Ollie Dog Food Review: Is It Worth It?

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Around the time he turned one, my dog stopped showing interest in his kibble. And who could blame him? We paid extra for a reputable brand, but it was still a big sack of dried pellets that was made in a factory before sitting on a warehouse shelf for months.

Hobbes craved table scraps because it is real food. But I hesitated to give him human food because I didn’t want to spoil his appetite or throw off his nutritional balance. Around that time, we learned about Ollie. Ollie claims to make human-grade food that is nutritionally balanced for dogs, so your pup can eat as well as you do. We decided to test the service and see if it would reinvigorate our dog’s appetite.

VERDICT (if you’re in a hurry): Hobbes loves Ollie Dog Food! He has tried all of Ollie’s fresh food recipes and gobbled each one down. Get 50% off your first box and give your dog a diet as good as your own.

In this review:

• Ollie Dog Food: At a glance
• Our full Ollie Dog Food review
• What’s inside Ollie’s food?
• Other Ollie products
• Can I mix Ollie with my dog’s kibble?
• How much does Ollie dog food cost?
• Ollie health screenings
• How Ollie gives back
• How does Ollie compare to other dog food subscription services?
• Save 50% on your first order

Ollie pet food: At a glance

• Human-grade, local ingredients: You won’t see any meat meals or preservatives you can’t pronounce. Ollie sources all of its ingredients right here in the U.S. (except for some of its lamb, which comes from free-range farms in Australia). Ollie offers single-ingredient treats, too!
• Accreditation: All recipes are created by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to meet AAFCO standards for all life stages, and meals are cooked in USDA-certified kitchens in New York.
• Priced by size: Prices start at around $2.71 a day for a 6-lb. dog eating a mixture of Ollie’s fresh and baked food. But your price will be based on the size of your dog, the amount of food they need, and the type of food you choose. See a full breakdown and example prices lower in this review.
• Free shipping: Ollie delivers food for free and on a regular schedule to the 48 contiguous states. You’ll never need to remember to restock or make a last-minute run to the pet store.
• Ollie gives back: Ollie donates meals and 1% of their profits to U.S. shelters and rescue organizations.
• Discounts: You can get 50% off your first order.

Our Ollie Dog Food review

We fed our dog, Hobbes, every fresh recipe Ollie offers. We wanted to see:

1. If he got excited about mealtime
2. If they held his interest for more than a few days
3. If his body reacted positively to Ollie.

First and foremost, Hobbes loved Ollie. He scrambled to his food bowl any time he heard us open the container, and he gobbled his food down right away. He had grown tired of his kibble, but he licked his bowl clean every single day we fed him Ollie.

As you may know, any time you switch your dog’s food, there can be a few days of digestive upset as their stomach adapts to the new food. But over the long term, we found that Ollie made Hobbes’ poop softer and a little more colorful, rather than the almost dry, hard, dark lumps that kibble gives him. All in all, it was a success, and we think your dog would love it, too.

Aside from Hobbes’ excitement about his new food, we loved the ingredients and meal options Ollie offered. We’ll get into how Ollie works more below, but it felt good knowing our pup was eating human-grade quality food that uses vegetables and protein sources that we ourselves would eat. We also really liked that it didn’t smell like dog food (a personal pet-peeve), and the reusable container and scoop that Ollie sent with our first box were really convenient.

How it works

The first step to getting Ollie dog food into your pup’s belly is to introduce your furry little friend. You’ll fill out a dog profile that includes basic info about your dog.

Questions about your dog’s weight, neutered status, and activity level will help Ollie determine the precise number of calories your dog needs per day now and as they grow.

Finally, Ollie will ask if your dog has any known food allergies, as well as what their poop consistency is normally like. This will help them make appropriate recipe recommendations.

After you’ve answered the questions, Ollie will crunch the numbers and information you provided to make portion and recipe recommendations. You can use their recommendations or choose a variety of recipes at no extra cost. You can also view the full ingredients of each meal lower on this screen (or lower in this review). Finally, you’ll see your weekly price as well as any discounts applied before you make any commitments.

