Your dog’s diet plays an important role in their life — from the shine on their coat to their energy levels, everything is impacted by the food they eat. But what is best for your pooch: wet or dry dog food? Canine nutritionists say there is no single answer but it is possible to find the best kind of food for your dog.
Understanding dry food vs wet food for dogs
“Pet food is generally grouped into wet, semi-wet, or dry based on the moisture content,” according to a study published in 2022.
- Dry food or kibble contains ground ingredients such as meat, grains and nutritional additives. Cooking at high temperatures dries out kibble, leaving a moisture content of less than 11%.
- Wet food, on the other hand, comprises ground meat or other protein sources cooked together with gravy containing grains as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Wet food typically contains 60% to 87% water, says the study.
Wet vs dry dog food: Pros & cons
• Benefits of dry dog food
Because of its long shelf life and ease of use, dry food represents a major type of dog food available in the market, the study adds. Moreover, it can be transported easily and left out without fear of bacterial contamination. It can be used as a training tool or in puzzle toys to keep your pet cognitively stimulated. And if you are worried about your puppy’s hydration, you can soak the dry food in warm water before serving. Complete dry dog food is nutrition-dense and will meet your pooch’s dietary needs.
• Benefits of wet dog food
Unlike dry food, wet food has a higher moisture content. So, if your dog does not drink as much water as they should, this is a good way to keep them hydrated. “If a dog has kidney disease, moisture in the food is crucial for the kidneys to function well,” says Lee Georgina, canine nutritionist and founder of Georgina’s Kitchen, Bangalore. When compared with dry food, wet food is better for dogs with kidney and urinary disorders.
Further, many dogs take a liking to wet food due to its aroma and interesting texture. The moisture content in the food also helps promote satiety.
• Disadvantages of dry dog food
Dry dog food is easy to carry, portion out and feed to your pooch, but is it really good for them?
“Dry food is made at very high temperatures,” says Georgina. “The process of extrusion [forcing soft-textured mixed ingredients through a perforated plate to create a specific shape] leeches nutrients from the food. So, additional nutrients — vitamins and minerals — need to be added back in synthetic form. We don’t have enough evidence on how well the body absorbs these.”
• Disadvantages of wet dog food
Wet food, too, can come with its share of challenges.
According to a 2019 research paper, some commercially available wet foods exceed the safe upper limit for phosphorus and sodium recommended by the European Pet Food Industry Federation.
“Wet food is also commercially prepared and although it has some moisture content and fats in it, the ingredients are still quite poor in a lot of brands of wet food,” Georgina adds.
What to look for while choosing dog food
To ensure that you feed your furry buddy a healthy meal, start by paying close attention to the ingredients.
“In pet food, ingredients are listed in the order of quantity,” Georgina says. “So, quality pet food will have meat, organs, fish, nuts, seeds and berries as the initial ingredients. On the other hand, grains such as rice or corn take the first place in poor-quality pet food.”
Does this mean that grain-free food is automatically better? Not really. Besides grains, plant matter such as oats and potatoes are some common fillers used in commercially available dog food.
“When plant matter is the primary ingredient, the meal lacks some essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals,” Georgina adds. “These are added back in synthetic forms, but their bioavailability [rate at which a substance can be absorbed into a living system] is unknown.”
Further, low-quality dog food is high in fast-acting carbs, which raise the sugar content in food.
Salt is another ingredient to watch out for in commercially available dog food. “Dogs are naturally inclined to consume fats and protein,” she says. “When the formulation is low in these, most manufacturers resort to salt.”
Georgina stresses that each dog is different and has specific nutritional requirements. “While some dogs do perfectly well on plant matter, others cannot tolerate more than 1% to 2% of it in their diets,” she says. “Diet-related health concerns crop up in your dog’s senior years — [so] understanding their requirements early could help prevent many ailments or alleviate symptoms.” Apart from tastes and preferences, your dog’s nutritional requirements also ought to play a major role in picking their food.
How to feed a healthy diet to your dog?
The best way to ensure that your dog consumes a healthy diet is to feed them a fresh, home-cooked meat-heavy diet, say experts. When this is not feasible, food high in meat works best.
“Freeze-dried and air-dried food manufacturers generally [produce] foods that are more species-appropriate,” says Georgina. “These foods need to be rehydrated because most of these dry foods have lost anywhere between 80% and 97% moisture during the drying process.” Hydration is crucial to both digestion and nutrient absorption.
You can also make commercially available dog food healthier and more palatable by adding fresh ingredients like meat bits, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds and nuts to the meals, says Georgina. Dry food can be hydrated with goat milk, bone broth, eggs or even plain filtered water.
Takeaways
- Commercially available dog food can be a complete food that is good for your dog, but it is important to read the label carefully before making your choice.
- While dry food is easier to store and portion out for your dogs, some take a liking to wet dog food because of its taste and texture.
- The ingredients in dog food are listed according to their proportion.
