Why Canned Dog Foodcan Be Better Than Kibble
In many ways, canned dog food can be superior to kibble. They typically contain more meat protein than their dry counterparts.
And theyre made with fewer carbohydrates, too.1
Plus, due to their air-tight packaging, canned dog foods contain no synthetic preservatives. So, fats and oils sealed inside cans dont easily become rancid.
And no artificial flavorings and colorings.
With cans, meat ingredients are closer to their natural state. So, canned products are more palatable and more appetizing.
We Aren’t The Only People That Have Converted To Making Homemade Dog Food And Are Loving The Results Check Out The Links Below For More Homemade Dog Food Recipes Your Pup Will Love
Easy Crockpot Dog Food from Damn Delicious || This simple homemade dog food recipe combines ground beef, brown rice, kidney beans, butternut squash, carrots, and peas in the slow cooker so you can set it and forget it!
Homemade Dog Food Recipe from College Housewife || Elizabeth’s sweet dog Rascal suffered from all sorts of health issues which led them to having him allergy tested. Turns out Rascal was allergic to all sorts of things – even beef! So, Elizabeth developed a homemade dog food recipe that is just perfect for Rascal’s sensitive belly that is filled with ground turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini squash and macaroni noodles!
DIY Homemade Dog Food from Damn Delicious||Chungah’s dog Butter’s battle with stomach issues led her to start making dog food at home. This recipe is easy to make and super good for your pups too! It combines a delicious blend of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains and is made of ingredients like ground chicken, brown rice, shredded zucchini, spinach, carrots, and peas.
Now Let’s Break Down The Recipe For My Easy Homemade Dog Food Shall We
The recipe box below contains a printable version of my go-to recipe for homemade dog food, which consist of lean ground sirloin, brown rice, carrots, hard boiled eggs, parsley, and a few tablespoons of oil that is high in Omega’s. But sometimes, especially since social distancing, I’ve found that it is helpful to have a list of easy substitutes for when ingredients run low. Plug in or swap out any of the items below based on what foods your pup likes/needs and what you have on hand to create your pup’s ideal dog food flavor profile.
Meat || Lean ground beef, ground chicken, ground white or dark meat turkey, & ground pork are all great options. Just be sure to make sure that any meat you feed your animals is free of seasonings when purchasing! Dog’s living with a kidney disease diagnosis need meals that are lower in phosphorus – so for us a lean ground beef like ground sirloin is best the way to go!
Eggs || Eggs are one the top 5 allergens for dogs and the yolks are very high in phosphorus -which you want to limit in dog’s with kidney disease. But, eggs are also one of the highest quality forms of protein you can feed your pet! Ultimately, a hard boiled egg is Hooch’s favorite thing on the planet so, with our vets approval we opted to leave them in his food.
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Four Benefits Of Mix Feeding Your Dog
Mixing wet and dry dog food can make mealtime more exciting
For your dog, the taste, shape, texture, and aroma are often the most important attributes of their food. Many dogs eat the same dry food every meal, and sometimes even for their whole life. Adding wet food to your dog’s diet will spark their senses and can make them interested or excited to eat their dinner again. Often dog owners are surprised to discover how much their dog will enjoy a change to their diet.
Help feed dogs that are fussy eaters
If you struggle to get your dog to eat their dry biscuits, try adding wet dog food to their diet. The meaty aroma and texture of wet dog food can be helpful in tempting your dog to eat more of their meal. Make sure you thoroughly mix the wet food through the biscuits with a spoon to disperse the moisture and flavour throughout the meal. Picky eaters are known to only eat the wet food if it is only on top of the dry dog food.
How To Portion Correctly When Mixing Wet And Dry
Determining the ratio of wet dog food to dry dog food really depends on the needs of your dog. If, for instance, your dog is on dry dog food and is grossly overconsuming calories, you might have a ratio where 40% is dry dog food while 60% is wet dog food .
It is advisable to consult a vet as they will give the best ratio of dry to wet specific to your dog. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, your vet will also provide guidelines on how to transition to a mixed diet.
Regardless of wet or dry dog food, what matters the most is ensuring your dog gets the nutrients required for optimal health. Mixing both wet and dry is a suitable option with plenty of benefits. It is important to strive for a good balance and proper portion control. Introduce the changes gradually especially if your dog has a sensitive stomach. That being said, dry or wet on their own is also fine as long as they are getting the right nutrients.