Once your profile is complete, your dog’s meal plan has been calibrated, and you’ve provided the necessary billing information, Ollie will get to work on your first shipment.

The fresh meals are pre-cooked at a low heat to preserve essential nutrients, then delivered fresh over dry ice so you can thaw them out in the fridge as needed. When mealtime comes around, just give your pup the appropriate amount and watch them chow down.

After placing your first order, you can also review Ollie’s default shipping schedule and make any adjustments necessary to suit your needs.

What comes in my first box?

Your first box will come with two weeks’ worth of food, a feeding transition guide, instructions on how to store your food and feed your dog, and a resealable Ollie “puptainer” and scoop. Of all the fresh dog food brands available, Ollie’s resealable container is by far the highest quality and most convenient for keeping any unused, defrosted food fresh.

What’s inside Ollie’s food?

See Ollie’s fresh wet food recipes below, or click here to jump down to the baked dry food recipes.

Ollie fresh food

Ollie currently offers five vet-crafted recipes which all include real, named ingredients. All food undergoes minimal processing to maintain bioavailable nutrients while cutting out many of the fillers and artificial flavors you get with typical dog food.

Oh, and it’s all made from natural, human-grade ingredients, so you could have some yourself if your pup is willing to share. Here are Ollie’s current fresh recipes:

Beef

If you’ve got a hungry pup with a meaty diet, they’ll love Ollie’s beef entrée. Just hold the red wine.

Full ingredient list

Beef, carrots, beef kidneys, potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, beef livers, chickpeas, spinach, tricalcium phosphate, salmon oil, salt, taurine, zinc gluconate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulphate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodide.

Guaranteed Analysis

• Protein: min. 9%
• Fat: min. 7%
• Fiber: max. 2%
• Moisture: max. 72%

Chicken

If your pup prefers white meat, this chicken dish is a delicious option.

Full ingredient list

Chicken, rice, carrots, chicken livers, peas, potatoes, spinach, cranberries, tricalcium phosphate, salmon oil, salt, taurine, zinc gluconate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulphate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodide.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 8%
• Fat: min 3%
• Fiber: max 2%
• Moisture: max 74%

Turkey

It’s like Thanksgiving dinner without your drunk uncle or Black Friday commercials. What more could you want?

Full ingredient list

Turkey, butternut squash, turkey livers, oats, lentils, spinach, blueberries, kale, tricalcium phosphate, salt, salmon oil, taurine, zinc gluconate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulphate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodide.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 10%
• Fat: min 7%
• Fiber: max 2%
• Moisture: max 72%

This recipe has a high fat and protein content. This may be a pro if you’re feeding a puppy or want to increase your dog’s body weight.

Lamb

If your pup can’t have beef due to food allergies, this lamb dish is an excellent alternative.

Full ingredients list

Lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, chickpeas, kale, rice, cranberries, green beans, potatoes, tricalcium phosphate, chia seeds, salmon oil, salt, zinc gluconate, taurine, vitamin e supplement, ferrous sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine hydrochloride, manganese amino acid chelate, vitamin d3, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), potassium iodide, folic acid.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 10%
• Fat: min 7%
• Fiber: max 2%
• Moisture: max 74%

Pork

This recipe is another good option for dogs that are prone to allergies since pork is technically considered a novel protein. Although, I will point out that it isn’t quite as novel as meats like venison. To see similar options, check out our guide to the best novel protein dog food.

Key ingredients

• Pork: including muscle and liver meat
• Butternut Squash: contains beneficial fiber that maintains a healthy weight and regulates bowel movements
• Sweet potatoes: abundant source of beta carotene that can be converted to vitamin A. Promotes a healthy immune system and gut health
• Carrots: full of phytonutrients for healthy eyes

Full ingredient list

Pork, pork livers, butternut squash, rice, sweet potatoes, oats, peas, carrots, spinach, apples, tricalcium phosphate, salmon oil, salt, taurine, zinc gluconate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulphate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodide.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 9%
• Fat: min 7%
• Fiber: max 2%
• Moisture: max 72%

This recipe may be a great option for dogs that need moderate levels of fat and protein. It may also be beneficial for dogs with allergies to common meats.

