Sundays Dog Food Complaints: The 10 Biggest Issues Exposed
Key Takeaways: Quick Answers to Reader Concerns
- Why am I being billed after canceling? Because Sundays uses an aggressive subscription model with confusing cancellation steps.
- Why are shipments late? Chronic supply chain and warehouse issues delay orders far beyond the promised “3-day shipping.”
- Why can’t I reach customer service? Their phone lines and chat are often non-functional, leaving only slow, generic email replies.
- Is the food consistent? No—many report batches full of crumbs, mold, or rancid odors.
- Can this food harm my dog? Reports of diarrhea and pancreatitis suggest the high-fat recipe may be risky for sensitive pets.
- Why is it so expensive? Premium pricing plus waste from unusable crumbs makes the cost feel inflated.
- What about refunds? Their “money-back guarantee” applies only to the first order, with strict 14-day conditions.
- Why do I feel tricked by promotions? Introductory trials often roll into costly full subscriptions.
- Why does this feel like false advertising? Marketing promises of reliability and convenience don’t align with the real customer experience.
- What’s the smartest way to try it? If you must, buy à la carte and protect yourself with a virtual credit card.
1. Why Do Customers Get Trapped in Costly Subscriptions?
Because the trial bag doubles as a subscription trigger. Many assume they’re making a one-time purchase, only to see a $200–$400 charge hit days later.
| ⚠️ Complaint | 💳 What’s Happening | 🔑 Expert Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Surprise bills | Trial converts into auto-renewal | Use virtual cards to block recurring charges |
| Difficult to cancel | Hidden “Edit Plan” steps | Always demand written cancellation confirmation |
| Double charges | Portal glitches & billing errors | Dispute with bank if unresolved quickly |
💡Critical Insight: This isn’t a bug—it’s a deliberate opt-out model designed to maximize retention, not transparency.
2. Why Are Deliveries So Unreliable?
Because Sundays scaled its marketing faster than its warehouse operations. Chronic shortages, delayed fulfillment, and cheap carrier choices have made late deliveries the rule, not the exception.
| 📦 Failure | 🕒 Delay Pattern | 🐶 Pet Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Supply chain gaps | Beef recipe often out of stock | Sudden diet changes upset digestion |
| Warehouse bottlenecks | 2–3 week average delay | Owners scramble for backup food |
| Unreliable shipping | “3-day” promises → 2+ weeks | Breaks brand trust instantly |
💡Critical Insight: A pet food subscription only works if logistics are bulletproof. Sundays hasn’t solved this core bottleneck.
3. Why Is Customer Service Seen as Broken?
Because the channels that matter—phone and live chat—are effectively non-functional. Customers report endless loops of emails with copy-pasted responses.
| ☎️ Channel | ❌ Reality | 🔑 Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | “Too busy” recordings | No resolution for urgent billing/shipping issues |
| Chat | Perpetually offline | Pushes all traffic to email/text |
| Email/Text | Generic replies, delays of days/weeks | Frustration escalates into chargebacks |
💡Critical Insight: Poor customer service isn’t an accident; it’s a cost-control decision that protects revenue but destroys trust.
4. Why Is the Food Full of Crumbs and Dust?
Because of air-drying fragility and poor packaging controls. Reports show bags arriving with up to 25% inedible dust, slashing usable portions.
| 🥩 Product Issue | 🔎 What It Means | 💵 Hidden Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Crumbs/dust | Food crumbles in transit | $50–$70 wasted per bag |
| Moldy pieces | Poor moisture control | Safety hazard |
| Rancid smell | Fat oxidation | Signals spoiled product |
💡Critical Insight: For a food that markets itself as “premium jerky-like,” consistency failures undermine the entire value proposition.
5. Can Sundays Actually Make Dogs Sick?
Yes—reports link it to pancreatitis, diarrhea, and vomiting. Independent analysis shows the beef recipe is nearly 30% fat (dry matter), a known risk factor for pancreatic stress.
| 🧪 Recipe | % Fat (Dry Matter) | 🐾 Reported Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 29.2% | Pancreatitis, vomiting, lethargy |
| Chicken | 24% | Loose stool, poor digestion |
💡Critical Insight: While AAFCO compliant, not all dogs tolerate high-fat foods. The lack of warnings for at-risk breeds (Schnauzers, Yorkies, Miniature Poodles) is a glaring omission.
