Dog Food Reviews

Open Farm Dog Food Review – Sustainable and Ethically Sourced

Open Farm Dog Food Review
Written by Rachael Sando

There is no denying that high quality protein is the building block of a healthy canine diet.

Open Farm Pet Food Logo

As a former vegetarian, it has always been hard for me to cope with the fact that despite buying high quality kibble for our dogs, the source of the protein in this food is not selected with the same care as the meat I buy for myself.

The reality is that even when meat is sourced in the USA, the protein in your favorite kibble is likely part of the factory farming system which places company profit over the welfare of animals.  As an animal lover, it is difficult to rationalize advocating for the care of animals while at the same time supporting this industry.

This is why we are so excited to tell you about Open Farm Pet Fooda company that is making a huge commitment to changing an industry.

Open Farm Pet Food

Open Farm is a family run company based in Toronto, Canada. Aside from creating some of the healthiest dog food available, the major thing that sets them apart is that all of their ingredients are ethically sourced. This means taking great care and effort to source both humanely raised meat as well as fresh and local vegetables.

Click here to purchase Open Farm Dog Food on Amazon

 

Open Farm Dog Food Varieties

The Recipe’s and Ingredients

Open Farm currently offers 3 wholesome recipes – formulated to be interchangeable in a rotational diet:

  • Homestead Turkey & Chicken
  • Catch-of-the-Season Whitefish & Green Lentil
  • Farmer’s Market Pork & Root Vegetable

Open Farm is among the best dry dog food we have ever reviewed.

Each formulation contains roughly 30% protein and 14% fat. Furthermore, you won’t find any “meat meals” in their food which are often unregulated and difficult to trace. Open Farm dog food is also grain free in addition to being free of wheat, corn or soy.

Our Golden Retriever Charlie checking the ingredients

Have a question about an ingredient? Hover over any ingredient on their website and it will tell you exactly why it is there, and the benefits it provides your pet!

Open Farm is some of the Healthiest Dog Food available

Finding What’s Right for You

Since switching to a homemade diet, it is much easier to know where the meat that I feed the boys comes from. While I can scream from the rooftops about the positive changes we have seen in our boys since switching to this diet, the reality is that raw/homemade feeding is not for everyone and every situation.

Kibble is an easy choice for a lot of pet parents. Dogs without health problems tend to do well on it, it does not need to be refrigerated, travels easily, and is cost effective. We strongly believe that you need to decide what is right for your family!

No matter what you choose as the right option for you and your dog, from one pet parent to another we know that you want to make a choice that is right for all animals; your companion animal and the farm animals who feed them.

Looking for a healthy dog food? Try Open Farm - a company that is also committed to sustainable and humane farming.

Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind…

Just recently, while traveling for the holidays, we found it was easier to pack kibble than try to convince people that dehydrated raw food wasn’t really all that scary to prepare.  

Open Farm had been kind enough to send us a bag of their pork and root vegetable recipe for Harley and Charlie to try, so we figured now would be the perfect time!

We had tremendous peace of mind, knowing that not only was this some of the healthiest dog food available, but we were feeding food that had been ethically sourced and supportive of animal welfare. 

Ready to eat!

Giving Back – “Do Some Good”

Open Farm’s motto signifies the ability for consumers to make a difference through their purchases and the companies they support. They strive to improve the lives of farm animals used in food production, and hope that their commitment will help lead a movement of change across the industry.

Open Farm uses only certified humane meats in their dog food.

Humane Farm Animal Care Program

Open Farm only uses meat and poultry that has been certified by the Humane Farm Animal Care Program (HFAC). This standards of this organization were developed by animal scientists and veterinarians from across the world. Compliance to these standards is confirmed by regular audits and inspections.

Wondering about these standards and what humane meat production actually entails?

