Different Dog is a fresh dog food subscription from Shropshire. Its chefs cook meals from scratch in the brand’s own kitchen in Telford, freeze them in portioned pots and send them to your door on a plan built around your dog’s age, weight and appetite. Expect to pay from around £2 a day for a small dog and £4 to £5 a day for a large one, plus delivery. It is not cheap, but it is one of the most carefully made fresh foods you can buy in the UK, and the no-lock-in plan and money-back first box make it easy to try.
Different Dog at a glance
| What you want to know | The answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | Freshly cooked, frozen dog food on a personalised subscription |
| Price | Roughly £2 to £5 a day for a full diet, depending on your dog’s size |
| Delivery | £3.99 Monday to Friday, £4.99 on Saturdays, by DPD |
| Recipes | 13 complete recipes across 7 proteins, plus a Health+ range |
| Ingredients | Around 60% British meat or fish, no grains, legumes or buckwheat |
| Contract | None: pause, change or cancel any time |
| Guarantee | Money back on the first box if your dog will not eat it |
| Where | Mainland UK, excluding the Highlands and islands |
How Different Dog works
- Tell them about your dog. You answer a short quiz on breed, age, weight, activity and any health issues. Different Dog uses it to work out a daily portion and suggest recipes.
- Pick the recipes and the plan. You can feed Different Dog as a full diet or as a partial plan mixed with your dog’s usual kibble, which brings the cost down a lot.
- Get the box. Meals arrive frozen in an insulated box, with a one-hour delivery slot from DPD. It usually takes about four days from ordering to delivery.
- Store and serve. Pots go straight in the freezer. Move the next day’s food to the fridge to defrost overnight, then serve it cold or slightly warmed. Once defrosted, a pot keeps for five days in the fridge.
After that, deliveries repeat on the schedule set for your dog’s portion size. You can swap recipes, change portions, move a delivery or pause the plan from your account.
What is in the food?
This is where Different Dog earns its price. Each recipe is around 60% British meat or fish, with the rest made up of vegetables, fruit and what the brand calls superfoods, such as spinach, broccoli and mint. There are no grains, no legumes and no buckwheat, which suits dogs that do not get on with fillers. Every meal is complete and balanced, so you can feed it on its own. The recipes are written by the brand’s in-house canine nutritionist and checked by a vet.
The core menu reads like a pub lunch: Chicken Casserole (the original recipe and still a customer favourite), Lamb Hotpot, Braised Beef, Turkey Fricassee, Pork Ragu, Atlantic Salmon and Three Bird Roast among them. All but one are suitable for puppies from eight weeks.
The Health+ range
Different Dog also makes a Health+ range for common health problems and older dogs, including a weight control recipe, a joint support fish recipe and a low purine and phosphorus recipe for kidney support. That last one is the only recipe not suitable for puppies or pregnant and nursing dogs. These are still complete meals, but if your dog has a diagnosed condition, talk to your vet before switching. The brand’s nutritionists also offer free advice and a transition plan if your dog has a sensitive stomach.
How much does Different Dog cost?
There is no fixed price: your quote depends on how much your dog needs to eat. As a guide, owners and reviewers report these daily costs for a full diet at the regular price:
| Dog size | Example | Typical cost per day | Per month (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Around 6kg, like a Jack Russell | About £2.10 to £2.50 | £65 to £75 |
| Medium | Around 12kg to 14kg, like a cocker spaniel | About £3 to £4.40 | £90 to £135 |
| Large | Around 21kg to 26kg, like a smaller labrador | About £4.70 to £4.90 | £140 to £150 |
Delivery is added to each box at £3.99 on weekdays or £4.99 on Saturdays. Bigger boxes spread that cost over more meals, so it matters most for small dogs.
Different Dog almost always has an introductory discount on the first two boxes. Take it, but budget for the full price. If the full diet is too much, a partial plan, where Different Dog is a topper or half of each meal, is a sensible middle ground and still gets you most of the benefit fussy eaters notice.
