotation choice for households managing food sensitivities. It is not a hypoallergenic formula — dogs with documented poultry allergies confirmed by veterinary elimination trial should avoid it — but for general sensitivity rotation, it works well. Egg yolk contributes fat-soluble vitamins and additional protein. The same absence of corn, wheat, soy, and potato applies here.
The newest addition to the Sundays lineup, the fish recipe brings a distinct fatty acid profile that the other three recipes can’t match at full volume. Fish-forward formulas are most often recommended for dogs with dry or flaky skin, dull coats, early-stage joint stiffness, or inflammatory skin conditions like environmental allergies. The omega-3 content — EPA and DHA — in a fish-primary diet is considerably higher than what fish oil supplementation in a beef or chicken formula can deliver. This makes it the recipe most likely to produce visible coat and skin improvement for dogs with those specific needs. Available in the Small Bites format as of September 2026. As with all Sundays recipes, it is shelf-stable, requires no refrigeration, and pours directly into the bowl.
Sundays vs. The Farmer’s Dog vs. Ollie — Side by Side
All three use human-grade ingredients. The differences are format, storage, price, and what a typical month actually looks like in your kitchen.
| Brand | Format | Storage | Monthly Cost (medium dog ~25 lb) | Prep Required | Recalls (history) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundays | Air-dried | Shelf — no fridge needed | ~$105–$138/mo | None — pour from bag | None (as of July 2026) | No freezer space, travel, picky eaters |
| The Farmer’s Dog | Fresh-cooked, frozen | Freezer + fridge thaw daily | ~$140–$170/mo | Thaw pouches daily | None on record | Maximum palatability, soft texture for seniors |
| Ollie | Fresh-cooked or baked | Freezer + fridge thaw | ~$130–$175/mo | Thaw fresh; baked is pour-and-serve | None on record | Recipe flexibility, partial-plan options |
Sundays is cheaper than The Farmer’s Dog for most dog profiles — a verified subscriber confirmed a $10/month difference for two 15-lb dogs ($184.40 vs. $194.40), which compounds to about $120/year. For large breeds, the gap is often wider. The Farmer’s Dog typically wins on palatability for dogs with very strong fresh-food preferences — the aroma and soft texture of gently cooked fresh meals is harder to replicate in an air-dried format. Ollie’s advantage is flexibility: its partial-plan option lets owners replace 25% or 50% of meals rather than committing to a full diet, reducing cost significantly. If freezer space is the constraint — apartment living, frequent travel, or simply not wanting the daily thaw routine — Sundays and Ollie’s baked plan are the only human-grade options that work at room temperature.
Find Your Situation
This is the most common success story in verified Sundays reviews. The air-dried jerky texture and concentrated meat aroma appeal to dogs that consistently walk away from kibble or refuse fresh food after a few days. Dogs that have been described as “grazers” who skip meals regularly often become consistent eaters on Sundays within one to two weeks. The 14-day money-back guarantee on the first order is a genuine safety net here — you can test palatability with a single bag before committing to a subscription. If your dog doesn’t eat it within two weeks, contact support for a refund. If they do eat it — and based on verified owner accounts, most picky eaters do — you have a reliable answer to a problem that other premium foods couldn’t solve.
For most large-breed households, full-diet Sundays is expensive enough to strain a pet budget — $184–$335/month for a 60–100+ lb dog is real money, and prices have risen roughly 32% since the brand launched. The topper strategy is the financially practical path: replace 25% of the daily meal with Sundays on top of a quality AAFCO-complete kibble base. For a 70-lb dog, that brings your Sundays spend to roughly $46–$63/month while still delivering the key whole-food benefits — organ-sourced B vitamins, natural omega-3s from fish oil, and the antioxidants from the fruit and vegetable inclusions. This is explicitly a supported feeding method — not a workaround — and many nutritionists recommend it for exactly this reason.
