Is it possible to feed a dog only dry food?

Can dogs eat dry food?

Experienced dog breeders began to switch their pets to feeding exclusively prepared dry food. There are several reasons for this choice:

1. Saving time - you don’t need to waste time preparing food for your pet. It’s very convenient, pour the required amount from the package and that’s it, you don’t need to do anything else. Human food must be prepared constantly fresh, or stored somewhere, then reheated. A dog's bowl can only be rinsed after feeding, and not washed off greasy plates.

2. In good food, all vitamins, mineral complexes and nutrients are balanced.

3. Many people believe that such feeding is too expensive; it is cheaper to treat dogs to home cooking. But, do not forget that a portion of the dry mixture is many times smaller than a regular portion. And when eating homemade food, animals need to be given additional vitamin and mineral complexes.

4. By purchasing ready-made mixtures, you can choose the specific one that is needed directly during this period of time. Perhaps the pet is pregnant or nursing babies. Maybe the dog is preparing for a competition and has a special diet and heavy physical activity. Such food is simply a salvation for dogs with allergies or obesity.

Why is it necessary to change food?

When an animal eats the same food almost continuously, expect problems. Moreover, not only with health and appearance. Here are the troubles that await you:

Mono-diet has never been healthy

The ancestors of dogs were predators who ate a wide variety of foods in nature. They hunted both small animals, such as rodents or rabbits, and larger ones, such as deer. Therefore, pets also vitally need variety in their diet.

If we consider the formulation of dry food as a whole, they are created in such a way as to provide our pets with the entire range of nutrients necessary for life. However, imagine that you will only give your dog pilaf - rice with lamb - for the rest of his life. Or turkey with potatoes. But what about those beneficial substances that are contained in other products?

By changing food from time to time, we enrich the pet’s diet. We saturate it with new ingredients necessary for life, even if the same vitamins and minerals are indicated on the packaging of different foods.

There is no ideal food

Food from different manufacturers may be similar in some ways. However, not only the recipe, but also the production technology is different. Some manufacturers use cold-pressed vegetable oils, others use more natural meat and fats. Still others prefer to add more grains and plant fiber to their products.

Therefore, you need to try to change not only different types of feed from one manufacturer, but also companies. In this way, mistakes in feeding the animal will be avoided and its health will be protected in the long term.

Whims

Most dogs that are fed the same food over and over again eventually become fussy. They refuse to eat from the bowl and run to the trash can, starting to beg for “goodies” from the owner’s table. The worst thing is when the pet begins to look for food on the street, picking up all sorts of nasty things on the lawns.

Yes, animals also want new taste sensations. They get bored of eating the same thing over and over again. Uniformity in nutrition affects not only the behavior, but also the psychology of the animal. It may begin to get “bored” and obey its owner poorly, especially during training or on a walk.

Is it possible to constantly feed dry food to dogs?

Many caring owners still do not trust manufacturers and slip their pet a bowl of something tasty. They don't think about the consequences of a mixed diet.

You can, of course, give your pet a small piece of treat as a reward during training. This can be a small piece of cheese or a cracker, dried fruit or a tiny cube of boiled beef. But not regularly and in small doses.

If you add boiled meat to dry mixtures, this will lead to an excess of protein in the body. The consequence will be kidney disease, allergic reactions and dystrophic changes in the liver.

Mixed diets disrupt the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to indigestion and gastritis.

If you give your pet seafood in addition to dry food, there will be an excess of phosphorus in the body. Which will contribute to inflammation of the genitourinary system and the development of urolithiasis. Bone tissue will begin to actively gain phosphates and lose calcium. For puppies, such a change threatens rickets and osteoporosis. In older individuals, it is fraught with damage to the intestines and liver. Anemia will develop and minor hemorrhages will appear.

If you mix dry mixtures with cereals, the dog is guaranteed to become obese. Excess carbohydrates in the body leads to rapid accumulation of fat and excess weight.

Water and dry feeding

Oddly enough, but “drying”, contrary to the opinion of many breeders, is definitely not a bad option. And it’s definitely better to give even not too expensive dry food to a puppy than to stuff it with equally inexpensive canned food. Cheap canned food contains no more than 5% complete animal protein, and its vitamin composition is far from ideal. But all this is lyrics.

