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Comparison of Feed Types: Wet, Dry, or Raw Feed?

There is a wide range of dog food. In addition to the preferences and needs of the animal, the lifestyle of the owner also plays a role.

What type of feed is best?

Dry dog ​​food? Or do you prefer wet or raw food? The offer is large and the selection diverse, so it is often difficult to keep track of things. Many people are therefore wondering whether they should put wet or dry food in bowls. Or would you rather use raw food for your dog?

The good news: pet food that is declared in the trade as “complete feed” for dogs contains all the important nutrients that our four-legged friends need. Whether with wet or dry food, if you choose a complete feed, you know your dog is well cared for.

Types of dog food in a nutshell

  • Dry food: little effort, increased water requirement, high tooth wear, chewing apparatus is strengthened, less food due to high nutrient density
  • Wet food: little effort, hardly any increased need for water, less tooth wear, chewing apparatus is less stressed, the amount of food must be higher due to the low nutrient density
  • Raw feed: high effort, no increased water requirement, high tooth abrasion (if bones are fed), chewing apparatus is strengthened (if bones and cartilage are fed), amount of feed depends on the individual components, germ load is often a problem.

Dog food types in detail

Dry food tends to be less odorous than wet food, making it popular with owners. In addition, it does not spoil so quickly and can be purchased in larger containers. Nevertheless, make sure that you store it correctly in a suitable feeding bin or a zip bag, otherwise e.g. B. by oxidation to rancidity. When out and about, dry food is easier to handle than wet food. It has the advantage that it promotes tooth abrasion, which can counteract tartar and tooth decay in dogs. Adequate water supply is important with dry feeding, however, because it contains very little moisture.

In terms of taste, wet food is far ahead of most four-legged friends. As the name suggests, it contains a high percentage of moisture (60 to 84 percent). Wet food is easier to digest than dry food and it is easier for overweight dogs to lose weight because the larger amount of food causes a satiating stretching stimulus in the stomach.
Many mini-breeds are wet food fans: due to the anatomy of their teeth, they get along better with the soft pieces. This also applies to all dogs with temporary or age-related painful dental problems. You should always give wet food at room temperature or slightly warmed up. This is how you avoid stomach irritation. However, opened cans should be kept covered in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

If you want to practice mixed feeding with wet and dry food, it is important not to feed the two components together, but rather to separate them into individual meals. Wet food is digested faster than dry food – both together can lead to digestive problems. For example, feed dry food in the morning for an energy boost and wet food in the evening. A big advantage of mixed feeding: If a complete switch to dry or wet food is necessary for health reasons, your dog is already used to both. Even when traveling or if you should be ill, you are very flexible when it comes to dog feeding.

Dog food types in detail

Dry food tends to be less odorous than wet food, making it popular with owners. In addition, it does not spoil so quickly and can be purchased in larger containers. Nevertheless, make sure that you store it correctly in a suitable feeding bin or a zip bag, otherwise e.g. B. by oxidation to rancidity. When out and about, dry food is easier to handle than wet food. It has the advantage that it promotes tooth abrasion, which can counteract tartar and tooth decay in dogs. Adequate water supply is important with dry feeding, however, because it contains very little moisture.

In terms of taste, wet food is far ahead of most four-legged friends. As the name suggests, it contains a high percentage of moisture (60 to 84 percent). Wet food is easier to digest than dry food and it is easier for overweight dogs to lose weight because the larger amount of food causes a satiating stretching stimulus in the stomach.
Many mini-breeds are wet food fans: due to the anatomy of their teeth, they get along better with the soft pieces. This also applies to all dogs with temporary or age-related painful dental problems. You should always give wet food at room temperature or slightly warmed up. This is how you avoid stomach irritation. However, opened cans should be kept covered in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.

If you want to practice mixed feeding with wet and dry food, it is important not to feed the two components together, but rather to separate them into individual meals. Wet food is digested faster than dry food – both together can lead to digestive problems. For example, feed dry food in the morning for an energy boost and wet food in the evening. A big advantage of mixed feeding: If a complete switch to dry or wet food is necessary for health reasons, your dog is already used to both. Even when traveling or if you should be ill, you are very flexible when it comes to dog feeding.

Cook the dog food & BARF

Some dog owners want to make the food for their darling themselves. You can choose the quality and origin of the ingredients yourself and there are no unwanted additives. There are self-cooked meals, BARF (bone and raw food, for example: biologically appropriate raw feeding), or the so-called “preyed” (feeding whole prey). Vegetarian and vegan diets for dogs are also becoming more widespread.

Important with these types of feeding the dog: You need a lot of knowledge about species-appropriate dog nutrition in order to implement it! Making your own dog food is a science in itself. Unfortunately, experience shows that a large proportion of homemade dog food is deficient: certain vitamins, minerals, trace elements are missing, or the composition of carbohydrates, fat, and protein is not consistent.

Therefore, be sure to talk to a veterinarian specializing in animal nutrition beforehand, who will also be happy to draw up a feeding plan for you. Otherwise, you will achieve exactly the opposite effect of what you actually wanted to achieve: a particularly healthy diet for your darling.

When deciding on home-cooked dog food, please also consider that you could become ill or want to go on vacation. A spontaneous change of feed to dry or wet feed is not possible but is usually accompanied by severe digestive disorders.

With all the warnings: for chronically ill dogs, such as those with kidney failure, home-cooked dog food is often the only practical solution. The same applies to dogs with food allergies or intolerance that require an elimination diet. Although the commercially available diets have been continuously improved, this does not always work in individual cases. The veterinarian will then of course advise you in detail on how you can put together the food for your pet yourself.

Ready-made BARF rations are now also available deep-frozen, which makes feeding much easier. Unfortunately, raw meat in particular is repeatedly contaminated with pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella. It can also contain parasites, which must be strictly observed during processing in the “people’s kitchen”.

Adapt dog food too needs

Your dog’s size and age (puppy, adult, senior) should be considered when choosing food. The possible predisposition to diseases (breed-specific) should also be taken into account. In addition, there are physical activity and individual energy requirements, feeding practice (once a day versus several meals), and lifestyle. This results in the perfect food for your fur nose.

Important: Always make feed changes gradually to give the digestive tract time to adapt. If your pet shows digestive problems such as diarrhea and vomiting, please talk to your vet about it.

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