  • All animals have ample space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress
  • Animals are provided a healthy diet of quality feed – No added antibiotics or hormones!
  • No cages, crates, or tie-stalls
  • Producers must comply with all food safety and environmental regulations

You won’t be surprised that all of Open Farm’s fish are ocean caught as opposed to aquafarmed as well. Not only does this allow for the fish to live a natural life, but it assures that they have not been fed antibiotics or artificial feed. Another important distinction is that their fish selection is seasonal. This is because Open Farm is committed to sustainable fishing practices. Simply check the bottom of the bag to see what kind of fish has been freshly caught to make your dog’s food.

Harley checking out Open Farm's grain free dog food

Sustainability: Full Circle

Recyclable dog food bags with Terracycle

Open Farm is committed to sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle of their products. Even their bags are recyclable – a rarity in the industry.

Open Farm Dog Food Review

So, what did they think?

Harley and Charlie are not picky when it comes to food, they like just about everything – whether it is healthy for them or not! Lucky for these two pups, this food is as good as it gets!

The taste test!

Although we had to make a sudden change in their food while traveling, we were happy to see that this food was highly palatable and did not cause any digestive upset. Though my concerns with a sudden change in diet were baseless, I still worried that Harley and Charlie’s itchy skin and food sensitivities might rear their ugly heads. Once again, it seems as though my worries were unnecessary. The boys gobbled the food up over 4 days with no ill effects. We loved that the the pork recipe that we tried had only two major protein sources: fish and pork.

Looking for dog food reviews? Check out MyDogLikes review of Open Farm!

Why MyDogLikes Open Farm Dog Food

One thing that I can say for certain is that our loyal MyDogLikes readers are animal lovers. As an animal lover, its hard to rationalize advocating for humane treatment of animals while at the same time supporting an industry (factory/industrial farming) that puts the welfare and humane treatment of animals last. Unfortunately, so many commercial pet food brands, whether “made and sourced in the USA” or not, support this industry. Open Farm is a breath of fresh air and represents a company that not only cares about the health and well being of your pet, but of all animals-land and sea. For years, we glossed over an inconvenient truth about the pet food industry, but our eyes are wide open now.

For all of the reasons above, we LOVE Open Farm. We also appreciate that Open Farm is among the highest quality kibble that we have encountered. Best of all, choosing Open Farm is no compromise in quality. There is not a single ingredient in their food without purpose and their food is designed with your dog’s health at the fore. We love that ingredients are locally harvested whenever possible and their meat is always ethically sourced.  I can say with certainty that this is our GO TO kibble.

About the author

Rachael Sando

Rachael is a School Psychologist with degrees from the University of Rochester and RIT. Though a lifelong dog lover, this passion has taken on a new direction through the utilization of therapy animals in her day job. Charlie, our Golden Retriever, works with Rachael as a school therapy dog in a local primary school where he brings comfort and support to students and staff on a daily basis.

79 Comments

  • I like when you say “make a choice that’s right for all animals”. That is something to think about for sure! I’m glad that slowly we are seeing a change in human food where companies are making changes to source more responsibly from farms that keep their animals more humanely. I hope that trend grows by leaps & bounds. I haven’t heard of Open Farm but it’s great to see a pet food company embrace sourcing more humanely! Thanks for a great review.
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

  • I think this is awesome. I think it’s important to have a respect for the animals that feed us and our pets. I respect the company very much, and their movement.

  • Oh my gosh, thank you! I had not heard about Open Farm, but have been searching for a pet food that was supportive of humane care for ALL animals. I’m entering the giveaway and will also look for this food in our area. Thanks!

  • Sounds like good food. They contacted us a while back but since we are happy with our current food, we decided not to try this one. Love the packaging too.

  • I think it’s great. What meat we consume here we either hunt or get straight from a local farmer so it’s always nice to see more brands going back to basics and a little closer to what it should be like.

  • I had not seen this food before and I do like their message and what they’re doing . We have 4 cats and 3 dogs so it is important what we buy for them to eat and how the food is made.

  • P.S. As a foster Mom for S. Korean rescue dogs, I am painfully aware of the abuse that goes on in many Asian countries. Of course we h ere in the U.S. have our own ethical issues, but at least we don’t have a culture of EATING our pets!

