Why supplement dog food with wet food?

Choosing our furry friend's diet is one of our main responsibilities. There are so many options and alternatives on the market these days that it can make us unsure when choosing one option or another.

At a general level, Mixing dry and wet dog food is a good option.However, in this article, we'll briefly review the different ways we feed our dogs, so we can choose the option that best suits their needs. Keep reading, don't miss it!

What is the best dog food?

If we search online or visit a pet store, we'll find that there are many brands of dog food and other types of food.

Generally speaking, food can be classified into 4 types: dry, wet, raw (or BARF diet) and homemade.

When considering the best dog food, we should consider the most complete and balanced option, providing our furry friend with all the proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals they need for a healthy diet. Obviously, the quality of the product we include in their diet should be as high as possible. prioritizing those options that are made with natural ingredients.

It should be noted that Most people opt for quality dry and wet food, instead of raw and homemade alternatives, since having the time to prepare our furry friend's meals daily is something that few people have the luxury of being able to do due to the lifestyle of today's society.

Furthermore, prepared foods, such as dry dog ​​food or canned food, have been studied and perfected by expert nutritionists, ensuring that your pet will have all its nutritional requirements met. Therefore, below we'll discuss the main differences between the two and how we can combine them to achieve the best results.

Differences between dry food and wet food

Their main difference is the amount of humidity or water that makes up food. Dry food usually has a lower percentage, typically ranging between 8 and 14%, while wet food usually contains at least 30-35% moisture, with much higher values ​​often reaching up to 80% or more.

Another key element is the duration that the product can haveDry food generally lasts longer than usual, while wet food should be consumed more quickly, as once opened, it deteriorates more quickly, which could lead to spoilage and negatively affect your dog's health.

One has to also take into account the energy input that will provide us with one type of food or another. Wet dog food, having a higher moisture content, will provide less energy than kibble for the same amount. However, if we want to help our dog stay hydrated, this type of food will be perfect, as it will provide water for our furry friend without having to drink directly from his food or water bowl. It is very important to provide this type of food, especially during hot weather.

Finally, it should be noted that wet food is usually more appetizing that the feed pleases the eyes of our furry friends, so it will be easy to introduce into their diet, if they haven't tried it yet.

What should I mix with my dog's food? The benefits of mixed feeding

By combining dog food with wet food, both the animal and its owner can benefit from the strengths of each type of food.

At a general level, we could achieve the following:

1. Save: Feed is usually cheaper, so if our dog only eats wet food and we mix both types, we can reduce the bill a little at the end of the month.
2. Taking care of your dental hygiene: The feed has benefits for their teeth, helping to reduce tartar and plaque. It also trains the animal's masticatory muscles.
3. Duration: By combining both meals, it will take longer until we need to refill our food baskets. A large bag of feed can last us quite a while, so it's great for organizing their meals.
4. Energy and nutrients: By mixing dry food with wet food, we'll improve our furry friend's diet, providing all the nutrients he needs. It's important to provide a balanced amount of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to prevent problems and diseases. Natural dog food can be your greatest ally.
5. Hydration: Wet food will help our dog stay better hydrated. As we mentioned before, this is especially important during very hot months, when drinking more water is crucial.
6. Appetite: Wet food smells and tastes better, at least to our little ones. That's why mixing it with their dry food will make them enjoy their meals more.
7. Variety: we can combine different types of feed with options of wet food, so we can avoid routine and prevent the animal from hating its diet. At Arquivet, you can find a wide variety of digestive food along with a multitude of wet food options, from canned dogs made with natural ingredients to tasty sausages.

Natural dog food: your best ally

When choosing food for your dog, it is important that you consider those options that include natural and quality ingredients. You should also know if your dog has any intolerances, such as gluten. There are grain-free or gluten-free dog foods that can be a suitable alternative for these cases. This type of food is also generally great for dogs with digestive problems.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a cheap dog food, Check above all that the quality/price ratio is adequateObviously, the quality of the cheaper options won't be the same as the premium ones, but the important thing is that they meet minimum quality standards. If you have any doubts, you can always talk to your trusted veterinarian and they'll help you decide.