My Unbiased Spot and Tango Dog Food Review: A First-Hand Look

As a dog mom to a 2-year old Beagle named Bailey, I‘m always researching the latest and greatest in canine nutrition. I want to make sure I‘m giving my pup the best possible diet to keep her healthy and happy. So when I started seeing ads for Spot and Tango‘s fresh dog food delivery service, I knew I had to give it a try.

Over the last 6 months, I‘ve tested out both Spot and Tango‘s Fresh freshly-cooked meals and their Unkibble line. Bailey has loved them both! But there are some key differences between the two that are good to understand before signing up.

In this hands-on review, I‘ll give you an in-depth look at Spot and Tango‘s offerings from a real customer perspective. You‘ll get the full scoop on:

• Spot and Tango‘s background and mission
• An ingredient-by-ingredient analysis
• How the subscription plans and pricing work
• Bailey‘s experience switching to the products
• The highs and lows of being a Spot and Tango customer
• How it stacks up against competitors

So if you‘re considering Spot and Tango for your perfect pooch, read on!

Overview of Spot and Tango

Spot and Tango was founded in 2018 by Russell Breuer, who got the idea after homemade meals helped his sick dog Jack recover. Now they offer convenient freshly-cooked dog food made from high quality ingredients delivered to your door.

Main Goal: Recreate home cooked meals by using human-grade whole foods

Manufacturing: Dishes are cooked in USDA facilities in New York and Wisconsin

Product Types:

• Fresh: Pre-portioned refrigerated dog food
• Unkibble: Shelf-stable dry kibble alternative

Ingredient Sourcing: Fruits, veggies and meat from U.S. farmers

Vet Designed: Recipes created by veterinary nutritionists

Customization: Meal plans tailored to your dog

So in a nutshell, Spot and Tango is all about bringing homemade quality and nutrition into a commercial dog food product. Pretty nice perk for busy pet parents like us!

Next, let‘s get into the details on their two main product lines.

Spot and Tango Fresh Review

Spot and Tango‘s Fresh line is their refrigerated, freshly cooked dog food option. It comes in pre-portioned containers with recipes featuring proteins like beef, turkey, lamb and salmon mixed with grains, veggies and supplements.

Here‘s a breakdown of the key ingredients in Spot and Tango‘s Fresh recipes:

Protein sources:

• Beef
• Turkey
• Lamb
• Salmon

Grains:

• Brown rice
• Millet
• Quinoa

Fruits & Veggies:

• Carrots
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes

Extras:

• Eggs
• Broth
• Oils
• Supplements

As you can see, the ingredients are simple whole foods you recognize that provide balanced and complete daily nutrition. In my opinion, it‘s impressive for commercial dog food!

I also like that none of the Fresh recipes contain common irritants and fillers like corn, wheat, soy or by-products that can trouble sensitive stomachs.

Here‘s a snapshot of the guaranteed analysis showing the nutrient breakdown for the Salmon & Red Quinoa recipe from Spot and Tango‘s website:

As you can see, you‘re getting 35% minimum protein which meets most adult dog‘s needs. And healthy fats from salmon oil and other ingredients provide omega fatty acids for skin and coat health.

In terms of sourcing, Spot and Tango uses farm fresh meats, fruits and vegetables delivered from local producers to their USDA kitchens. So no mysteries about where ingredients are coming from!

I chose the Turkey and Red Quinoa recipe for Bailey since she gobbles up turkey. 🙂 Here‘s a peek in the container at one of her freshly cooked meals:

You can see identifiable turkey chunks, red quinoa, carrots and other goodies. It smells like I made this at home – much more appetizing than standard wet food from a can or pouch!

Now onto how this refrigerated food works when it arrives on your doorstep…

The Fresh meals come packed with dry ice in insulating shipping boxes via FedEx. Each meal container is dated for max freshness.

• Storage: Must be kept frozen or refrigerated
• Shelf Life: 6 months frozen, 7 days refrigerated
• Serving: Thaw and serve, or microwave 5-10 seconds to warm
• Packaging: Recyclable plastic, though not reusable

I will say it‘s super convenient to have a week‘s worth of ready-made balanced meals for Bailey that I can easily store and serve. Beats cooking chicken and rice from scratch multiple times per week!

