Wet food is a great way to give your dog a hydration boost, while dry food is excellent for keeping their dental health in check. 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.
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. A combo of both can also be ideal.
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).
The reality is that it's completely your choice whether you want to feed your dog wet or dry dog food. The most important thing is to choose a food that's complete and balanced and appropriate for his age, size, and activity level.
Better for sensitive stomachs
Dogs with sensitive stomachs and those prone to constipation often do better on wet food diets made from all-natural ingredients.
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.
Should you mix wet and dry dog food? Because both wet and dry diets contain all the nutrients your furry friend needs, mixing foods isn't a necessity for most dogs in good health.
Some pet parents think of wet food as a treat, akin to enjoying a special entrée at a restaurant. The truth is, dogs can eat wet food every day.
Feeding 3 oz Cans of Wet Dog Food
Give your dog one 3 oz can per 3 - 3½ pounds of body weight daily, divided into two or more meals. Adjust this amount as needed to help maintain your dog's ideal body condition.
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.
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.
Benefits of Dry Dog Food Compared to Wet Dog Food
Dental health benefits: Dry food encourages dogs to chew their food, which aids in preventing tartar buildup and secondary periodontal disease. Convenience: Compared to wet food, dry diets are much easier to pre-portion, and they won't spoil if left out all day.
Dry dog food benefits:
So you can bring it anywhere, leave it anywhere, and even leave it out for your pup to return to. The hard texture also helps maintain healthy dental hygiene for dogs, while also being much less messy. Packed full of carbs and protein, kibble is also more energy dense than wet dog food.
Dogs that are fed a canned food or a homemade diet will receive some moisture through their food, as these are about 65-80% water. You might notice that your dog drinks less than when eating only dry kibble on a daily basis.
"While there is no best time, with most dogs that eat twice a day, it is best to feed them in the morning as soon as you get up and then again when you get home from work in the afternoon," says Dr. Sara Ochoa, veterinary consultant for doglab.com who practices in Texas.
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.
Dry Food: Pros – easy storage and feeding, more energy dense, lower cost, dental benefits. Cons – lower palatability, more grains, more likely to contain preservatives. Dry food is by far more convenient and affordable.
For most dogs, it's safe to add some water to their wet food. However, adding too much unclean and dirty water to dog food can cause diarrhea. This is because the dog food already has some water; adding more water will leave it inside the dog's stomach. This can create more bacteria, leading to more health issues.
When transitioning your dog to wet food, introduce the food slowly. Just like humans, sometimes new foods can upset our stomachs. Add a little wet food each day to your dog's bowl while slowly reducing the amount of kibble. Within a week, you should have fully transitioned to their new diet.
Feeding guidelines differ between dry and wet diets, and these should be considered individually when combining the diets. For example, when feeding a ratio of 50:50, we recommend feeding 50% of the recommended amount of wet food, with 50% of the recommended amount of dry.
Soaking dry kibble with warm water will bring out the smell by warming the meaty fats within the food, an aroma which dogs and cats find appetising. Cats, as natural hunters may also prefer the warmer temperature (similar to body temperature).