Should you moisten dry dog food

Soaking Dry Dog Food in Water

Sometimes, I soak my dogs dry food in warm water for 15 or 20 minutes before I feed them.

I do this for a couple of reasons. My older dog has had a few dental extractions, and doesnt chew up his food as well as he used to not that any dog grinds up much of the kibble he or she eats; unlike ours, canine teeth are not much for grinding. Mostly, a few of the kibbles get crunched, and more likely get swallowed intact. My younger dog is prone to eating way too fast just bolting down all his food whole in less than a minute (unless I put it in a slow feeder or snuffle mat) and I am guessing that it will put less of a strain on his digestive system if the food arrives even slightly pre-moistened.

And I know that feeding both of them soaked food makes them feel more full. Dry foods are so nutrient-dense, that the volume of the amount of food that is calorically appropriate for their weight might not come close to filling up their tummies. If their meal is full of water, it definitely increases satiety that sensation of fullness. They quit walking around the kitchen looking unsatisfied after their meals when their food is soaked.

If youve ever soaked your dogs food, youre aware of how much dry dog food expands when immersed in water. Its a little horrifying, actually, to realize how much more space a certain amount of food will require in a dogs stomach and gut once the dogs digestive juices hydrate the individual kibbles. It nearly doubles in volume. The kibbles are like little sponges some more than others. Ive noticed when soaking food for various foster puppies that some kibble is more resistant to soaking than others.

Neither of my dogs are reluctant or picky eaters, but adding water can definitely increase the palatability of dry food for some dogs.

However, one shouldnt moisten food and leave it sitting out at room temperature for very long I would start being concerned about bacterial growth in moistened food that had been left out at room temperature for more than an hour.

Many people believe that feeding soaked food will help prevent bloat. Im not sure theres ever been a study that looked at just that, but it would make sense to me. Im super cautious about exercise for a couple of hours after feeding, too, for the same reason.

Out of curiosity: How many of you moisten or soak your dogs dry food?

5 Dos and Don'ts for Mixing Your Pet's Food

Dr. Ashley Gallagher

Many of us are vigilant with what type of food our dogs and cats eat, especially if they start to lose interest in their food. Fortunately, there are a few tips you can use to reinvigorate your pet's eating habits, including mixing pet foods. Before you begin, here are some dos and don'ts for mixing pet foods:

1. Do consider mixing pet foods with different shapes, textures and aromas

The shape, texture and aroma are among the most important pet food attributes that entice your dog or cat's appetite. Try to shake things up a bit by offering your pet a mix of foods with different shapes, textures and/or aromas. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover how much your dog or cat will enjoy the adventure that is eating again.

2. Don't begin mixing pet foods without first consulting your veterinarian.

Many pet foods are formulated with a specific life stage, lifestyle and sometimes even health condition in mind. Mixing foods willy-nilly without taking this into consideration can inadvertently impact your pet negatively, including causing undesired weight gain, overexposure to certain vitamins and minerals, etc. Forgo the guesswork and go to the expert your veterinarian.

3. Do consider adding water to dry kibble.

There are plenty of dogs and cats that love their dry kibble. But if your pet has begun showing less interest in the food, it may be time to add a little "gravy." It's real simple, too. Just take about a cup of filtered water and add it to the top of the bowl of kibble in order to moisten and enhance the flavor of the pet food. Cats often stand to benefit the most from doing this, as they frequently have issues with dehydration. Consult your vet if your pet would benefit from adding water to your pet's diet.

4. Do consider mixing canned and dry pet food.

Adding canned food to dry food is another way to increase the moisture content and enhance the flavor of the meal, while allowing you the flexibility of buying different types of food that fit your budget. Talk to your veterinarian about complementing your dry dog food or dry cat foodwith a canned food that compliments his or her dietary needs as well as the appropriate ratio of dry to wet food to provide for each meal.

5. Don't mix therapeutic pet foods with other foods without first consulting your veterinarian.

The science behind pet foods continues to evolve and one huge benefit for our pets is therapeutic diets. Therapeutic diets are created specifically to prevent or delay the onset of many health conditions. However, it's important that you not add anything to a therapeutic diet without first consulting your vet. It may have the adverse effect of diluting the precise formulation and perhaps even counteracting the intended benefits for your pet.