6. Why Do Customers Feel Cheated on Price?
Because they’re paying luxury rates for discount-level execution. At $219–$269 per order, even minor quality or shipping issues feel unacceptable.
| 💰 Cost Factor | 🔎 Reality | 🧩 Customer Perception |
|---|---|---|
| Price per bag | $200+ recurring | “Astronomically expensive” |
| Waste factor | Dust, mold, rancidity | “Paying for unusable crumbs” |
| Hidden costs | Emergency replacement food | Breaks budget trust |
💡Critical Insight: Price sensitivity skyrockets when execution falters. At this tier, failure feels like betrayal.
7. Why Is the Refund Policy Called Deceptive?
Because the “Money-Back Guarantee” applies only to the first order within 14 days. Future refunds require donating unopened food and sending proof.
| 📜 Policy | ❌ Hidden Condition | 💡 Why It’s Problematic |
|---|---|---|
| First-order refund | Only within 14 days | Many dogs take longer to adjust |
| Later refunds | 50% with shelter donation | Most shelters won’t accept pet food |
💡Critical Insight: Refund terms look generous in ads, but in practice, they are strategically designed to block most claims.
8. Why Do Feeding Guidelines Cause Chaos?
Because portion recommendations are too low, creating confusion and stockpiling. Many end up with closets full of uneaten $200 bags.
| 📏 Feeding Advice | ❌ Result | 💵 Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Low estimates | Dogs still hungry | Owners overfeed → early depletion |
| Wrong cadence | Overlapping shipments | Hundreds of dollars wasted |
💡Critical Insight: Underfeeding guidelines make the food look more affordable on paper—but in practice, owners burn through bags faster.
9. Why Does Marketing Feel Misleading?
Because Sundays leans on emotional storytelling and fear-based positioning (DCM, recalls) while underdelivering on its core promises of reliability.
| 📢 Claim | ❌ Reality |
|---|---|
| “Free 3-day shipping” | 2–3 week delays |
| “Cancel anytime” | Repeat billing after cancellation |
| “Always available support” | Non-functional phone/chat |
💡Critical Insight: The gap between glossy ads and messy reality fuels anger beyond normal dissatisfaction—customers feel tricked.
10. What’s the Safest Way to Test Sundays?
If you must:
- Avoid subscriptions entirely → buy à la carte.
- Use a virtual credit card → block auto-renewals.
- Keep a backup brand → prevent food gaps during delays.
- Monitor stool & digestion closely → discontinue at first sign of distress.
| 🐾 Step | ✅ Safe Practice |
|---|---|
| Payment | Virtual cards (Capital One, Privacy.com) |
| Purchase | First order only, no auto-renew |
| Feeding | Gradual transition + vet check |
| Backup | Keep 2 weeks of trusted food |
💡Critical Insight: Risk management is essential—never rely on Sundays as your sole food source.
🐶 Premium Dog Food Showdown: Sundays vs The Farmer’s Dog, Spot & Tango, ZIWI Peak
| ⚖️ Category | Sundays for Dogs | The Farmer’s Dog | Spot & Tango | ZIWI Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Air-dried jerky-style 🥩 | Fresh-frozen meals ❄️ | Fresh-frozen or Unkibble 🍖 | Air-dried & Canned 🥫 |
| Primary Protein Options | Chicken, Beef | Turkey, Beef, Pork, Chicken | Lamb, Beef, Chicken | Lamb, Venison, Beef, Tripe |
| Human-Grade? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | 🚫 No (but ethically sourced & inspected) |
| AAFCO Compliance | ✅ All Life Stages | ✅ All Life Stages | ✅ All Life Stages | ✅ All Life Stages |
| Fat % (Beef Recipe) | 29.2% (Dry Matter) ⚠️ | ~28% (Moisture-based) | ~27% (Dry Matter est.) | 33–38% (Dry Matter) ⚠️ |
| Pancreatitis Risk (High-Fat) | 🚨 Reported cases (user-submitted) | ❌ Rare complaints | ⚠️ Some digestive issues | 🚨 Higher risk due to extreme fat levels |
| Digestibility | Moderate (inconsistent texture) | High (lightly cooked) | High (less processed) | Moderate (denser air-dried) |
| Picky Eater Appeal | 👍 High palatability | 👍 Widely accepted | 🤷 Mixed reviews | 👍 Highly palatable for raw-fed dogs |
| Recall History | 🚫 None | 🚫 None | 🚫 None | ✅ 1 Minor (canned line, 2017) |
| Ingredient Transparency | ✅ Detailed | ✅ Very detailed | ✅ Detailed | ✅ Transparent sourcing |
| Shipping Reliability | ❌ Major delays & gaps | ✅ Cold-chain & dependable | ✅ Reliable cold shipping | ✅ Retail + online dependable |
| Subscription Model | ❌ Aggressive auto-renew | ✅ Easy to pause or cancel | ✅ Adjustable, no surprises | 🚫 Not required (buy as needed) |
| Customer Support | ❌ Unavailable or generic | ✅ Quick, human, responsive | ✅ Responsive via chat/email | ✅ Knowledgeable, slower via email |
| Refund Policy | ❌ Strict, limited | ✅ Full refund on first box | ✅ 100% guarantee | 🚫 No returns (but strong reputation) |
| Price per Month (Med Dog) | 💰 $180–$260+ | 💰 $150–$200 | 💰 $140–$210 | 💰 $220–$300 (air-dried) |
| Shelf Stability | ✅ Yes (air-dried) | ❌ Needs refrigeration | ❌ Needs refrigeration (Unkibble OK) | ✅ Yes (air-dried & canned) |
| Trial Option | ✅ Small trial bag | ✅ First box discount | ✅ Free trial w/ quiz | ✅ Buy small bags at retail |
| Best For | 🐕 Owners seeking convenience but must be careful | 🐶 Fresh food converts & sensitive stomachs | 🐾 Dogs needing balance of fresh and dry | 🐕🦺 Raw-style fans, high-energy dogs |
FAQs
❓1. “Why does the food arrive crushed or powdery?”
