🐾 The Farmer’s Dog Recall Status: What Every Pet Owner Needs to Know
📰 Key Takeaways: Quick Answers for Pet Parents
| ❓ Question | ✅ Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Has The Farmer’s Dog ever been recalled? | No. As of June 2025, the brand has a clean recall history. |
| Does this mean it’s risk-free? | Not entirely. The food has been linked to anecdotal cases of pancreatitis. |
| Why is there so much online controversy? | Due to high-fat content in several recipes and chronic health claims, not contamination. |
| Is it safer than kibble? | In terms of pathogen control and ingredient quality, yes. But nutritional suitability varies per dog. |
| Should I avoid it? | Only if your dog is predisposed to fat-sensitive conditions or you prefer a low-fat diet. |
🔍 Has The Farmer’s Dog Ever Been Recalled?
No, not once. Neither the FDA nor the company itself has ever issued a recall or public advisory against The Farmer’s Dog products.
| 📜 Recall Type | ❌ The Farmer’s Dog | 🟡 Competitors |
|---|---|---|
| FDA-initiated recall | ❌ Never occurred | Yes – some (e.g., Mid America Pet Food) |
| Voluntary recall | ❌ None to date | Yes – select brands (e.g., Nom Nom’s cat food) |
| FDA advisory warning | ❌ None issued | Yes – Darwin’s, Answers Pet Food |
| Quality audit failure | ❌ Not publicized | Present in several dry food brands |
💡 Expert Note: While the recall-free status is a strong positive, it only proves absence of acute safety violations (like Salmonella, aflatoxins). It doesn’t mean there are no chronic or formulation-related risks.
⚠️ If There’s No Recall, Why Are There Complaints?
The controversy stems from what the food contains—not what it’s contaminated with. Three of the brand’s recipes are very high in fat, and some dogs, especially those prone to pancreatitis or hyperlipidemia, may experience serious health issues after switching.
| 🍲 Recipe | 🧪 Fat (% Dry Matter) | ⚠️ Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 28.1% | 🚨 Very high |
| Pork | 27.6% | 🚨 Very high |
| Chicken | 25.0% | ⚠️ High |
| Turkey | 19.6% | ✅ Lower risk option |
| Vet-Prescribed Low-Fat Diets | ~7–10% | ✅ Therapeutic levels |
🔍 Veterinary Insight: Fat-rich diets can trigger pancreatitis in susceptible dogs—especially smaller breeds like Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkies, or dogs with prior digestive sensitivities. That’s where many of the online “horror stories” originate.
🧪 What Has The Farmer’s Dog Done to Prove Safety?
To counter criticism, the brand partnered with Cornell University for a one-year feeding study (2023–2024) involving ten healthy adult dogs.
| 🧬 Study Attribute | ✅ Details |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Sample size | 10 healthy dogs |
| Measures taken | Blood chemistry, triglycerides, thyroid hormones |
| Conclusion | All dogs remained healthy; no deficiencies detected |
🔬 Limitations: The study was not designed to assess disease risk, especially in predisposed breeds. It simply validated nutritional completeness for healthy dogs.
📉 What’s the Real Health Concern? Pancreatitis.
A large volume of consumer reviews—found on Reddit, BBB, social forums—report pancreatitis following the switch to The Farmer’s Dog.
What We Know:
- Many dogs were reportedly healthy before switching.
- Owners report diagnoses within days to weeks after transition.
- Most affected dogs were fed the beef, pork, or chicken recipes.
- Vets often cited “high-fat diet” as a likely trigger.
🧪 Scientific Backing:
Veterinary literature confirms that high-fat meals can overstimulate the pancreas, especially in genetically predisposed dogs or those with underlying lipid disorders.
| 🧠 Trigger | 🔄 Effect on Dog |
|---|---|
| High-fat diet | ↑ Cholecystokinin (CCK) |
| ↑ CCK | Overstimulates pancreas |
| Pancreas overactivity | Premature enzyme release → inflammation |
| Inflammation | Acute pancreatitis |
📌 Important: These are not toxic effects. The issue is nutrient overload in dogs with metabolic or genetic vulnerabilities.
