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.
Mixing wet and dry food is a great way to reinvigorate mealtime for your dog or cat and help get them excited about what's in their bowl. If you've fed your furry friend the same dry or wet food for an extended period, they can understandably become bored with the same flavors and textures day in and day out.
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.
Most dogs, other than those on restricted or prescription diets, can benefit from mixed meals, but dogs with certain tendencies or health conditions can benefit most of all. If your dog falls into one of these groups, mixing can be a game changer and helps hydrate them.
Both types of feed have their pros and cons, which is why pet owners are increasingly choosing to combine them. This is a good solution that can bring many benefits. Combining wet and dry food brings a number of benefits. When it is necessary to switch a pet to a wet diet, the body will be prepared for such a change.
Wet dog food, or “canned food,” sometimes provides benefits that dry food doesn't offer, such as: Higher moisture content: Wet food may be a good choice if your dog doesn't drink as much as they should, or if they have a medical condition that could benefit from proper hydration.
Others might enjoy them mixed together, but in this case it is best to be served fresh at the same time each day. There is no requirement to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog; In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time.
Cons of Feeding Wet Food to Dogs
Symptoms of food allergies in pets include:
This principle can be applied to other ratios too; for example, if feeding 75:25, then we would suggest feeding 75% of the recommended amount of wet with 25% of the recommended amount of dry. This helps to ensure the diet is balanced and complete by providing a full ratio of both foods.
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.
Wet entrees are also less processed than kibble but much less expensive than raw diets. Contrary to the myths around wet entrees, dogs can enjoy them every day without worry of upsetting your pet's gastrointestinal system, especially if you stick to high-quality brands.
The numbers stand for percentages referring to meat, organ and bony material. The diet is composed of 80% (usually by volume, but can be by weight) muscle meat. 10% organ meat, usually the solid organs like liver and kidney. 10% bone is then added for minerals, teeth cleaning and bulk.
-The 95% Rule includes things like “Chicken Dog Food” and “Kitty's Favorite Tuna and Rice Cat Food,” where the product name is mostly ingredients. When phrased like this, the product must be made of at least 95% of the named ingredient by weight, not counting added water.
Some other benefits of dry food include: Per calorie, dry kibble has both a lower volume and weight than canned wet food, making it easier to store. Bags of kibble require less packaging than cans of food, leading to less garbage created.
Separate Meals:Feeding wet food at one meal (e.g., breakfast) and dry food at another (e.g., dinner) allows your dog to experience different textures and can be more convenient. Alternate Days: Offering wet food on certain days and dry food on others provides variety while maintaining routine.
Many commercial dog foods are made with ultra-processed ingredients, artificial additives, and low-moisture content-all of which can irritate your dog's digestive system. Kibble and canned foods tend to be cooked at high temperatures, which denatures proteins and reduces nutrient availability.
The most common foods identified as triggers in dogs with food allergies are: Beef (34% of dogs with food allergies) Dairy (17% of dogs with food allergies) Chicken (15% of dogs with food allergies)
Commercial kibble, while convenient, is often packed with fillers, artificial additives, and low-quality ingredients that can trigger inflammation in dogs. Many kibbles are high in carbohydrates and low in quality protein, which can lead to obesity, another major contributor to inflammation.
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.
Wet dog food's high moisture content can lead to more frequent bowel movements. Increased fiber in wet food can contribute to larger stool volume. Transitioning to wet food may temporarily alter bowel habits. Individual dog characteristics play a significant role in digestive health.
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.
As long as you're feeding your four-legged friend quality, natural food which provides them with a complete and balanced nutritional meal. For example, you may feed your pet half dry and half wet food, or a larger portion of dry food to wet.
When it comes to where dog's get their daily calories, we recommend following the 90/10 rule: 90% of calories from a complete and balanced diet, 10% from treats! Treats can be considered the splurge, but more often, the actual act of giving a treat means more to the dog than the actual treat itself.
Despite the potential benefits of home-prepared diets, their formulation requires meticulous planning to ensure nutritional adequacy. Diets lacking input from nutrition experts may result in deficiencies or imbalances, posing significant health risks to dogs.