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Lets Not Forget Smell And Taste
If your dog is a fussy eater choosing wet food could be the better option. Dogs are meat-eaters and if you put a bowl of dry Kibble and a bowl of wet meaty food in front of your dog, I can almost guarantee with certainty that your dog will head for the wet food.
Im not saying theres anything wrong with Kibble, after all, its packed full of flavor and its made from fresh ingredients. But, at the end of the day, it will never taste as good as real wet food because Kibble does not have the same aroma or the same smell of real meat, and lets not forget the luscious tasting wet meaty gravy.
However, the downside of canned dog food is the high-fat content, and if youre not careful with the amount of food your dog eats youll quickly notice that your once slim and trim dog is piling on the pounds. If your dog wont eat dry food, try giving him some wet canned food instead, Im sure hell scoff it down and will most likely lick his bowl clean too.
| Nutrient |
| 8-22% |
Benefits Of Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food is oftentimes more enticing or attractive to a dog when compared to dry food due to the scent and texture. It comes in many different flavors and sizes of meat chunks.
Dogs with no teeth, painful mouths, syringe feeding requirements, or those that are weaning off of milk will prefer wet dog food.
It doesn’t usually require much chewing to be swallowed, making it great for dogs that are weak or lethargic, and it is more likely to be eaten by a picky eater. Some can even appear to look more like human food, making some owners feel more comfortable feeding their dogs.
Wet dog food is also great for dogs that have a hard time smelling due to an upper respiratory disease. It can be warmed up to make it more fragrant, thus further enticing a hungry dog.
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Helps With Weight Management
Adding wet food to your pets diet can also help with weight loss since the extra water allows pets to feel full and be more satisfied after their meals. In contrast, adding in some dry food can provide extra calories for dogs who struggle with eating enough wet food to meet their energy requirements. Dry food is more nutrient dense since it is less diluted with moisture.
Disadvantage Of Mixing Wet And Dry Dog Food
However, although we can match the pros up, there are some disadvantages of mixing wet and dry.
- It can be less cost-effective, due to wet having a shorter shelf life so it might end up being thrown out. Wet is also more expensive than wet, so it will inevitably be more expensive than just doing dry.
- It is far less convenient having to make sure you have both wet and dry dog food in stock
- Portion control can also be difficult, not to mention it can be inconveniencing for some dog parents especially those with many dogs around the house.
- Some dogs also have sensitive stomachs which makes a transition to mixed dog food quite aggravating.
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Is It A Good Idea To Change Dog Food Brand Often
Its not recommended to change your dogs food brand often. Your doggo is better off with high-quality dog food throughout his life. However, if your dog suddenly becomes allergic to any ingredients in his food, then a change may be necessary after the allergy-provoking ingredient has been identified. Your vet can help you in that regard.
While rotational feeding may help your pooch easily adjust to new proteins, your dog may experience GI disturbances especially if they are new to this feeding method.
Millions of dogs have led healthy lives with the conventional feeding plan where they are fed the same food every day. Hence, if your dog is doing just fine eating the same food, theres absolutely no need to switch to a new dog food.
Why Its A Good Idea To Mix Wet And Dry Food
Dry food is the most popular option for dog owners, simply because its usually more convenient. However, wet food can work best for owners that find their pets are needing more enticing aromas to appeal to their dogs senses. As each type of diet has its own range of benefits, a lot of owners find the best method is to give their dog a mix of both wet and dry together. This mixed feeding approach means dogs get to enjoy the advantages of both wet and dry dog food. It can also be a great solution for the type of dog that needs coaxing at mealtime but requires a little extra care when it comes to their dental health. One thing to note is that while dry food lasts for a while when stored properly, an open can of wet food will only last around 24 hours.
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What Kind Of Snacks Can I Feed My Dog With Kidney Disease
Our dogs walk a bit on the wild side when it comes to snacks as they love thin apple slices, banana chunks, carrots, whole unsalted peanuts in the husks, and dehydrated sweet potatoes! Dog’s with kidney disease should avoid meat based chews/treats that are high in phosphorus, so you may find that you need to explore doing friendly fruit and veggies for treats like we have. We still on occasion will offer Hooch bully sticks or a jerky treat, but it is better for him if we limit his intake due to the levels of phosphorous that those treats contain.