Now let‘s look at how the Unkibble offering compares…

Spot and Tango Unkibble Review

If your pup prefers that satisfying crunch and you want a nutritious dry food alternative, Spot and Tango‘s Unkibble line is for you.

Unkibble checks all the boxes of a premium kibble:

✅ Grain-inclusive recipes
✅ Single protein sources
✅ Limited ingredients
✅ Crunchy bites

But Unkibble sets itself apart from traditional kibble by gently cooking ingredients before drying to boost flavor and nutrition.

Let‘s analyze the ingredients that go into an Unkibble variety like Chicken & Brown Rice:

Protein:

• Deboned chicken
• Chicken liver
• Chicken gizzard

Carbs/Fiber:

• Brown rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Carrots

Fruits & Veggies:

• Apples
• Kale

Supplements:

• Kelp
• Ginger
• Mixed tocopherols

Again, you‘ve got recognizable whole foods in here including protein, carbs, vitamins with no questionable extras. And the ingredients are clearly labeled so you know what‘s going in your dog.

I personally like that Unkibble includes organ meats like liver and nutrient-dense veggies not typically present in standard kibble.

And again, the nutritionals check out on paper:

Unkibble is packed with 34% minimum protein, healthy fat sources and guaranteed levels of key vitamins and minerals.

As the name implies, Unkibble aims to be a superior kibble alternative. So how does it measure up in Bailey‘s bowl?

Here‘s a close up of the Chicken & Brown Rice Unkibble variety:

Those sizable chunks of chicken are a big difference from dense traditional kibble pellets! And the Unkibble does have a satisfying crunch while still being easily chewable based on Bailey‘s enthusiasm.

A few key points on storage and use:

• Storage: Shelf-stable for 12 months in cool, dry place
• Serving: No prep needed – pour and serve
• Packaging: Recyclable plastic bag with zip seal
• Made in: USA (Wisconsin facility)

Such a relief to have a nutritious backup dry food source for times when I can‘t make it to the store. And one Unkibble bag equals a month‘s supply of food for my Beagle!

The next logical question is…how much is this all-natural goodness going to cost you? Let‘s find out!

Spot and Tango Pricing and Plans Breakdown

Spot and Tango offers total flexibility when it comes to choosing a plan for your pup. You can feed them 100% fresh cooked meals, 100% Unkibble or do a mix. Portions automatically adjust to your dog‘s unique needs.

Pricing Factor Examples:

• Dog‘s weight – ranges from small breed to giant
• Life stage – puppy, adult or senior formulas
• Level of activity – couch potato to extreme athlete
• Any special needs – food sensitivities, joint issues, etc.

To determine the right plan, you simply take a quick quiz about your dog while signing up.

Let‘s compare sample pricing:

I priced out plans for a 20 lb, 40 lb and 80 lb dog to give a solid cross section. Here were the weekly costs:

As expected, smaller dogs are less expensive to feed than giant breeds. But surprisingly, pricing stays pretty consistent rather than scaling sharply upward with dog size. Nice!

The lowest price offering is the Unkibble at only $5 per week for a small dog.

And to feed a mid-sized pup fresh food is only $15 weekly. In my area, high quality refrigerated fresh pet food per meal can cost $5-10 in stores. So this is an awesome deal!

You can also do a 50/50 combo plan to get best of both worlds which offers some cost saving.

How does Spot and Tango stack up vs competitors?

Here‘s how the monthly costs compare:

Company	20 lb Dog	40 lb Dog	80 lb Dog
Spot and Tango	$26-$60	$52-$90	$78-$150
Nom Nom	$68-$136	$102-$170	$122-$204
Pet Plate	$60	$90	$150
JustFoodForDogs	$52-$115	$115-$195	$195-$360

As you can see, Spot and Tango comes in at the most affordable raw food and fresh cooked delivery service no matter what size pup you have.

And don‘t forget discounts and promos also apply! 🤑

I was also impressed by Spot and Tango‘s customer-friendly policies:

🛒 50% Off First Order
✅ Free Shipping
🙅‍♀️ No Commitment or Contract
💯 Satisfaction Guarantee

So Spot and Tango makes it very easy to give their food a risk-free try before you commit.

