If you happen to’ve ever caught your canine sniffing their bowl with delicate curiosity earlier than strolling away, you’re not alone. For a lot of pet dad and mom, conventional kibble simply isn’t reducing it anymore. We’re asking more durable questions: What precisely is on this bag of pellets? Why does it have a shelf life longer than a loaf of bread? Is that this actually one of the best I can supply my canine?
These questions are obligatory. An increasing number of canine dad and mom are switching from conventional kibble to premium choices. Why? As a result of extra of us are realizing that our canines deserve higher than the dusty brown bits we’ve been taught to belief.
Many industrial kibble formulation have been developed throughout wartime rationing when affordability and shelf-stability took priority over high quality vitamin. Whereas trendy formulation have come a great distance, they’re nonetheless typically constructed on cost-saving fillers, high-heat processing, and ambiguous ingredient lists that may by no means fly in our personal diets.
Extra importantly, our canines are telling us, typically with their stomachs, their pores and skin, or their vitality ranges, that one thing’s lacking.
That’s the place Spot & Tango is available in. Born out of a want to boost the usual of what “pet food” means, Spot & Tango is a part of a brand new era of pet vitamin manufacturers dedicated to actual meals, clear sourcing, and considerate formulation. However earlier than we dive into how they’re doing issues otherwise, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at what conventional kibble typically will get improper.
What Is Conventional Kibble Lacking?
Let’s be clear: not all kibble is dangerous. It’s handy, reasonably priced, and extensively obtainable, and may present a nutritionally-balanced food plan, which is why it grew to become the go-to customary for many years. However as extra pet dad and mom begin scrutinizing labels and listening to ingredient high quality, it’s turn into apparent that the kibble mannequin is… properly, outdated.
Right here’s why.
1. Excessive-Warmth Processing Strips Away Diet
Most industrial kibble is made utilizing a technique referred to as extrusion, a course of that entails blasting components at excessive temperatures and stress to type uniform pellets. Whereas environment friendly, this technique destroys many naturally occurring vitamins, that are then artificially added again in by artificial nutritional vitamins and premixes.
It’s the dietary equal of overcooked greens: certain, they’re nonetheless meals, however they’ve misplaced a lot of their dietary worth.
2. Ingredient Lists That Learn Like Chemistry Experiments
Flip over the again of a typical grocery retailer kibble bag and also you’re more likely to discover phrases like “meat meal,” “animal digest,” and “pure flavors.” These obscure descriptors typically masks lower-quality protein sources, closely processed animal components, and components designed to make meals extra palatable with out enhancing vitamin.
In distinction, a 2021 survey by the American Pet Products Association discovered that 91% of canine house owners now take a look at ingredient transparency as a significant factor when selecting a meals model. That’s laborious to ship when your label is a maze of thriller meats and lab-engineered style enhancers.
3. Low Moisture, Excessive Carbs, and Lengthy Shelf Lives
Most kibble comprises 10% moisture or much less, which might contribute to delicate, power dehydration, particularly in canines that aren’t large water drinkers. To attain kibble’s crunchy texture and lengthy shelf life, many formulation depend on high-heat processing and carbohydrate binders like grains or starches.
Right here’s the vital distinction: carbohydrates themselves aren’t the difficulty. Excessive-quality, entire grains like brown rice and barley are nutritionally helpful for many canines, offering important fiber, sustained vitality, and key vitamins. Recent research even hyperlinks grain-inclusive diets to raised coronary heart well being in canines, a key purpose why many veterinary professionals now discourage grain-free feeding until there’s a documented allergy.
The priority lies in how the grains are used. Some lower-quality kibble manufacturers pack in extreme fillers or refined carbohydrates as low cost bulking brokers, prioritizing shelf life over vitamin. In distinction, canines thrive on diets with the fitting steadiness of protein, fats, and complicated carbs, ideally from minimally processed, entire meals sources.
4. Restricted Personalization
No two canines are precisely alike, but most kibble presents a one-size-fits-all method. Whether or not your pup is a couch-loving Chihuahua or a hiking-obsessed Husky, their dietary wants differ. Conventional kibble hardly ever accounts for components like age, exercise degree, allergic reactions, or weight administration objectives.
Backside Line: Kibble Is Handy, However It’s Not Slicing It Anymore
As extra canine house owners dig into the science of vitamin, it’s clear that conventional kibble might not at all times be delivering the total image of canine well being. And with smarter, extra clear choices now obtainable, it’s by no means been simpler to make the swap.
Up subsequent, we’ll discover how Spot & Tango is filling the hole, with human-grade components, two game-changing meals codecs, and tailor-made vitamin plans that meet your canine’s wants, not only a mass-market components.
