Works as a dog food expert and is a lifelong dog lover
Feeding experience and enthusiasm: Luna showed consistent excitement and appetite for Butternut Box meals, while her interest in Different Dog declined after the first weeks, suggesting a clear difference in palatability.
Health impact: Butternut Box quickly improved Luna’s digestion, energy levels, and coat condition, while Different Dog produced more variable results, particularly with recipes like Wild Venison.
Portioning and convenience: Butternut Box’s pre-portioned pouches provided accuracy and ease, leading to gradual weight loss as advised by the vet. Different Dog required manual portioning, which made consistent feeding more difficult.
Practical considerations: Butternut Box’s flat pouches were more freezer-friendly and faster to serve, while Different Dog’s round pots demanded more storage space and preparation effort.
Value for money: Although Different Dog scored higher in nutritional analysis and sustainability, Butternut Box proved more cost-effective and delivered better overall results for Luna’s wellbeing and feeding experience.
| Criterion | Butternut Box | Different Dog |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient quality | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Nutritional value | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Value for money | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Digestibility | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Reliability | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Final Grade | 4.8/5 | 4.0/5 |
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of thoroughly testing both Butternut Box and Different Dog with Luna, my 6-year-old chocolate Labrador. If you’re anything like me and searching for the best fresh dog food for your four-legged friend, you’ll understand how challenging it can be to see through all the marketing hype. After using both brands for months, I’m keen to share my honest findings.
Luna, at 28kg, is your typical Labrador – cheerful, energetic, but with a stubborn streak. She has a sensitive stomach (any Lab owner will relate!) and carries a few extra pounds. She showed little enthusiasm for dry food, often leaving half her bowl untouched. This made me curious whether fresh food might make all the difference.
When unpacking both deliveries, the difference was immediately apparent. Butternut Box arrives in a smart, well-insulated box with pre-portioned pouches that are clearly labelled. You can see at a glance how much Luna needs per meal – incredibly handy. The pouches look fresh and appetising, as if you’ve just finished cooking yourself.
Different Dog comes in compostable pots that look professional. The food itself resembles more of a firm pâté. You need to portion it yourself, which means getting busy with a spoon and storing opened pots in the fridge. For me personally, this was slightly more hassle, especially on rushed mornings.
This is what really matters, of course. Luna’s reaction to Butternut Box was overwhelmingly positive. She was already wagging her tail the moment I opened the freezer. The food disappeared from her bowl in record time, something I never saw with dry food. After three months, her enthusiasm remains as strong as ever.
With Different Dog, it was a different story. The first few days, Luna ate it reasonably well, but her enthusiasm gradually waned. After a week or two, I noticed she’d sniff around first, eat a bit, walk away, then return later to finish it off. Not exactly the behaviour of a dog enjoying her food. It reminded me of how she approached premium tinned food – edible, but hardly a celebration.
Both brands use human-grade ingredients, which is naturally fantastic. Different Dog scores impressively with 90-96% on nutritional value according to All About Dog Food, whilst Butternut Box comes in at 88%. On paper, Different Dog wins.
Butternut Box uses 60% fresh meat in their recipes, consistent across their entire range. Different Dog varies more, with at least 60% meat but sometimes higher percentages. You might think more is automatically better, but Luna’s digestion told a different story.
The recipe variety is also worth mentioning. Butternut Box offers 11 different flavours, including some with grains for dogs that tolerate them well. Different Dog has 13 recipes, including a special Health+ range for dogs with health problems. If your dog has specific medical needs, that’s obviously a significant advantage.
This was crucial for me given Luna’s sensitive stomach. With Butternut Box, I saw improvements within two weeks. Her flatulence (a classic Labrador problem) noticeably decreased, and her stools became consistent and well-formed. No more sick on an empty stomach, which previously happened regularly.
Different Dog had mixed effects. Some recipes seemed to work fine, but the Wild Venison recipe in particular caused looser stools. I had to experiment more to find what worked for Luna, whilst with Butternut Box, virtually all flavours were well-received.
After about a month on Butternut Box, I noticed Luna had more energy during walks. She played longer with her ball without tiring. It was as if she’d become a young dog again! Her coat also became noticeably shinier – several people even complimented me on her coat.
With Different Dog, I saw improvements compared to dry food too, but the effect was less pronounced. Luna certainly had much more energy with this food as well, but not that remarkable transformation I witnessed with Butternut Box.
