FreshPet Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons
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We give Freshpet Select dog food a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
One of the biggest trends in the dog food industry in recent years is the shift toward human-grade food. Founded in 2006, Freshpet Select came along just in time to capitalize on this movement, and it’s made with high-quality ingredients.
All the food used by Freshpet Select is locally sourced, and a new batch of ingredients is delivered to their processing plant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, every day. They use farm-raised meats, no meals or by-products, and all-natural fruits and vegetables.
Freshpet formulas can be served as-is or used as a topper over kibble, but the bags and rolls aren’t big enough to serve as standalone pet food for larger dogs (unless money is truly no object). However, their pet food makes a great addition to a high-end kibble, and most dogs can’t wait to gobble it down.
At a Glance: The Best Freshpet Select Dog Food Recipes:
| Image | Product | Details | |
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Our Favorite
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Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Beef Recipe |
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Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Chicken Recipe |
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Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Salmon & Ocean Whitefish |
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Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Turkey Recipe |
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Check Price |
Freshpet Dog Food Reviewed
Who makes Freshpet, and Where is it Produced?
Freshpet is an independently owned pet food company based out of Secaucus, New Jersey. However, the pet food is all made at a single plant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Which Types of Dogs is Freshpet Select Best Suited For?
If served as a standalone food, Freshpet is best suited for smaller dogs, as the bags and rolls are relatively small and fairly expensive (we suppose they’re also good for big dogs with deep pockets, though).
However, it can be used as a topper over regular kibble as well; in that case, just about any dogs should love it.
Which Types of Dogs Might Do Better with a Different Brand?
Freshpet uses high-quality ingredients, so we can’t think of any reason why a dog wouldn’t do well on it. It may be too expensive for some owners, but if that’s the case, just about any comparable raw food-style brand would be as well.
The most budget-friendly raw-style food we can recommend is The Honest Kitchens Dehydrated Limited Ingredient Dog Food recipes. They may appear pricey up-front but since you rehydrate it before serving, a little goes a long way. 
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients
The primary ingredients are all meats, like beef, beef liver, and beef broth. This sets the food out on a firm foundation of protein that they can then layer fruits and veggies on top of.
After the meats, the formulas feature carrots and peas, both of which are incredibly nutritious. Eggs are the next ingredient, and while they’re full of protein, many dogs have trouble digesting them, and we wish they’d swap them out for something gentler.
The last few ingredients are brown rice and rice bran, which are great for touchy stomachs. All in all, it’s nice to see an ingredient list and actually recognize all the ingredients on it.
Their Food Has to Be Refrigerated
If you see Freshpet for sale in a pet store, it will be in a refrigerated case. The ingredients are fresh and can spoil if left out at room temperature.
You’re also supposed to use the entire product within a week or throw it out. Given how small the portions are, that’s not a huge issue, but throwing out a bag you bought 2 weeks ago is certainly frustrating.
While this may not be the most convenient thing in the world, it’s refreshing to know that you’re feeding your dog extremely fresh pet food.
- Related: Raw Food Brands
There Are No Questionable Ingredients
As we mentioned above, Feshpet’s ingredient lists are full of nutritious foods, not chemicals or additives. Even better, you’ll recognize them and be able to buy them in the grocery store.
Even more impressive is what’s not in there: no cheap fillers, animal by-products, hormones, or antibiotics.
Their Food Only Comes in Small Quantities
Freshpet’s rolls are available in 1.5- and 5-pound sizes, while their bags are 1 pound each. That may be enough for some toy breeds, but unless you want to spend a fortune (and a lot of time at the pet food store), you’ll need to find a primary kibble to accompany this.
A Quick Look at Freshpet Dog Food
- Uses fresh ingredients
- Food is sourced and processed in the USA
- No questionable foods or chemicals inside
- Only available in small quantities
- Expensive if used as a primary food
- Has to be refrigerated
FreshPet Dog Food Recall History
As best we can tell, there’s never been a recall of Freshpet foods. However, the company has only been around since 2006, so they haven’t had as many opportunities to screw up as other brands have.
Also, there were reports in 2015 of mold problems in some of their bagged pet foods, but a recall was never issued.
Reviews of the 3 Best Freshpet Dog Food Recipes
To give you a little better idea of what you can expect from Freshpet dry dog foods, we looked at three of their most popular recipes in the reviews below:
1. Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Beef Recipe
This roll is filled with meat; the first four ingredients are beef, chicken, beef liver, and beef broth. That gives your dog a wide array of vital amino acids, as well as a good shot of moisture from the broth.
The veggies are all good, as it uses carrots, peas, and brown rice. We suppose they could have added a few “superfoods,” like blueberries or cranberries, but every recipe has room to improve.
Our biggest issue is including eggs, which can cause digestive issues in some dogs. If your dog isn’t bothered by them, they’ll add more protein.
Ingredient Breakdown:
- Made with a wide array of meats
- Plenty of moisture from beef broth
- Uses high-quality veggies
- Eggs can cause digestive issues
- Could use a few more fruits and veggies
2. Freshpet Nature’s Fresh Grain-Free Chicken Recipe
This bagged food doesn’t have as much meat as the roll above, but it makes up for it by adding a few more high-quality veggies. The only animal proteins come from chicken and eggs (and you know our issues with eggs), so this isn’t as meat-packed as other formulas.
They add some pea protein, which does not have all the essential amino acids that meats provide. The poultry is humanely raised, which is always comforting to see.
The veggies include carrots, spinach, and peas, so we have nothing to quibble about. We like the addition of inulin, a prebiotic that aids digestion. However, we would reduce the salt content if possible.
Ingredient Breakdown:
- Several high-quality veggies
- Poultry is humanely raised
- Includes the prebiotic inulin
- Some of the protein is plant-based
- Lots of salt
- Alternatively, you might be interested in trying: Dog Foods Made Without Chicken
3. Freshpet Dog Food, Multi-Protein Complete Meal
Freshpet’s Multi-Protein Complete Meal features gently steamed chicken, salmon, beef, and eggs. It also contains nutritious veggies like carrots, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
Dogs that dislike the texture of Freshpet’s rolls may prefer the Multi-Protein formula. It’s softer than standard dry food but isn’t as soft as the meat rolls.
Most dogs love the flavor of this formula, but some owners were upset that their deliveries arrived late.
Ingredient Breakdown:
- Includes steamed beef, salmon, and eggs
- Sweet potatoes add fiber
- Dogs love the flavor
- Delivery issues
What Other Users Are Saying About FreshPet Dog Food
- Dog Food Advisor – “Enthusiastically recommended.”
- Pet Life Today — “They don’t use additives, preservatives, powders, or other unnatural ingredients, and they partner with shelters to help homeless pets get the nutrition they need.”
- Amazon – As pet owners, we always double-check with Amazon reviews from buyers before we buy something. You can read these by clicking .
Conclusion
While it may be difficult to feed your dog Freshpet as a standalone food, the company’s rolls and bagged products are filled to the brim with healthy ingredients. All of its formulas are made from fresh, locally sourced materials, and they’re manufactured in the USA.
It’s nice to be able to recognize every ingredient on a dog food label, and Freshpet contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. However, if you switch to Freshpet Dog Food, your food costs will probably go up quite a bit, and you’ll have to make space in your fridge for Fido’s food.
If your only concern is your dog’s nutrition, though, it’s hard to go wrong with Freshpet.