Ollie baked food

In addition to fresh food, Ollie offers a baked dry dog food that is supposed to be a health alternative to kibble. Like Ollie fresh food, the baked food still uses high-quality, human-grade ingredients that are cooked at lower temperatures than kibble to preserve nutrients. And the food is still free of preservatives and unwanted fillers, such as corn, soy, or wheat.

In my opinion, Ollie’s fresh food is superior because it is less processed. However, Ollie’s baked food is cheaper, and it may be more convenient for people on the go. It’s shelf-stable and easy to serve—just pour it out of the bag. No mess. No clean-up.

Also, these baked recipes can be served on their own or mixed with Ollie’s fresh food if you want to balance cost and quality. If the fresh food prices are looking a little too high, try a mixed plan to bring your costs down a little.

Both of Ollie’s baked recipes meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, so that means it’s great for puppies to seniors.

Baked Beef

Protein and energy-rich ingredients like beef and sweet potatoes provide the right nutrients dogs need to hit the ground running.

Full ingredients list

Beef, oats, chickpeas, pea flour, beef livers, sweet potatoes, carrots, coconut oil, tricalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, apples, salt, spinach, calcium carbonate, fish oil, rosemary extract, vitamin e supplement, choline bitartrate, zinc gluconate, potassium iodide, ferrous bisglycinate chelate, beta carotene (vitamin a), riboflavin (vitamin b2), copper amino acid chelate, niacin, cholecalciferol (vitamin d3), cyanocobalamin (vitamin b12), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), calcium pantothenate (vitamin b5), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin b1), folic acid, potassium citrate.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 23%
• Fat: min 13.5%
• Fiber: max 4%
• Moisture: max 10%
• Calorie content: 3850 kcal ME/kg

Baked Chicken

Chicken, chickpeas, eggs, and veggies create a meal packed with antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

Full ingredients list

Chicken, oats, chickpeas, pea flour, chicken livers, whole dried eggs, carrots, sweet potatoes, tricalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, apples, salt, spinach, calcium carbonate, fish oil, sunflower oil, rosemary extract, choline bitartrate, vitamin e supplement, zinc gluconate, potassium iodide, ferrous bisglycinate chelate, copper amino acid chelate, beta carotene (vitamin a), riboflavin (vitamin b2), niacin, cholecalciferol (vitamin d3), cyanocobalamin (vitamin b12), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), calcium pantothenate (vitamin b5), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin b1), potassium citrate, folic acid.

Guaranteed analysis

• Protein: min 24%
• Fat: min 14.5%
• Fiber: max 4%
• Moisture: max 10%
• Calorie content: 3850 kcal ME/kg

Other Ollie products

Ollie treats

In addition to food, Ollie now sells treats! They carry a variety of options from protein-heavy jerky to calorie-light training treats.

• Sweet Potato Slices: These plant-based treats are made with just one ingredient, sweet potatoes, for a straightforward, wholesome snack. I often feed Hobbes sweet potato treats because I don’t have to worry about a long list of additives or preservatives.
• Training Treats with Peanut Butter: These crunchy, small-sized treats are a great choice for training sessions. Because training requires repetitive commands and rewards, you don’t want your treats to be too big or calorie-dense. These treats are made with real peanut butter, which is one of my dog’s favorites.
• Training Treats with Parmesan: Another crunchy, bite-sized treat that packs flavor without a lot of calories. Infused with real parmesan cheese in every bite.
• Crunchy Treats with Apple & Mixed Berry: I like that you can easily break this crunchy snack into smaller pieces for small dogs or multiple rewards.
• Crunchy Treats with Sweet Potato: Satisfy your pup’s crunch craving anytime, any place, with these easy-to-break, baked treats made with real sweet potatoes. They’re a good alternative to the Sweet Potato Slices for small dog breeds.
• Dental Chews: Chewing these dental treats will help keep your dog’s teeth clean. They use natural ingredients like cinnamon fight the buildup of plaque and to prevent bad breath.
• Chicken and Apple Jerky Strips: These jerky strips are 100% human-grade and crafted with real chicken, apples, and oats. They have meat as the first ingredient and are easily breakable for smaller dogs or training.
• Beef & Sweet Potato Jerky Strips: Another human-grade jerky option made with beef, sweet potatoes, and oats.