Delivery, storage and packaging
Boxes travel with DPD, which sends a one-hour delivery slot on the day. If you are out, you can ask DPD to leave the box in a safe place, and the food is fine to refreeze as long as the pots still feel cold. Deliveries run Monday to Saturday, never on Sundays or bank holidays, and only to mainland UK. The Scottish Highlands and islands are not covered.
A word on freezer space: a fortnight of food for a large dog takes up a good chunk of a standard freezer drawer. Check you have room before your first box, especially if you plan to order less often. The pots are made from plant-based sugar cane and the outer box is recyclable, and Different Dog runs a free returns scheme for the insulation and ice packs. The brand is also a certified B Corp.
How to pause or cancel Different Dog
There is no minimum term. You can pause, change or cancel your plan in your online account, or contact the team by live chat, by email at [email protected] or by phone on 01952 456 850. One thing to know: if the invoice for your next box has already been raised, that box will still be sent unless you give at least three days’ notice. Cancel well ahead of your next delivery to avoid paying for one more box.
The Empty Bowl Guarantee
If your dog does not like the food, Different Dog refunds your first box, up to £50. The rules: your dog must have tried the food for at least five days, you must get in touch within 28 days of the order, and the guarantee is limited to one per address. It is a fair way to test a fussy eater without risk.
What we like, and what could be better
What we like
- Properly cooked food with recognisable ingredients and a high meat content.
- No grains, legumes or buckwheat in any recipe.
- A wide menu and a Health+ range for older dogs and common conditions.
- A real nutritionist and vet behind the recipes, plus free advice.
- No contract and a money-back first box.
What could be better
- Expensive for large dogs on a full diet.
- Delivery is charged on every box.
- Frozen pots need freezer space and a little planning.
- No delivery to the Highlands and islands.
Different Dog vs Butternut Box and other fresh dog foods
- Butternut Box is the best-known fresh dog food in the UK and the closest rival. Both cook in their own kitchens and deliver frozen. Prices are in the same range for most dogs. Choose Different Dog if a menu with no grains or legumes matters to you, and compare ingredient lists recipe by recipe. Butternut Box is easier to find offers for.
- Pure Pet Food is dehydrated: you add water and serve. It costs less and needs no freezer, but it is not freshly cooked in the same way.
- Tails.com makes tailored dry food. It is much cheaper and easier to store, and a good base if you want to use Different Dog as a topper.
See every option in our guide to dog subscription boxes.
Our verdict: is Different Dog worth it?
For most dogs, yes, if the budget allows. Different Dog is one of the best fresh foods in the UK: high meat content, short and clean ingredient lists, no grains or legumes and real expertise behind the recipes. It is a particularly good bet for fussy eaters and dogs with sensitive stomachs, and the Empty Bowl Guarantee takes the risk out of trying it. The main drawback is cost. For a small or medium dog, a full diet is a realistic treat for many households. For a big dog, a partial plan mixed with good kibble gives you most of the benefit for half the price.
Frequently asked questions
Different Dog: your questions answered
How much does Different Dog cost per month?
For a full diet, expect roughly £65 to £75 a month for a small dog, £90 to £135 for a medium dog and £140 to £150 for a large dog, plus £3.99 delivery per box. A partial plan costs much less.
Is Different Dog a complete food?
Yes. Every recipe is nutritionally complete, so you can feed it on its own or alongside dry, wet or raw food.
Is Different Dog grain free?
Yes. None of the recipes contain grains, legumes or buckwheat.
How long does Different Dog last in the freezer and fridge?
Pots keep for months in the freezer and five days in the fridge once defrosted.
Can I cancel Different Dog at any time?
Yes, there is no contract. Give at least three days’ notice before your next box is invoiced, or it will still be sent.
Where is Different Dog made?
In the brand’s own kitchen in Telford, Shropshire, with British meat and fish.
Does Different Dog deliver to Scotland?
To most of mainland Scotland, yes, but not to the Highlands or the islands.
Questions & reviews
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