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Dog parents know the importance of quality dog food brands.
We want our dogs to receive adequate nutrition and none of the bad stuff in their meals, but sometimes there's a problem: dogs don't eat dog food.
The best way to determine whether your pet will like their kibble is to find free dog food samples and test them with your dog.
Before you say it's odd to search for free dog food samples, anyone who has ever tried to switch the brand of dog food knows that it can be a challenging task.
Some dogs are picky eaters, and it's frustrating buying bag after bag of dog food and having your dog refuse it.
Sampling pet food for free is a great way to avoid that problem and save money.
But where do you find these dog food samples, and should pet owners even consider this before splurging their cash on top-rated dog foods? Here's what you should know.
Where to Find Free Dog Food Samples?
List of Places for Free Dog Food Samples
Finding samples used to be easy. Many popular brands like Purina, Pedigree, Blue Buffalo, The Honest Kitchen, Nutrish, and others offer free samples on their websites, but they don't do this anymore.
Instead, they now offer “Dog Food Sample Boxes” for a low price.
A dog food sample box is just a tiny amount that contains a few servings (12oz – 2lb) of that brand's kibble and costs $5-10.
These are usually enough to determine whether your pup will like the taste of that dog food before you buy a whole bag.
Here are some of the more popular dog food sample boxes:
- TASTY DOG FOOD TOPPER: Mix it...
- SUPPORTS DIGESTIVE HEALTH:...
- HUMAN GRADE: Unlike most pet...
- WE SAY NO TO: This recipe...
- NATURAL & MADE IN THE USA:...
- Contains one (1) 2 lb. bag of...
- Real salmon and ocean fish are...
- Dry, grain free cat food...
- With 40% protein, this dry cat...
- Each grain free dry cat food...
- Contains one (1) 23-pound bag...
- Real beef is the number one...
- Thirty percent high-quality...
- No added grains, gluten or...
- For a limited time, you may...
- One (1) 4 lb bag of ORIJEN...
- ORIJEN dry cat food helps...
- Biologically Appropriate high...
- First five ingredients of this...
- Cat food kibble freeze-dried...
- One (1) 13 lb bag of ORIJEN...
- Nutrient-dense, grain free*...
- Dry dog food made with the...
- The first five ingredients are...
- Dry dog food made in the USA...
Brands That Still Offer Free Samples of Dog Food
While well-known pet food brands no longer offer free samples, some companies continue to do this.
Below are a few less-known brands and some websites to subscribe to for a one-time free dog food sample delivery.
- https://www.petonly.ca/free-pet-food-treat-samples
- https://www.petcurean.com/coupon/
- https://thepetpantry.com/samples/
- https://try.pawtree.com/sample
- https://www.trophypetfoods.co.uk/free-samples.html (the UK only)
- https://www.happydoguk.com/ (the UK only)
- https://www.facebook.com/arknaturals/
- https://nutrience.ca/freebag/
- https://www.bringfido.com/promo/detail/free_samples/
Note: Sometimes, these sites above run out of samples, so you may need to check in again in a month or two.
Some may have already discontinued their pet food sampling program.
It used to be simple to search keywords for free dog food samples and get many websites that offer free foods, but that era has ended, unfortunately.
Most pet food companies are too big right now, and too many “free orders” to continue.
What are Free Dog Food Samples?
Free dog food samples are exactly what you think they are: companies send you little portions of dog food to try out so that you know whether your canine will love the taste of that dog food brand or not.
Finding samples can sometimes be a challenge, but hopefully, this article will help you.
Samples of free dog food are often categorized using the following criteria:
- Single formula per sample
- Paid shipping (usually)
- No more than five samples per order
- Subject to availability
However, Pet parents who want to know where to find free dog food samples must remain cautious.
There are many poor-quality dog products, and some may cause harm.
Much like anything else you purchase or dog products for free, you need to request your free dog food samples only from trusted brands and reliable companies.
Once you signup for a free dog food trial and receive the foodstuffs, be sure that they are in a completely sealed package and that there are no holes or tears.
In light of all the recent dog food recalls, research the company and brand of food you choose to sample.
Ensure that the dog food company is reliable and their brand of kibble has not been recalled in recent months.
Although they are just small dog food samples, you still need to ensure that they are safe for your pet.
Do you want to know more about the best dog food brands and which dog food brand is currently the most popular among pet owners?
Take a look at the below articles, especially the first one from our DVM contributor:
RELATED: 10 Vet Recommended Dog Food Brands
How to Choose Free Dog Food Samples?
Free dog food samples are abundant for ordering online, so we need to filter through the bad stuff and find only good food samples.
The best thing you can do at first is to decide what type of dog food you would like to feed your Fido and focus on searching for free dog food samples specifically of that type and brand.
Here are a few examples:
- Wet dog foods: Dog food with high moisture content. Usually canned dog food.
- Dry dog foods: Dog food with low moisture content. They can include shapes, pellets, kibbles, flake foods, biscuits, or mixers.
- Semi-moist dog food: Soft pellets with a chewy texture are usually packed in pouches.
Then you'll need to decide whether you want to feed your dog complete dog food or complementary dog food.
In short, complete dog foods are nutritionally complete and will provide your canine with all the nutrients that he needs.
Complementary dog foods are only designed to be part of your canine's diet and must be fed along with another dog food type to provide a good diet balance.
AFFCO has a great PDF document on this subject that you can read for more details.
Once you have decided what type of dog food you want to feed your canine, you should think about the nutritional content of that dog food.
This may already be decided if your dog has been diagnosed with an allergy to certain foods or has a health condition requiring a specific diet.
Once you've chosen the type and kind of dog food that you will feed to your dog, you will be able to narrow your search and find free dog food samples quickly.
Again, remember always to check and ensure that there haven't been any recalls on the pet food you are sampling.
It is your responsibility to choose dog kibble that will be safe and healthy for your Fido.
READ NEXT: 35 Best Dog Supplies Deals Websites
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