🛒 Why Do Consumers Get Frustrated with the Company Itself?
The controversy isn’t just nutritional—it’s also operational. Many complaints revolve around subscription issues, billing confusion, and inflexible delivery models.
| 🧾 Complaint Type | 📊 Frequency (BBB) | 🔎 Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Product complaints | 18 | Health issues, spoilage |
| Service/billing | 18 | Auto-ship without consent |
| Delivery problems | 11 | Leaking or late boxes |
| Cancellation difficulty | High | Charges after opt-out attempts |
🚩 Pattern: If a dog gets sick, these frustrations with logistics escalate the negative sentiment. People feel ignored or trapped by a system that keeps charging them.
📦 How Does The Farmer’s Dog Compare to Other Brands?
| ⚖️ Category | 🐶 The Farmer’s Dog | 🐕 Ollie | 🐕🦺 Nom Nom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recall History | ✅ None | ✅ None | ✅ Dog food clean; 1 cat food recall |
| Fat Levels | 🔺 High | ⚖️ Moderate | ⚖️ Lower |
| Clinical Trials | ✅ 1-year Cornell study | ⚠️ Not public | ✅ Short AAFCO trial |
| Health Complaints | 🚨 Pancreatitis reports | GI upset, weight loss | Missing product, weight variance |
| Subscription Model | 🚩 Common complaint | Moderate issues | 🚩 Price spikes & poor service |
| Price Point | 💰 Most affordable | 💰💰 | 💰💰💰 Highest |
| Transparency | 🟢 Strong | 🟢 Strong | 🟢 Strong |
🧠 What Should I Do Before Feeding The Farmer’s Dog?
| 📝 Action | ✅ Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Ask your vet if high-fat is suitable | Breed, weight, and medical history matter |
| Choose Turkey recipe for lower fat | Better for dogs prone to pancreatitis |
| Transition gradually over 10–14 days | Reduces digestive stress |
| Monitor signs like vomiting, pain, lethargy | Early detection = early treatment |
| Control your subscription via your dashboard | Prevent surprise charges |
📣 Report any issues to the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal and directly to the company. Your report helps shape future investigations and may prevent others from being affected.
🎯 Bottom Line: No Recall ≠ No Risk
The Farmer’s Dog has not been recalled, but that doesn’t mean it’s universally risk-free. For most dogs, it’s a high-quality product with exceptional food safety protocols. But for dogs with even a slight predisposition to fat sensitivity or metabolic disorders, its high-fat formulation could be problematic.
If you’ve got questions about how this fits your dog’s unique needs, drop your dog’s breed, age, or health condition, and we’ll help break down the risks and recipe options. 🐾
FAQs
💭 “If The Farmer’s Dog hasn’t had a recall, why are so many people still worried?”
A recall-free record only proves absence of acute contamination, such as Salmonella, Listeria, aflatoxins, or foreign materials that the FDA considers dangerous. However, many of the complaints surrounding The Farmer’s Dog stem from chronic dietary effects, particularly nutrient overload, not contamination.
In this case, the concern is mostly centered on long-term metabolic strain, especially related to fat content, which can contribute to pancreatitis in dogs with even mild predispositions. These are not regulatory violations, so they don’t trigger recalls—but they still matter.
| 🚨 Concern Type | 🧪 FDA/Recall Trigger? | 🐾 Real-World Health Concern? |
|---|---|---|
| Salmonella, Listeria | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Aflatoxins | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Very high fat in recipe | ❌ No | ✅ If dog is sensitive |
| Undercooked vegetables or “mush” texture | ❌ No | ⚠️ Possibly GI-irritating |
| Nutrient excess in healthy dogs | ❌ No | ❌ Often tolerated |
| Nutrient excess in vulnerable dogs | ❌ No | ✅ Can trigger disease |
Summary: The Farmer’s Dog hasn’t broken any rules—it’s met them. But for sensitive dogs, the issue lies not in safety violations, but in biological overexposure to fat that’s technically allowed under AAFCO guidelines.
