To feed wet or dry puppy food? That is the big question.
Unfortunately, the answer to that question seems to be nothing more than a matter of opinion. What is important is that you feed your puppy a high quality food that meets the standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). In addition, be sure that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved it as a safe pet food.
One good reason for feeding a wet canned puppy food is that it is usually processed less than dry food. Another is that many puppies will find canned food more desirable than dry food.
Canned dog foods often tend to have a higher protein content and usually contain less chemical preservatives than dry foods. The canned foods generally have a longer shelf life.
Older dogs and those suffering from dental problems will find it easier to eat canned or wet food.
One common problem with feeding canned food is that it will spoil much faster than dry food. Once opened, canned food will last three days in the refrigerator. Canned food should not be left uneaten in the puppy’s bowl for an extended period of time.
Wet foods tend to cost more than dry foods. This can be a deterrent, especially with large breeds.
If you start your puppy out eating wet food, it can be difficult to change to dry food later on.
Dry food is good in that it exercises the puppy’s jaws and helps to satisfy the natural chewing instinct. It also helps keep the puppy’s teeth clean.
Dry food is often considered to be a more economical means of feeding pets. It can be purchased in bulk and will not spoil nearly as fast as wet foods. Unfortunately, more preservatives are needed to keep dried kibble fresh.
Some experts claim that dry food has less “natural nutrition” due to a preparation process that includes baking.
While all of the above is true, the process of choosing the best food is a bit more difficult than contemplating the pros and cons of wet and dry foods because just reading the label and comparing the amounts of things like moisture and protein in the food is not a simple case of comparing apples to apples. There is a formula for accurately comparing wet and dry foods.
In order to compare the levels of nutrients, both canned and wet food products need to be converted to dry matter. The numbers you will use for this calculation can usually be found in the “Guaranteed Analysis” information on the back of the bag or can. This information tells you the percentages of the main nutrients found within the product.
For example, let us use a can of dog food that contains 10 percent protein and 75 percent moisture. While you might think the nine percent is a lot lower than what is in the dry food, don’t bet your house just yet.
In order to calculate the dry matter of the canned food, you must subtract the moisture percentage from 100. (100-75=25 percent). You have 25 percent of dry matter. To figure the amount of protein, take the 10 percent of protein and divide it by 25 and multiply it by 100 (10 divided by 24 = .4; .4 multiplied by 100 = 40). There is 40 percent protein in the wet food. The same calculations work for fat and fiber contents.
If all of this math work is too much for you, ask breeders, trainers and veterinarians for their recommendations for the best type of puppy food. They should be very knowledgeable on the subject.
Related posts:
- Puppy Dog Food Versus Adult Dog Food
- How to Read an Ingredients Label for Dog Food
- Determining Homemade Food Portions
- Organic Puppy Food
- Emergency Substitute Options For Pet Food
