Our dogs need to eat regularly and while it is possible to buy in bulk and stock up on food months in advance, 15kg bags of dog food take up a lot of space, never mind trying to store 100 cans of wet food.
Dog food subscriptions offer financial savings, are more convenient than running out and replacing the empty bag, and they negate the need to ever have to visit the pet shop to stock up. Although typically associated with wet food, which is impractical to buy in bulk, subscriptions are available for dry foods, as well as foods for puppies, seniors, and adult dogs.
Read on for reviews of the best dog food subscriptions in the UK, and for our guide to finding and choosing the best subscription service.
A Quick Look at Our Favourites (2022)
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food |
|
Check Latest Price | |
Best Value | Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food |
|
Check Latest Price | |
Premium Choice | Walker & Drake Cold Pressed Food |
|
Check Latest Price | |
Best for Puppies | Lovejoys Complete Puppy Food |
|
Check Latest Price | |
Best For Seniors | Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food Senior |
|
Check Latest Price |
The 10 Best Dog Food Subscriptions in the UK
1. Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food – Best Overall
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Turkey, Chicken, Lamb |
Life stage: | Adult |
Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food is a complete meal, which means that it includes all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to survive and thrive. The wet food is made up of 75% meat and includes brown rice as well as vegetables and other natural ingredients. This means that the food’s 11% protein comes primarily from meat sources: considered a better protein source than plant protein.
It doesn’t include artificial additives and is free from allergens, although it does use carrageenan as a stabilizing agent, which is common with wet foods and means that some owners will want to avoid buying this food.
Forthglade Complete is already affordably priced, especially considering its high nutritional values, and you can save more by getting a subscription. With 7.5% fat, this food can cause upset stomachs, especially in those dogs with existing gastrointestinal complaints or stomach sensitivity but should be fine when gradually introduced to a healthy adult dog.
High quality ingredients, affordable price, and ideal protein ratio make this one of the best dog food subscriptions in the UK.
- Cheap
- 11% protein is good for wet food
- 75% meat content
- Contains carrageenan
- 5% fat is high
2. Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food – Best Value
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Chicken |
Life stage: | Adult |
Forthglade food might be well priced but Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food is even cheaper. It contains 60% meat, 10% rice, and it also incorporates ground bone. Like the Forthglade, it does use carrageenan. Carrageenan is a natural seaweed extract, but some critics claim that it is linked to inflammation and liver problems, so some owners do choose to avoid this ingredient.
Naturediet uses a limited number of ingredients and a single source of protein in each of its recipes. This means that it is beneficial for dogs with intolerances or allergies to certain foods. It can even be used, as part of an elimination diet, to identify the root of a food intolerance.
Fat content is 8% so this is another food that will require gradual introduction: it could cause loose stools and vomiting if introduced too quickly. The high meat content, quality ingredients, and the really cheap price make Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food the best dog food subscription in the UK for the money.
- Contains 60% meat plus ground bones
- Limited ingredient list
- 10% protein
- Contains carrageenan
- 8% fat is high
3. Walker & Drake Cold Pressed Food – Premium Choice
Food type: | Cold pressed complete food |
Flavours: | Duck |
Life stage: | All |
Walker & Drake Cold Pressed Food is billed as being the best alternative to raw food. Proponents of the raw food diet claim that it is as close to a natural diet as possible and that it can improve everything from coat health to general health. However, as well as being an expensive alternative to dry and even wet food, it also requires a lot more effort than other feeding methods.
Walker & Drake Cold Pressed Food contains 42% meat, which is quite a lot lower than the foods above, but it also incorporates a range of vegetables and botanicals to deliver a fully balanced diet. Prebiotics and probiotics help maintain good gut health in your dog, too, and Walker & Drake claims that the food is suitable for all life stages from the age of two months, so you won’t have to change foods once your puppy gets used to the flavour. It consists of 32% protein but because this is a dry food it only contains 10% moisture and does mean that you have to pay particular attention to your dog’s water intake.
The food is expensive, but it has a decent protein ratio, and contains other beneficial ingredients.