💭 “Is there a way to know if my dog is at risk before I feed it?”
Yes—but it requires understanding your dog’s breed, bloodwork, and previous dietary history. Some dogs can metabolize rich diets effortlessly, while others develop lipidemia or pancreatitis after a single high-fat meal.
Here are the red flags you should discuss with your vet before switching to The Farmer’s Dog:
| 🧬 Risk Factor | ⚠️ Why It Matters | 🔍 What to Ask Your Vet |
|---|---|---|
| Miniature Schnauzer, Cocker Spaniel, Yorkie | High hereditary risk for pancreatitis | “Should we test for lipid levels?” |
| Obesity or low activity | Poor fat metabolism | “Is a 25–28% fat diet safe for this dog’s condition?” |
| History of GI distress | Could indicate intolerance to dietary shifts | “Is slow transition or a lower-fat trial advisable?” |
| Hyperlipidemia or elevated triglycerides | Strong pancreatitis correlation | “Should we run a fasting panel before switching?” |
| Senior age (>7 yrs) | Lower metabolic flexibility | “Would a low-to-moderate fat level be better tolerated?” |
Veterinary Tip: Ask for a fasting triglyceride test—it’s inexpensive, often done in-house, and provides clarity on how your dog handles dietary fats.
💭 “Why is fat even allowed to be that high? Isn’t there a limit?”
Shockingly, no. AAFCO sets minimum levels for essential fats but does not impose a maximum limit on fat for adult dogs. This is due to wide metabolic variability among breeds, activities, and life stages.
For example, a working dog like a Belgian Malinois or sled-pulling Husky may thrive on a 30% fat dry matter diet, while a senior Dachshund may develop pancreatitis on 18%. AAFCO leaves this flexibility in place to accommodate high-energy breeds—but that flexibility becomes risky when companies don’t communicate the implications of their formulations.
| ⚖️ AAFCO Parameter | 📉 Minimum Required | 🚫 Maximum Set? |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Fat – Adult Dog | 5.5% (dry matter) | ❌ No max limit |
| Crude Fat – Puppy/Growth | 8.5% (dry matter) | ❌ No max limit |
| Crude Protein – Adult Dog | 18% (dry matter) | ❌ No max limit |
| Fiber & Calcium | ✅ Max limits set | ✅ To prevent GI/bone issues |
Expert Perspective: The regulatory framework is designed to prevent deficiency, not necessarily prevent excess—especially if that excess only affects a small subset of dogs.
💭 “What exactly is in the Turkey recipe that makes it the safer choice?”
The Turkey recipe has a noticeably lower fat percentage on a dry matter basis—19.6% compared to 28.1% in the beef recipe. That difference alone reduces metabolic burden.
Additionally, turkey is naturally leaner than beef or pork, and the formulation tends to be higher in carbohydrates, giving energy without relying solely on fat.
| 🍽️ Nutrient | 🦃 Turkey Recipe (DM) | 🐄 Beef Recipe (DM) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 33.9% | 39.1% |
| Fat | 19.6% | 28.1% |
| Carbs (est.) | 36.4% | 24.1% |
| Fat:Protein Ratio | 58% | 72% |
Feeding Strategy Tip: If trying The Farmer’s Dog for the first time, start with Turkey. If your dog thrives, you can experiment with other recipes—but always under vet supervision if your dog has prior health risks.
💭 “Is the ‘positive release’ program real, or just marketing?”
It’s real—and scientifically sound. A “positive release” system means no food is shipped until samples from the batch test negative for pathogens like Salmonella or Listeria.
This approach is significantly safer than the conventional practice used by many commercial pet food makers, where food is packaged and distributed before test results return.
| 🛡️ Pathogen Control Method | 🏷️ The Farmer’s Dog | 🏷️ Many Commercial Kibbles |
|---|---|---|
| Cook to pasteurization temp | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (extrusion) |
| Ingredient sourcing | Human-grade | Feed-grade (legal but lower quality) |
| Pre-release testing | ✅ Yes (positive release) | ⚠️ Often released before testing |
| Recall history | ❌ None | Dozens across kibble brands |
Microbiology Note: Salmonella is not just a pet risk—it can sicken humans handling contaminated food. The Farmer’s Dog’s rigorous hold-release process is a legitimate advantage in pathogen safety.