Meet Spot & Tango: Meals You’d Be Proud to Serve
Whenever you consider “pet food,” you in all probability don’t think about something you’d eat your self, and that’s a part of the issue. For too lengthy, most of us have accepted unappetizing seems to be and smells, big sacks, and components lists stuffed with thriller phrases we are able to’t pronounce.
Spot & Tango determined it was time to alter that.
Based in 2018 by pet dad and mom pissed off with the low bar for industrial pet meals, Spot & Tango got down to reimagine how we nourish our canines. The objective wasn’t simply to create a more healthy choice, it was to make meals so contemporary and thoughtfully made that it seems like a meal you’d cook dinner on your canine at residence (if you happen to had the time and a veterinary nutritionist on velocity dial).
So, what makes Spot & Tango completely different?
- Human-Grade Elements: Each recipe begins with entire meats, contemporary greens, and actual grains, sourced from trusted farms and suppliers. You received’t discover meat meals, fillers, or synthetic components right here.
- Veterinary-Formulated Recipes: Spot & Tango works with veterinary nutritionists to create meals that meet (and sometimes exceed) AAFCO dietary requirements.
- Cooked Recent, Flash Frozen: Their contemporary meals is gently cooked in small batches, then flash-frozen to lock in vitamins, with out preservatives or excessive warmth.
- Two Meals Codecs, One Commonplace: Whether or not you select their Recent Recipes or the distinctive UnKibble line, each bowl is nutritionally full and made with the identical care.
Spot & Tango doesn’t do “one-size-fits-all.” They provide a brief quiz that helps tailor your canine’s meal plan based mostly on breed, weight, exercise degree, and well being objectives. This leads to a custom-calculated portion that takes the guesswork out of feeding and helps assist long-term wellness.
How Spot & Tango Compares to Different Manufacturers
It’s truthful to ask: “Okay, however how does this actually examine to what I’m feeding my canine now?” Let’s break down the important thing variations between Spot & Tango and the everyday choices you’ll discover on retailer cabinets—and even from different subscription-based fresh food firms.
Right here’s a wise side-by-side look:
Ingredient High quality
Spot & Tango:
- 100% contemporary, whole-food components
- Actual meats like turkey, beef, cod, and lamb
- Complete grains like quinoa, brown rice, and barley
- Fruits and veggies you acknowledge (spinach, cranberries, carrots, kale)
- No synthetic preservatives, fillers, or by-products
Most Conventional or Mass-Produced Choices:
- Might comprise meat meals or animal by-products
- Synthetic flavors, binders, or preservatives
- Corn, soy, or wheat fillers
- Lengthy ingredient lists with artificial components
Meals Format & Storage
Spot & Tango:
- Recent Recipes come pre-portioned and frozen, simply thaw and serve.
- UnKibble presents a pantry-friendly model of actual meals—air-dried, not extruded like conventional kibble.
- Each codecs are minimally processed to retain vitamins and style.
Most Conventional or Mass-Produced Choices:
- Kibble is commonly cooked at excessive temperatures, which degrades nutrient high quality.
- Canned meals comprises excessive moisture, however typically consists of gelling brokers or meat derivatives.
- Longer shelf stability = greater processing.
UnKibble is very noteworthy right here. It provides canine dad and mom the convenience of scooping from a bag, with the dietary high quality of contemporary meals. It’s the one shelf-stable pet food made with contemporary components, with out the thriller of conventional kibble or the mess of moist meals.
Customization & Portion Management
Spot & Tango:
- Every meal plan relies in your canine’s age, weight, breed, and exercise degree.
- You get actual portion sizes on your pet, no extra overfeeding or underfeeding.
- Simple to regulate as your canine grows or modifications way of life.
Most Conventional or Mass-Produced Choices:
- Most supply customary feeding charts which can be obscure at finest.
- Little to no customization with out buying “specialised” variations for all times levels or breeds.
- Changes typically imply switching formulation completely.
The Verdict? Actual Meals Wins.
Whenever you stack all of it up, components, preparation, customization, and integrity, Spot & Tango is clearly designed together with your canine’s well being and happiness in thoughts, not simply shelf enchantment. It’s not about chasing developments or fancy advertising and marketing claims. It’s about getting again to fundamentals: actual meals, actual vitamins, actual outcomes.
Actual-World Advantages Pet Mother and father Truly Discover
Switching your canine’s meals isn’t nearly components on a label, it’s about how your canine responds. That’s the place Spot & Tango stands out. Whereas the science behind their recipes is spectacular, the outcomes converse louder.