Alas, many breeders forget what an important role ordinary water plays in the “dry” type of feeding. Your baby should always have access to drink, at any time of the day or night! Otherwise, your pet will have problems with normal digestion: he will most likely develop chronic constipation, intestinal motility will be disrupted, and other pathologies of the digestive system will arise.

Important! The water needs to be changed regularly! If there is something cloudy, slimy and with a bad smell splashing around in the bowl, any food will be bad!

It is believed that for small puppies the water should be changed as it becomes dirty, but at least 2 or 3 times a day, starting from six months - at least once a day. Use only fresh and clean water. In cities it is better to defend it, since in some places chlorine disinfection is still practiced. And it is extremely harmful to the intestinal microflora (not only in puppies, but also in adult dogs).

Is it worth soaking dry food?

If the manufacturer doesn’t indicate this on the box of food, then it’s okay. And some even need it without fail. Water is added to the mixtures for older dogs and those suffering from oral diseases, as well as for small puppies under the age of 5 months.

To soak food, add regular warm drinking water to the granules (temperature above +40 degrees). There is no need to boil it beforehand.

If these are young puppies, kefir, boiled milk or yogurt will serve as liquid. Mature dogs should be bred in a 1:2 ratio. Such food must be consumed immediately or no later than 2 hours after preparation; it is a perishable product.

At what age can you start feeding dry food?

So, many experts still agree that puppies should not be given dry rations before three months. However, we believe that it is still possible to give dry food from about 2.5 months, but not earlier.

When starting complementary feeding, you must follow a number of important rules:

• You can give only food intended specifically for puppies (or for dogs of small and dwarf breeds). They are distinguished by the small size of the granules and the softness of the latter. Ideally, you should use a diet based on the breed of your pet (large, medium or small breed). In recent years, manufacturers have been producing special foods for all these cases.

• At this age, you can only feed “Premium” and “Super-premium” class food. “Economy” will really allow you to save money, but... also on the health of the puppy. For their production, the components used are not of very high quality, and therefore it is not worth doing this.

Never and under no circumstances should you purchase food sold by weight for your baby.

No matter what the seller says, quality products are not distributed like this, if only because dry food should always be stored in a hermetically sealed box. Otherwise, they quickly absorb water. In addition, under such conditions, oxidation of the fats contained in the feed occurs, which also does not benefit either the taste or nutritional value of the product.

Proper feeding of dogs with dry food depending on their size

The daily food intake for a small breed dog depends on the weight and how active the dog is. The calorie content of food for babies should exceed the amount of calories in food for large and large dogs. Dwarf breeds are very active, so they need additional vitamin B and linoleic acid. On average, the daily intake should not exceed 200 grams.

Large dog breeds, on the other hand, need a diet that is lower in calories and more nutritious because they have a slower metabolism. Therefore, you must strictly adhere to the dosage indicated on the package or follow the recommendations of your veterinarian.

Puppies have a special feeding pattern, since they have an actively growing body, their portions are larger than those of their adult relatives of the same breed.

For six-month-old young puppies, the daily food intake is one and a half times higher than that of an adult, and the number of feedings is also greater.

On each box, the manufacturer is required to indicate the range of norms (in grams) depending on the breed of the dog, its weight and physical activity. Using such tables, it is very easy to calculate how many pellets a pet should eat in one day.

Advantages

• Dry food saves time. If you feed your dog with them, you won’t have to waste time looking for food and preparing dinner for your four-legged friend. With dry food everything is simple. By purchasing a large package, you can plan your diet for several weeks or even months in advance.
• These products are a guarantee of health. High-quality, balanced food fully meets the needs of the pet’s body and saturates it with all the nutrients necessary for proper development. By choosing the right super-premium line, you make a huge contribution to the health and beauty of your dog.
• Dry food is a set portion size. You don't have to calculate the rate yourself. Detailed recommendations for daily volume are indicated directly on the packaging.
• There is no need to purchase additional vitamin and mineral complexes. The composition of high-quality prepared food is carefully balanced. The recommended volume of dry portion corresponds to the daily nutritional needs of the dog's body.

If you feed your dog good quality dry food and follow the feeding guidelines, there is no need to include other foods in his diet. As a change, you can give your dog ready-made wet food of the same class as the food. And preferably the same brand.

