This is a difficult question to answer because it all comes down to the individual dog and owner’s preferences. Once you know the different options and the advantages of each one, as a responsible dog owner, you can decide what is best for you and your buddy.
Advantages of Using Dry Dog Food
Promotes Dental Hygiene
Kibble is much better for a dog’s teeth than canned food. Their teeth are actually being scraped and cleaned by the hard particles while they are chewing. This will prevent gum issues and tooth decay over the long run.
Simple and Easy Measuring
You can easily portion dry food with a spoon or scoop, ensuring that your dog has a consistent diet from day to day.
Less Expensive
Dry food is convenient to find in almost any store and is much more affordable than wet food. As such, you can buy it in bulk and not worry as much about running out of dog food.
Stays Fresh Longer
As long as it is used by the expiration date on the package, dry dog food doesn’t really go bad; so, again, purchasing it in bulk is wise and convenient.
Wet dog food can spoil faster, so you might end up throwing it away and wasting money. You also can’t leave it in a dish for longer than two hours because its moist content can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can make your dog sick. Every open can must also be refrigerated and then discarded after a couple of days.
Less Messy
The area where you feed your dog can become dirty and smelly when serving wet dog food. Overexcited canines can splash the food along the walls and all over the floor, leaving a nasty, stinky mess to clean up.
Advantages of Using Wet Dog Food
Contains Healthier Ingredients
Wet dog food contains more protein than kibble, as well as an abundance of vitamins and minerals. It also is made from far less carbohydrates than the dry alternatives.
Lacks Unhealthy Colorings, Flavorings and Preservatives
The meats used in wet dog food are more similar to their natural state and don’t include a lot of unhealthy colorings or flavorings which makes it more appealing and palatable to your dog. The cans are also air-tight, so no synthetic preservatives are needed for freshness and longevity which is better for your pal. This also means any oils or fats inside are unlikely to be become rancid.
Aids in Weight Loss
Is your dog overweight? Wet food contains water and other wet ingredients that occupy the same volume in your dog’s stomach as a comparable amount of kibble which is all solid food. This means a dog eating wet dog food will feel full after consuming a fraction of the calories.
Dry food is also seriously high in carbohydrates which promotes weight gain.
Helps Older Dogs Get Proper Nutrition
Moist food is best for senior dogs that may have chronic dental issues which lead to difficulties in chewing. It is also best for tender tummies because it is easier to digest and leads to fewer bowel problems.
Canned food also has an alluring scent, which is great for drawing older dogs with limited appetites.
Contains Sufficient Water
Canned dog food has such an abundance of moisture that it can keep dogs hydrated even on the hottest of days. Your dog will have to have a continuous source of water when consuming only dry kibble, which contains much less moisture than its canned counterpart. Dry food has a moisture content between about 3% and 12% on average and wet food’s moisture content is about 60% to 84%.
In conclusion, choosing the best food for your pooch should be based on his or her needs alone and there really is no right answer. However, it may be in his or her best interest to make both types of food available as part of a healthy and balanced diet. You can even mix the two together to give your dog the advantages of both. This method, coined as topping, is an especially delicious treat for your furry friend.