Sundays is a reasonable first move before a full veterinary allergy workup, particularly if your current food contains corn, wheat, soy, or chicken by-product meal — all common reactive ingredients that Sundays excludes entirely. The elimination of synthetic colorings, artificial preservatives, and meat by-products removes several variables at once. For skin and coat improvement specifically, the fish recipe’s high EPA and DHA load is more effective than supplementing fish oil capsules onto a beef-primary diet. Give any diet change at least four to six weeks before evaluating results — coat improvement in particular takes a full shed cycle to be visible. If symptoms don’t improve after six weeks on a clean diet, a veterinary elimination trial with a hydrolyzed protein prescription diet is the next step, not a different commercial food.
Sundays is specifically built for this situation. The sealed bag stays fresh at room temperature for up to 12 months unopened; an open bag is best used within eight weeks. It packs into a carry-on or checked bag without the mess, smell, or temperature requirements of fresh-frozen dog food. For RV travel, camping, or extended trips where freezer space is shared or unavailable, this is a meaningful practical advantage over The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie. The 15-lb bag format travels reasonably compactly for trips of two to four weeks. One caution: verify your subscription delivery schedule before a long trip so you don’t miss a shipment and run short. Sundays ships from regional fulfillment centers but does not offer same-day or next-day delivery.
This concern is documented and legitimate — BBB complaints and verified reviews consistently flag the same pattern: accidental reactivation that triggers immediate order processing with no cancellation window, and slow response times from customer support. Three practical steps that reduce this risk significantly: First, set your subscription delivery frequency to match your actual consumption — don’t let bags stack up, or you’ll be tempted to pause and risk reactivation issues. Second, use a virtual credit card (available from most major banks and from apps like Privacy.com) for the subscription, with a spending limit that lets one order through but blocks a surprise charge. Third, if you’re going on a trip or know you won’t need food for a month, email support to pause rather than pausing through the portal — it creates a paper trail. The food quality is not the problem. The subscription mechanics are.
No — and this is the most important medical limitation of the Sundays line. The beef recipe runs approximately 29% fat on a dry matter basis, which is significantly above the threshold typically recommended for dogs managing pancreatitis, hyperlipidemia, or liver disease. Dogs with any fat-restricted diagnosis should not eat Sundays as a complete diet without explicit clearance from a veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist. The high fat content is a feature for healthy dogs — it supports skin, coat, and energy — but it is a meaningful risk for dogs with these specific conditions. BBB complaints include at least one report of a dog experiencing gastrointestinal distress after switching to Sundays; rapid transitions to any high-fat diet can cause problems even in healthy dogs. Transition over seven to ten days minimum, mixing increasing proportions of Sundays into the current diet, to allow gut flora to adjust.
Where to Buy & What to Know First
Sundays sells exclusively direct-to-consumer. It is not available at Chewy, Amazon, PetSmart, Petco, or through any retailer. All orders go through sundaysfordogs.com.
Sundays for Dogs pricing ranges ($56–$335/month by dog size) sourced from verified subscriber accounts and independent pricing analyses updated in 2026, including BestiePaws.com (July 2026), Life with Klee Kai (May 2026), and thepricer.org. Ingredient information sourced from Sundays for Dogs official ingredient page and third-party reviews by Vetstreet, Hepper, and Dogster (2024–2026). Guaranteed analysis (41% protein, 29% fat dry matter beef recipe) from Dog Food Advisor. AAFCO life stage designations confirmed from Vetstreet and DeliveryRank reviews. No-recall status confirmed via Dog Food Advisor recall tracker and FDA animal-veterinary database (July 2026). BBB complaint patterns sourced from Better Business Bureau complaint log for Sundays for Dogs, Inc. (New York, NY). This content is entirely original and not affiliated with or compensated by Sundays for Dogs. Prices and subscription terms change — confirm directly at sundaysfordogs.com before purchasing.
Key sources: sundaysfordogs.com; FDA.gov/animal-veterinary; Dog Food Advisor; Vetstreet; BestiePaws.com (July 2026).