• These products are suitable for your pet. Modern pet stores offer a wide range of dry food. Diets differ not only in taste, but also in purpose. There are lines designed for large, small and medium breeds, adults, older dogs and puppies, as well as special functional and dietary ones, taking into account the individual needs of the pet and its lifestyle (active, inactive). Among the variety of products presented, you can easily choose the option that suits your pet.

• Dry food is convenient to take with you on the road, while natural food becomes a big problem when traveling. You not only need to find a hotel where you can stay with your pet, but also have access to a kitchen to prepare food.
• Such products are profitable. Even high-end dry food is cheaper than high-quality natural products.

Do dogs need water while feeding dry food?

Drinking water should always be available; you just need to change it periodically to keep it fresh. A bowl of water is usually placed next to the feeding plate so that the four-legged family member can immediately drink if necessary.

How much water does a dog need to drink while eating such granules - 50 grams per 1 kg of animal weight. It would be a big mistake on the part of the owner to give the dog only a certain amount of water and nothing more. Let the animal drink to its heart's content.

The amount of fluid consumed also depends on how active the pet is, what the temperature is in the room where it stays, or how much food it eats.

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Is it possible to give a puppy dry food? Features of choosing ready-made food

The food produced by the manufacturer can be divided into 4 types:

1. The cheapest food is packaged, oh. In the production of such granules, low quality components are most often used.

2. Middle class products are used for feeding adults. It is of higher quality. However, this food is not suitable for puppies. After eating pellets, young animals experience indigestion.

3. To feed puppies, experts advise buying premium food.

4. Pet owners can use products that are labeled “super-premium”. This food is recommended for animals suffering from allergies.

Trying to save money on food can lead to serious consequences. In the process of obtaining feed, some manufacturers violate the drying regime for meat ingredients.

This leads to a decrease in the amount of vitamins and minerals. Cheap food can cause an allergic reaction. The pet becomes constipated and growth and development slows down.

How to choose dry and wet food for mixed feeding?

In order for a mixed diet to be balanced, the compositions of wet and dry food must be as identical as possible, and finding such products is a rather difficult task.

For example, Acana or Orijen foods contain 75-85% meat ingredients, and if you replace part of their daily value with a wet diet, which contains much less meat, you are depleting your pet's diet of animal protein. Or, for example, there are no grains in biologically appropriate food, but they are found quite often in canned foods, and by including them in the diet, you essentially negate the benefits of a grain-free diet.

It’s even more difficult with macro- and microelements; their quantity and composition depend on the raw materials used, and therefore each manufacturer balances their feed differently. When we mix diets, there is a risk that there will be more of some substances than necessary, while others will be deficient.

Of course, you can make an effort to find canned foods that are close in composition to Acana and Orijen foods, and here are the distinguishing features that will help you do this:

• wet food should consist of meat ingredients with the addition of fiber sources in a volume of no more than 25–15%;
• all ingredients in wet food must be clearly named, indicating specific types of meat and their percentage;
• It is desirable that canned food contain several different sources of animal protein;
• a wet diet should not contain grains, vegetable proteins and various hydrolysates.

Soaking the granules

Often new owners have a question about how to give food to a puppy - dry or soaked. There is no single correct answer: it all depends on the age and preferences of the baby.

If he previously ate only natural food or wet food, dry kibble may not seem very appealing to him. However, this is not a reason to abandon the chosen path. Just shortly before feeding, fill the food with warm water (50–70°C) and wait until it absorbs moisture. This way its aroma will become more pronounced, and its consistency will be closer to natural food.

But keep in mind that soaked granules quickly deteriorate, so if the puppy has not finished the food, you need to put the bowl in the refrigerator, but not longer than 12 hours.

Is it necessary?

We don't know why you decided to mix dry and wet food because, except for special physiological conditions where wet food is recommended, there is no reason to stick to this type of feeding. On the contrary, it causes some difficulties and risks associated with an insufficiently balanced diet, receiving excess or insufficient amounts of nutrients.

At the same time, feeding one dry food, provided the selected diet is of high quality, allows you to reduce them to a minimum. In any case, we respect your choice and hope that with our advice we have helped you establish mixed feeding without harm to your pet.