Spot & Tango Review: Our Hands-On Experience with Fresh Dog Food

You are what you eat—and that goes for dogs, too. But with so many dog food options out there, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.

If you're curious about Spot and Tango, fret not. We put this fresh food to the test with a review for you.

⏰Short on time? Here's a recap of my Spot & Tango Review!

How We Reviewed Spot and Tango and Why You Should Trust Us

To bring you the most impartial Spot and Tango dog food review, we paid for the food ourselves. We didn't receive it for free so that we can fully weigh the value against the cost and avoid any bias. And although we do make a small commission if you buy Spot and Tango with our discount code, it doesn't cost you a penny. It just helps us to write great content for you for free.

In our review, we've put Spot and Tango to the test with our dog's reaction (spoiler alert: he loved it!), what we thought of the shipping (eco-friendly and lightning fast), how easy it is to feed your dog Spot and Tango (easy, but potentially messy), and more. We've also included a frequently asked questions section for your convenience.

What is Fresh Dog Food?

Fresh dog food is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It's freshly cooked food that hasn't been dried, canned, or otherwise heavily processed. Fresh dog food is free from fillers, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients.

Fresh dog food arrives frozen when you purchase it. From there, you just stick it in your freezer and thaw a couple of packets in your fridge so that they're ready for your dog's meals.

The main ingredient of fresh dog food is cooked meat. Along with that, healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables (like green beans, sweet potatoes, red quinoa, and brown rice) are added to supplement your dog's diet.

Essentially, fresh food for dogs is closer to the source and all-natural.

Things to Consider Before Buying Fresh Dog Food

Thinking about trying fresh meals for your dog? Here are a few things to consider before you make the switch.

1. Does your dog have any allergies? Fresh food has a short list of ingredients and none of the fluff, so it's an excellent option for dogs with food allergies. Wheat, corn, dairy and soy are common food allergies for dogs, and fresh dog food avoids all three. You'll also want to double check that the recipe you choose avoids any ingredients your dog is allergic to.

2. If you're in the market for fresh dog food, make sure to free up some freezer space! Fresh meals are a great, healthy option for dogs, but it definitely hogs a corner of your freezer.

3. Because it's less processed and uses higher-grade ingredients, fresh dog food costs more than dry dog food. You get a lot of bang for your buck, though, with healthy, natural food and none of the filler.

4. Anytime you're looking to try a new dog food it's a good idea to check the feedback of other customers. A Spot and Tango dog food review like this one will reveal exactly what you can expect from a brand.

5. Does your dog have a sensitive stomach? If so, it’s important to introduce the new food gradually. That goes double for fresh dog food. It's a big change from dry food, so take things slow.

Overview of Spot and Tango

Spot and Tango started small with founder Russell Breuer cooking food for his Goldendoodle, Jack. He was concerned about giving his dog the best food, and pretty soon his friends and family began buying fresh meals from him for their dogs.

Spot and Tango quickly rose to stardom from there, raising over $51 million in funding to grow the brand.

Spot and Tango now offers two different options for their food: Fresh Recipes and UnKibble. Their Fresh Recipes is the fresh dog food that we've become familiar with—frozen, fully-cooked human-grade food in single-serve packets.

On the other hand, UnKibble is designed to offer the convenience of dry dog food without such harsh processing. It also uses simpler, all-natural ingredients. Like their Fresh Recipes, Spot and Tango's UnKibble is customized to your pup's weight, breed, and activity level so that your dog gets exactly what they need.

For both the UnKibble and Fresh Recipes, the food is formulated by veterinarians with human-grade ingredients and simple recipes that meet AAFCO's standards for puppies and adults. Their food is cooked in small batches to maintain food integrity. And, although Spot and Tango costs more than traditional dog food, it is sold straight from the manufacturer to keep the price low.

Meet Gojira: Our Taste Tester

Meet Gojira. Weighing in at about 40 pounds of medium Heeler mix, Gojira is one of the youngest dogs in our pack of four. He just turned a year old, and his favorite hobbies include eating, playing with toys, and sneaking food off of the counter when no one is looking.

Gojira is a healthy puppy with no allergies or health issues. In fact—he's a bonified acrobat when it comes to fetching outside! He frequently races around the house with his favorite toys, squeaking all the way, and he gives us a few choice words anytime we don't play fetch with him!