- Cold pressed to kill bacteria and maintain nutrients
- 32% protein
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Expensive
- 42% meat content is low compared to raw foods
4. Lovejoys Complete Puppy Food – Best for Puppies
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Chicken, rice, and vegetable |
Life stage: | Puppy |
Lovejoys Complete Puppy Food is made up of 65% chicken, contains rice, and has a selection of vegetables and probiotic botanicals. Brown rice is considered a beneficial food source for dogs, if it is fed sparingly. It is full of natural fibre so should encourage a solid stool consistency. It also contains carbohydrates, which provide vital energy to puppies as they grow and explore. And, finally, it contains essential minerals like calcium and iron. Lovejoys Complete Puppy Food contains 6% brown rice, which is a good amount.
Although the meat ratio means that your dog will get most of its protein from meat sources, Lovejoys does list derivatives of vegetable origin as one of the minor ingredients. Although this is not necessarily a bad or low-quality ingredient, it is vaguely named, and it would be better to know exactly what vegetables and what derivatives are used.
This is a medium-priced wet puppy food with a good 10.5% protein, made primarily from meat sources, and that is free from artificial ingredients. It is even guaranteed carrageenan free, but it is high in fat (9%) and there is some vague ingredient listing on the label. Also, considering it’s for puppies, the food is quite a solid consistency that won’t appeal to all dogs.
- Made up of 65% chicken
- Guaranteed carrageenan free
- 5% protein
- High in fat (9%)
- Vague ingredient
5. Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food Senior – Best For Seniors
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Turkey |
Life stage: | Senior |
Made up of 75% meat protein, Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food is aimed at seniors and contains prebiotics and probiotics, as well as vegetable ingredients to deliver all the required vitamins and minerals a dog needs.
Senior food will usually have higher levels of essential minerals like omega-3 which can slow the signs of aging while helping maintain a luscious and healthy coat. Older dogs need to get their protein from a higher-quality source. This helps maintain lean muscle mass, therefore ensuring mobility and reducing the likelihood of a host of illnesses.
Forthglade contains 11% protein, most of which comes from its primary meat source, and linseed oil delivers plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. Forthglade’s Complete Natural Wet Dog Food is a good choice of food for owners of senior dogs, although it isn’t always necessary to change your dog to a senior diet.
It has high protein, from a good source, and also contains essential vitamins and minerals. Although not the most expensive, it isn’t the cheapest food, it does use carrageenan, which could be linked to inflammation, and it may not even be necessary to feed a senior formula.
- 11% protein primarily from meat
- Contains linseed oil for extra omega-3
- Includes carrageenan
- Not all senior dogs need senior food
6. Harringtons Adult Wet Food
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Mixed |
Life stage: | Adult |
Harringtons Grain Free Wet Dog Food is a multipack of wet food pouches. The food is inexpensive and made from 65% chicken along with vegetables and added vitamins and minerals. It is free from any artificial additives but is another wet food that uses carrageenan as a stabilizer. It is grain free, which is especially useful for dogs with sensitive stomachs and food intolerances because grain is a common intolerance that can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal upset.
Although Harrington’s gets most of its protein from animal sources, it only has 8.5% protein, which is lower than most and lower than usually considered ideal for an adult recipe. Its fat content is 6%, which is lower than a lot of other foods and makes this a more sensitive formula and another reason that this is a good food for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
However, if your dog does have food intolerances, you will need to carefully check the ingredients of each flavor. The salmon and potato recipe contains around 40% chicken, which means that it is the biggest ingredient in the food. The duck and potato, and turkey and potato, recipes have a similar problem.
- Cheap
- Grain free
- 6% fat content
- Only 8.5% protein
- Misleading labelling
- Contains carrageenan
7. Lily’s Kitchen Puppy Recipe Dry Food
Food type: | Complete dry food |
Flavours: | Chicken and salmon |
Life stage: | Puppy |
Lily’s Kitchen Puppy Recipe is a dry food, formulated especially for dogs up to the age of 12 months. It has a protein ratio of 29%, which is good for a dry food, as well as fiber of 3%. However, as with any dry food, what is missing is moisture and you will have to ensure that your puppy consumes a good amount of water from its bowl. While this is usually quite easy with dogs, it is worth monitoring water consumption levels, especially in puppies.
