Direct-to-consumer fresh pet food companies are everywhere these days, and we can see why; nothing quite beats the convenience of having healthy, real food meals automatically delivered to your home without having to lift a finger. Joy Dog Food is a relatively new face in the fresh dog food community, but the company’s clean, minimalist recipes with well-balanced nutrition are already earning it major points in our book.
Quality Of Ingredients
As a fresh pet food company, Joy Dog Food depends on the quality of its ingredients to succeed as a brand. Fresh, whole foods are used in all recipes, which are made in a USDA-approved kitchen in Connecticut before being flash frozen and shipped. Food is delivered every two weeks to ensure that no preservatives or additives need to be used; these ingredients aren’t always the best for your pup’s health, but retail pet food brands have to add them to prevent their food from going bad and potentially making your pet sick.
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Our only main complaint about the ingredients in Joy Dog Food is that there are only two formulas to choose from at the moment. If your dog happens to be sensitive to certain ingredients – the same grain and vegetable blend are used in both recipes – you’ll have to find a different brand entirely. Another thing to note is the brand doesn’t use organic ingredients; it’s up to you to decide whether this is something you consider important.
Full Ingredients And Analysis
Analyzing the first 10 ingredients in a dog food is a great way to understand the overall nutrient content of the dog food because AAFCO requires all dog food ingredients to be listed in order of predominance by their weight. Here’s a closer look at what’s inside Joy Dog Food Turkey Recipe:
Full Ingredients:
Turkey, Cauliflower, Rice, Broccoli, Carrots, Apples, Flax Seed, Fish Oil, Turmeric, Joy Complete Nutrition
Ingredients You May Wonder About:
Turkey: Turkey is a fantastic protein source for dogs that is also high in riboflavin and phosphorous. Reference
Cauliflower: This low-calorie veggie is popular with healthy humans for a reason. Cauliflower contains fiber, vitamins C and K, calcium, potassium, and folate. Reference
Rice: As far as grains go, rice is one of the gentlest carbohydrates you can find for your dog’s digestion. Reference
Broccoli: A cousin of cauliflower, broccoli is also high in fiber and vitamin C. While broccoli in large quantities can irritate dogs’ stomachs, in the quantity found in this recipe, you shouldn’t have any problems. Reference
Carrots: Carrots are another low-calorie source of fiber, but their real superpower is beta-carotene, which a source of vitamin A.
Apples: The nutrients found in apples include fiber, vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorous. Reference
Flax Seed: Omega-3 fatty acids in flax seeds will help your pup’s skin and coat shine. Reference
Fish Oil: Another source of omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil can help with maintaining cognitive function, mobility, and overall health. Reference
Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory turmeric is high in antioxidants that can help with your dog’s health, although it’s usually used in many dog foods simply as a natural color and flavor. Reference
Joy Complete Nutrition: This proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals includes everything from garbanzo beans to vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Joy Dog Food Product Line
Joy Dog Food is primarily a fresh dog food company with a small quality-over-quantity product line. However, the brand also recently started offering organ treats in addition to its meal options.
Dog Food
Joy’s meal plans consist of two flavors: Tasty Turkey and Savory Beef. Each contains animal-based protein as the first ingredient, followed by a blend of healthy vegetables and fats. They’re available in full meal portions or smaller topper sizes that can be added to dry food.
Organ Treats
Four beef-based organ treats are available for sale from the Joy website: Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Spleen, and Beef Kidney. Each is marketed towards a different specific purpose; for example, the beef heart treats claim to help with cardiac issues and anxiety, while the beef kidney treats are better for urinary incontinence and hearing loss.
While we’re not sure about the validity of these claims or how effective they’d actually be in treating certain canine conditions, we can at least say that the treats appear to be on the healthier end of the scale. They’re high in multiple vitamins and minerals and are bite-sized for better portion control. We just wish Joy gave a bit more nutritional information about the treats on their website.
About Joy Dog Food
Joy Dog Food was born in 2018 when the founder’s golden retriever, Cooper, was diagnosed with cancer. After working with a veterinary specialist, they formulated a special diet that helped their beloved pup achieve remission. Cooper emerged from his illness with such good health that they decided to make the food available to pet owners all over the United States.
Where To Buy
You can only buy Joy Dog Food from the company website, where a brief survey helps gather information on your pup and determine the appropriate serving sizes. Food is automatically delivered every 14 days in a subscription-style plan, although sample packs are available if you aren’t quite ready to commit before your pup gives it a try.
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Woof Whiskers Rating - 7.3/10
7.3/10
Summary
Joy dog food delivers quality recipes, but little variety. They also don’t have the science team to compete with industry leaders like Nom Nom, making it hard for Joy to differentiate themselves from the pack.
