JustFoodForDogs Review: Read Before You Buy

Written by Kristin Hitchcock
Published: June 23, 2022
© AndrasKiss/Shutterstock.com

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Best forProduct
Best Specialty BrandJustFoodForDogs Fresh Frozen Dog Food

JustFoodForDogs is a “fresh” dog food brand formulated by veterinary experts. All recipes include whole foods and are minimally processed. Studies and feeding trials have shown that their recipes may improve immune response and digestive health.

Summary

There are many whole food dog brands out there. However, you can purchase JustFoodForDogs from many online locations and even in pet stores – not something you can say for other brands. Plus, independent science has shown this food to benefit our dogs’ health.

JustFoodForDogs Benefits and Features

  • Made with fresh ingredients
  • For all life stages
  • No artificial ingredients
  • Supported by independent researchers
  • Made with AAFCO guidelines
  • Ships frozen
  • Can be stored for up to one year

JustFoodForDogs: Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Made with fresh ingredients
  • Several recipes available
  • It may improve a dog’s immune system
  • Backed by evidence
  • Very palatable

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Requires freezer space

Where is JustFoodForDogs Made?

Unlike most foods, this company crafts its food in its kitchens in its two facilities. These facilities are located in Irvine, California, and New Castle, Delaware. The company owns these facilities.

JustFoodForDogs Ingredients

There are several JustFoodForDogs recipes. As you’d guess, each has different meats and other ingredients. However, meat is the primary ingredient in each recipe (the type of meat differs). The USDA inspects and approves all of their meats for human consumption.

Their foods also contain veggies and fruits, adding omega fatty acids and other nutrients to the food. They use the same premium suppliers that restaurants do for many of their vegetables and fruits, ensuring that they are as high-quality as possible.

On top of these ingredients, this company fortifies its foods to ensure that they are complete and balanced for consumption. It is nearly impossible for a dog to get a complete diet from food alone, but the added formulation ensures that your canine has everything they need.

As an example of what to expect from their food, their chicken and rice recipe starts with chicken thighs. This dark meat provides high levels of fat, which dogs need to stay healthy. Plus, dark meat delivers more vitamins than white meat. You can also find enriched white rice in the food. They fortify this rice with B-vitamins to improve energy.

A variety of veggies found their way into this food, including spinach, carrots, and apples. For added nutrients, organ meats like gizzards and liver are also added. Though they are often overlooked, organ meats contain high levels of many vitamins and minerals.

What Types of Dog is JustFoodForDogs Best For?

Practically any dog could benefit from this fresh dog food. This company seeks to provide fresh food that the average dog can enjoy. Therefore, if you’re looking for a quality food for your dog, you may want to consider this brand.

Plus, because their recipes are so nutrient-dense, you can also feed them to puppies and seniors.

However, this company does not craft any veterinary diets. therefore, their foods are not suitable for dogs that have underlying conditions requiring special diets. When in doubt, speak to your vet about your dog’s dietary needs. Because of their high-quality formulation, some of their recipes may work for certain health conditions – even if that isn’t what they are designed to do.

JustFoodForDogs Recalls

Despite being a rather small company, JustFoodForDogs has had one voluntary recall. Back in 2018, three of their dog meals were recalled after one owner reported that the Turducken meal made her dogs sick.

The meals in question were potentially contaminated with Listeria, which can cause minor digestive upset. However, this condition is slightly more serious in humans and can cause harm to unborn babies. Therefore, the company quickly recalled the food, and no humans were reported to become sick due to the contamination.

To date, that small incident is their only recall.

The Science Behind JustFoodForDogs

JustFoodForDogs stands as one of the very few dog food companies to rely heavily on independent science when formulating their foods. Their veterinary team even teaches nutrition at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. Science remains a huge part of what they do.

Firstly, they conduct feeding trials on all of their recipes. This research means that their recipes are backed by science and were thoroughly tested before being released to the public. Plus, they do their feeding trials through an independent university and do not use laboratory animals.

Therefore, their food trials remain some of the largest, most humane trials done by any dog food company.

On top of this, the company also commissioned an independent study into the digestibility of their recipes. Digestibility determines how much of the food your dog actually absorbs. These studies found that their food is about 40% more digestible than kibble.

The company constantly produces more research, which is published for everyone to benefit from. Their current modes of research include skin and coat health, microbiome, and chronic disease.

JustFoodForDogs: Where to Buy

You can purchase their food from many different locations online. They remain one of the few fresh dog food companies that sell on popular marketplace websites like Chewy and Amazon.

Best Specialty Brand
JustFoodForDogs Fresh Frozen Dog Food

•Frozen, preportioned meals

•Wholesome, fresh ingredients

•Various protein & carbohydrate options

•Vet recommended

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JustFoodForDogs Specs

Price

This dog food remains one of the more expensive options out there. Of course, you’re paying for all the research and quality ingredients that go into their foods. However, for those on a budget, the extremely high price may remain firmly out of reach.

Ingredients

JustFoodForDogs uses some of the best ingredients around for the recipes. For instance, the USDA approves all of their meat for human consumption. Therefore, they use human-grade products in all of their foods.

Plus, many of their supplies also supply restaurants.

Safety

Over their years in the market, JustFoodForDogs has had only one recall. Plus, this recall was relatively minor and did not gravely affect any dog (or person). Based on this information, we can confidently call this food pretty safe.

Availability

While many fresh dog foods are only available through a subscription, you can purchase this food through many third-party websites. For instance, both Chewy and Amazon carry this food. In some cases, you can even find it at some pet stores.

Therefore, JustFoodForDogs is one of the easiest fresh dog foods to find.

JustFoodForDogs vs. Farmer’s Dog

Farmer’s Dog requires a subscription, unlike JustFoodForDogs. Plus, this also provides fewer recipe options. However, their prices are also slightly lower. While the price difference isn’t huge, it can add up over time.

Plus, costs depend largely on what recipe you choose. Some are much less expensive than others.

Bottom Line

JustFoodForDogs provides fresh dog food that is easily accessible and backed by research. Veterinary nutritionists formulate all of their recipes to ensure they are nutritionally complete for your canine. We love that they pour tons of money into research, which helps them improve their food.

Best forProduct
Best Specialty BrandJustFoodForDogs Fresh Frozen Dog Food
About the Author

Kristin is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering dogs, cats, fish, and other pets. She has been an animal writer for seven years, writing for top publications on everything from chinchilla cancer to the rise of designer dogs. She currently lives in Tennessee with her cat, dogs, and two children. When she isn't writing about pets, she enjoys hiking and crocheting.

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