The dry food contains 44% meat and is packed with vegetables, botanicals, and vitamins and minerals, to meet a puppy’s nutritional requirements.
The food is expensive, as Lily’s Kitchen is considered a premium dog food brand. And, while it has a generous 29% protein ratio, a lot of this protein would seem to come from non-meat ingredients like pea protein and potato protein. These are more difficult for dogs to digest, and the amino acids they provide are not considered as bioavailable or beneficial as those that come from meat.
- 29% protein is good
- No artificial additives
- Expensive
- Contains pea and potato protein
8. Pooch & Mutt Complete Adult Dry Dog Food
Food type: | Complete dry food |
Flavours: | Chicken & Superfood |
Life stage: | Adult |
Pooch & Mutt Complete Adult Dry Dog Food is a dry kibble with the main ingredients of dried chicken, potato, and sweet potatoes. It only consists of 26% dried chicken, but it does also include generous amounts of chicken fat and chicken gravy. Chicken fat might sound unappealing but is actually a good source of omega-3 and other nutrients.
The food has a 24% protein ratio, which is low for a dry food, but it does contain probiotics that will make the food easier to digest and help maintain good gut health in your dog.
The food is on the expensive end of the scale, has lower protein than is considered ideal, and it has quite a low meat content, but it does meet the requirements of a complete meal and the ingredients that are included are all natural and designed to provide your dog with all the vitamins and minerals it requires daily.
- Includes chicken fat and chicken gravy
- Contains probiotics for good gut health
- Only 26% chicken
- Only 24% protein
9. James Wellbeloved Complete Senior Food
Food type: | Complete wet food |
Flavours: | Turkey |
Life stage: | Senior |
James Wellbeloved Complete Senior Food is a complete wet food meal. A complete food is one that contains the required protein and amino acids, as well as the essential vitamins and minerals, that a dog needs. As such, this complete food does not need to be combined with any other foods, toppers, or complementary foods. It is free from artificial additives, too.
James Wellbeloved Senior Food is very low in protein with just a 6.2% protein ratio. It is an expensive food, and, despite its big price tag, it only consists of 28% lamb with the next ingredients listed being pea starch and pea protein. Not only are these proteins considered lower quality and having lower bioavailability than meat proteins, but they are cheap fillers, and they bump the protein ratio up. Further down the ingredients you will also find dried peas. If these ingredients were combined and listed as the whole ingredient, peas, they would be even more prominent in the food.
- No artificial additives
- Contains omega-3 and omega-6 oils
- Expensive
- Only 28% lamb
- 2% protein ratio is low
10. IAMS for Vitality Small/Medium Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
Food type: | Complete dry food |
Flavours: | Lamb |
Life stage: | Adult |
IAMS For Vitality is a complete dry food. This particular food is aimed at small to medium breeds, so it has a smaller kibble size that is easier to chew and has an appropriate mix of protein, vitamins, and minerals to ensure the health of small dogs.
It has 26% protein ratio, which is reasonable for a dry food. It has a high 15% fat content, which could cause some upset stomachs, and while it is an inexpensive food, it only contains just over 30% meat and is misleading. The lamb flavour contains 30% chicken and turkey with only 4% lamb. The ingredient list includes maize, which is used in place of grains but is considered difficult to digest and actively avoided by a lot of owners. It also contains unnamed animal fats: not necessarily a poor-quality ingredient, but it is impossible to know for certain because the label lacks certain information.
- 26% protein is OK for dry food
- Does not contain artificial additives
- Cheap
- Lamb recipe only contains 4% lamb
- Only contains around 35% meat
- Contains maize
- Vague ingredient labelling
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Food Subscription Service
A dog food subscription ensures that you always have a supply of your dog’s favorite food. It’s delivered straight to your door, so offers convenience, and because you’re committing to a regular purchase, it usually offers a good discount on the total cost of the food. Read on for more information on dog food subscriptions as well as a quick guide on choosing the best food for your dog.