💭 “My dog got diarrhea after switching—was it the food?”
Diarrhea following a switch—especially to high-moisture, high-protein food—is common and usually reflects microbiome adaptation, not toxicity. Transitioning over 7–14 days is essential.
However, some dogs develop diarrhea due to excess fat or a sudden fiber profile change. The Farmer’s Dog has low fiber compared to many dry foods, which may result in looser stool in some dogs.
| 🐶 Symptom | 🧾 Possible Cause | 💡 Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Loose stool | Rapid diet change | Slow transition (5–14 days) |
| Soft stool + flatulence | Sudden drop in fiber | Add psyllium husk or mix with old food |
| Watery diarrhea + vomiting | Food intolerance or pancreatitis | Stop feeding, see vet immediately |
| Mucus in stool | GI inflammation | Reintroduce food slowly or trial a different protein |
Transition Tip: Mix new and old food 25/75 → 50/50 → 75/25 → 100%, increasing over 10 days. Adding boiled rice or canned pumpkin can help buffer the change.
💭 “Is human-grade food always better for dogs?”
Not always. “Human-grade” guarantees ingredient sourcing and handling standards, but it doesn’t guarantee nutritional balance or appropriateness. Dogs have different physiological needs—they can thrive on food that’s unappealing to humans (like organ meats, bone meal, or tripe).
| 🧍 Human-Grade Perk | 🐾 Canine Relevance |
|---|---|
| USDA-inspected meat | Safer, cleaner protein source |
| No by-products | Less controversial, but may exclude nutrient-rich parts (like liver) |
| Gently cooked | Preserves nutrients, lowers pathogen risk |
| Visible ingredients | Easier to detect allergens |
| Lack of some supplements | Can miss out on fortified micronutrients |
Balance is the key. A highly palatable, human-grade diet must still be designed with veterinary nutrition in mind to meet dogs’ essential amino acid, mineral, and vitamin requirements—not just look good in the bowl.
💭 “Why doesn’t The Farmer’s Dog warn customers that some recipes are high in fat?”
Because regulatory labeling rules don’t require it, and from a marketing standpoint, highlighting “high fat” might undermine the premium positioning of their food. The Farmer’s Dog lists the guaranteed analysis (minimum crude fat) on its packaging, but most consumers don’t realize those values are listed on an “as-fed” basis and not adjusted for moisture.
Here’s the real issue: There’s no FDA requirement to disclose how fat content may impact dogs with breed-specific risks, subclinical conditions, or metabolic disorders. Most pet food labels simply aim to meet AAFCO minimums, not advise consumers on excess-driven health risks.
| 🏷️ Label Statement | 🤔 What It Really Means | ❗️ What’s Missing |
|---|---|---|
| “Meets AAFCO standards” | Meets minimum nutrient levels | Doesn’t mean safe for all dogs |
| “Complete and balanced” | All essential nutrients are included | Balance doesn’t mean suitability for every dog |
| “Crude fat 9%” | As-fed basis, including moisture | May translate to 25–28% on dry matter basis |
| “Formulated by vets” | A veterinary nutritionist designed it | No guarantee of feeding trials or personalized risk screening |
Transparency Tip: Use The Farmer’s Dog nutritional data with a dry matter calculator to assess actual macronutrient density. Always ask your vet for help interpreting these numbers.
💭 “My vet doesn’t recommend The Farmer’s Dog—why are they skeptical?”
Most conventional veterinarians are trained using standardized nutrition science that’s often based on research funded by large pet food manufacturers (Hill’s, Royal Canin, Purina Pro Plan). While these brands have deep clinical trial data, they also tend to emphasize prescription or therapeutic diets with tightly controlled nutrient profiles.
