Is A Pup Above or Nom Nom better for dogs?

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. Both are A-tier gently-cooked DTC dog food brands. A Pup Above leads with sous-vide cooking method, beef bone broth for natural collagen, chunky stew format with visible whole-food vegetables, and female-founded DTC sourcing. Nom Nom leads with individual portion-by-portion vacuum-sealed packaging, PhD veterinary-nutritionist formulation oversight, Microbiome Health Test integration, and specialized Disease-Specific Therapeutic Diet variants. Pick A Pup Above for sous-vide philosophy and bone-broth-collagen support. Pick Nom Nom for maximum portion-accuracy automation and dogs with specific medical-condition needs.

What is the Nom Nom Microbiome Health Test?

The Nom Nom Microbiome Health Test is a mail-in stool diagnostic kit that analyzes the dog’s gut bacterial community composition. The test identifies potential microbiome-axis health concerns including inflammation markers, dysbiosis patterns, pathogen presence, and diversity scoring. Results are returned via app with actionable feeding recommendations. Structurally unique in the dog food market — no other major DTC brand integrates microbiome diagnostic testing directly into the feeding-subscription model. For dogs with chronic GI issues, recurrent skin problems with suspected microbiome-axis component, or owners specifically prioritizing data-driven feeding decisions, the Microbiome Health Test is structurally meaningful. A Pup Above doesn’t offer this diagnostic integration.

Are A Pup Above and Nom Nom complete and balanced?

Both are AAFCO-substantiated for adult maintenance. A Pup Above is formulated under nutrient-profile substantiation; Nom Nom recipes are formulated under PhD veterinary nutritionist oversight with combined nutrient-profile and limited feeding-trial validation depending on the specific recipe. For adult dogs (1-7 years), both are structurally appropriate as sole diet. For puppies, large-breed puppies, seniors with specific dietary needs, or dogs with diagnosed medical conditions, cross-check with your vet — the adult-maintenance AAFCO bar is different from the all-life-stages bar, and Nom Nom’s specialized Disease-Specific Therapeutic Diet variants may be the structurally appropriate pick for medical-condition feeding.

A Pup Above vs Nom Nom: Which Is Better for Your Dog?

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The short answer: Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. Both are A-tier gently-cooked DTC dog food brands with USDA-inspected human-grade kitchens. A Pup Above leads with sous-vide cooking method, beef bone broth, and stew-like wet format. Nom Nom leads with PhD veterinary-nutritionist formulation oversight, individual portion-by-portion vacuum-sealed packaging (no thaw-and-portion required), pre-pre-bottle microbiome diagnostic option (Nom Nom Microbiome Health Test), and quaternary-coated wet-format mash with visible whole-food vegetable inclusions. Pick on cooking method, packaging-portioning preference, and PhD-nutritionist credential priority.

The scores

A Pup Above Texas Beef Stew Sous-Vide: A (90/100) — Beef, Beef Liver, Russet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Beef Bone Broth.

Nom Nom Beef Mash Fresh Dog Food: A (90/100) — Ground Beef, Russet Potatoes, Eggs, Carrots, Peas.

How the ingredients compare

The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two products:

A Pup Above: Beef, Beef Liver, Russet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Beef Bone Broth

Nom Nom: Ground Beef, Russet Potatoes, Eggs, Carrots, Peas

Both products earn effectively the same v15 score, but the ingredient lineups tell different stories about how they got there — that is where the actual pick decision lives.

Where A Pup Above pulls ahead

Sous-vide cooking method (lowest-temperature gently-cooked subcategory): A Pup Above uses sous-vide cooking in vacuum-sealed bags at temperature-controlled low water bath (130-180°F). Nom Nom uses gentle batch-cooking methods but not specifically sous-vide. For owners specifically prioritizing sous-vide cooking philosophy for maximum thermolabile-vitamin and bioavailable-protein preservation, A Pup Above is structurally aligned. Shop on Amazon →

Beef bone broth at #5 for natural collagen + chunky stew format with visible vegetables: A Pup Above includes beef bone broth supplying natural collagen amino acids (glycine, proline) for joint cartilage and gut lining support, plus additional natural minerals leached from bone. The chunky stew format lets owners visually confirm whole-food vegetable presence. Nom Nom uses a more homogeneous wet mash format without named bone broth as a primary ingredient. For dogs benefiting from bone broth collagen support or owners valuing visual whole-food ingredient confirmation, A Pup Above is structurally aligned.

Female-founded DTC brand sourcing: A Pup Above is a female-founded DTC brand. For owners specifically prioritizing female-founded brand sourcing across consumer-product categories, A Pup Above carries that brand-story attribute. Nom Nom is co-founded by male and female founders.

Where Nom Nom holds its own

Individual portion-by-portion vacuum-sealed packaging: Nom Nom ships in pre-portioned vacuum-sealed individual meal pouches calibrated to each dog’s specific daily nutritional needs — no thawing and portioning required, just open the pouch and serve. A Pup Above ships in bulk multi-meal pouches that owners thaw and portion themselves. For owners specifically wanting maximum portion-accuracy automation (especially relevant for weight-management feeding or multi-dog households with different portion sizes), Nom Nom’s individual-portion packaging is the structural advantage. Shop on Amazon →

PhD veterinary-nutritionist formulation oversight + Microbiome Health Test integration: Nom Nom recipes are formulated under PhD veterinary nutritionist oversight specifically. The brand also offers an integrated Microbiome Health Test (mail-in stool kit that analyzes the dog’s gut bacterial community and identifies microbiome-axis health concerns) — structurally unique in the dog food market. For owners specifically prioritizing PhD-veterinary-nutritionist credentialing and microbiome-aware feeding, Nom Nom is the structural pick.

Specialized Disease-Specific Therapeutic Diet variants: Nom Nom offers specialized therapeutic recipes (Nom Nom Therapeutic Diets) formulated for specific medical conditions — structurally beyond general adult-maintenance feeding. A Pup Above doesn’t offer disease-specific therapeutic variants. For dogs with diagnosed medical conditions requiring nutrient-restricted or condition-specific feeding (kidney disease, liver disease, food sensitivities), Nom Nom’s therapeutic line is structurally specialized.

The bottom line

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 — the pick comes down to cooking-method philosophy, packaging-portioning preference, and specialization-depth priority. Pick A Pup Above for sous-vide cooking (lowest-temperature gently-cooked subcategory), beef bone broth at #5 for natural collagen support, chunky stew format with visible whole-food vegetables, and female-founded DTC brand sourcing. Pick Nom Nom for individual portion-by-portion vacuum-sealed packaging (maximum portion-accuracy automation), PhD veterinary-nutritionist formulation oversight, Microbiome Health Test diagnostic integration, and specialized Disease-Specific Therapeutic Diet variants for dogs with diagnosed medical conditions.