Find food that fits your pet’s needs
Find a dog food that fits your pet’s needs
Find a cat food that fits your pet’s needs
Today's dog foods have gotten a facelift. You can serve your dog a blend of beef, lamb, chicken, and nutritious vegetables and grains, and all of which play a major role in providing balanced nutrition for your dog through all stages of his life. Though dry food has often been thought to be the healthier option, wet dog food is just as healthy, too. Here's why:
1. Variety
Both wet and dry foods are equally healthy for dogs. Wet foods often have aroma and taste appeal that can get some picky puppies to eat consistently. Also, wet foods comes in many options of flavors, textures and forms than dry foods which can provide for varied meal time experiences.
2. Easier to Chew
Many pet parents shy away from offering canned dog food to their pets. They're worried they aren't giving their dogs adequate nutrition, or that wet food harms a dog's teeth. A good-quality wet food can offer your pet balanced nutrition to support and maintain his health throughout all stages of life, and veterinarians say that feeding your dog wet dog food won't harm his teeth or gums. In fact, for older dogs with tooth or gum issues, wet food may be easier to eat than dry.
3. Keeps Well
Look for brands of wet foods that offer complete and balanced nutrition with a balance of wholesome meats, vegetables, grains, vitamins and minerals for a tasty and healthy meal. Beef, lamb, chicken, and wholesome grains and vegetables offer your dog a rewarding mealtime through these nutrients. Wet food in unopened pouches and cans can have a long shelf life but remember to refrigerate them after opening.
When to Serve Dry
While wet and dry food are equally nutritious, there can be reasons you may want to offer your dog a dry food. Dry food can be easier to portion, especially when you are using a gram scale to weigh the food. Dry food can be purchased in larger bag sizes too, which can be more convenient for pet parents with large breed dogs. And if your dog is a grazer, dry food is a better fit as wet food will spoil within four hours after being served if left out. Kibble is also easy to use in food puzzle toys to enrich your dog's life and satisfy them without overfeeding.
Why Not Both?
Blended feeding mixes wet food and dry into your dog's daily routine, so he gets some of both each time they visit their bowl. Just remember that mixing means it will spoil faster, so any uneaten mixture shouldn't be left out. Some pet parents choose to feed dry kibble in the morning and offer their dog a meal of wet food at night. This covers all your bases, and provides your dog with some variety as well as a tasty treat.
Contributor Bio
Jeanne Grunert
Jeanne Grunert is a freelance writer, blogger and novelist. She lives and works on a 17-acre farm in Virginia along with her German shepherd, Shadow, along with six cats.