As much as he loves toys, a fresh bowl of food or a packet of treats always gets Gojira's attention, though.

Spot and Tango Review

1) Ordering The Food

This process is pretty easy and straightforward. Spot and Tango asked me for all the relevant information about Gojira (age, weight, breed, energy level). Then, they gave me a suggestion of recipes that would suit Goijira’s profile.

Every step of this process was intuitive and I didn’t have any problems.

2) The Arrival of the Food

Shortly after ordering, I received a confirmation email and a tracking number. Then, the box arrived on our doorstep.

Gojira was immediately curious. He hovered nearby as I opened the box, watching and sniffing intently. Once the food was out of the box, he even tried to climb the counter to get a better look (and smell)!

The food was well-insulated with dry ice and eco-friendly material.

Here's what was inside:

• 27 single-serve packets of frozen, fresh dog food in 3 different recipes
• A clip for resealing pouches
• Welcome papers with information about the food and brand
• Personalized instructions for transitioning Gojira onto Spot and Tango Food

If you're thinking “27 packets seems like a strange number,” then you would be correct. One of the packets of food was missing! I emailed Spot and Tango's support team, and they refunded the missing packet within 24 hours with no hassle.

Fair warning: opening the Spot and Tango’s dog food packets can be messy. Gojira's recipes included Beef & Millet (his favorite), Lamb & Brown Rice, and Turkey & Red Quinoa. And if you open a packet too quickly, the millet, brown rice, and quinoa will fly everywhere!

The “peel here” label is a bit misleading, too. I thought it referred to the paper label itself, but it refers to the plastic at the very corner of the packet.

I was impressed with the food, though. You can see real ingredients in it—individual peas, quinoa, carrots, meat, etc. The lamb recipe even had blueberries in it!

3) Transitioning to Spot and Tango

To transition from his old food, Gojira started out eating ¼ Spot and Tango food and ¾ his old food for the first three days. For days 4 through 6, he ate half and half. And for days 7 through 10, he ate ¾ Spot and Tango and ¼ his old food.

The first night, Gojira wolfed his new Spot and Tango food down—literally! In his wide-eyed excitement, Gojira choked from taking big bites! He recovered quickly and resumed gulping the food down.

Gojira ate all of the Spot and Tango food before eating any of his old food. He loves his old food, too, so this was high praise.

I worried that Gojira might have stomach problems as he switched foods, but he had no trouble whatsoever. If anything, he seemed extra energetic and playful.

4) Gojira's Review of Spot and Tango

Gojira was a big fan of Spot and Tango. The food was gone almost as soon as I put it in his bowl. He would often stick his snout right into the pouch while I was still opening it, gulping it down before I could serve it to him!

One time he even grabbed the packet (still in my hand, mind you) in his whole mouth while I was filling his bowl!

Gojira's favorite recipe was definitely the Beef & Millet. Given the choice, he always sniffed and licked that one.

Now, Gojira isn't a picky eater. He loves dog food and human food alike. But as excited as he gets for his old food, he doesn't eat it nearly as fast or passionately as he does with Spot and Tango.

5) Spot and Tango's Results

Two weeks isn't long. I wasn't expecting much to change in that short amount of time, but I did notice some slight differences.

Gojira has always had very shiny, very soft fur. Even at a year old, he still feels like a puppy.

After a week of eating Spot and Tango, I noticed that his fur seemed a little bit shinier. After two weeks, he had an even more noticeable luster to his fur. His fur felt silky soft, too.

Gojira is an energetic pup. He loves to play all hours of the day. But after just the first night of eating Spot and Tango, Gojira seemed to have even more pep in his step. He's been in a great mood for the last couple of weeks, too! All smiles and tail wags.

Spot and Tango Prices: How Much Are You Going to Pay for It?

Let's be real. Spot and Tango costs more than regular dog kibble. And for good reason—it has higher quality ingredients, less processing, and no fillers or preservatives.

Spot and Tango's prices vary depending on the size, weight, and activity level of your dog. UnKibble plans start at $1 per day, and Fresh Recipes start at $2 per day. Shipping is free, fast, and eco-friendly.

Despite the price, Spot and Tango could save you time (and energy) in the long run. Healthier recipes and better food quality mean fewer vet visits and improved health for your dog. Plus, Spot and Tango saves trips to the store for busy pet parents.