This is a processing and packaging flaw. Sundays uses a gentle air-drying method that doesn’t include post-production hardening agents. As a result, the food—originally designed to be tender for picky or senior dogs—is prone to breakage during transport.
Key Causes:
| 🚚 Variable | 🔍 Impact |
|---|---|
| No internal padding | Bags shift violently in transit, compacting bottom layers into dust. |
| Loose box packaging | Allows internal motion, causing mechanical wear. |
| Over-dried texture | Makes pieces brittle, more prone to shattering. |
💡 Pro Tip: Always request split shipments (if allowed) or store opened food in vacuum-sealed containers with desiccant packets to slow degradation.
❓2. “What’s with the ‘rancid’ smell in some bags?”
This typically results from oxidized animal fats. Sundays relies heavily on natural oils from meat and organ sources, particularly in their beef and chicken formulas, without synthetic preservatives. While this aligns with “clean-label” ideals, it sacrifices oxidation control.
| ⚗️ Ingredient | ⏱️ Shelf-Stability Risk |
|---|---|
| Chicken fat | High (oxidizes quickly) |
| Fish oil | Very high (smells like “dead bait” when rancid) |
| Liver/organ powder | Moderate (if improperly dried) |
📦 Improper storage at warehouses or shipping delays in warm weather may accelerate this.
❓3. “Why does my dog get diarrhea from this?”
The issue likely stems from a combination of high fat, abrupt transitions, and inconsistent moisture levels in batches.
| 💩 Digestive Trigger | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Fat-to-Protein Ratio (~60%) | Overwhelms pancreas in some dogs, particularly small breeds. |
| Crumb-heavy bags | Leads to faster eating, less chewing, and poor digestion. |
| No transition period | Causes sudden microbiome imbalance. |
💡 Start with 10% mix-ins for 7–10 days before switching entirely to avoid gastric shock.
❓4. “Why am I being charged after I cancelled?”
Because of backend lag and disconnected service silos, users report being charged even after multiple cancellation attempts. The system appears to lack a real-time sync between the user interface and the billing processor.
| 📉 System Behavior | 🔥 Consumer Impact |
|---|---|
| Canceled via user dashboard | Still triggers queued shipment unless backend flags are cleared. |
| Text-based cancellation | Often not logged with billing system. |
| Delay between actions | Charges processed before final state is updated. |
🧾 Always document every interaction via email. If charge persists, initiate a chargeback through your card provider and cite breach of agreement.
❓5. “How do I know if my dog is at risk for pancreatitis?”
Breed, age, and baseline triglyceride sensitivity matter. Breeds like Mini Schnauzers, Yorkies, Cocker Spaniels, and overweight older dogs are statistically more prone.
| 🧬 Risk Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Breed Predisposition | Schnauzers, Poodles, Dachshunds |
| Fat Tolerance Threshold | Dogs with normal digestion tolerate up to 18–20% fat (dry matter); Sundays is 29.2% |
| Pre-existing GI issues | Past vomiting, IBD, or liver enzyme elevation are red flags. |
💡 Ask your vet for a Spec cPL test to assess pancreatic inflammation before switching to any high-fat diet.
❓6. “Why won’t they refund opened bags?”