How Do You Mix Dry And Wet Dog Food
A good rule of thumb to follow is to mix in a very small amount of the new food on day one and gradually alter the balance of new to old over seven days until youre serving the final balance of mixed food on day seven. There is no need to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog.
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Don’t Mix Therapeutic Pet Foods With Other Foods Without First Consulting Your Veterinarian
The science behind pet foods continues to evolve and one huge benefit for our pets is therapeutic diets. Therapeutic diets are created specifically to prevent or delay the onset of many health conditions. However, it’s important that you not add anything to a therapeutic diet without first consulting your vet. It may have the adverse effect of diluting the precise formulation and perhaps even counteracting the intended benefits for your pet.
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Is It Ok To Feed Dogs Wet Food Only
Both canned dog food and kibble can provide adequate nutrition. Canned diets contain more moisture and may benefit dogs with urinary problems or dogs that don’t tend to drink a lot of water. They are also more flavorful. However, feeding a 70-pound dog an all-canned diet will require lots of storage space.
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Is It Okay To Mix Two Kinds Of Dog Food
Dog foods may seem like a great thing if they are good sources of digestion, but these products are actually dangerous and potentially fatal. Mixed food of many different types in this way makes it hard for the dog to digest the natural food. Gas may be built up in the animal, causing a gastric torsion condition.
Mixing Wet And Dry Dog Food Makes A Lot Of Sense
Mixing wet and dry dog food is a popular trend amongst dog owners these days. This popularity is due to the different benefits associated with practice. Some dog owners can be picky about their food and everyone wants the best for their dog.
If you are a dog owner and you are confused about which food type you should prefer for your canine companion, you are at the right place. In this article, we will describe the benefits of mixing things up up and why you should give it a try.
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Quick Answer: Is It Ok To Mix Wet Food With Dry Dog Food
Mixing wet and dry dog food or wet and dry cat food is fine as long as both options are of high quality and meet your pets nutritional and other health needs. Quality wet and dry foods are formulated to provide your pet with all the protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients they need to thrive.
Wet Vs Dry Dog Food: Which Is Right For Your Pet
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Dog food seems like such a simple thing, but all of the choices available can be overwhelming when deciding what your pal should eat. One of the comparisons you’ll confront starting out is wet vs. dry dog food.
First, consider your dog’s overall health, age, and behavioral needs. Both types of food are good choices, but it’s important to look at the benefits of each to decide which is right for your dog.
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Help For Dogs With Dietary Problems
Have an overweight dog that needs to lose weight?
The moisture content of canned dog food can make the same amount of nutrients occupy more volume. So, your dieting dog can feel fuller faster.
And what about older dogs?
Seniors are frequently afflicted with chronic dental problems that can make chewing dry kibble difficult even painful. So, canned dog food can be the perfect solution.
Does Wet Food Make Dogs Poop Soft
In itself, wet food does not cause soft stools, but it might create GI problems for certain dogs. Dogs with a sensitive stomach might get an upset tummy as a reaction to the high fat content in many types of canned food. When your dog has a greasy gray stool its a sure sign that his food has too much fat in it.
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Add Broth Or Warm Water
If you have a finicky dog, this very easy and affordable approach to improving the smell and taste of your dogs food. Itll help to add new flavor to your dog food or enhancement of the foods original flavor.
This will also make it less of a hassle for dogs with dental problems to eat their kibble.
Add a quarter to a half cup of broth or clean water to your dogs dry food. You can allow it to either moisten their food or let the water absorb into the kibble before feeding them. It all depends on your dogs taste.
Provide A Balanced Meal
When you do a mixed feeding for your pup, you are giving them a balanced meal. Your furry friend gets the chance to enjoy both textures and to reap the benefits of both food types. When they get a choice of both dry and wet formulations, it encourages them to lick their bowls clean and improve their overall health.
If you have a fussy dog, the exciting smells of a mixed plate can draw their attention to try something new. Moreover, mixing wet and dry dog food is extremely nutritional for your pooch.
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Mixing Wet And Dry Pet Food
Throughout my career as a veterinarian, Ive had many pet parents ask me, Can I mix dry and wet dog food or cat food?
Usually, my answer is yes, mixing wet and dry pet food together generally is OK. But first, youve got to take into account your pets health, their preferences and dietary needs, and your budget. After youve considered all of those factors, you can determine what the best decision is for your pet.