What are the benefits of dry food?
1. Dry food may be better for your dog’s oral health. The physical abrasion of a dog crunching kibble between his teeth can lead to less plaque accumulation which ultimately makes for a healthier mouth.
2. Convenience - This is especially true if you are using free-feeding where dog food is left out all of the time for your furry friend.
3. Dry food can be more economical to feed as you may get more volume and calories per weight compared to wet food.
What are the benefits of wet food?
1. Wet food contains more water which can be important for pets who may not drink as much water.
2. Taste - wet foods may be tastier to some dogs compared to dry foods and can encourage picky eaters or older dogs with less appetite to eat more.
3. Wet foods may be easier for dogs with oral problems to eat. This can include dogs with missing teeth, malaligned teeth or other oral problems that can be painful to them if they eat dry dog food.
Can you feed your dog both?
A good variety of dog food can include both dry and wet pet food. This allows your dog to get the benefits of both types of food and can make mealtime even more enjoyable for your pet. It is important to remember that if weight control is an issue for your dog that you should take into account the calories for both the dry and wet food and they should equal the number of calories your dog needs for his/her body weight and activity level. If you have questions you should contact the manufacturer of the food or your Veterinarian.
If so, what’s the best way to incorporate both into your dog’s feeding?
When first incorporating either type of food it is best to add a small amount, typically making the new food less than 25% of the total diet initially. Then gradually increase the amount of the new food over a 1-2 week period.
Share this Post:
