Only mix foods for the same species and life stage (i.e. don't mix dog and cat food, or puppy and adult food together). Make sure both foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, with similar nutrient profiles.
You can mix dog food brands if they have the appropriate nutritional value and are free of allergens. As long as neither brand is subpar or unhealthy for your dog, their mixture will not be harmful. Make sure to mind the mixing ratio and gradually shift it to include more of the new brand.
Due to the range of benefits that wet and dry diets boast, a mixed feeding approach can help your dog get the most out of mealtime. Combining both wet and dry to their diet can give them some variety, where they are exposed to different textures that they will generally be more tempted to try.
Other than when you are switching from one food to another, it's not a good idea to feed different foods at the same time. Your dog might enjoy a mix of half this and half that, but if he suddenly exhibits a digestive problem, it will be harder to track down the offending ingredients.
The order in which you choose to feed, whether that's kibble in the morning and raw at night, or raw in the morning or kibble at night, does not matter as long as there's a long enough window of digestion. Aid your pets digestion by feeding dry kibble and raw food separately and at least 6 hours apart.
The Best of Both
A third option is to choose both wet and dry foods. You can do this by mixing the foods together in the same bowl, giving dry in the morning and wet in the evening (or vice-versa) or by giving them wet food as a "treat" for exceptional behavior.
An easy way to co-feed your pet, while ensuring they are getting all their nutrients they require, is to choose an easy ratio split – eg. 50/50. This means you will split your pet's diet into 50% of a Big Dog diet and 50% your chosen kibble, and we advise to only feed half the recommended feeding portion for each diet.
Many pet foods are formulated with a specific life stage, lifestyle and sometimes even health condition in mind. Mixing foods willy-nilly without taking this into consideration can inadvertently impact your pet negatively, including causing undesired weight gain, overexposure to certain vitamins and minerals, etc.
No. Dogs actually have fewer taste receptors compared to humans. That means they have less of an urge to eat something different every day. So your dog will not get bored of eating the same food every day.
If you decide to suddenly switch your pet's food, make sure they “fast” for one meal before switching. Simply skip their first meal of the day to ensure the new food doesn't mix poorly with the old food, causing a greater disruption. Then, start with a small portion of the new food to see how your pet reacts.
Soaking dry kibble with warm water will bring out the smell by warming the meaty fats within the food, an aroma which dogs and cats find appetising. Cats, as natural hunters may also prefer the warmer temperature (similar to body temperature).
Therefore, we would always recommend soaking dry food for puppies in warm or hot water from the age of 3 to 4 weeks to help them eat it easier. It also helps provide your fur babies with essential water as at this stage they often don't drink enough on their own accord.
Adding water to your dog's food bowl when feeding a dry kibble will improve the rate of digestion. Hydrating a dog's stomach contents is a major assist in digestion by starting the breakdown of food particles.
The best way to transition your dog's food is to mix your current dog food with the new dog food for at least 5 days. This allows for your dog's digestive tract to adjust without suffering from stomach issues.
Sharing or Stealing Food
First, it's important that dogs each have their own food bowl. It's okay to have a community water bowl, but each dog should get their own helping in a separate bowl. Ideally, each dog gets their meal at the same time and finishes at the same time.
Ideally, it's best to mix flavors from the same brand.
However, you can get away with combining two different varieties if your dog tolerates the mix well. If your dog has diarrhea after eating then you've likely either changed flavors too quickly, or there is an ingredient that doesn't agree with your dog.
Adult dogs should be fed either once or twice a day. Use a high-quality commercial dog food, making sure it's appropriate for the life stage and health status of your dog.
Do you ever wonder whether your furry friend gets bored of eating the same food? Dogs have fewer taste buds than humans. So, while they will more than appreciate a mouthwatering meal when it's served up to them, they won't necessarily grow tired of eating the same food every day. For a limited time at least anyway.
We recommend putting his food bowl near his water bowl, which should always be there, cleaned often and filled with fresh water.
Every owner should be changing food about every 3 months or so to maintain variety and to avoid allergic reactions. For the best results, rotate between protein sources such as beef, lamb, and chicken. Rotating food may cause some gastrointestinal issues at first because dogs have sensitive stomachs.
Ingredients To Avoid In The First Five
You want them to eat a wholesome diet that starts with essential nutrients so they can live long, happy lives. Stay away from foods where the first five ingredients include carbohydrates, white flour, artificial colors, and by-products.
Considering how many dog foods contain chicken as an ingredient, it's a safe bet that you can feed your dog chicken. In fact, it's a good source of protein, and cooked chicken can even be substituted for or added to his regular meal.
If you want to do a 50/50 mix, then simply start with half of the recommended amount for your age and size of dog for the first food combined with half of the recommended amount of food for the second. That should provide roughly the correct amount of nutrition for your dog.
The bioavailability of raw dog food (1) makes it more nutritionally dense than kibble, allowing dogs to absorb everything that they need in the ways that they would naturally eat if left to choose.