Sundays enforces a limited guarantee only on the first order and only within 14 days. Their “return” process relies on customers donating the bag to a local shelter and submitting a receipt for 50% reimbursement.
| 🔐 Policy Limitation | 🎯 Reality |
|---|---|
| “No Returns” | Food safety laws prevent reselling, but also blocks consumer protection. |
| Donation receipt required | Most shelters don’t accept opened bags — catch-22. |
| 50% refund | Only issued once proof of donation is verified. |
⚠️ This structure discourages returns and is seen as deceptive by consumers, especially for recurring orders.
❓7. “Why can’t I talk to a real person?”
The company has eliminated live phone support, instead offering text/email-only assistance—often staffed by rotating agents.
| 📞 Channel | 🧊 Status |
|---|---|
| Phone | “Not working at this time” or “too busy” |
| Live Chat | Often “offline” or non-existent |
| Email/Text | Delayed 3–5+ days, generic replies |
💡 Use Better Business Bureau or social media escalation for urgent matters. Public pressure often yields a faster response.
❓8. “Are they using the cheapest shipping options?”
Consumer reports suggest Sundays leverages economy-class services with extended delivery timelines, especially when using 3rd-party fulfillment centers.
| 📦 Service Tier | 📍 Performance |
|---|---|
| FedEx SmartPost / USPS | High damage, long delays |
| UPS Ground | Somewhat better, but not consistent |
| “3-Day Shipping” claim | Rarely achieved in verified cases |
🌡️ During warmer seasons, extended delivery directly contributes to fat oxidation and food spoilage.
❓9. “Is this food really complete & balanced?”
Yes, Sundays meets AAFCO standards for all life stages, but the ratio of calories from fat (~45–50%) and absence of specific feeding adjustments for puppies or seniors may be problematic for dogs with unique caloric needs.
| 🍽️ Metric | Beef Recipe |
|---|---|
| Crude Protein | ~35% |
| Crude Fat | 29.2% |
| Carbs (est.) | 25–30% |
| Fat-to-Protein Ratio | ~60% (very high) |
💡 Feeding high-fat diets daily may work for active, lean dogs—but is risky for sedentary pets or those with metabolic sensitivities.
❓10. “Why do batches look and smell different?”
This is the result of small-batch inconsistency, lack of automated moisture monitoring, and variation in air-drying time or ingredient lot sources.
| 🔍 Observed Variation | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| One bag darker & harder | Over-dried, aged batch |
| One bag soft & oily | Higher residual moisture, risk of spoilage |
| One smells fishy | Possible oxidized fats or fish oil exposure to heat |
💡 Consider rotating sealed bags in cool, dry storage (<72°F) and checking batch codes for patterns before feeding.
🔑 Snapshot: Sundays Complaint Triggers
| 🧨 Complaint Type | 🚩 Severity | 📊 Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Billing after cancellation | 🔴 High | 🔁 Frequent |
| Spoiled/rancid food | 🔴 High | 🔁 Recurrent |
| Gastrointestinal upset | 🔴 Moderate | 🔁 Persistent |
| Shipping delays | 🔴 High | 🔁 Chronic |
| Inaccessibility of support | 🔴 High | 🔁 Constant |
❓11. “Why are transition guidelines so vague?”
Sundays provides generic feeding guidance with minimal emphasis on gradual diet transition, which contradicts best practices in canine nutrition. Sudden shifts—especially from kibble or raw—can disrupt the microbiome, triggering gas, bloating, or diarrhea.
| 🐾 Transition Element | 🔍 Common Oversight |
|---|---|
| Day-by-day ratio breakdown | ❌ Not detailed or visualized |
| Transition length variance by breed/age | ❌ One-size-fits-all |
| Advice for raw-to-air-dried | ❌ Not addressed despite texture change |
💡 Clinical standard suggests a 7–14 day tapering model, starting at 10% Sundays mixed into 90% current food and adjusting by 10–15% every 1–2 days depending on the dog’s stool response.
❓12. “Why doesn’t the food come in resealable bags?”
Despite premium pricing, Sundays omits resealable packaging, which compromises freshness and encourages fat oxidation.
| 📦 Packaging Design Flaw | 🧊 Impact |
|---|---|
| No internal zip-lock | Requires 3rd-party storage (jars, bins) |
| Thin kraft-paper feel | Inadequate oxygen/moisture barrier |
| No desiccant inside | Higher risk of mold in humid climates |
💡 A premium air-dried product should include multi-layer foil barriers with nitrogen flush sealing. Without this, shelf life and palatability degrade fast once opened.
❓13. “Why does the food sometimes smell different even when the bag is sealed?”