Ollie supplements

Ollie recently added supplements to their lineup of products. These five chewy supplements are designed to target specific health needs, from joint support to digestive health, making them a tasty and beneficial addition to your dog’s daily routine.

The options include: 

• Hip & Joint Chews 
• Probiotic Chews 
• Calming Chews 
• Skin & Coat Chews 
• Immunity Chews

The Hip & Joint chews may be a good choice for large breeds and older dogs. The probiotic chews can help dogs with sensitive stomachs maintain their digestive health, and the skin & coat chews are great for pretty much all dogs.

Can I mix Ollie with my dog’s kibble?

Yes! Ollie fresh food can be mixed with any kibble easily. In fact, it’s recommended to mix your dog’s current food with Ollie during the first week or two to ensure a smooth transition.

Mixing kibble with Ollie’s fresh food is also an easy way to upgrade your dog’s diet without paying quite as much. However, if that’s your long-term plan, we recommend using Ollie’s baked food instead of your old kibble. Doing so will ensure you don’t have too much food cluttering your home at once, you’ll get precise portioning instructions, and you’ll pay less than if ordering Ollie’s fresh food alone (more on this below).

>> Read more: Ollie Dog Food Recalls

How much does Ollie dog food cost?

Ollie’s prices start at around $2.71 per meal for small dogs that eat a mixture of Ollie fresh and baked dog food. This makes the food service a strong option for owners of small and toy breeds that have picky food preferences.

Owners of large dogs can see daily costs as high as $8–$12 for fresh food, but most medium-sized-dog owners can expect a price closer to $5–7 per day, according to Ollie. Your exact cost will depend on your dog’s size and activity level, as well as the meal plan you choose. If you want to upgrade your dog’s diet, but want to limit spending, we recommend choosing Ollie’s Mixed meal plan, which will combine fresh food with their cheaper baked option.

We pulled a few fresh food quotes, below, to give you a rough idea of what you may pay. For more examples, visit our guide, How Much Is Ollie Dog Food?

Cost of fresh food (no tax included)	6-lb. Yorkie male	25-lb. Pembroke Welsh Corgi male	60-lb. Afghan Hound male
Ollie Fresh Food	$3.14 day / $22 week	$6 day / $42 week	$9.85 day / $69 week
Ollie Fresh & Baked Mix	$2.71 day / $19 week	$4.86 day / $34 week	$8.42 day / $59 week
Ollie Baked Food	$2 day / $14 week	$3.71 day / $26 week	$6.57 day / $46 week

And as you can see in the images earlier in this review, our medium-sized pup, Hobbes, was priced at that average $6 a day for full portions of fresh food.

There are a lot of factors that could influence your price, though, so you’ll need to answer your dog’s free questionnaire to find out exactly what you’d pay. And don’t forget that Ollie is currently offering 50% off your first shipment, so you can try it out without making a big financial commitment.

Ollie health screenings

Ollie’s health screening service really piqued my interest, because I’ve never seen a food subscription brand get into health screening. As an Ollie meal plan subscriber, you gain complimentary access to veterinarians and vet techs who can address your pet’s health concerns. This impressed me because, as a dog owner, I know there are countless small concerns we have for our pets that might not always warrant a trip to the vet, but that we’d like an answer for nonetheless.

The Ollie app enables you to perform health screenings for dental, digestive, or weight issues. It guides you through a series of questions and allows you to upload photos of your dog. These submissions are then reviewed by Ollie’s veterinary team, who provide you with practical advice based on their assessment.

