Sponsored Content
I’m Eating for Energy, and I Want the Same for My Dog
This time of the year, I’m burning the candle at both ends, and over the last two months it’s become very obvious to me that everything goes more smoothly when I fuel my body well. Prioritizing high-fiber, whole fruits and vegetables alongside protein has been a game changer, and the less processed filler snacks I have, the better I feel. As we approach the New Year, I’ve been thinking about all of the previous years that I tried and failed to reach this very conclusion, and my attention has landed on—of all places—my dog.
Because I don’t have kids, Arlo’s life is the only one I have on my shoulders… and I take it very seriously. I scoop out his kibble before preparing my own meals every night, and the filler-less diet I’ve been on feels cruel when I look at the powdery nuggets I feed him on a daily basis. So this New Year, I wanted to share my personal revelation with Arlo by giving him a fresh, high-quality food upgrade. The clear answer to achieving this goal was (is) Ollie.
Ollie’s Fresh New Take: Real Food, Made For Real Pups
Ollie is a no-sweat subscription dog food company founded by a team of passionate pup parents. Their mission is to provide nutritionally balanced, vet-formulated meals made with whole, high-quality ingredients that are specifically tailored to meet every dog’s unique nutritional needs. The best part? They use human-grade ingredients. As in, their meals sound good to me, a human: Pork Dish with Apples, Chicken Dish with Carrots… the list goes on.
Ollie knows that every dog has their own quirks, character, and individual needs. For this reason, they offer a range of options to make sure every dog thrives and lives as long as canine-ly possible. I did enough research that I could write a dissertation on the different fresh pet food options out there, and Ollie was my top-pick (paws down) for how personalized it is, the wide variety of fresh meals, and the fact that everything is slow-cooked in small batches to preserve nutrients.
Their all-natural recipes are formulated to deliver results that you can see and your pet can feel, like a shiny coat, increased energy, and better digestion—all while providing the best possible experience for both pets and their parents. For new customers, they have a 50% off starter box where you get two weeks of food in pre-portioned packs, a feeding guide to help your pup transition into a fresh diet, and a free scoop and “puptainer” to store open packs. I’d read a ton of reviews from the parents of revitalized pups who love Ollie, so I was excited to try it out.
Getting Started With His Custom Meal Plan
It was *extremely* simple to get started: I filled out a brief online questionnaire with information including Arlo’s age, his current (and ideal) weight, and allergies. Then, Ollie crafted up a custom meal plan with four recipes to choose from and perfect portion sizes. Every recipe is full of protein, fiber, and nutrients—and free from wheat and corn (so not only is it allergen-friendly, but can also help your pup shave off a few extra pounds if that’s your goal).
I also added some wellness supplements; one for hip and joint health and another to help him enter a zen zone, plus some tasty jerky strips for treats because I want him to go into the new year with his best paw forward.
After much deliberating, I picked the beef, chicken, and lamb recipes for Arlo. The pricing varies depending on the weight of your dog, the amount of food they need and if you add any subscription extras. For reference, Arlo is a 10lb Havanese Poodle mix, and his subscription includes 7 packs of food delivered every 8 weeks. The subscription price, including the supplements and treats, ended up being $27.90 per week. But since I got half off my first box, I saved on my first two weeks at only $13.95 per week!
Arlo’s Starter Box Arrives
When the box arrived, I was so excited. Shipping was super fast (and free!) and everything is packaged on ice. Just like human food, Ollie’s fresh meals only remain at peak freshness for about four days in the fridge (or 6 months in the freezer), so I popped all of the food in the freezer, except for the first pack which I put in the fridge to thaw.
That first night, I made myself some clean, healthy food and fed Arlo his first meal too. I’ve never seen him eat so quickly—he licked the bowl clean AND came looking for me carrying said bowl in his mouth with a face that nearly convinced me to give him some more. Kibble could never…
One thing that immediately impressed me was how I could see the whole ingredients in each recipe—like beef, sweet potato, peas, and kale. The meals come in vacuum-sealed packaging that keeps the food fresh, without using any preservatives or chemicals. I made sure to put the open meal pack in my Ollie ‘puptainer’ to preserve the food’s freshness.
My Thoughts 2 Weeks In
After two weeks, I’m officially an Ollie fan. Not only is Arlo happier and more energetic than ever, but (selfishly) I feel great about feeding him balanced meals with all of the protein and nutrients he needs. In the same way that I’ve felt just plain better these last few months, I’ve noticed a huge difference in Arlo, too. His energy levels are through the roof, and I can tell that eating isn’t just a monotonous part of his routine anymore.
I’m also having fun exploring the options that Ollie offers. In addition to wet “Fresh” food (the packs that need to be refrigerated) they also carry their own dry “Baked” recipes. Ollie’s Baked food has all of the same benefits as their wet food—like whole, human-grade ingredients, and recipes developed with veterinary nutritionists—but it’s easier to store. Baked food is a bit cheaper, so it also makes the subscription a bit more affordable when combined with wet food. In Arlo’s next order, I’m thinking of trying the Mixed Plan, to incorporate both Baked and Fresh food into his diet.
Help Your Bestie Thrive From Head to Tail
With customizable home delivery, Ollie has made my life so much easier, and judging by his reactions, I’d venture to say that Arlo’s life is much tastier, too. I’m excited to usher him into this new year as an even healthier, more refreshed version of himself. Plus, every time I struggle with my own food choices, I think about the difference that genuinely good food has made in his life. His enthusiasm motivates me, too.
Making the investment into fresh food for a pet can be daunting, but I think about it like this: good, real food is simple. It looks like food and smells like food. Feeding your dog real, minimally-processed food isn’t “spoiling” them, then… it’s giving them what they deserve.