Many Spot & Tango clients report noticeable enhancements throughout the first few weeks of switching. Not obscure, wishful pondering, however actual, measurable modifications.
Listed below are a few of the commonest advantages pet dad and mom have shared with Spot & Tango:
Shinier Coat & More healthy Pores and skin
Because of the inclusion of omega-3 wealthy components like salmon, flaxseed, and sunflower oil, many canines on Spot & Tango develop a glossier, extra hydrated coat. For pups with itchy, flaky pores and skin, the outcomes may be transformational.
Higher Digestion & Firmer Stools
Spot & Tango avoids frequent culprits of digestive upset like corn, soy, or overly processed proteins. The contemporary fiber from components like spinach, candy potato, and pumpkin helps regulate digestion. Many pet dad and mom report much less bloating, fuel, and inconsistent stools after switching.
I’ve seen Spot & Tango assist canines with power gastrointestinal points turn into extra regulated. Specifically, it’s helped nearly completely remove regurgitation in a single affected person. It’s additionally helped one other affected person have extra regular bowel actions and stool consistency. I imagine that is associated to the excessive nutrient density of the product. Canine don’t must eat as a lot of it as a result of it’s extra nutritionally dense per chunk in comparison with conventional kibble. And it appears to be extra digestible than different contemporary meals in that it causes much less GI upset. In fact, each affected person is completely different and can reply otherwise to every meals.
– Dr. Jordyn Zoul, Veterinarian
- Enjoyable truth: their Turkey + Candy Potato UnKibble recipe is very beloved by pups with delicate tummies.
Elevated Vitality (In All of the Proper Methods)
When canines get balanced meals comprised of entire meals, they have a tendency to thrive. Spot & Tango meals are wealthy in lean protein, advanced carbs, and wholesome fat, a combo that fuels each energetic canines and extra sedentary seniors.
Weight Administration With out the Stress
As a result of Spot & Tango pre-ports meals based mostly in your canine’s particular person caloric wants, you’re far much less more likely to overfeed, a typical problem with scoop-based kibble feeding. This portion management may be particularly useful for obese or underweight canines.
And one of the best half? No “food plan pet food” wanted, simply the fitting parts of actual meals.
Choosy Eater Accepted
Some of the constant items of suggestions Spot & Tango receives is: “My canine really finishes their meals now.” For canines who’ve turned their nostril up at customary kibble, Spot & Tango’s contemporary scent and actual taste make mealtime thrilling once more.
These aren’t remoted success tales. In line with inside buyer survey information, over 87% of Spot & Tango subscribers report seen enhancements of their canine’s well being throughout the first month. And that’s not simply feel-good fluff, it’s the results of feeding actual meals that’s designed to work together with your canine’s physique, not in opposition to it.
The Case for UnKibble: Recent Meals Meets Comfort
Let’s be trustworthy, as a lot as all of us need to feed our canines one of the best, every day life doesn’t at all times cooperate. Between work, errands, and simply attempting to get out the door on time, cooking up contemporary meals on your pup isn’t at all times life like.
That’s why Spot & Tango created UnKibble, a real game-changer on this planet of pet food.
So… What Is UnKibble?
Think about the comfort of kibble, however made with the components and care of contemporary meals. That’s the center of UnKibble.
- Made with entire components — assume turkey, cod, barley, spinach, pumpkin.
- Air-dried, not extruded — light warmth preserves vitamins with out high-pressure processing.
- Shelf-stable — no want for fridge or freezer house.
- Customized parts — pre-measured scoops based mostly in your canine’s profile.
S&T was really one of many solely canine meals I might discover to suggest to a consumer who had a canine with extreme meals allergic reactions. Their Cod & Salmon Unkibble was the one meals I might discover that didn’t comprise any allergens for that canine.
– Dr. Jordyn Zoul, Veterinarian
Briefly: it’s the solely shelf-stable dry meals that doesn’t compromise on high quality.
Why It’s Not Simply One other Kibble
UnKibble seems to be just like kibble in type, however that’s the place the resemblance ends.
| Function | Conventional Kibble | Spot & Tango UnKibble |
| Ingredient High quality | Might embody by-products | 100% actual meat + produce |
| Processing Methodology | Excessive-temp extrusion | Mild, low-temp air-drying |
| Components & Fillers | Widespread | None |
| Personalization | Restricted or none | Absolutely custom-made parts |
| Moisture Content material | Low | Low, however nutritionally dense |
| Shelf Life | Lengthy | Lengthy (with out preservatives) |
What You Ought to Know Earlier than Switching
If you happen to’re critically contemplating switching to Spot & Tango, there are some things to know up entrance that can assist you make the transition as easy and profitable as potential.
