Is it OK to mix water with dry dog food?

Dry food is undoubtedly more common, but many dog owners mix wet and dry food for their dogs to eat. Why? Because dry food is more affordable to purchase and simpler to prepare.

But dogs of all ages do need to get their daily dose of moisture, which wet food does a great job of providing. Can water be added to dry food to meet this moisture requirement, and if so, how?

How To Make Dry Dog Food Wet

To make dry dog food wet, follow the same steps you would to make anything wet; simply add water. But you need to get two things right for it to be wet in a way that your dog will enjoy. The ratio of water you add is the first, and timing is the second.

Here are the steps to make dry food softer:

Add kibble to your dog’s food bowl first – If you add water first, the kibble will turn into a soup.

Fill a quarter of a regular cup with filtered water – You can measure this by just looking at the cup while erring on the side of less to find the right consistency for your dog.

Pour it evenly on top of the kibble – Make sure you don’t pour all the water in the center. Think more drizzle and less waterfall.

Stir after 5 minutes – Gently stir the food after about 5 minutes. If the kibble remains dry, add some more water.

Serve it within 15 minutes – Let the kibble soak for 5-15 minutes, depending on if you added cold, room temperature, or hot water. Most dogs reject dry food that sits in the water longer than 15 minutes, but if your pet doesn’t, there is no harm in letting it sit even longer.

The image below displays dry dog food diluted with cold water. The kibble would have quickly turned into “gravy” if I had used warm water.

Should You Add Water To Dry Dog Food?

Many dog owners decide to add water to their dog’s dry food. While some people choose to do this without consulting their veterinarian, some do so instead Owners should educate themselves on the benefits and drawbacks of adding water to dry dog food because there is no single consensus on whether doing so will be beneficial for dogs.

If your dog finds kibble extremely difficult to chew, you should add water to it. Additionally, moistening kibble with no flavor is a good idea. But remember that dogs have a much keener sense of smell than people do. Some kibble may appear to have no scent, but a dog may find it to be very appetizing.

Additionally, experiment with various brands because some kibble has a hard, crunchy consistency while others will crumble. Your dog might be content to eat a more crumbly variety but picky about harder kibble, for example.

The final “wet” or “dry” question begs your dog’s opinion because of this. If your dog enjoys the texture and crunch of dry food and prefers it to wet food, you should probably let him eat it that way.

Therefore, it is fairly easy to determine whether to wet kibble or not:

Open a bag of dry dog food.

If it has an aroma that pleases your dog, you might not need to add water.

If it doesn’t have an aroma, present it to your dog and see how he reacts.

Experiment with different brands to find the right texture.

In a few situations, you should refrain from adding water to dry dog food. The most obvious of these is that your dog prefers dry dog food over moist kibble. However, in my experience, owners who overfill their dog’s food bowl can also cause this.

Check out the benefits you might miss in the section below before you dismiss the idea of adding water to dry dog food.

Option of Freeze-dried Food For Added Nutrition

Dry dog food has a disadvantage, but adding water to it has a little-known benefit that makes up for it. In order to preserve as many nutrients as possible, dog food can be freeze-dried.

This can have a dehydrating effect. The kidneys of dogs can be impacted by a diet that only includes dry food. Although some owners choose not to rehydrate freeze-dried dog food, doing so can help (to a certain extent) offset the water burden created by dry dog food.

Willow eating dry food with added warm water

Here are the seven factors supporting adding water to your dog’s dry food, in brief:

It makes the food easier to digest – your dog will digest wet kibble better.

It helps dogs with oral health problems chew their food.

It can make the food more appealing – good for picky eaters or recuperating dogs.

It can hydrate your dog – hydration is always helpful to mammals.

It can help to slow down a fast eater and prevent bloat (GDV), to which large breeds are prone.

It can help with weight loss as it helps your dog to feel fuller.

It can neutralize the diuretic effect of kibble – most dry dog food is dehydrating.

FAQ

Is it good to add water to dry dog food?

When feeding your dog dry kibble, adding water to the bowl will speed up digestion. By triggering the breakdown of food particles, hydrating a dog’s stomach contents significantly aids in digestion.

How much water should you add to dry dog food?

To moisten and improve the flavor of the pet food, simply top the bowl of kibble with about a 1/4 cup of filtered water.