We all are fond of tasty bites. Dogs are too, but how much wet food to feed a dog?
They love to eat items with varying tastes. As their sound health depends on the foods they eat, a healthy diet is extremely crucial.
But here lies the question: Do they need to consume dry food only? Or do they need wet food also? The answer is yes. Wet food is also a necessity for dogs. It can keep the balance of your dog’s physical shape and size.
No matter how much water you give them to drink, the necessity of other wet foods cannot be underestimated. Wet food can help to improve a dog’s health enormously to grow in proper order. But one question may remain in your mind that needs to resolve.
How much wet food to feed a dog?
It is a difficult question to answer and deal with. The amount arguably depends on the age, size, shape, weight, and exercise hours of your canine companion. Considering these factors you have to determine the necessary amount of wet food (and dry food even). So let us deal with young puppies first.
Wet Food for Young Puppies
One to three months old
The food chart for young puppies is obviously different from those for adult ones. Young canines are likely accustomed to their mother’s milk. This natural liquid helps them a lot to grow. When he is one month old he can consume dry foods easily. But as they are accustomed to liquid nutritious natural food, they would love to have wet food (of good flavors, of course).
So if the age of the puppy is between one to three months, they need not less than half a cup of food daily. But another significant thing that you should remember is the calories of wet food are lesser than dry food. So if you give your dog half a cup of wet food daily, it may not fulfill his growing necessity. At this stage puppies generally grow at a quick pace. So they need more nutritious food than at any other stage of their life.
So make sure that the wet food you are providing your puppy is replete with necessary elements such as calcium (to deal with bone problems), potassium, etc. And if the food is not delicious enough the puppy will likely detest it. Concerning this issue, half of a cup of food would be the optimum amount if the food contains enough calories. If not, you should make it 3/4. You should put a balance between dry and wet food as some amount of dry food is also important to grow his chewing habit in this stage. Therefore half dry food and another half wet food can be the best option to choose.
One thing you should remember here. Feed your puppy 4 times daily if possible, dividing the food amount. It can help improve your puppy’s growth. Never give him too much food at once. It may lead to the puppy being overweight. And researchers warn that a weighty puppy will be obese, thus inviting numerous health problems in the future.
Three to six months old
As the puppy grows he needs more food than before. At this stage, one cup of food daily will be an absolute amount. But as wet or canned foods are less caloric than usual, you need to add some extra amount to cover up the deficiencies. Most of the puppies, as they advance in their life, like dry food more than wet. It may be because dry foods are generally delicious. So try to make a mixture of wet and dry food. And the amount should be a little more than the standard one cup. Feed your adorable company thrice a day. Divide the reserved amount of food into three portions and give him a timely meal.
Many people often buy dogs of this age and they find that the puppy is fond of dry food. So to change this habit, you need to add wet food stuff gradually to the dry one. Increase 5% the percentage of canned or wet food every day. And he will change his taste too by this time. But never feed your puppy too much-wet food as it can hinder growth and make the puppy thin. But if you fear your puppy being fat, add more canned food replacing the high-caloric dried one.
Wet Food for Adult Dogs
Dogs of more than six months are considered to be adults and would be adults. So they need a greater amount of food to survive. Most veterinarians agreed that an adult dog should eat at least 2 cups of food daily. It is best to serve them 2 times a day on a regular basis. At this stage, many dogs like to have dry food. But the necessity of wet food cannot be overlooked.
So the best option would be a mediocre course to choose from. A farrago of both dry and wet food can serve better. As you are adding wet food, 2 and a half cup of food can be the optimum amount. Make sure that the foods you are giving have various components in them to ensure the necessity of nutrition. Never give him food with extensive calories or lighter calories. Follow a course favorable to the canine’s health.
You should check the weight of the dog regularly. If the weight increases you have to reduce the amount of food and vice versa. For dogs suffering from obesity, canned and wet food can serve the purpose of a good diet. These foods can extinguish the hunger of the dog by giving him the minimum calorie. And if you see the opposite thing happening decrease wet food and increase dried one.
But, the amount I have told is mere calculation and estimation. You need to apply these amounts considering the size, age, and exercise hours of your adorable mammal. If your dog exercises more than an hour a day, he needs at least three cups of food, half of which should be wet to keep him hydrated.
And if you are living in a tropical country of scorching heat, needless to say, you need more water to drink. So is the case with canines also. In hot weather, they need more water than usual. But what you can do is add more wet, liquidated food to the food chart. And always keep enough supply of fresh water in your home.
Is Too Much Wet Food Harmful?
Here another question comes. Is a big amount of wet food harmful or not? Yes, it is not advised by veterinarians to feed wet stuff more than half of the daily food amount. Dry foods are significant to maintain the dental hygiene of a dog. Dry foods deescalate the build-up of tartar, plaque, and cavity in the canine’s mouth. So, dry food cannot be neglected.
Wet foods usually have vitamins and minerals abundantly. Whereas dry foods are replete with carbohydrates and protein. So a suitable mixture of both dry and wet is most often advised by veterinarians and researchers.
7 Tips That You Don’t Do
- Never keep the food bowl full all the time. It would increase the habit of excessive eating in dogs leading to obesity; thus opening the gate to diseases
- Don’t feed wet foods disliked by your friend. Foods without flavor may disgust him greatly.
- Don’t buy canned food with insufficient calories. They are often made of byproducts and less edible meats. It can make your dog thinner.
- Don’t force your dog to take wet, liquid stuff without accustoming him to it. And make the food training period full of rewards and gifts
- Never give him only one type of soaked food. Keep changing the taste of various foods. The dog will love this sort of food game.
- Don’t change brands too rashly. The change of brands can have various effects on your dog. If you want to switch brands, change with a turtle-like motion.
- Don’t forget to consult with a certified veterinarian before implementing a calorie chart. An expert’s experience and expertise mean less possibility of falling into a mess.
Conclusion
Water is the primary source of hydration for dogs as for most mammals. But it is barely enough for a fully-grown canine. He needs more supply of liquid stuff to keep a balanced food diet. Canned food also known as wet food can help you a lot in this case. These foods are specially designed to keep your adorable dog hydrated and healthy simultaneously.
If you have a hunting dog, give him both the little liquid and solid items some more. Because they need more calories to do arduous jobs. The same applies to dogs that are accustomed to heavy physical exercise and training. But for normal dogs, the discussed amount will suffice.
It is important to keep calorie intake as much consistent as possible. A Healthy diet according to a well-improved calorie chart ensures a canine’s possibility to be healthy. A badly fed dog cannot live long, as many researchers believe. Or if he survives, he dwells in a sickly grown body. Hence, it is a prime necessity to feed your dog balanced stuff. Ensure a considerable amount of wet food as well as dry food to get better results. And allow your vet to lead you to the best possible food chart. Hopefully, your dog will be healthy. So will you.
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