Right here’s what most pet dad and mom recognize understanding forward of time:
1. You’ll Take a Quick Quiz Earlier than Ordering
Spot & Tango doesn’t promote meals by the bag. As an alternative, you’ll full a short on-line quiz that helps the crew perceive your canine’s age, breed, weight, exercise degree, and dietary preferences. Based mostly on that, they’ll construct a customized plan with actual parts and recipe suggestions.
This degree of customization ensures your canine’s vitamin isn’t based mostly on a generic feeding chart. However it additionally means you received’t see a “worth per pound” listed such as you would in a pet retailer. Your value is dependent upon your canine’s distinctive profile.
2. Transitioning Takes a Little Endurance
As with all dietary change, it’s finest to introduce Spot & Tango progressively over the course of seven–10 days. Begin by mixing a small quantity together with your canine’s present meals and growing the portion every day.
This helps keep away from digestive upset and permits your canine’s intestine to adapt to the higher-quality, extra nutrient-dense components.
And sure, there’s an opportunity your pup would possibly choose round their outdated kibble to eat solely the great things. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
3. It Ships Proper to Your Door
Spot & Tango delivers meals on to your private home on a set schedule. Recent meals arrive frozen with eco-friendly packaging and dry ice, whereas UnKibble ships in resealable baggage with pre-portioned scoops.
It’s hassle-free, however identical to with any subscription, you’ll need to keep watch over your provide and alter supply timing as wanted, particularly throughout holidays or journey weeks.
4. Not a Vet-Prescribed Food regimen
Whereas Spot & Tango meets or exceeds AAFCO dietary pointers and works carefully with veterinary nutritionists, they at present don’t supply prescription-style diets for canines with advanced medical circumstances. In case your pup has critical dietary restrictions or wants a therapeutic components, seek the advice of your vet first.
That mentioned, many canines with allergic reactions, sensitivities, or delicate GI points thrive on Spot & Tango’s limited-ingredient recipes.
5. They Supply a Cash-Again Assure
In case your canine isn’t loving their meals, or one thing doesn’t really feel proper throughout the transition, Spot & Tango presents a no-hassle money-back assure in your first order. You too can pause, skip, or cancel deliveries anytime by way of your account dashboard.
Briefly: they’re assured within the meals, they usually make it simple to attempt.
Smarter, More energizing, More healthy
Selecting what to feed your canine is among the most vital selections you can also make as a pet mum or dad. It’s not nearly filling a bowl, it’s about fueling a life. Spot & Tango will get that. They’ve constructed their complete method round actual components, actual science, and actual personalization.
What stands out most is the steadiness of high quality and comfort. You don’t have to decide on between cooking from scratch or settling for shelf-stable thriller kibble. With Spot & Tango, you get a contemporary resolution that’s rooted in dietary integrity and designed for actual life.
Able to Improve Your Canine’s Bowl?
If you happen to’re bored with questioning what’s actually in your canine’s meals, now’s the proper time to make the swap. Spot & Tango is providing 50% off your first order so you may attempt UnKibble or Recent Recipes with out the total dedication.
As a result of your canine deserves meals as actual as your love.
Often Requested Questions
Is Spot & Tango more healthy than conventional kibble?
Sure. Spot & Tango is mostly more healthy than conventional kibble as a result of it makes use of entire, human-grade components and avoids high-heat extrusion. It’s gently cooked or air-dried, which helps protect pure vitamins typically misplaced in standard kibble. All meals are formulated by veterinary nutritionists and meet AAFCO requirements for full and balanced vitamin.
Is Spot & Tango accredited or advisable by veterinarians?
Spot & Tango works straight with board-certified veterinary nutritionists to formulate its recipes. All meals meet or exceed AAFCO dietary necessities (the first customary veterinarians use when evaluating industrial pet food). Whereas particular person vets might have private preferences, Spot & Tango meets acknowledged skilled pointers for wholesome pet vitamin.
What’s UnKibble, and the way is it completely different from common kibble?
UnKibble is Spot & Tango’s air-dried dry pet food comprised of contemporary, entire components. In contrast to conventional kibble, which is produced utilizing high-temperature extrusion, UnKibble is gently dehydrated at low temperatures. This course of helps retain extra vitamins and taste whereas nonetheless being shelf-stable and handy.
Can switching to Spot & Tango enhance digestion?
Many pet dad and mom report improved digestion after switching to Spot & Tango. The model avoids frequent irritants like corn, soy, and closely processed proteins, whereas utilizing fiber-rich components similar to pumpkin and candy potato. When transitioning slowly, most canines expertise firmer stools and fewer digestive points.
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