  • I think it is very interesting. I have always said that once you concede that even if you are yourself a vegetarian (which I am not anyway) taht you still are going to be feeding your pets meat – then the focus must be on ranching practices and other farm related practices.

  • i like the ingredients. i just got a sample of it, the white fish from my independent pet food store and really like the ingredients. my youngest is very picky and she loved it. i like how their source their products and how ethical they are abt their products.

  • I love what Open Farm is doing! I know it must be a lot of hard work but they’re setting such a good example and making such a big difference for so many animals.

  • I have never seen, on the shelves, or heard about this dog food. I’m definitely interested in trying it.

  • I applaud Open Farm for wanting to help farm animals. It’s bad enough that they die for their meat, but too many are not cared for properly and live in less than adequate surroundings. Far too many are outright abused by employees and sometimes even the owners themselves on the farms. If animals are going to be killed for food, they need to be raised and killed humanely. Anything less is wrong.

    • Thanks Carol – We are excited to help spread the word about Open Farm! Hopefully they can help lead a movement in the whole industry!

  • I am a farmer and a rancher. We work very hard to treat our animals as humanely as possible at all times. If we as consumers spend our money with other producers who follow humane practices, we can change the way business is conducted. It’s up to us to set the example for others to follow.

  • Such a great Mission. It impresses me that this company wants to see animals of all kinds treated humanely…like they should be. Great job!

  • I love the fact that your dog food is such a high quality and the company owned by a family. I have a very spoiled, picky Bichon and would love a chance to win a sample-I would also post a review on my blog.

  • I think that it is a great company and I wish other companies would learn something this.

  • THESE FOLKS ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK BY REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE…IT’S GREAT!

  • I think we as humans have to make a better choice for all animals, they can not speak our language but we can speak for them with better care and healthier food products..
    @tisonlyme143

  • I truly appreciate that Open Farm is extending the idea of healthier, more ethical farming to the sourcing of its dog food ingredients.

  • I have heard and read of Open Farm’s commitments and was very impressed. I have yet to try the food with the dogs, but I would be more than happy to. Currently I am trying them on a freeze-dried raw foods diet. I think that this brand is highly recommendable to anyone lookin for a good brand of food to switch to.

  • i love the fact that their product is Certified Humane , GMO free, free of antibiotics and hormones and each has fish and coconut oils . This Dog food really sounds above normal quality standards . 2 paws up for starting the first nationwide pet food bag recycling program!

  • Impressive review!I would try this food based on your review 🙂 and I am very picky when it comes to my boy.

  • I think it’s wonderful and this world would be a better place if more companies would follow suit.

  • This is the first time I’ve heard of Open Farm. I am really impressed with their commitment to all animals.

  • I think it’s a great thing. It will take time and dedication, but every step we can take towards that is a good thing!

  • I think it will be a very special day when these practices are wildly accepted as normal, instead of a few morally correct companies standing out from the rest. whether its for marketing or not, all companies should be held to the same standard

  • Yes I think it could make a huge difference for the treatment of farm animals. I always think of this when I am buying pet food…wonderful there is a more humane option now. I hope they will make cat food next.

  • Impressive company mission. Great Karma start to finish. I look forward to trying your food for all my rescued shih tzuhs.

  • I like that this company uses ingredients sourced from companies that humanely raise meat as well as using fresh and local vegetables.

  • I couldn’t agree with you more. I am also a former vegetarian and still tend to lean more in that direction. I am appalled at the way farm animals are raised and treated. I’m so glad Open Farm is doing something about it.

  • I love it, I personally feel that all livings beings deserve a chance to live a decent life, even the animals that become food. So, naturally this company is one that I would love to support, because it sounds like they are doing the right thing. ?

  • This is just plain wonderful & I’m loving their values! It’s pretty sad the options we have to feed our animals, I know I pay extra for a brand that’s not the worst thing on the market. I would love to try this with my animals, Thank You!

  • I think it is absolutely great what they are doing. We need more companies out there like this!

  • I love this push to become more organic and fresh. We are seeing so many negatives to humans and pets ingesting all of this chemically treated food!