Pet Plate: A Review
Pet Plate is the latest in-home delivery dog food, a fairly new concept where dog food comes to you (or, more accurately, your dog). The concept is welcoming to pet owners, especially as more and more is learned about the not-so-great stuff that goes into grocery store brands. We’ve all seen the tell-all reports.
But delivery is certainly not cheap and that leaves pet owners asking one all-important question: Is it worth it?
Of course, only you can answer that. But, perhaps, we can help.
The Pros of Pet Plate
First of all, let’s look at what Pet Plate offers. It comes with a selection of four different recipes, including Barkin’ Beef, Tail Waggin’ Turkey, Chompin’ Chicken, or Lip Lickin’ Lamb.
The Barkin’ Beef contains ground beef, sweet potatoes, beef liver, apples, green peas, carrots, and pumpkin. The Tail Waggin’ Turkey contains ground turkey, turkey liver, carrots, salmon oil, apples, and brown rice. The Chompin’ Chicken contains ground chicken, sweet potatoes, chicken liver, butternut squash, apples, and broccoli. And the Lip Lickin’ Lamb contains ground lamb, sweet potatoes, quinoa, lamb liver, broccoli, salmon oil, and apples. Don’t let your dog read this; they’ll lick your computer screen.
The meat itself has several benefits, including:
- Human-grade (like people food for pets)
- All-natural and fresh ingredients without any preservatives
- USDA-Certified
- No fillers
The meals are designed by doggie nutritionists and custom-made for your dog based on size, breed, age, exercise habits, and dietary needs. Other benefits include:
- Customized shipping where you can skip or pause as needed
- Free shipping
- Two plans to choose from
- Money-back guarantee
- Pre-portioned meals to save you time and energy
- Recyclable packaging
- Referral programs that can save you money
- Meals shipped in resealable containers
- Food that stays good for a year when stored inside the freezer or for
approximately five days when stored inside the refrigerator
Of course, the biggest pro of Pet Plate is that it’s good for our furry friends, which translates into a happier, healthier, and longer living dog.
The Cons of Pet Plate
There are a few different drawbacks to Pet Plate, including the lack of samples and the possibility that your dog will not like the food. However, the money-back guarantee helps assuage this.
Another drawback is that these meals tend to have lots of protein, which is beneficial to many dogs but not necessarily all. Some people online have mentioned that they had to stop feeding Pet Plate to their small breeds because it was hard on their kidneys.
Because the service customizes the plan and takes into consideration what kind of dog you have, this should not be a problem for most people. However, if your dog has special needs, don’t start Pet Plate (or anything else) without talking to your vet first. And don’t be afraid to listen to your gut, either: If you think something is off, it probably is.
The above are exceptions, yet the cost is something many people balk at; it is by far the biggest con. While it’s on par with other pet food delivery services, it’s not cheap and that makes it unrealistic for some pet owners, especially during difficult times of recession and pandemics. Still, if you’re already buying premium dog food from the store, it might not cost you that much more.
The different subscription plans offset this a bit. You can choose from two, including a cheaper “Topper Plan” that is designed to deliver food that you can use to “top off” your dog’s regular dinner. There is also a “Full Plan” that is more expensive.
Naturally, the bigger your dog (and the more dogs you have) the higher the price. A Full Plan for a small dog, such as a Maltese, may only cost two dollars a day but if you have a 120-pound Mastiff, you’re looking at 13 or 14 dollars a day. Of course, using a Topper Plan or switching delivery off every other week can help offset the cost.
The Verdict
If cost isn’t an issue, the perks to trying Pet Plate are enormous and, with a money-back guarantee, there is really no reason not to give it a go. But, if cost is a concern, consider a Topper Plan to start. You can always cancel if it becomes too expensive.
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
