Dog Feeding Tips When Switching to Wet Food

Switching your dog feeding routine from dry kibble to wet food is not something you should rush. Canned dog food popularly appeals to dogs, so they eat it quickly and want more.

Canned vs. Dry

Canned dog food and dry dog food each offer additional benefits. A dog feeding regimen with dry dog food scrapes plaque and tartar off the teeth. Dry dog food is far less expensive than canned food, but canned food contains less fillers and preservatives. The biggest benefit to a diet of dry kibble is oral health.

Generally, the nutritional quality of canned food is superior to any dry food. In addition, wet foods taste great and a dog rarely walks away with food remaining in the bowl. You do not need to worry about spoilage with a canned food dog feeding routine. The downfall to canned or wet food is that it lacks the same dental benefits. However, with the variety of dental treats on the market, your dog's oral health does not have to suffer.

Switching to Wet Food

Many dogs will not hesitate to readily devour canned food. You should experience no problems getting your pet to accept a dog feeding routine involving canned dog food. Canned food is higher in protein. The richness of the food might upset your dog's stomach. For the first week, feed a mixture of canned food with your pet's dry food to allow the body to adjust. As the week progresses, increase the amount of canned food and decrease the dry food.

Once your pet is only eating canned food, you might discover that he/she begs for more food between meals. Snacks between meals cause obesity in dogs. Always leave fresh water out for your animal. While canned food offers higher water content, dogs require fresh water throughout the day for optimal health.

Suggested Feeding Guidelines for Canned Food

It is important to know how much food your dog requires when switching a dog feeding routine. Veterinarians suggest the following feeding guidelines:

  • 5-pound dog needs 3/8s of a can per day.
  • 10-pound dog needs 3/4s of a can per day.
  • 20-pound dog needs 1 & 1/8s of a can per day.
  • 40-pound dog needs 1 & 3/4s of a can per day.
  • 60-pound dog needs 2 & 1/4s of a can per day.
  • 80-pound dog needs 2 & 1/2s of a can per day.
  • 100-pound dog needs 3 & 1/4s of a can per day.

If your dog is extremely active, you may need to add extra food to account for the calories burned.

Avoid Huge Meals

To keep your dog satisfied, break the feedings up to at least twice a day. First, this prevents dog bloat. Second, your dog will feel full and less likely to beg during your meal. Use dental chews and bones to satisfy your pet during the afternoon hours.

Once you've chosen a dog feeding routine, stick to those hours. Many people find a schedule of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. works best. Make sure you follow that dog feeding routine on your days off!

 

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