As a Labrador owner, you know weight management is an eternal battle. With Butternut Box’s pre-portioned pouches, I finally had control. The website algorithm calculated exactly what Luna needed, and after three months, she’d lost 1.5kg – precisely what the vet had recommended.
With Different Dog, I had to portion myself, and honestly, I probably gave slightly too much quite often. Those chocolate Labrador eyes are hard to resist when you’re holding the spoon! Luna’s weight remained stable but didn’t drop as hoped. So I certainly can’t blame Different Dog for this – I need to look at myself.
Both brands require considerable freezer space, but Butternut Box had an advantage here. Their flat pouches stack efficiently, whilst Different Dog’s round pots take up more space. With one freezer drawer, I could store about three weeks’ worth of Butternut Box, but only two weeks of Different Dog.
The difference in convenience was greater than expected. With Butternut Box, you grab a pouch, defrost it, snip it open, and you’re done. With Different Dog, you need to defrost a pot, open it, scoop out the right amount, reseal the pot, and store it in the fridge. There isn’t a massive difference between the two brands in terms of convenience, but if this matters to you, I’d choose Butternut Box for the pre-portioned pouches.
Both companies deliver reliably. Butternut Box gives you a one-hour delivery window, which I really appreciate. Different Dog was slightly more flexible with schedule adjustments, but their customer service responded more slowly to questions I had.
Let’s be honest about pricing – neither is cheap. For Luna (28kg), Butternut Box cost me approximately £85-90 per month. Different Dog came to £95-105 per month for comparable quantities.
Yes, Different Dog has higher nutritional value on paper, but I didn’t find that extra £10-15 per month justified given Luna’s lukewarm enthusiasm for the food. With Butternut Box, I got value for money: a happy dog who looked forward to mealtimes.
I can also offer 50% off the first two boxes for anyone wanting to try Butternut Box! This lets you try it at a great price and see how your dog responds. Click here to claim the discount code!
Both companies are B Corp certified, which speaks volumes about their ethical standards. Different Dog scores slightly higher (84.6 vs 82.6), and their compostable pots are a plus point. Butternut Box’s pouches unfortunately aren’t recyclable yet, which does bother me.
Different Dog produces everything in the UK, whilst Butternut Box also has facilities in Poland. For those who value local production, that’s worth considering.
Beef It Up became Luna’s absolute favourite. It smells wonderful (yes, I tasted it myself – tasted like a mild casserole) and Luna ate it with such enthusiasm that I sometimes wondered if she had time to actually enjoy it.
Gobble Gobble Turkey worked perfectly for her sensitive stomach. At 5.5% fat, it was light enough not to cause problems, but nutritious enough to keep her satisfied.
Beautiful Beef looked high-quality with clearly visible vegetable pieces, but Luna wasn’t impressed. She ate it, but without the joy I saw with Butternut Box.
Stay Supple Fish Supper from their Health+ range seemed promising for her joints (she is getting older, after all), but the fish flavour apparently wasn’t Luna’s thing. She regularly left half of it.
I’d consider Different Dog if your dog has specific health problems. Their Health+ range with recipes for heart, kidney, or weight issues is unique. Also, if nutritional value is your absolute priority and money’s no object, it’s worth considering.
Butternut Box suits most dogs better, especially fussy eaters. The convenience, consistent quality, and overwhelmingly positive reaction from dogs make it my favourite. It’s also better for busy owners who value convenience.
My vet was positive about both brands but noted that more clients seem satisfied with Butternut Box. She sees fewer digestive problems in dogs eating Butternut Box, though she emphasised this is anecdotal evidence.
Interestingly, she told me that Different Dog’s higher nutritional value doesn’t automatically mean better for every dog. Some dogs thrive better on slightly less rich food, especially if they have sensitive stomachs like Luna.
After months of testing both brands, I’m sticking with Butternut Box. If you’re still exploring options, you might also want to read our Butternut Box vs Pure comparison. It’s not just cheaper, but more importantly: Luna is happier with it. Her health is excellent, her energy is fantastic, and mealtime is once again a celebration rather than a chore.
Different Dog is absolutely a quality brand and I understand why it scores so highly on nutritional value. For dogs with specific health problems or owners who want only the very best regardless of price, it’s certainly worth considering.
But for Luna and me – and I suspect for most dog-and-owner combinations – Butternut Box offers the perfect balance of quality, price, convenience and taste. The fact that Luna approaches every meal with as much enthusiasm as that very first time really says it all.
