Mixing wet and dry food is what you should pay attention to. Many dog owners are concerned about how best to feed their four-legged friend. Those who neither barf nor cook themselves usually opt for dry or wet food – or a mixture of both. But is it allowed to mix dry and wet food? And if so, What is the Right Ratio? Can it be that mixed feeding can not be tolerated? In our guide you will find answers to these and other questions about the topic “Mixing Wet and Dry Food”.

Is it Allowed to Mix Wet and Dry Food?

Yes, you can mix dry and wet food. There is no objection if these points are correct:

• Your dog is healthy
• his gastrointestinal system works
• his immune system is intact

Whether you mix wet and dry food in the same bowl or give your dog one and the other, it doesn’t matter. The two species differ mainly in their water and energy content, respectively. Therefore, all mixing variants are possible without any problems.

One thing you should pay attention to when mixing dry and wet food: both should be complete feeds. This ensures that they contain vital nutrients. For example, you can safely mix the dry dog food from Green Pet Food with the wet food of your choice – as long as it is also a complete feed. All our dry food varieties are complete feeds and thus contain all the nutrients that your four-legged friend needs. The easiest way to do this is to combine two complete feeds with each other – one in dry, the other in wet.

Mixed Feeding is not Suitable for These Dogs

Even if you can mix both types of food in principle, there are dogs for which it is not recommended. If your darling suffers from one of these characteristics, does it apply to him:

• Digestive problems
• Sensitive stomach or sensitivity
• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa or gums

In these cases, mixed feeding can cause the dog to have digestive problems.

Dogs whose gums are inflamed should not eat dry food to avoid additional mechanical stimuli. Once the inflammation has healed, the crispy croquettes can also be fed again.

If your dog has hardly any teeth due to his age or due to an illness, this should usually not be a problem – of course, there can always be individual differences. If your favorite’s sense of smell has decreased, however, it may be that he prefers intensely smelling wet food.

Even with a puppy, you should first inform yourself in detail about what he needs to grow. If in doubt, your veterinarian can tell you whether you should mix dry and wet food. The nutrition experts at Green Petfood are also happy to help you if you have any questions on this topic.

Wet Food vs. Dry Food – Which is Better for the Dog?

Dry and wet feed differ primarily in their water content. While wet food contains between 60 and 85 percent moisture, this value is only 3 to 11 percent for dry food.

In addition to the water content, there are other differences between the two types of feed. The following table shows you the respective advantages and disadvantages:

Dry food                                       Wet food

Benefits	The owner can specifically address: CycleActivity levelOther individual needs Stimulates chewingTakes care of the teethMore energetic than the same amount of wet foodOpened for a longer shelf life	Faster digestion          Higher water contentMostly moderate proportion of carbohydrates  More intense smell is appetizing
Minuses	The dog needs to drink moreSqueamish dogs often prefer juicy food and refuse it	Larger amounts of feed neededCan not be kept for a long time when opened

Whether dry food or wet food is better for your dog cannot be said in general. Both types have advantages and disadvantages – and with both you should make sure to feed your darling the right amount. How much your dog should eat depends on his height, weight and movement. For complete feeds such as wet and dry food for dogs, you can follow the instructions on the packaging.

Why should you Mix Wet and Dry Food?

By nature, dogs do not need a particularly varied diet. It is important that they get all the necessary nutrients and do not eat too much or too little.

Nevertheless, it may be useful to feed dry and wet food together. This is true, among other things, in these cases:

• The dog should accept the dry food better
• Your dog appreciates variety in his diet
• Saving costs: Dry food is usually cheaper than wet food

If you mix both types of food, this also has the advantage that your four-legged friend gets used to both wet and dry meals. If you have to completely change your diet to one of the two variants due to an illness, this is usually easy.

Even when traveling, visiting friends or if you are sick yourself, it can be handy if your dog likes both types of food.

Mixing Dry and Wet Food: What Amount is Recommended?

If you mix wet and dry food, you have to keep in mind that the two have different energy contents. 200 grams of dry food does not correspond to 200 grams of wet food.

When mixed feeding, you need to pay attention to the right ratio, so that your darling gets the right amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. How much is contained in each feed is written on the packaging. There you will usually also find feeding recommendations from the manufacturer.

In most cases, you can just stick to a 50:50 rule. If the manufacturer recommends, for example, 400 grams of wet food or 200 grams of dry food per day for a dog weighing 15 kilograms, you should divide the amount in each case. That is:

• 200 g wet food + 100 g dry food

Whether you mix the wet and dry food in one bowl or feed the portions individually throughout the day, it does not matter for the rationing. However, you should be careful not to confuse your dog too much. This can affect his digestion and lead to diarrhea.

You should introduce mixed feeding slowly, like any food change, to your dog.

Dry Food in the Morning and Wet Food in the Evening – or Vice Versa?

If you like, you can mix wet and dry food in the bowl or give your dog the two types of food separately. As a rule, it does not matter which food is in the bowl in the evening and which one in the morning – as long as there is a pattern. This means: always dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening

Conclusion: You Can Mix Wet and Dry Food

In principle, it is possible to mix dry and wet food. However, whether your dog can tolerate mixed feeding is always up to him. It is important that you pay attention to the amount and dose the food correctly. This is especially true if you also eat barf or feed with homemade food. Because your four-legged friend should be supplied with all the important nutrients in the right amount. 

Furthermore, you should introduce mixed feeding slowly and proceed according to a fixed plan. If you always mix both types of food or if you always give dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening, you will prevent digestive problems in your dog.

In conclusion, it can be said that anyone who mixes wet and dry food benefits from the advantages of the two types of food.