Why do you add water to Royal Canin

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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Mixed feeding your dog

Is it better to use wet dog food or dry food? Or maybe prepare your dog food yourself? These are very often asked questions new pet owners ask their vets. Proper nutrition for dogs is the key to their healthy development. So it can be a daunting task to decide whats best to feed them.

Types of dog food

The most important ingredient that differentiates wet and dry dog food is the water content. In dry foods, the moisture content is around 8%, while in wet foods, this is usually around 75%. This means that the content of nutrients, and hence metabolic energy, is definitely higher in dry foods than in wet foods.

100 grams of dry dog food contains about 370 kcal. The same amount of wet food contains "only" 100 kcal. The differences are therefore significant. This also adds to the amount of food your dog eats. To cover your daily energy needs by feeding your dog only with dry food, you need to feed it about 3-4 times less than if we fed your dog only with wet food.

Wet dog food may have more stimuli affecting your dog's sense of taste. Dry dog food is more difficult to chew, which can be a problem for some animals. There are dogs that are particularly picky, so will only play with dry food instead of actually eating it. This may be due to the difficulty in chewing on hard kibbles. The dog can then treat them as a toy, not food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

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. This change can be carried out efficiently, quickly, and most importantly, without any unpleasant consequences.

There is no need 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. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily or leave a strong smell, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in the evenings.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

Mixed feeding your dog

Types of dog food

Wet dog food will definitely have more values and stimuli affecting your dogs sense of taste. Dry dog food is more difficult to chew, which can be a problem for some animals. There are dogs that are particularly picky, so will only play with dry food instead of actually eating it. This may be due to the difficulty in chewing on hard kibbles. The dog can then treat them as a toy, not food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

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.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

5 tips for mix feeding dry and wet food for dogs

Tip 1: Start by talkingwith your vet or retailer

A lot of dog foods are now specifically formulated for different life stages or for particular health conditions. Before you begin combining a wet and dry diet, it's worth having a conversation with your vet to make sure that you're giving your dog the right amount of the right food for their age stage and health profile.

Tip 2: Maintain portion control

Super Premium dog foods have specific portion sizes for particular sizes and bodyweights of dogs. These differ between wet and dry diets. Wet food contains less calories per gram than dry food. When you substitute some of one type of diet as you transition to mixed feeding, it isn't as simple as swapping half a cup of dry for half a cup of wet. Super Premium packets should include some guidelines on portion control, but if you are uncertain ask the retailer or pet food company for feeding guidelines that will maintain your pet at a healthy body weight.

Tip 3: Make the change gradual

Dogs might seem like they can eat anything, but sometimes their stomachs can be quite sensitive. This is why it is recommended that any change in their diet is handled gradually over a number of days. That way their digestion has time to adjust. A good rule of thumb to follow is to mix in a very small amount of the new food on day one and gradually alter the balance of new to old over seven days until you're serving the final balance of mixed food on day seven.

Tip 4: It doesn't have to be all-in-one

Tip 5: Don't forget the water

Of course, there are plenty of benefits in giving your dog a mixture of wet and dry food. One of these is that wet food helps to keep them hydrated. However, it only does part of the job. That's why you should always make sure that there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water on hand. Keep it out of the sun so it doesn't get hot, have more than one bucket or bowl so there's a backup if one gets tipped over while you're not there and keep an eye on how clean it is. Some dogs are notorious for dipping their dirty paws into the water.

Mixed feeding your dog

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

As we have discussed above, both types of diets, dry and wet, have their unique benefits. So what about using both together? Combining wet and dry food can be a good solution bringing many benefits to your pet. So how can you start doing this with your dog?

A lot of how to feed your dog will come down to your dogs personal preference. Some dogs will prefer their wet food separate from the kibbles as they each have their own unique aromatic profiles to encourage your pet to eat them. 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. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in one to two set mealtimes during the day to best fit into your schedules.

Some additional tips for mixed feeding include:

1. Gently heating the wet food. This helps to release some of the great aromas in the wet food to encourage them to eat it. Important that this is only done in 5 second bursts, and to make sure you check the centre of the food with your finger to make sure it isnt too warm to touch and give it a good stir before serving it to your dog.

2. Make sure you clean the bowl used for the wet food after every meal. Even though your dog will lick the bowl clean, some of the oils and fats in the wet food will stick behind. These can convert to a rancid smell quickly. Remember your dog has a very sensitive nose, so this might discourage them from eating the fresh food you have put in the bowl.

3. For fussy eaters, a small amount of warm water mixed with the wet food can turn into a gravy to mix into the dry food.

4. Remember that any change in diet, including the introduction of wet food if they have not been mixed fed previously, should be done slowly and with care. Just like us, our dogs have a unique set of bacteria in their intestines that responds to the food your dog is fed. Therefore, a change in diet will result in a shift of this bacteria population that needs to be done slowly to prevent things like diarrhoea from a quick transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before being released for sale, all ROYAL CANIN diets are subject to our intense quality assurance control program to help ensure the diets maintain nutritional value and safety. Testing is done on incoming ingredients as well as finished products. This is to validate nutrient composition, and vitamin and mineral components.

All our food is made to the strictest quality requirements to help ensure safety.

Because cats and dogs deserve the best nutrition to remain in the best of health, ROYAL CANIN is committed to:

Selecting the suppliers of raw materials in accordance with very strict specifications

Testing the quality of the ingredients before they are accepted for use in ROYAL CANIN foods

Only using meat from animals which are declared fit and healthy for human consumption

Quality control from the moment the raw materials enter the factory right through to the packaging stage, thanks to systematic measures and analysis at all key stages

Complete traceability and identification of all ingredients

How to help your dog gain weight

If your dog has recently undergone surgery or been ill, its possible they will have lost a significant amount of weight. Getting them back to a healthy weight is important for the effective functioning of its vital organs, but whats the best way to do it?

What is a healthy weight for your dog?

Every dog has a slightly different healthy weight, which is based on their age, breed and sex. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on your dogs ideal weight, and the amount of weight they will have to gain to reach this goal. Its important to get this information from your veterinarian, as it can be easy to overfeed your dog and accidentally allow them to put on excess weight.

As a guide, if your dog is a healthy weight you should be able to feel their ribs through their body, but they shouldnt be prominent or visible from afar. If their ribs or other bones, such as the pelvis, are visible from a distance, then your dog is underweight.

Supporting your dogs digestive system during weight gain

After a period of convalescence or illness, your dogs digestive system will be particularly sensitive. Its essential not to "overload" their digestive tract when helping them gain weight, as it could result in stomach upset, vomiting or diarrhea.

One of the most important parts of your dogs digestive system is their small intestine. This is where nutrients are absorbed from your dogs food to be used by their organs. Its also home to microflora"beneficial" bacteria that contribute to gut healthand the largest number of immune cells in their body. For these reasons, its key that any weight-gain diet you give your dog supports the health of this organ and the digestive tract as a whole without putting undue pressure on it.

What to feed your dog to help them gain weight

Although it may seem sensible, its not necessarily a good idea to simply give your dog more of their current food to help them gain weight; their digestion may not be able to cope with it, and it may not provide them with the specific levels of nutrients they need at that point.

A weight-gain food should have a high energy density. This means youll be able to give your dog small rations, therefore protecting their digestive system from unnecessary strain, and theyll still get the energy they need. A high-fat diet is often recommended for dogs recovering from surgery as its an energy-dense food.

Protein is an essential nutrient for dogs, and also an important source of energy. Their food should provide them with highly digestible protein from quality sources that is easily absorbed into their body. The right balance of fiber is also important, as this directly affects gut health and the quality of their stool.

Dogs who have been through surgery or illness may have lost their appetite, and so the weight-gain food needs to encourage them to eat. Smell and texture are most important to dogs, so choose a food that has been designed for maximum palatability and the right size and shape pieces for your breed or size of dog.

How to feed your dog to help them gain weight

Generally you should give your adult dog two meals a day, but you may wish to split their daily portion into smaller meals and give these more frequently. This can help improve digestibility and put less pressure on their gastric tract. You can also place their food a little higher than usual and allow gravity to help the food reach their stomach comfortably.

Making their diet wettereither by using canned food or adding water to kibblecan encourage your dog to eat as it may feel easier to eat than a dry food. Providing them with plenty of fresh water is also essential for their overall health.

The right combination of food and feeding techniques can help your dog gain weight safely; speak to your veterinarian about the best choices for your pet to help them on the road to recovery.