Yes, you can absolutely mix wet and dry dog food (mixed feeding) to offer variety, better hydration, and enhanced flavor, but you must adjust portions to maintain calorie balance and consult your vet for specific health needs, especially if your dog is on a therapeutic diet. A common ratio is around 70% dry to 30% wet by calorie, ensuring the crunchy kibble still helps dental health while the wet food adds moisture and appeal, say Petstock, Applaws, and Petbarn, according to Petstock, Applaws, and Petbarn.
Picky eaters: Mixing wet and dry dog foods opens finicky eaters up to a variety of tasty flavors and textures that even the fussiest dogs can find irresistible. Low-appetite dogs: Wet food appeals to dogs' senses, so mixing is an effective way to lure them to finish their dry food.
A great place to start when mixing wet and dry food is to break up their total serving size by feeding 75% dry food and 25% wet. Make sure to follow the feeding guidelines on each package of your pet's food when figuring out portions.
The 95% Rule in dog food labeling, set by AAFCO, means a product named after a specific ingredient (e.g., "Chicken Dog Food") must be at least 95% that ingredient by weight (excluding water) and 70% including water, with the ingredient listed first and comprising more than 95%. If two ingredients are named ("Chicken & Beef"), they must total 95% (minus water), with the first ingredient being more abundant and both making up at least 3% each. This rule ensures transparency, indicating foods with a very high concentration of the named ingredient.
In general, a higher quality dry dog food that contains the appropriate ingredients for your dog's life stage and breed is the best choice, but talk to your vet or veterinary nutritionist about the healthiest choice for your pet. Wet dog food, or canned dog food, is a perfectly viable alternative to dry dog food.
Cons of Feeding Wet Food to Dogs
The healthiest dog food depends on your dog's specific needs, but top veterinarian-recommended brands known for science-backed nutrition and meeting AAFCO standards include Hill's Science Diet, Royal Canin, and Purina Pro Plan, offering options for life stages and health conditions. For sensitive dogs or allergies, limited ingredient diets (LID) from brands like Prime100 (single protein, human-grade) or raw/air-dried diets from Eureka (high meat, organs) are excellent choices, focusing on whole, digestible ingredients for better gut and skin health, but always consult your vet first.
The best dog food brands are those with research-backed formulas developed with veterinary nutritionists that meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines for dogs of different life stage and health needs. Top picks include Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin.
Abruptly switching dog food can cause gastrointestinal issues, such as upset stomach, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. Therefore, you should take a more gradual approach with a period of transition to help your pup avoid having these symptoms.
It's absolutely fine to mix your wet and dry food together in the same bowl. Some pet parents use this method to get their pet to enjoy the kibble more, make it more interesting, or add some moisture to the dry. Lots of dogs love to have their wet and dry mixed in the same bowl.
The amount of dry food, due to its strong dehydration and condensation of nutrients and energy, is not equal to the same volume of wet food. To provide the same amount of energy and nutrients, give the dog a 3.5 times smaller portion than with wet food.
If they weigh 30 pounds, look to feed 1 ¾ cups a day. If they're 40, move that up to 2 ¼ cups. Finally, if your dog is 50 pounds, you should be giving them 2 ⅔ cups a day.
You can use whichever split of wet vs dry food suits your dog best, but as a start point if you'd like to feed a 50:50 mix of Wet and Dry food – simply feed 50% of the daily recommended allowance of Wet Food alongside 50% of the recommended daily allowance of Dry Food over the course of the day.
Broths – Broths like CORE Simply Shreds Mixer or Topper Chicken, Chicken Liver & Broccoli are grain-free, filler-free, and give your dog's meal an extra boost of protein. These mix well with kibble, or you can give it to your pup as a healthy snack.
Dogs can eat raw bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, and zucchini. They can also eat pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes, but those veggies should be thoroughly cooked before feeding them to your dog.
There's no single "number one" food, but chocolate, grapes/raisins, and foods containing the artificial sweetener xylitol are among the most dangerous and common toxic items, causing issues from vomiting and seizures to kidney failure or death; other major threats include onions/garlic, alcohol, and fatty/cooked bones that can splinter. Always contact your vet immediately if your dog eats anything suspicious.
The 90/10 rule for dogs means that 90% of their daily calories should come from a complete and balanced dog food, while only 10% should come from treats, chews, and table scraps, preventing weight gain and ensuring proper nutrition. This guideline helps owners manage treat portions, preventing unbalanced diets and health issues like obesity, joint problems, and diabetes, as treats can be surprisingly high in calories, even healthy ones.
7 Best Dog Foods in 2025, Recommended by Vets
A dog is typically considered to be in the 'small' category when weighing less than 30 pounds. While some people may define any dog under that weight limit into one broad group, others are defined more uniquely. For instance, once a dog is 15 pounds or less, many consider them part of the toy group.
Chicken and rice is a simple, short-term fix that helps calm upset stomachs and keep pups eating when nothing else works. Portioning matters. Aim for 1/3 to 1/2 cup per 10 pounds of body weight daily, split into smaller meals with a 50/50 chicken-to-rice ratio.
The worst dog foods often contain cheap fillers like corn, wheat, and soy; unspecified "meat meals" or by-products; excessive sugar; and artificial colors/preservatives, with brands like Kibbles 'n Bits, Beneful, Gravy Train, and some Purina/Iams varieties frequently cited for low nutritional quality and questionable ingredients. Focus on avoiding poor-quality protein sources (unspecified meat meals), fillers, artificial additives, and dangerous human foods like chocolate, grapes, onions, and xylitol.
Yes, dogs can eat cooked eggs in moderation. Boiled, scrambled, and poached are all great options—as long as they're plain and not cooked in butter or oil. Raw eggs should be avoided due to potential health risks such as salmonella and reduced nutrient absorption.
Royal Canin is the no. 1 dog food brand in India. Royal Canin dog foods comes with real meat as the first ingredient, balanced levels of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, and added vitamins and minerals. Consider your dog's age (puppy, adult, senior), breed size, activity level, and any specific health concerns.