Hungry Bark: reviews, general information, price

Making the switch from a normal kibble or canned dog food diet to a fresh one can seem a little daunting. There are so many fresh pet food companies out there. Add a picky dog to the mix and finding one that would work for you seems completely overwhelming. That’s where Hungry Bark comes in. They’re a great dog food delivery service that’s sure to get your pup’s tail wagging.

But, are they worth it? What are their prices? And what makes them different? Here’s our Hungry Bark dog food review.

What is Hungry Bark?

At the center of Hungry Bark is a man called Nick and his two (very cute) dogs called Shorty and Barkley. Nicks’s life and health were changed when he went to a nutritionist who created a meal plan based on his specific needs. When he saw the impact it had on his life, he thought he could do the same for his beloved pets.

After adopting his two pups from the shelter (Hungry Bark is big on adoption and helping family-less dogs) he went about creating them the best food he could. Barkley, in fact, is the inspiration behind the sweet logo, his floppy ears, and puppy dog eyes appear all over the website.

What makes Hungry Bark different from other fresh food brands?

The reason why Hungry Bark dog food is particularly great for fussy/stubborn eaters is that it doesn’t actually look like fresh dog food. Other companies send wet food in which you can clearly see all the peas and sweet potato chunks. Whilst that’s great because you know what they’re eating, it’s sometimes not overly appetizing for pups used to kibble.

Hungry Bark does kibble that looks (basically) like kibble. The fresh ingredients are slowly cooked to retain all the nutrients and flavor and then freeze-dried to keep them fresh without the need for refrigerating.

They also do chew supplements which range from Balanced Belly probiotics to Chill Chew calming tablets and cover most things in between. They're all vet-certified to help overall wellbeing and taste good too!

If you’re not ready to go to 100% fresh food just now, you can also get a bag of their protein mix-ins. Choose from freeze-dried beef, salmon, or chicken and add them to your dog’s current food. They’re full of extra nutrients and flavor!

How does Hungry Bark work?

Unlike other fresh food brands you don’t have to (but you can) sign up for a subscription. If you know what you want, you can simply go to their website and purchase it. If you’re not sure, you can fill out their short questionnaire. They’ll ask for your dog's breed, weight, age, activity level, and a few other questions to determine what kibble and added extras would be best for them.

With their custom meal plan, you can let them know if your pup has any allergies or sensitivities and also if there are any specific health issues you’d like to address. At any stage of the process, you can change their suggested protein mix-ins, supplements, or kibble flavor.

They’ll then send you your order. Unlike other fresh food brands, there’s no need for ice packs or coolers. Their food doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can last a few weeks in a cupboard thanks to their keep fresh, recycled packaging!

Hungry Bark’s fresh food recipes

Whether you’re buying kibble, mix-ins, or supplements you know you’re getting top-quality ingredients. All their veggies are non-GMO and they don’t use any fillers or artificial flavors in any of their recipes. They also only use farm-raised meat, that’s cage-free, deboned and that’s free from antibiotics and hormones.  They add naturally occurring probiotics to support your pup’s gut health and overall digestion.

Kibble

There are four great kibble flavors to choose from including lamb and turkey, salmon, chicken and turkey with brown rice, and turkey and duck. They all include a good mix of protein sources, pulses such as lentils, and veggies like green peas.

Protein mix-ins

Hungry Bark has three different types of mix-ins which are a great way of getting a bit more protein and nutrients into your dog’s diet. You can choose from chicken, salmon, or beef. They’re particularly good for underweight dogs, very active dogs, or working dogs. They’re all vet (and pup!) approved.

Pros and cons of Hungry Bark dog food

Pros

• Shop for yourself. You don’t have to sign up for a subscription or meal plan. You can just buy the products if you know what you want.
• Great for dry food-loving pups. Not all dogs like wet food, especially fresh wet food. Hungry Bark’s kibble is a great way of getting them to eat fresh ingredients (especially picky eaters).
• No need to clear your freezer. Unlike other brands, Hungry Bark stays fresh outside of the fridge/freezer. 
• Highest-quality ingredients. They make sure all their ingredients are free from nasty added extras, hormones, and chemicals. They also care about where the meat comes from, so never use caged animals.
• Variety. As well as kibble, they offer mix-ins and supplements to help with your dog’s overall well-being.

Cons

• Price. Fresh food costs more. Especially one that uses such high-quality ingredients. This can be a bit tricky to get your head around when it looks so much like kibble.
• Beef lovers won’t be happy. The kibble comes in four different flavors, but beef isn’t one of them. There is, however, a beef mix-in.
• Not pre-portioned. Hungry Bark dog food comes in large bags rather than individual portions so you need to make sure you don’t over or under-feed your pup. The packets do have instructions though.
• High carbohydrate levels. Most of the recipes contain a lot of carbohydrates – especially the chicken ones.

How much does Hungry Bark cost?

If you decide to do a custom meal plan, Hungry Bark will advise you on how much and how often you need to order food. This, of course, depends on how big your dog is and its energy levels. 

Their kibble comes in 3 bag sizes – 4-pound, 12-pound, and 24-pound. Prices range from $21.49 to $61.99.

Their supplements come in a jar that contains 60 chews and costs between $21.49 and $28.79. Protein mix-ins cost $13.49 for a 5-ounce bag (if you buy all three you’ll save $9 though).

What else do they do?

Quite shockingly, nearly 4 million dogs enter shelters every year. Because of Shorty and Barkley, Hungry Bark is determined to do its bit to help these dogs. They match any money donated to shelters through their website and give you the chance to round up the price of your purchases, so these couple of cents can go a long way.

Hungry Bark Reviews – what are people saying?

Positive

“My Golden Retriever isn't extremely picky, but she is considered senior and does need a little extra digestive and joint support than most dogs. She seems to have really taken to the food, and so happy now that I know she's getting the proper nutrients to help her thrive.” Brad, ConsumerAffairs.

Negative

“The day after I received my first shipment (no time to try the product) the company auto shipped another order and charged me $111.13. I have not even tried the product… Hungry Bark refused to do anything and requested that I just donate the $111.13 worth of dog food to a charity.” Whitney, ConsumerAffairs.

Overall thoughts

Hungry Bark is a great option if you want your dog to eat fresh food that’s full of nutrients and protein but that’s dry and more like kibble. They use really high-quality, ethically sourced food and there’s a good selection of products – especially for picky eaters or pup parents who aren’t 100% convinced by a fresh food diet.

You can find more information about other popular fresh food brands here.