The Farmer’s Dog, while marketing clean ingredients and transparency, hasn’t traditionally provided the long-term, peer-reviewed data many vets are used to relying on. Additionally, many vets have encountered:
- Dogs developing pancreatitis after switching
- Undernourished senior dogs losing weight too fast
- Clients frustrated by aggressive subscription billing and unclear calorie plans
| 🧠 Vet Perspective | 🐕 Clinical Concern | 🔬 Underlying Reason |
|---|---|---|
| High-fat food | Pancreatitis in sensitive breeds | Excessive stimulation of pancreatic enzymes |
| Low-fiber formulations | Loose stools or inconsistent GI function | Poor microbiome adaptation |
| Subscription-based DTC models | Lack of ongoing vet-patient monitoring | No vet consultation required to change diets |
| No prescription equivalents | Not usable for dogs with medical conditions | No therapeutic SKUs for renal, cardiac, hepatic issues |
Clinical Insight: Many vets aren’t against The Farmer’s Dog—they just don’t feel comfortable recommending it unless it’s used thoughtfully and selectively, particularly with dogs that don’t fall into high-risk categories.
💭 “How do I know if a food switch caused my dog’s pancreatitis?”
To pinpoint whether a food transition caused an episode of pancreatitis, you need to look at timing, symptoms, and diagnostic results. Most food-induced pancreatitis cases occur within 3 to 7 days after a diet change, especially when switching to higher-fat or richer food too abruptly.
Typical red flags include:
- Sudden vomiting or retching
- Lethargy or “prayer pose” (front legs down, rear end raised)
- Diarrhea or mucous stool
- Tenderness when touching the upper abdomen
- Loss of appetite
| ⏱️ Timing Factor | 📉 Severity Clue | 🧪 Vet Diagnostic Markers |
|---|---|---|
| Within 72 hrs of switch | Likely diet-related | Elevated cPLI or Spec cPL blood tests |
| Recurs after rich treats | Dietary sensitivity | Increased pancreatic lipase |
| Happens after fatty meal (e.g., bacon) | Classic trigger | Ultrasound: inflamed pancreas |
| Random episodes unrelated to food | Possibly idiopathic or chronic | May require imaging + endocrine panel |
Pro Tip: Ask your vet if they performed a cPL (canine pancreas-specific lipase) test—this is the gold standard in identifying active pancreatitis. If results were positive shortly after the switch, the correlation is strong.
💭 “How is The Farmer’s Dog different from a therapeutic low-fat veterinary diet?”
Dramatically. Veterinary therapeutic diets like Hill’s i/d Low Fat or Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat are designed with specific clinical tolerances in mind. Their formulations include:
- 7–10% dry matter fat content
- Added omega-3s for anti-inflammatory benefit
- Highly digestible carbs for gut support
- Soluble fiber to regulate GI motility
By contrast, The Farmer’s Dog’s Turkey recipe is still nearly double that fat level—even though it’s the leanest of their four meals.
| 🥩 Food Type | 💧 Fat % (Dry Matter) | 🧬 Fiber | 🧠 Designed For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Farmer’s Dog – Beef | 28.1% | ~2.3% | General healthy adult dogs |
| The Farmer’s Dog – Turkey | 19.6% | ~1.8% | Slightly lighter option |
| Hill’s i/d Low Fat | 7.0% | ~5.5% | Dogs with pancreatitis, GI distress |
| Royal Canin GI Low Fat | 8.0% | ~4.7% | Chronic GI, hyperlipidemia, bile issues |
Nutrition Tip: If your dog has any history of GI upset or confirmed pancreatic inflammation, always default to a vet-approved low-fat diet unless explicitly cleared by your vet for fresh food trials.
💭 “I thought all-natural meant safer. Why do some dogs get sick anyway?”
“All-natural” or “human-grade” tells you how the food is made, not how it interacts with your dog’s biology. What’s biologically appropriate for a healthy, active 2-year-old Border Collie may be dangerous for a 10-year-old Cocker Spaniel with early-stage pancreatitis.
