Is wet or dry dog food better for your dog? It will depend on your particular dog and their health and nutrition requirements, and also the pros and cons of these different food types.
Dry Food Advantages
There are a few things to consider when purchasing dry food for your dog.
The advantages of dry dog food are clear. Kibble is easy to measure out: food can be accurately and easily portioned to keep diets consistent. Kibble is easy to store. Dry food rarely goes bad as long as it is used within the expiration date. It can be purchased in bulk and stored for relatively long periods. This means little waste, which often means good savings. Dry foods are also less expensive than wet foods in general.
Another advantage of a dry kibble is that some of these foods are designed to help clean the dog’s teeth as they eat.
Dry Dog Food Disadvantages
A big drawback to dry food is that they reduce the amount of fat content and increase the carbohydrate content to make kibble keep its shape. If your dog is very active, they may require higher fat than a dry dog food can provide. Some breeds of dogs may have a hard time breaking up kibble due to dental problems or facial structure making it more difficult for them to eat dry dog food. Also, as protein and fat content in dry foods rise, so do the prices, which negates one of the major benefits of dry food: the relative inexpensiveness.
Wet Dog Food Advantages
When it comes to wet food, your dog will often be its biggest advocate. Many dogs prefer wet food as it tends to be more flavourful and more closely resembles meat and meat by-products.
Wet dog foods contain a significantly higher moisture content than dry kibble, which can be important for dogs with urinary tract conditions, or dogs who don’t tend to drink enough water on their own. This added moisture will help fill your dog’s belly, which will temporarily help your pup feel satiated without consuming more calories. In this way, wet foods are a great way to trick dogs on a diet into believing they’re not being deprived in a weight loss plan.
Wet foods often have a higher protein content than dry foods. Active and younger dogs may require this boost in protein to keep them energetic and active and to help build muscle.
Wet Dog Food Disadvantages
Most wet food requires refrigeration after opening and needs to be consumed 1-2 days after opening. You may end up throwing out some wet food, which is wasteful to both the planet and pocketbook. Wet foods won’t clean your dog’s teeth or massage their gums as they eat, which may lead to more plaque build-up and potentially to tooth decay.
A Mixed Compromise
Since both wet and dry dog foods have their advantages, many pet owners find that mixing wet and dry together at feeding time provides the best of both worlds. Unless your dog has very specific dietary requirements, you may consider this option. Combining wet and dry foods will allow your dog the flavour benefits of wet food, while you can keep some of the financial and logistical ease of kibble.
Your Veterinarian can help you determine the right combination of wet and dry foods to keep your dog healthy, and you can work out what will keep their tummies happy, too.
The Move Your Doggie provides feedings on all our visit’s. We also include a report card through the Time To Pet App reporting on how each visit went. This report details the walk/visit and includes how the feeding, water intake, and bathroom visit went. We are respectful to following your guidelines with regards to your feeding routine and requirements so you can be assured that your furry family member will be treated just like you were there!
Move Your Doggie offers dog walking and pet sitting services in Ajax, Oshawa, and Whitby, in Durham Region. For more information and to book your complimentary Meet and Greet, please visit our Contact Us page.