This is why mixing wet and dry food can be so beneficial. It's the best of both worlds. Combining the two will bring balance to your dog's diet, offering up a complete and more rounded mealtime that covers a wider range of nutrients. More variety, different textures, contrasting flavours.
Finally, if a dog doesn't finish the mixture of dry and wet food within a few hours, the dry kibble will get soggy and the wet food will get crusty and could spoil so it cannot be saved and, consequently, may create more waste. There is no 'best' option when it comes to wet and dry food.
Do consider mixing canned and dry pet food. Adding canned food to dry food is another way to increase the moisture content and enhance the flavor of the meal, while allowing you the flexibility of buying different types of food that fit your budget.
You can choose your own ratio of dry to wet food, but we generally recommend two thirds dry kibble to one third wet food.
Over the next 4-6 weeks, you will need to slowly reduce the amount of milk replacer and water, until they are eating a solid diet at around 8-10 weeks old.
The Best of Both
A third option is to choose both wet and dry foods. You can do this by mixing the foods together in the same bowl, giving dry in the morning and wet in the evening (or vice-versa) or by giving them wet food as a "treat" for exceptional behavior.
Contrary to the myths around wet entrees, dogs can enjoy them every day without worry of upsetting your pet's gastrointestinal system, especially if you stick to high-quality brands.
Both dry and wet food are legit dog food sources. Vets say wet is better for ease of eating, better hydration, and better satiety and palatability with fewer carbs. Meanwhile, dry food is better for convenience and oral health benefits at a much lower price point.
It is entirely acceptable to feed your dog a pure kibble diet. Or you can mix their diet up with some cooked or raw meat, fish, vegetables and rice.
The mix is key: The right balance between dry and wet food
To meet your cat's energy needs with wet and dry food, we recommend dividing the total feed by 3 and then feeding as follows: Give your cat 2/3 of the amount of food in the form of wet food and divide it into two rations (e.g. breakfast and dinner).
Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.
Wet food often contains more fat than dry food. This may be too much fat for some dogs, particularly those predisposed to pancreatitis or sensitive to fatty foods. 2. Wet food may increase tartar buildup on a dog's teeth faster than dry food (or at least doesn't prevent tarter like dry food can).
In dry pet food, there's a risk for bacteria and mycotoxins to be present. Also, storage mites can multiply rapidly in dry food. Pets can develop a hypersensitivity to storage mites, resulting in itchy inflamed skin, hair loss and ear infections.
Wet food is a great way to give your dog a hydration boost, while dry food can support dental health. As wet and dry dog foods have many differing benefits, another option to consider is to feed a mixture of both to give your dog a well-rounded diet that targets all kinds of needs.
Fortunately for pet owners, dogs are just fine eating dry dog food. While many pets prefer wet dog food, because it is more palatable, that doesn't mean that dry food isn't a healthy option for dogs.
Good news: our furry friends are completely ok with eating only dry food. Even though tastes and preferences vary from one dog to another, the nutritional properties of quality dog food allow pets to get all the essential elements needed for their healthy and active life.
Pets that are given canned, raw, and cooked whole food diets – which contain 68 – 85% moisture – won't need to physically drink as much water as those fed dry diets. Indeed, when wet food diets are fed exclusively, they provide cats and dogs with most, if not all, of their daily moisture.
But can dogs eat tuna? The answer is no. You shouldn't feed your canine companion the saltwater fish because it could lead to a number of different health problems.
Can dogs have tuna? Yes, you can feed your dog canned tuna, as long as you do so in moderation and infrequently. Choose the version that's packed in fresh water instead of oil or salted water. Also check the label to make sure there is no extra salt added to the canned tuna.
Wet food can be more filling
Because canned food has a much higher water weight than kibble, canned occupies more space in the bowl (and the dog's stomach), and can provide an easy way to scale back on calories. Wet food also provides more moisture which helps with ease of digestion.
Your pet's bowl should be emptied of moist or canned food not eaten by your cat or dog within 4 hours if the ambient temperature is above 50°F. Opened cans should be stored in the fridge, at temperatures between 40-45°F, for a maximum of 5-7 days. Any cat or dog food remaining after that time should be thrown out.
For Opened Canned Dog Food
If it's 50° F or warmer, you can leave wet food in your dog's bowl for up to four hours. After that, you should throw it away. Opened cans can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. After that, you should toss out any leftover food.