Checked July 25, 2026 · 10 data rows
The Farmer's Dog vs Ollie
The Farmer's Dog vs Ollie on published label data, cost per 1,000 kcal, portioning and recall records — including Ollie's 2026…
We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog (2026): Raw vs Fresh-Cooked, With Real Numbers
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At a glance
| Data point | We Feed Raw | The Farmer's Dog |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Frozen raw patties (HPP-treated) + freeze-dried line | Fresh cooked, frozen, pre-portioned |
| Recipes | 5 frozen (beef, chicken, turkey, duck, lamb) + 2 freeze-dried | 7 (4 proteins) |
| Pathogen control | High-pressure processing (HPP) on all frozen raw | Cooking |
| Recalls ever | None since 2009 founding | None on record |
| Publishes GA & calories? | In interactive tabs on-site (harder to verify) | No public label data |
| Est. cost, 25 lb dog | ~$6.20/day (~$9/1,000 kcal) | ~$5.75–8.00/day (~$8–11/1,000 kcal) |
| Formulated by | PhD animal nutritionist (Dr. Richard Patton) | Board-certified nutritionist team (unnamed publicly) |
| Practicality | Thaw planning, raw hygiene, 16-oz patty granularity | Open-and-pour packs; non-resealable |
| Intro offer (checked July 25, 2026) | 20–50% off depending on channel | 20% on-site; up to 50% via partner links |
The raw safety question, answered with data
The standard objection to raw feeding is pathogen risk — and it's a fair objection: FDA raw-food recalls hit several raw brands in 2023–2026. We Feed Raw's answer is HPP (high-pressure processing), a cold-pasteurization step applied to all its frozen recipes, and the record backs it up: zero recalls in 17 years. That doesn't erase raw-handling hygiene requirements in your kitchen (wash bowls and surfaces; immunocompromised households should consult a vet first), but it puts We Feed Raw in a different risk class from unprocessed raw.
What the marketing debate skips
There is no strong clinical evidence that raw outperforms cooked fresh food for the average healthy dog — the honest comparison is about texture preference, protein variety (WFR's duck and lamb matter for allergy rotation), and your tolerance for handling raw meat daily. Neither brand publishes a per-recipe AAFCO adequacy statement, so neither is assigned a life stage anywhere on this site. If your interest in raw is 'less processed food,' note that gently cooked fresh already achieves most of that distance from extruded kibble.
Cost per calorie is a near-tie
At a 25 lb dog, third-party 2026 pricing puts We Feed Raw around $6.20/day and The Farmer's Dog at $5.75–8.00/day — roughly $8–11 per 1,000 kcal either way. For large dogs both climb steeply; raw's cost disadvantage grows with dog size.
Questions
Is We Feed Raw safe?
Its frozen recipes are treated with high-pressure processing (HPP), a validated pathogen-reduction step, and the brand has zero recalls since 2009. Standard raw-handling hygiene still applies in your kitchen, and immunocompromised households should consult a veterinarian.
Is raw food better than fresh cooked?
There is no robust clinical evidence of superiority for healthy dogs. The practical differences are protein variety, texture, handling burden, and your vet's comfort level — most veterinarians prefer cooked.
Which is cheaper?
Nearly identical per calorie for small and mid-size dogs (~$8–11 per 1,000 kcal). Both get expensive for large dogs.
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Cost per 1,000 kcal
Put your own price and pack size against either brand's calorie density and settle the cost question with your numbers rather than ours.
Nutrition figures come from the sourced label database; recall statements are checked against FDA records in the recall tracker. Brands reformulate and reprice without announcing it, which is why the checked-date is printed at the top — if this page and the label in front of you disagree, the label wins and we want to know: send a correction.
Captured 2026-07-25 Methodology