Is it better to feed your dog wet or dry food? Both are excellent choices but you may find one is more suited to your dog’s lifestyle and age. We look at both options to help you decide the best diet for your dog.
Wet Vs Dry Dog Food
Wet food provides vital moisture to a dogs diet, a good quality wet food contains around 75 per cent water. This is particularly important for dogs prone to constipation or if they have diabetes or kidney disease.
Dogs at a certain life stage may prefer softer food, for example senior dogs often find dry food hard to chew and therefore enjoy the soft texture of wet food more.
Wet food can also be a convenient option as it often comes in single serve pouches, so it’s ideal for dogs that prefer to eat in one sitting. However it has a shorter shelf life and once opened, it should be refrigerated and used quickly to avoid spoiling. Never leave wet food opened for longer than 24 hours as it will go off and could cause an upset stomach.
Key Benefits:
- Easy to chew
- Palatability
- Helps increase water intake
- Satiety- creates a longer-lasting feeling of being “full”
Dry Food
One of the biggest plus points for dry food is its convenience. It has a longer shelf-life and is much easier to portion, giving owners the option of leaving the food out during day or over night.
The crunchy kibble can also help to prevent dental issues by encouraging dogs to chew their food and reducing the build-up of tartar on the teeth.
Kibble is also easier to integrate into food puzzles and slow feeders, this can provide cognitive stimulation and help dogs that are prone to weight gain by slowing their food intake.
Despite its convenience, a predominantly dry diet can increase the risk of dehydration because its moisture content is less than 20 per cent. If your dog will only eat eat dry food, it’s important to make sure they have access to water everyday to avoid kidney and bladder problems as they get older.
Key benefits:
- Convenient
- Helps to reduce the build-up of tartar on teeth
- Easy to store
- Longer shelf-life
- Cognitive stimulation
The Best of Both Worlds
If you decide to feed a mix of wet and dry, be careful to feed only the total amount of food that your dog needs to minimise any weight gain. It’s best to check with you vet first if you’re unsure about the amount of food you need to give your dog.
Ultimately, the choice of serving wet or dry, or a mixture of the two, is a personal preference between you and your dog. The most important thing to remember is your dogs lifestyle and if the food is going to provide them with all the nutrients they need for their life stage.
Is your dog on a wet or dry diet, or a combination of the two? We’d love to get your thoughts on which option you prefer. Get involved via the comments section below!