This reflects ingredient variability across batches, possible temperature-controlled storage lapses, or subtle oxidation of fat-soluble vitamins like A and E, which create detectable changes in scent before visual spoilage occurs.
| 🧪 Smell Indicator | 🌡️ Potential Cause |
|---|---|
| Slight sourness | Mild fermentation from humidity exposure |
| Strong fishy odor | Oxidized fish oil or animal fat |
| Earthy/musty | Paper-based bag absorbing ambient moisture |
💡 Store in a dry, cool (<72°F), airtight environment. Avoid placing bags near heat vents or under-sink cabinets.
❓14. “What are customers really paying for?”
The majority of cost seems tied to branding, human-grade claims, and boutique positioning, rather than nutritional complexity or scientific formulation.
| 💰 Cost Allocation | % Estimate (Industry-informed) |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | ~25–30% |
| Marketing/Ads | ~35–40% |
| Packaging & Fulfillment | ~15% |
| Customer support/logistics | ~5% |
| Margins/Profit | ~15–20% |
💡 When the support and delivery system fails, customers are essentially paying a premium for perceived value, not execution.
❓15. “Why are duplicate charges and orders so common?”
This results from a fragile backend architecture in Sundays’ subscription software, combined with delayed syncing between user actions and fulfillment triggers.
| 🧩 Trigger | 🔁 Result |
|---|---|
| Change to delivery cadence | Submits multiple orders before refresh |
| Card info update glitch | Causes payment double-tap on pending invoice |
| Mobile browser session timeout | Resubmits “paused” order |
💡 Use desktop, not mobile, when making changes. Take screenshots of confirmations, and check your bank history 24–48 hours post-edit.
❓16. “Is it normal that the food has white spots?”
White flecks or spots may appear due to natural fat crystalization or undispersed minerals—but they can also be mistaken for mold, especially if the product smells off.
| 🔬 Visual Cue | 🧪 Possible Source |
|---|---|
| Soft, fuzzy white | ⚠️ Mold (requires disposal) |
| Dry chalky specs | Likely mineral content (calcium, phosphorus) |
| Greasy white blobs | Fat blooming (especially after temperature swings) |
💡 Rub between fingers—if it smears like lotion, it’s fat. If it powders, it’s likely mineral. If it’s fuzzy or web-like, discard immediately.
❓17. “Why do feeding guidelines feel under-calculated?”
The feeding tables are based on minimum caloric needs, not adjusted for activity level, metabolism, age, or breed-specific variance.
| 🐕 Weight Class | Sundays Suggested (Daily) | 🧮 Real Need (Active Dogs) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 lb dog | ~1.75 cups (≈430 kcal) | ~600–700 kcal |
| 40 lb dog | ~2.5 cups (≈650 kcal) | ~850–1,000 kcal |
| 60 lb dog | ~3.5 cups (≈900 kcal) | ~1,200 kcal |
💡 This underfeeding tactic lowers monthly bag usage and artificially appears cost-effective. Owners should calculate kcal/day manually or consult a vet.
❓18. “How much of the bag is actually edible?”
Numerous complaints cite 30–40% of some bags being dust, crumbs, or unusable waste, especially at the bottom.
| ⚠️ Form Factor | 💥 Waste Risk |
|---|---|
| Full jerky strip | Low (easy to measure/feed) |
| Chunks/crumbs | High (hard to portion, less palatable) |
| End-of-bag residue | Extremely High (up to 50% waste in some cases) |
💡 Sift and blend crumb waste with bone broth or mix into wet food to reduce loss, but note: nutrient integrity of crumbs is unknown.
❓19. “Why is there no vet helpline or advisory service?”
Despite marketing a “vet-formulated” product, Sundays lacks any direct-access veterinary support line—unlike some competitors (e.g., JustFoodForDogs, Hill’s, Purina Pro Plan Vet Direct).
| 🧠 Resource | Available? |
|---|---|
| On-call vet chat | ❌ No |
| Nutritionist Q&A | ❌ No |
| Ingredient-level breakdowns | ✅ On packaging but not customizable |
| Breed-specific formulas | ❌ Only 2 base recipes available |
💡 Given the clinical risks (high fat, lack of portion precision)—an advisory option would bridge the gap between generalized feeding and pet-specific application.
❓20. “Why does the BBB rating remain so low despite occasional good reviews?”
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) assigns ratings not based on average review scores, but on unresolved complaints, lack of responsiveness, and patterns of systemic issues.
| 📉 BBB Metric | 📌 Sundays Performance |
|---|---|
| Unresolved disputes | Dozens listed |
| Late response to claims | Multiple flagged |
| Pattern of complaint | Recurring across quarters |
| Failure to honor policies | Documented in complaints |
💡 Even a handful of FTC-style disputes, if unresolved, can tank a brand’s BBB score for years—even if newer customers leave 5-star reviews on Google or Trustpilot.
