Deciding what to feed a new pup can be difficult because of the dizzying number of puppy food options on the market. Most of the time, though, your decision should come down to whether dry or wet food is best for your furry companion.
Today we’ll look at wet and dry food’s advantages and disadvantages to help you decide which is more suitable for your pup. We’ll also tackle other considerations for choosing either food type so you can finally pick the best puppy food to bring home.
Wet Food Pros and Cons
There isn’t one situation where either wet or dry food is the best option. It is mainly because even dogs of the same breed can have individual needs. As a dog parent, you want to assess each food group thoroughly to find out which aligns with your pup’s needs best.
Pros of Wet Food
What makes wet food ideal for a puppy? Here are the most common ones:
- Looks Good
Food that looks good probably tastes good, right? Well, maybe not exactly where human food is concerned; but when it comes to puppy food, the look of the food is sometimes all that matters.
Wet dog food looks more appetizing and smells more divine to pups than dry dog food. In fact, this type of food can be so irresistible to young dogs that it can make their playful nature take a backseat to their desire to have a bite, even when full.
- Hydrates
Active breeds are prone to dehydration, which is why pet parents should make it a point to give them access to water before they leave the house for the day. Should you forget to do so or not leave enough water to last the entire day, the wet dog food your little furball had for breakfast should last him or her until you get home.
- Helps in Weight Management
Being a pup is a point in a dog’s life when they’ll eat pretty much anything. So, aside from making sure they don’t eat anything that’s dangerous to them, you also have to keep their weight management in mind.
Wet dog food can help contribute to your furry friend’s weight management by giving them that feeling of fullness that stops their hunger. It has higher moisture content than dry dog food, which means your pup won’t need to consume as much of it to feel full.
Cons of Wet Food
You probably won’t want to purchase wet dog food for the following reasons:
- Can Cause Cavities
Wet dog food has a sticky quality that makes it difficult to remove with water. There’s also a good chance that brushing once a day won’t be enough to remove the leftover bits of dog food stuck to your pet’s teeth and gums. This can contribute to the development of tartar and cavities, which could eventually affect your dog’s overall health.
- Difficult to Store
The amount of work that goes into storing wet dog food can sometimes be too much for a pet owner. Sure, you might not mind it for the first couple of months, but doing it for the rest of your dog’s life? We understand how that might be a little too troublesome.
By troublesome, we mean the whole transferring of leftover wet food from its original container to another. That’s what you have to do every time your dog is unable to finish. Throwing it away would be wasteful, and just storing it like you would dry food would end up in spoilage.
Dry Food Pros and Cons
Now, in what ways could dry food be good and bad for pups?
Pros of Dry Food
You’re going to want to go for dry puppy food for the following reasons:
- Great for Teething Pups
Dry dog food is solid and crunchy, which means teething pups are going to have a ball eating it. It also won’t be sticking to your dog’s teeth. In fact, it may very well end up scraping the plaque off of your puppy’s teeth.
- Rarely Spoils
One of the best things about dry food is that you can leave it in your pup’s bowl for the entire day without worrying about it spoiling. That means if your little pooch isn’t hungry, you can leave food for them to get back to later.
Cons of Dry Food
Why don’t we want to feed our furry friends with dry dog food? Here are the common reasons:
- Doesn’t Have Enough Protein
One of the biggest problems with dry food is that you’ll need a lot to meet your pup’s ideal protein consumption. That means you could end up buying several bags to cater to the monthly nutritional needs of an active breed.
What Else Should You Consider?
Deciding between dry and wet food for puppies also involves considering canine health problems resulting from the said food type. In case this happens somewhere along the road, it would be more difficult to initiate a switch with a wet-food-fed pup than it would a dry-food-fed one.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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