Also, many “natural” diets lack the prescribed therapeutic nutrients needed for dogs with chronic illnesses. Think of it like this: raw spinach is healthy, but not if you have kidney stones and need to avoid oxalates.
| 🥗 “Natural” Feature | ✅ Benefit | ⚠️ Risk |
|---|---|---|
| No preservatives | Reduces additive exposure | Shorter shelf life, spoilage risk |
| Whole meats & veggies | Digestibility, palatability | Caloric variability, lack of consistency |
| No synthetic vitamins | Appealing to purists | May underdeliver essential micronutrients |
| Cooked at low temps | Preserves nutrients | May not kill all spores if not held to time-temp standard |
Reality Check: Natural ≠ Universally Safe. Tailor food to your dog’s age, medical history, breed, and metabolic condition—not just label buzzwords.
💭 “Can I safely DIY a version of The Farmer’s Dog food?”
You can, but not without expert guidance. Homemade diets often fail to deliver adequate micronutrients unless formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Without precise calculations, dogs are at risk of:
- Calcium-phosphorus imbalance
- Insufficient taurine, especially for cardiac health
- Vitamin D or zinc deficiencies
- Excess fat or underfeeding
| 🍲 DIY Component | 🔍 Why It’s Tricky | 🧮 Must Be Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | Lean, high-protein | Lacks calcium, needs organ meat balance |
| Brown rice | Digestible carb | May dilute protein ratio if overused |
| Sweet potato | Fiber and beta carotene | Can raise glycemic load |
| Olive oil or coconut oil | Healthy fats | Easy to overdose—raises pancreatitis risk |
| Bone broth | Palatable hydration | Often lacks essential nutrients |
Pro Tip: If considering homemade, start with the BalanceIT tool (a vet-backed platform) or consult a Diplomate ACVN (American College of Veterinary Nutrition) for a custom recipe. Never guess your way through nutrition—dogs can’t compensate for missing nutrients the way humans can.
💭 “Can a dog recover fully from pancreatitis caused by food like The Farmer’s Dog?”
Yes—but the outcome depends on early intervention, individual health history, and long-term dietary adjustments. Pancreatitis recovery often requires intensive veterinary care, including hospitalization, IV fluids, anti-nausea meds, and fasting until inflammation subsides. Once stabilized, most dogs can recover fully—but recurrence is a major concern if dietary triggers aren’t removed.
Here’s the critical distinction: acute pancreatitis can be reversible with proper care, but repeated episodes may lead to chronic pancreatic insufficiency, where the organ can no longer produce enough enzymes to digest food.
| ⚕️ Phase | 🕒 Time Frame | 💡 Key Interventions | ✅ Prognosis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute flare-up | First 24–72 hours | Hospitalization, pain control, fasting | Favorable if treated early |
| Post-acute diet transition | 1–2 weeks | Low-fat, highly digestible food, probiotics | Cautiously optimistic |
| Long-term management | Ongoing | Monitor blood lipase, avoid fatty treats, weight control | Good with compliance |
Critical Rule: Once a dog has experienced pancreatitis—even a single episode—its dietary fat threshold must be permanently lowered. High-fat diets (like The Farmer’s Dog Beef or Pork) become high-risk indefinitely.
💭 “Why is The Farmer’s Dog more expensive than kibble if it might still cause problems?”
The price reflects ingredient quality, fresh preparation, and DTC logistics—not necessarily personalized safety for every health condition. The Farmer’s Dog sources human-grade meats and vegetables, operates in USDA-certified kitchens, and ships fresh-frozen meals directly to consumers. These factors raise the cost per calorie, especially when compared to shelf-stable kibble.
However, the value proposition lies more in perceived healthfulness than medical customization. Unlike prescription diets, which are formulated with specific disease states in mind, The Farmer’s Dog does not offer differentiated formulas for:
- Pancreatitis
- Obesity
- Kidney disease
- Food allergies
| 💵 Cost Driver | 📦 Fresh Food Brand | 🧂 Traditional Kibble |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient grade | Human-grade meats, whole veggies | Feed-grade animal meals, synthetic vitamins |
| Packaging & logistics | Insulated boxes, dry ice, overnight shipping | Palletized bags, mass distribution |
| Manufacturing | Small-batch, sous vide cooking | High-pressure extrusion |
| Nutrition precision | General adult maintenance | Broad profiles, some vet therapeutic lines |
Bottom Line: You’re paying for freshness, not medical tailoring. The price tag doesn’t include individualized risk stratification, which is what medically fragile dogs often need most.
