When it comes to feeding dogs, some people prefer to offer only dry food, some only canned dog food, and others a combination of the two. While a portion of this decision would be based on personal preference, in truth there are pros and cons of both dry and canned food to consider.
Typically, dogs love canned food but if not of high quality, it could cause a number of problems such as chronic diarrhea, tummy aches, and even tooth and gum disease. However, many dogs that eat dry food get bored, making some canned food a nice change.
Differences between Dog Foods
The following are just a few of the differences between dry and canned dog food to help people make the right choice for their pet.
Cost – From a price perspective, dry food is usually the more economical choice but with so many organic, all-natural, and holistic products on the market, some brands and formulas have become extremely over-priced. However, when looking at high quality canned dog food, in comparison it would be a more affordable solution in many cases.
Nutrition – Although some of the higher quality dry food products are loaded with necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support good health, many brands, even those people believe to be among the best, fall short when it comes to nutritional value.
On the other hand, quality canned dog food could provide better nutrition than a dog would get from even great dry food. In fact, a high quality canned dog food could actually provide a dog with a much higher concentration level of good ingredients.
Tooth and Gum Problems – As mentioned, one disadvantage of canned dog food is that when it is the only product being fed, more than likely the dog would experience problems with teeth and/or gums on some level. This is the primary reason that so many pet owners choose to mix hard food with canned food so pets get more flavor and nutrition yet the hard dry food cleans the teeth.
For someone who wants to feed the family pet with nothing but soft food, it would become essential to provide chew bones or even purchase a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste to keep teeth clean. Otherwise, the dog would need to have teeth cleaned professionally more often, which is expensive but also poses some risk.
Freshness – It should also be noted that dry food could go bad. Even food sold in packages with protective linings and even with proper storage, there is some risk of spoilage. On the other hand, because canned dog food would be opened just minutes before using, it would be fresher.
Of course, just as with dry food, canned food would be stamped with an expiration date making it easy to stay on track of freshness. Any unused canned food could be covered with a plastic cap or foil and then placed in the refrigerator to use the following day.
Quantity – One disadvantage of choosing canned dog food over dry food is that dry food could be purchased in large bags, making it a more cost efficient solution for large breed dogs. To get the same amount of food in cans along would require the purchase of multiple cases.
Age – For people who have older dogs or dogs that have lost teeth for one reason or another, canned dog food would be the right choice. Obviously, without teeth it would be difficult, if not impossible for a dog to eat dry food whereas soft food could be consumed easily, even without any teeth at all.
Allergies and Digestion Problems – Many dogs have allergies and digestive issues that can cause an array of problems if fed the wrong kind of food. Typically, people prefer dry food that is high in protein but void of corn, soy, wheat, and preservatives.
Although not always, canned dog food could irritate the problem simply because the food is soft, as well as some of the ingredients used. The good news is that many companies making canned food products understand this concern, which has prompted new formulas of soft food being introduced.
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