10 Reasons to Add Water to Your Dogs Dry Food

As a kid, I remember my Mom preparing our dogs dry food, or kibble, for meals.

She added in a lot of things to make it more nutritious and tasty, including water.

This was before the internet so she must have learned it from a book, magazine, or it was passed along from knowledgeable dog owners.

A few years ago I thought I heard some new information about this practice that said that what she had been doing was wrong that its a really bad idea to add water to dry kibble.

But Ive done it myself over the years for various reasons and, logically, it didnt make sense that it was harmful.

So I decided to do some research to get to the bottom of the issue to confirm that either adding water to kibble was beneficial or proof that it was no longer a good practice.

Should You Add Water to Dry Dog Food?

Im not sure where I got the impression that adding water to dry kibble was harmful because my research revealed more benefits than negatives.

The negatives are not insignificant, but they are more of a caution, or things to be aware of, than outright dangers.

Benefits of adding water to your dogs kibble:

1) Increased hydration

Water is required for all cellular, organ, and tissue functions of the body.

In general, dogs should consume one ounce per pound of body weight every day to ensure that they are hydrated. (source)

If you dog doesnt drink enough water, they could be come dehydrated. This, in turn, could lead to health issues.

Adding water to your dogs food can help increase their overall fluid intake.

Remember that decreased thirst could be a sign of an underlying medical problem so if you dogs drinking habits suddenly and significantly changed, talk to your veterinarian.

2) Slows down aggressive eaters

If your dog has a tendency to gulp, gobble, or eat their food very fast, gulpers, adding water to your dogs dry food can cause them slow down.

If your dog eats their food too fast, it can cause bloat, choking, gagging, and vomiting.

Ive found that the water method to slow eating is most effective when you add enough water that the kibble slightly floats (think bobbing for applies) and I dont let it soak in.

3) Urinary tract health

A dogs urinary system is what processes and removes waste from the body and this system depends on water to move waste through the system.

Adding extra water to your dogs dry kibble can increase water intake.

4) More easily digested

Moistening dry dog food can help break down the food, making it easier for your dog to digest and absorb the nutrients.

5) Weight loss

If your dog needs to lose weight, you can replace part of their normal portion with a similar volume of calorie-free water.

Doing this will help your dog feel full and satisfied even though they are eating less kibble.

6) Entice picky eaters

While many dogs are food obsessed, some dogs are picky eaters.

Adding water to soften your dogs kibble can make it more enticing because it smells and tastes better, leading to increased appetite and enjoyment of mealtime.

7) Easier to chew

If your dog has dental issues, missing teeth, or has difficulty chewing, moistening the food can make it easier for them to eat and digest.

8) Cost savings

All dog food has some moisture in it, even dry kibble (you can see this in nutritional analysis breakdown on the back of the package).

But, obviously, dry dog food has less moisture than canned or raw food.

Canned and kibble are typically more expensive than kibble, which means part of what you are paying for is water.

9) Consistency preference

Some dogs may prefer a softer, moister texture in their food, and adding water to dog kibble will help achieve this.

10) Bloat prevention

A dog fed a moist diet raw, canned, or moistened dry food is much less likely to develop bloat, also known as gastric dilatation and volvulus, which is a potentially life-threatening condition in dogs.

Reasons why you might not want to add water to your dogs dry food:

There are some drawbacks to adding extra water to your dogs food.

These include:

1) No teeth cleaning action

Im mentioning this one because its a common claim that hard, dry kibble will help your dogs teeth stay clean due to the chewing action.

However, this has not been my experience.

First, a dog must actually chew their food for this to be effective, and many just swallow it.

Second, my dogs have eaten different diets over the years and I saw no difference in the cleanliness of their teeth no matter which type raw, canned, or dry kibble they were eating.

But it is possible that chewing hard kibble can help keep some dogs teeth clean so sofening with water would negate that benefit.

Personally, I dont rely on my dogs diet to help maintain dental health. Instead , I use this at-home teeth cleaning technique (its not brushing).

2) Increased meal prep time

Youll see below that you should add the water at meal time and then wait 1-5 minutes for the dry food to soften, thus adding significant time to meal prep.