Speaking of trying it out, let‘s get into Bailey‘s experience as a canine customer!

My Dog‘s Experience as a Spot and Tango Customer

As an obsessive fur mom, I‘ll fully admit I was a bit nervous to switch Bailey from her vet recommended traditional kibble to a new diet.

What if she didn‘t like Spot and Tango after all my research?

The great news is she took to it instantly! I selected Turkey & Red Quinoa Fresh recipe and Chicken & Brown Rice Unkibble to start.

On fresh food taste test day, I whipped out my phone to record Bailey‘s reaction.

After one sniff, this happened in about 2.5 seconds FLAT:

You could say it was love at first bite! 😂

I also transitioned some of her old kibble to the new Unkibble variety over the following week. Happy to report she had no issues with the switch.

In fact, I noticed less waste in the bowl since the Unkibble must be more palatable than her previous food.

Over the next months, Bailey continued thriving on her Spot and Tango eating plan.

Here are the results we saw:

✅ Consistent energy

✅ Great digestive health

✅ Silky soft fur

✅ Weight maintained perfectly

Her vet was also impressed at our last checkup and encouraged us to stick with Spot and Tango. Awesome validation!

As a customer so far, positives have included:

🥇 Incredibly convenient food delivery

🥇 Bailey LOVES the taste

🥇 Packaging keeps food fresh

🥇 Customer service is very responsive

🥇 Reasonable pricing for premium quality

I have had a few negatives as well:

👎 Short shelf life of fresh meals means no slack

👎 Packages left outside in extreme temps

👎 Auto-shipping timeline not customizable

However, these have been minor hiccups in an otherwise fantastic experience. And Spot and Tango customer service quickly made things right when I had concerns.

For any other pet parents out there, I‘m happy to share some first-hand tips and tricks I‘ve picked up after several months as a customer:

Tip #1: Take advantage of the 50% off first order deal. It makes sampling the food super affordable.

Tip #2: Mix up protein recipes to add variety and prevent picky eating.

Tip #3: Freeze extra fresh meal portions for times you need a backup.

Tip #4: You can easily pause shipments if going on vacation to prevent waste.

Tip #5: Unkibble is a lifesaver for busy times! The shelf life is awesome.

Tip #6: Reach out to their customer experience team with any questions or concerns. So helpful!

Be sure to keep reading for my final verdict on if Spot and Tango is worth your investment. 💰

Is Spot and Tango Worth It? My Professional Opinion

In my expert opinion as a devoted pet parent and experienced dog food buyer, Spot and Tango 100% delivers when it comes to fresh, healthy dog food.

They take a thoughtful approach to ingredient selection, recipe development and nutrition. And finding high quality pre-made dog meals at home has been a total game changer for me.

I‘d recommend them to anyone seeking the convenience and nutritional benefits of fresh cooked dog food without the work.

And their affordability combined with top notch customer service makes it low risk to give Spot and Tango a shot.

Based on Bailey‘s glowing health and happiness, these products get my expert seal of approval. Two paws up! 🐾🐾

To wrap up this review, I‘ll leave you with answers to some common questions about Spot and Tango:

Q: Is Spot and Tango human grade dog food?

A: Yes! They use high quality ingredients safe for human consumption.

Q: Is Spot and Tango a good dog food?

A: In my personal and professional opinion, absolutely!

Q: Is Spot and Tango worth the money?

A: For the ingredients, quality and convenience provided, Spot and Tango is very fairly priced compared to competitors.

Q: Is Spot and Tango grain free?

A: They offer grain-free proteins (ex: salmon), but also grain-inclusive recipes with whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.

Q: Where is Spot and Tango dog food made?

A. Manufacturing takes place in USDA facilities in New York and Wisconsin to ensure safety and quality oversight.

Alright, that wraps everything up! Drop any other Q‘s in the comments & I‘m happy to help. 😊

And if you give Spot and Tango a try for your fur baby, let me know how it goes!

Bailey sends her best wishes and happy eating. 🐶