If the price is still daunting, there is another option. Spot and Tango can be mixed with your dog's regular food to gain some of the benefits of fresh dog food while paying less.

Spot and Tango Reviews: What Do Other Dog Owners Think About This Fresh Food Brand?

Spot and Tango gets pretty good reviews overall. Many people mentioned that it comes with a high price… but also share amazing stories about dogs having higher energy levels, less digestive issues, and picky eaters suddenly showing interest in their food.

Spot and Tango Dog Food Alternatives

Spot and Tango isn't the only fresh dog food brand out there. Here is a rundown of what you can expect from some of the other popular fresh dog food brands.

Nom Nom

Nom Nom is a freshly made dog food formulated by formulated by an in-house vet science team. They were also founded by pet lovers concerned about the quality of their dogs' food.

Features

• Made with high-quality, premium ingredients
• Meals pre-portioned for your dog’s exact caloric needs
• Formulated by vet nutritionists
• Offers a full or half portion option if you'd like to mix it in with another food

The Farmer's Dog

The Farmer's Dog is well-known for their amazing taste. Like Spot and Tango, it is customized to your dog's needs, comes with human-grade ingredients, and offers a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Features

• Incredibly good taste!
• Human-grade ingredients
• Eco-friendly shipping
• Customized to your dog's needs
• Satisfaction guaranteed

Ollie Dog Food

Like Spot and Tango, Ollie Dog Food lists their ingredients right on their website. Their ingredients are high quality, and they let you decide how often (and how much) fresh dog food you'd like. This makes it a great option for mixing in with your dog's regular food.

Features

• Customized to your dog's breed, weight, age, and other factors
• Formulated by animal nutritionists
• Offers full-portion options or half-portion options for mixing with other food
• Human-grade ingredients with no fillers or artificial flavors
• Made in the USA
• Includes a money-back satisfaction guarantee

Spot and Tango Dog Food Recalls

Spot and Tango’s recall history lists a voluntary recall for four batches of UnKibble dog food on September 6th, 2022 for potential salmonella contamination. Since then, they've worked with the FDA to increase safety measures.

FAQ

Is Spot and Tango dog food raw?

Spot and Tango fresh dog food isn't raw. It's fully cooked and ready to eat.

Does Spot and Tango offer any discounts?

If you're looking to try Spot and Tango and want a good deal, you're in luck. We have a 20% off discount for DogsPlanet readers!

What if my dog doesn’t like Spot and Tango dog food?

If your dog eats Spot and Tango and doesn’t like it, then you'll be relieved to know that they offer a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Is Spot and Tango Good for Dogs?

Yes! Many pet parents have shared stories about improved coat, energy levels, mood, and digestive health. The less processed food is easier on dogs' stomachs, and Spot and Tango's recipes are vet approved. 

Can you refreeze Spot and Tango Dog Food?

Spot and Tango Fresh Recipes can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. Once defrosted they recommend feeding it within 4 days. They don't mention whether their food can be refreezed, but according to the USDA, as long as the meat is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze.

Does Spot and Tango have a Return Policy?

Spot and Tango has a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. If you want a refund on your trial, simply contact them by 5 pm EST the day before your trial ends to cancel and get a refund.

Where is Spot and Tango Dog Food located?

Spot & Tango is located in New York City, New York, USA.

Do I have to prepare anything?

Nope! Spot and Tango food is fully cooked and ready to feed once thawed.

Is Spot and Tango Dog Food Grain-Free?

There are grain-free and grain-inclusive Spot and Tango recipes so that you can choose the best option for your dog.

How to cancel a Spot and Tango subscription?

Canceling your Spot and Tango subscription is easy! Just email them or log into their website to cancel there.

Is Spot and Tango Worth It?

I think so. Despite costing more than regular kibble, Spot and Tango passed Gojira's taste test with flying colors. I felt good about feeding him natural, high-quality food, and he clearly enjoyed it as well.

Plus, if the extra sheen to his coat and great mood are anything to go by, Spot and Tango food helped Gojira look and feel his best.

Gojira and I loved Spot and Tango, and you might, too. With our 20% off discount, you can order a trial with a money-back satisfaction guarantee. Who knows? This healthy food might become you and your dog’s new favorite!