If youre in a hurry, or like to keep the process and quick and easy as possible, then soaking your dogs dry kibble in water may not be for you.

3) Unappetizing texture

While some dogs prefer to eat soft, moist food, some do not.

Adding water to your dogs kibble may make the texture unappetizing and less enjoyable.

4) Wasted food

Moistening your dogs dry dog food can reduce the shelf life.

Since you should place any uneaten soft kibble in the refrigerator, there is potential for it to dry out and no longer taste good to your dog.

Also, any moistened kibble should be thrown out after 24 hours if not eaten to reduce the risks of spoilage.

This means that you may end of throwing out some of the dog food that you purchase.

5) Water intoxication

Believe it or not, it is possible to over-hydrate your dog. Its called water intoxication, or hyponatremia in medical terms.

If you add too much water to your dogs food, its possible to overhydrate them, which can be harmful to your dogs health.

When a relatively large amount of water is consumed in a short period of time, the balance of electrolytes in the dogs body is disrupted, which can cause a disturbance in brain function.

Symptoms of water intoxication include staggering, loss of coordination, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, dilated pupils, light gum color, and excessive salivation.

While water intoxication is relatively rare, and dogs that swim, drink excessive water after exercise, or catch pressurized water from the hose are at the highest risk, it is possible it could happen from putting way too much water in your dogs food.

Make Your Own Determination

Its important to make your own determination when deciding to add water to your dogs dry food or not.

Consider the pros and cons above and decide if you think it may help your own dog.

Then give it a try and see if it works for you and your dog likes it.

If you have concerns or notice any negative changes in your dogs health after adding water to their food, its best to stop and consult with your veterinarian.

If you do decide to put water in your dogs food at mealtime, follow the directions below.

How to Add Water to Your Dogs Food

Adding water to your dogs dry food seems pretty straightforward but there are some nuances to enduring its effective and safe.

To add water to dry dog food, follow these steps:

1. Measure out the correct portion of dry food based on your dogs size, age, and activity level.
2. Place the dry food in a bowl.
3. Pour 1 Tbsp. to 1/4 c lukewarm water (not hot or boiling, water over the food to prevent any risk of them burning their mouth), deepening on the amount of food and the size of your dog, over the kibble.
4. Gently mix it with a spoon to help moisten all of the pieces.
5. Let the food soak for 1-5 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency (typically, partially softened but not mush).
6. Stir the food again to evenly distribute the water and softened kibble pieces.
7. Serve the moistened food to your dog immediately.

Put any moistened food your dog didnt eat in the refrigerator to offer at the next meal.

If your dog doesnt eat it after 24 hours, throw it out to reduce the risk of it spoiling or becoming contaminated with bacteria.

Alternatives to Water

Adding water to your dogs kibble is the simplest way to gain the benefits of moistened kibble.

But its not the only way.

There are other liquids that you can use that will nutritionally enhance your dogs meal.

Bone Broth

There are many benefits of bone broth for your dog, including promoting a healthy gut, supporting the immune system, and tempting picky dogs.

Bone broth is also a natural source of glucosamine to help support healthy joints and cartilage.

You can buy pre-made bone broth at most pet stores or use this easy bone broth recipe to make your own.

Goats milk

While your dog should not drink cows milk, goats milk raw goats milk contains far less lactose than cows milk and is generally safe.

Goats milk is a source of probiotics, which are good for digestive health, and can help generally support dogs with health issues.

Dog hydration/electrolytes drink

If your dog is dehydrated, vomiting, or has diarrhea, they may need electrolytes in addition to extra water.

Electrolytes help to maintain normal fluid balance in the blood and tissues.

You can add electrolytes to your dogs meal by using something like Nulo Hydrate or Vet Classics Pet-A-Lyte (affiliate links) in place of plain water.

Final Thoughts

There are many benefits to adding water to your dogs dry food like helping to prevent dehydration, increased digestibility, making it easier to chew, and helping with weight loss.

You can also swap out all or part of the plain water with other liquids, like goats milk, bone broth, or oral electrolyte solutions, for additional benefits.

If you have concerns or notice any negative changes in your dogs health after adding water to their food, its best to stop and consult with your veterinarian.