💭 “What’s the best Farmer’s Dog recipe if my dog is prone to GI issues?”
The Turkey recipe is the most conservative choice based on current macronutrient profiles. Among the four standard formulas, Turkey has:
- The lowest dry matter fat (~19.6%)
- The highest carbohydrate content, which helps balance fat load
- A fat-to-protein ratio of ~58%, lower than the others which exceed 70%
This makes it better suited to dogs with sensitive stomachs, mild digestive disease, or breeds with pancreatic predisposition (e.g., Schnauzers, Miniature Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers).
| 🥣 Recipe | 🔬 Fat % (DM) | ⚖️ Fat-to-Protein Ratio | 🐶 Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 19.6% | 58% | Sensitive or senior dogs, GI risk |
| Chicken | 25.0% | 56% | High-energy, lean dogs |
| Pork | 27.6% | 76% | Active adult dogs, no risk factors |
| Beef | 28.1% | 72% | Picky eaters, underweight dogs |
Tip: Even the Turkey recipe is not a therapeutic low-fat formula. Dogs with confirmed pancreatitis should not transition without veterinary guidance. When in doubt, request a full nutrient panel from The Farmer’s Dog support and compare it to vet diet thresholds.
💭 “Why do some dogs do great on The Farmer’s Dog while others get sick?”
It comes down to individual tolerance, pre-existing health conditions, and genetic predispositions. Just like some people thrive on high-fat keto diets while others develop gallbladder issues, not all dogs process fat or protein the same way.
The Farmer’s Dog isn’t toxic—it’s simply not universally appropriate. It shines for:
- Young, active dogs with high energy needs
- Underweight dogs needing dense calories
- Dogs with high palatability issues (i.e., picky eaters)
It may be problematic for:
- Senior dogs with declining metabolism
- Sedentary, spayed/neutered pets prone to weight gain
- Breeds predisposed to pancreatitis or hyperlipidemia
- Dogs with undiagnosed endocrine issues, like hypothyroidism
| 🧬 Dog Trait | ✅ Positive Outcome | ⚠️ Negative Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Active, lean | Improved muscle tone, coat | Slightly higher fat may be beneficial |
| Senior, sedentary | Weight gain, GI upset | Can’t burn off dense calories |
| Genetically prone (e.g., Schnauzers) | May trigger flare-up | Diet could exceed safe lipid threshold |
| Puppy | Strong appetite, rapid growth | Risk of imbalance if fat too high |
Takeaway: Just because it’s fresh and looks healthy doesn’t mean it’s physiologically safe for your dog. Think beyond appearance—think metabolic suitability.
💭 “What do I do if I suspect The Farmer’s Dog made my dog sick?”
Start with documentation, then act quickly.
- Stop the food immediately and contact your veterinarian. Retain any uneaten portions.
- Collect evidence: Take photos of food, stool, vomiting, or bloating.
- Ask for diagnostics: Blood panel (focus on amylase, lipase, triglycerides), abdominal ultrasound if pancreatitis suspected.
- Report the issue to:
- The Farmer’s Dog’s support line (for internal QA tracking)
- The FDA Safety Reporting Portal (www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov)
- Request a refund, especially if food was recently purchased or the batch number is in question.
| 📋 Action Step | 🛠️ Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Freeze leftover food | Enables pathogen/toxicity testing |
| Note batch # and shipping date | Helps identify patterns |
| Request full nutrient panel | Helps vet assess macronutrient risk |
| Log symptom timeline | Links diet change to clinical signs |
| File formal report | May trigger FDA monitoring if patterns emerge |
Advocacy Tip: Many pet owners never file formal complaints because they assume it’s a one-off. But consumer-reported incidents build regulatory momentum. Your report could contribute to broader safety awareness.