Order More, Save More
Buying dog food in bulk offers a means of saving money, but it isn’t always practical to have crates of dog food tins or multiple large bags of kibble laying around the house. With a subscription box, you can enjoy similar financial savings but with the added convenience of only receiving the amount of dog food you require. When that food runs low, you should receive your next order straight to your door.
Delivery Frequency
A good subscription service lets you choose the frequency that the food is delivered. This affects the maximum amount of food you have to store, and usually gives you options ranging from delivery every two weeks to every two months.
Skip Deliveries
Unless your dog eats exactly every kibble or every single pouch just as the next delivery arrives, there will be times when you have a surplus of food. Choose a subscription service that lets you skip a delivery or change delivery schedule, and you can react if you do find that you’ve got too many bags unopened.
Cancel Anytime
Subscription services usually require that you pay up front for the chosen amount of food. You get the discount for buying in bulk, and the food is effectively stored at the retailer’s premises until you need it. A subscription may roll over automatically, which means that payment will be taken again, and the food delivery continues. However, you should have the opportunity to cancel your subscription and prevent receipt of any more dog food packages.
Choosing Food
Food subscriptions are convenient and save you money, but you still need to ensure that you choose a good-quality and reputable food for your dog.
Wet Food or Dry Food
Food subscriptions are most commonly used with wet food, because this has a shorter shelf life, and a month of wet food takes up a lot more room in your home than a month of dry food. However, subscriptions are available for wet and dry food, according to your preferences.
- Wet food tends to be more palatable. It smells and looks like real meat and its other constituent ingredients, and it comes wrapped in a gravy, jelly, or pate, that appeals to our four-legged friends. However, it can only be left down an hour or two before any leftovers need to be thrown. It won’t last as long in the cupboard and certainly not once open, and it is messier.
- Dry food keeps for longer, costs less, and can be left down all day. But it contains no moisture, and some dogs simply don’t find dry kibble as inviting as chunks or slices of meat. You can, of course, feed a source of dry food and a source of wet food to enjoy the benefits of both.
Life Stage
There are foods available for all major life stages. Puppy food is usually listed as being suitable for dogs up to the age of 12 months, but dog breeds mature at different rates so while some dogs might be ready to progress to adult food when they are as young as 9 months, others may fare better continuing on puppy food until they are 18 months old. Senior food is given to dogs that have started to show signs of aging and slowing down in their senior years. It provides the energy an older and less energetic dog needs without piling on the calories and weight.
Protein Sources
Dogs are carnivores, although they eat more like omnivores. As such, your pup should be getting the majority of its protein from meat sources. Popular choices include chicken, turkey, and lamb, as well as beef. Although dogs can and do benefit from having vegetables and other non-meat ingredients in their diet, these should be fed in moderation so that your dog gets the amino acids they need straight from meat. A high-quality premium wet food can contain 80% of meat or more.
Conclusion
Dog food subscriptions are convenient, affordable, and reliable. Choose a food that meets your dog’s nutritional requirements and a subscription service that gives decent discounts and the delivery frequency and terms that you want. We hope that our dog food subscription reviews helped you find the ideal food for your best friend.
A subscription of Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food is a good choice for adult dogs thanks to its impressive 75% meat content, yielding an 11% protein ratio in the wet food. Although Forthglade is well-priced, Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food is cheaper and has 10% protein from 60% meat content and benefits from the brown rice that is added.
Featured Image Credit: Amazon
Contents
- A Quick Look at Our Favourites (2022)
- The 10 Best Dog Food Subscriptions in the UK
- 1. Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food – Best Overall
- 2. Naturediet Feel Good Complete Food – Best Value
- 3. Walker & Drake Cold Pressed Food – Premium Choice
- 4. Lovejoys Complete Puppy Food – Best for Puppies
- 5. Forthglade Complete Natural Wet Dog Food Senior – Best For Seniors
- 6. Harringtons Adult Wet Food
- 7. Lily’s Kitchen Puppy Recipe Dry Food
- 8. Pooch & Mutt Complete Adult Dry Dog Food
- 9. James Wellbeloved Complete Senior Food
- 10. IAMS for Vitality Small/Medium Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
- Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Food Subscription Service
- Conclusion