This app does not replace the need for a regular veterinarian. However, it does provide personalized advice to help your dog achieve optimal health. And my favorite part is that results are typically available within one business day.

Ollie is the first dog food brand we know of to offer this service. Usually, it’s only bundled with insurance-related products, such as Lemonade Pet Insurance or Pawp.

How Ollie gives back

Ollie donates 1% of its profits to shelters and pet rescues across the United States. The company also recognized the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to help relieve those burdens. The company:

• Partnered with the Humane Society to donate 2,000 meals to dogs in communities severely impacted by the current coronavirus crisis. 
• Donated 3,000 meals to dog owners nominated by its customers.
• Offers a special discount to first responders and medical staff. Just verify yourself with ID.me at checkout to get a special 12-box discount (in addition to the 50% discount off your first box).

How does Ollie compare to other dog food subscription services?

Like Ollie, there are a few other human-grade dog food brands out there that can give your dog a diet as good as your own (if not better).

Unlike Ollie, The Farmer’s Dog does not offer a lamb recipe. It also doesn’t offer any treats or charitable donations. However, The Farmer’s Dog does boast some of the most sustainable packaging, and its personalized packaging is convenient if you’re feeding more than one dog. You can learn more in our The Farmer’s Dog review or our Farmer’s Dog vs Ollie comparison guide.

Nom Nom also offers a pork recipe (no lamb), as well as microbiome gut health tests, and probiotics, so you can help your dog absorb more of their food’s nutrition. Check out our Nom Nom Dog Food review or our Nom Nom vs Ollie comparison guide to learn more.

We Feed Raw operates similarly to Ollie, except it delivers raw, human-grade dog food for those who want to keep their pet on a raw diet. Raw diets can be complicated and messy if you’re building it yourself, so we like this service a lot. You can choose from six options, including beef, lamb, venison, chicken, turkey, and duck. Learn more in our We Feed Raw review.

Just Food For Dogs offers fresh food for both dogs and cats. It also offers treats, supplements, prescription diets, and nutrient blends for homemade food. It is especially great if your dog has acute health issues that you need to account for in their diet. You can learn more in our Just Food For Dogs review or our Ollie vs Just Food For Dogs comparison.

Sundays for Dogs doesn’t sell fresh food, but it offers a convenient “low and slow” air-dried dog food that resembles a jerky treat. This food’s standout quality is that there are no synthetic vitamins or minerals used in the food, unlike in Ollie’s baked food line. A wide variety of high-quality ingredients are purposefully used to ensure the food is nutritionally balanced and complete.  We have been surprised that even our pickiest dogs have enjoyed Sundays. Check out our Sundays dog food review for this hassle-free food.

Raised Right is similar to Sundays in that it obtains all necessary nutrients from real food ingredients—no added synthetic nutrients. However, unlike Sundays, Raised Right is fresh food.  Raised Right is especially good for those looking for a high-protein dog food, since it includes about twice the average amount of protein. It’s a premium food with a premium price tag, but it delivers in quality. Read our Raised Right review for more information about this top-of-the-line food.

Pet Plate offers the same meat options as Ollie, but only one type of treat—organic chicken apple sausage bites. However, it does offer a different type of packaging, round recyclable containers similar to a sour cream container. This may be more or less convenient for you depending on how you like to store and transport your food. You can learn more in our Pet Plate review and our PetPlate vs Farmer’s Dog comparison.

Open Farm offers both fresh dog and cat food. It also offers a ton of other products, like freeze-dried raw food, bone broth, treats, and kibble (although kibble isn’t a good replacement for a fresh diet). Learn more in our Open Farm Dog Food review.

Spot and Tango doesn’t offer much that Ollie can’t match. It offers human-grade fresh food, plus a healthy dry food called  UnKibble. You can learn more in our Spot and Tango vs Ollie comparison guide or our full Spot and Tango review.

Curious? Save 50% and try it out

Whether you’re scared to go to the pet store, you want to provide your pup with a more nutritious diet, or you just like what Ollie is doing to give back, there’s never been a better time to try it out. Just click the banner below to save 50% on your first order today.

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