Every dog parent wants the best for their pup, and a strong diet is no exception. There’s no shortage of dog food brands to try, but how do you know when you’ve found the best? 

We’ll teach you everything you need to know to compare dog food recipes so you can have peace of mind at your pup’s mealtime. Let’s compare two big heavy hitters in the fresh dog food space: Freshpet and Sundays for Dogs. 

Today, we’ll review how each brand ranks in terms of ingredients, manufacturing, customer reviews, and vet approval. 

Company Bios

We may be biased here at Sundays, but mission-backed companies tend to have a better product. Here’s a quick bio about each brand, pulled directly from their site’s About Us page. 

Freshpet

“We’re a family of pet-loving humans devoted to nourishing our four-legged friends in all the best ways. It’s this purpose that guides our success as a company and helps build our strong relationships as true friends and trusted colleagues. From mentorship and stock ownership to brainstorming ideas and actualizing goals together, we make work a rewarding, fun, and inspiring part of life. Join us on our mission to bring the power of real, fresh food to pets.”

The Freshpet brand was founded in 2006 and is now a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ. It’s ownership is spread across big investment firms, which means company decisions are likely made by shareholders and the corporation, not necessarily pet parents. 

Sundays for Dogs

“Sundays for Dogs is what dog food always should have been: human-grade, vet-formulated, and easy. Our company is full of parents who refuse to settle for anything less than an extraordinary life for you and your dog. Solving the challenges that face parents is in our DNA and is why we bring an innovative spirit to all that we make and do.”

On the other hand, Sundays for Dogs is proudly family-run and founded. Dr. Tory Waxman and her husband, Michael, were struggling to find healthy, convenient food for their sick dog, Mabel. They built Sundays from the ground up and are still leading the charge today. Their mission focuses on real ingredients, transparency, and doing the best for dog parents everywhere. 

Ingredients

The ingredients are the most important factor in picking a dog food. You want to ensure your furry friend is getting protein from real meat, not meat by-products. Any artificial flavoring or synthetic supplements should also be avoided. Instead, opt for dog food recipes that use whole foods to balance out nutrient profiles. 

Freshpet Dog Food Ingredients - Tender Chicken Recipe

Chicken, carrots, chicken broth, peas, eggs, chicken liver, brown rice, rice bran, carrageenan, natural flavors, potassium chloride, celery powder, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), salt, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin e supplement, riboflavin, biotin, calcium pantothenate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin b12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid), spinach

Is Freshpet good for dogs? The first few ingredients in Freshpet’s Tender Chicken wet food don’t give off any red flags. But further down the list, we have a few sketchy ingredients to be wary of: 

• Peas: Recent studies show that peas and other legumes may cause heart conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. 

• Brown Rice: This ingredient only has a moderate amount of nutritional value for dogs. Other whole grains like oats or millet would be a better choice. 

• Carrageenan: Although this additive comes from seaweed, there has been recent controversy about how carrageenan can cause inflammation. 
• Natural Flavors: Though “natural” is in the name, it’s still a vague ingredient we don’t know much about. 
• Synthetic Vitamins & Minerals: Some dogs have a difficult time absorbing the nutrients of synthetic supplements compared to the true source. 

Sundays for Dogs Ingredients - All-Natural Chicken Recipe

Chicken, Chicken Liver, Egg, Millet, Oat, Pumpkin, Kale, Ground Bone, Fish Oil, Sea Salt, Flaxseed, Parsley, Turmeric, Chicory Root, Kelp, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Ginger, Blueberries, Carrots, Apples, Tomatoes, Shiitake Mushrooms, Broccoli, Oranges, Cranberries, Spinach, Beets, Cherries, Strawberries

It’s hard to beat Sundays’ dog food ingredients. There’s absolutely no synthetic supplements, artificial flavors, or sketchy additives. Instead, Sundays relies completely on the power of whole foods to balance out the nutrient profile. All Sundays’ dog food recipes are 100% human-grade, too! 

Cooking & Manufacturing

Second to ingredients is the method each brand uses to cook their food. Harsh cooking methods can leech all the nutrients out of even the cleanest ingredients. So, how does Freshpet’s manufacturing compare to Sundays for Dogs? 

Freshpet

Most Freshpet dog food recipes are cooked at lower temperatures and then refrigerated. This process retains slightly more nutrients than the traditional kibble cooking method. But this cooking method still requires artificial preservatives and cold storage. It sounds like Freshpet isn’t so fresh after all. 

Sundays for Dogs

What makes Sundays unique is their low and slow air-drying method. This process slowly dehydrates the food at mild temperatures to preserve the natural flavor and nutrients of each ingredient. The result is a jerky-like air-dried dog food recipe that’s shelf-stable and storable in any cool, dry place. This might be a better option for folks who want to feed a fresh dog food diet without sacrificing room in their fridge. 

Vet & Nutritionist Approval

Do vets recommend Freshpet dog food over Sundays? Every vet has their own opinion about dog food brands. It’s best to consult your pup’s vet when switching to any new food. But here are a few vet and animal nutritionist opinions of both brands. 

Freshpet

Similar to our analysis above, many animal professionals have concern about Freshpet dog food ingredients. Former pet industry work and nutritionist, Rachel Fusaro, expressed concern about the “natural flavors” in the wet food rolls. TheJungleVet has also stated that his patients have experienced problems after switching to Freshpet.

Sundays for Dogs

We know vets love Sundays because it was founded and formulated by a practicing veterinarian: Dr. Tory Waxman. But what do other vets think of Sundays’ dog food? Dr. Daniel Annin is a practicing vet who has given his stamp of approval. Rachel Fusaro also highly recommends Sundays! 

Where to Buy

Another aspect of choosing the best dog food is where you can buy it. Freshpet is available in most grocery stores, pet stores, and online retailers like Chewy and Amazon. While it’s more widely available than Sundays, there can also be issues with quality control. 

Sundays for Dogs isn’t available in stores yet and ships directly to your home. They handle all the shipping internally to make sure you have the best experience from box opening to dishing out the food. 

Customer Reviews

Searching customer reviews can also help you decide which dog food brand to buy. A good dog food recipe is one thing, but you also want all-star customer service in case of emergencies. So, how does Sundays stack up against Freshpet dog food reviews?

Freshpet Dog Food Reviews - 3.8/5

Trustpilot only scores the Freshpet brand a 3.8 out of 5 total stars. Most low-star ratings express concerns about mold in food, questionable ingredients, and palatability. 

Sundays for Dogs Reviews - 4.2/5 

Conversely, Trustpilot rates Sundays as a 4.2 out of 5 stars. Most negative reviews are related to shipping issues or order delays, but there are little complaints about the product. 

Is Freshpet good for dogs? 

After reviewing both brands, it’s time to answer the question once and for all. Is Freshpet good for dogs? 

Though most Freshpet recipes are fine, they aren’t the best thing available for your pup. There are better alternatives to give your dog the best ingredients, nutrient profile, and mealtime experience. 

Give Sundays’ dog food a try if Freshpet doesn’t fit the bill for you. We’ll build a customized meal plan specifically for your dog and give you two weeks worth of food as a trial run. Start by taking our feeding quiz and see how Sundays’ subscribers can save big on recurring orders.