What I Feed My Dogs
(and Why I Finally Switched to Fresh Food)
I’m a teacher and a dog mom, and like a lot of people, I went completely down the rabbit hole trying to figure out what to actually feed my dogs.
My dog Ollie was impossibly picky from the start. No matter what kibble I bought, he’d eat it for two days and then flat-out refuse it. I’d stand there with a full bowl, wondering if I was just doing everything wrong.
The Food Trials (aka: My Dogs Ran the Show)
We tried The Farmer’s Dog first. Ollie loved the sample box — so I subscribed. About a month in, he refused to touch it. Just like that.
Then we tried Sundays for Dogs. Hit or miss. He’d eat one day, skip the next. It felt like a coin flip every evening.
Then came Boomer — the sweetest Chiweenie you’ve ever seen. At first, Ollie would eat anything Boomer ate, which felt like a breakthrough. Until Ollie taught Boomer to be just as picky as he was. Two picky dogs. One very tired dog mom.
Then We Found Ollie — the Brand, Not the Dog
Last summer, I came across Ollie fresh dog food. I had to try it if for no other reason than the irony — a dog food brand with the same name as my picky eater.
“They lick the bowl completely clean. Every single time. I’ve never seen that before.”
Both dogs took to it immediately. No coaxing. No standing over the bowl and hoping. Now they literally jump for joy when they hear dinner being scooped. As someone who spent months dreading mealtime, that alone felt like a miracle.
What I Noticed Right Away
- Both dogs are excited at mealtime — jumping and spinning before I even set the bowl down
- Ingredients I can actually read and recognize — no mystery proteins or filler
- No more guessing about portions — it comes pre-portioned for each dog’s size and weight
- Zero food waste — no more throwing out half-eaten bags of kibble
- No more switching brands every few weeks hoping something sticks
Is Fresh Dog Food Worth the Cost?
I’ll be straight with you: yes, fresh dog food costs more than kibble. Here’s what it looks like for us:
That works out to roughly $150/month — or about $75 per dog. For context, I was spending real money on kibble bags that ended up in the trash, plus the ongoing frustration of switching brands constantly.
For us, the trade-off makes sense because:
- No more skipped meals — every bowl gets finished
- No more wasted kibble bags that sat untouched for weeks
- No more frantic research sessions at midnight trying to find a new food
- Pre-portioned servings so I’m not over or underfeeding
- Peace of mind knowing exactly what’s in their food
If your dog eats anything willingly and never skips a meal, you probably don’t need this. But if you’re constantly switching foods, throwing out half-full bags, or losing sleep over whether your dog is eating enough — the math may be closer than you think.
Who This Is (and Isn’t) For
✓ Great fit if you have…
- Picky small or medium dogs
- Dogs who skip meals often
- Multiple brands sitting in your pantry right now
- A dog whose health you’re protective of
- Tired of ingredient labels you can’t pronounce
✗ May not be for you if…
- Your dog happily eats any kibble
- You have a large breed dog (cost scales up fast)
- Budget is your top priority right now
- You don’t have freezer space for delivery boxes
If You Have a Picky Dog, This Is What Finally Worked for Us
After months of food trials, wasted bags, and mealtime stress — Ollie is the brand that stuck. For both dogs. And they love it every single time.
You can use my referral link below to get up to 70% off your first box — which makes it a very low-risk way to see if your pup takes to it.
Try Ollie → Get Up to 70% OffReferral link — I may earn a credit if you subscribe. Price is the same for you either way.
Have a picky dog? I’d love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t) for you. Drop a comment below — dog mom solidarity is real.