How to soak dry food in water

What to feed your dog?

Animals need a variety of foods to eat healthy. An important one is meat, but the diet should consist of 2/3 of it. And the rest is occupied by products of plant origin. Bones are considered essential for a dog. They are rich in lime, protein, collagen and other components necessary for the growth and development of the animal. Moreover, “gnawing” improves the condition of teeth and gums.

Dogs should not be given sweets, as this causes obesity and other diseases. Potatoes and legumes are difficult for the dog’s body to digest. You don't need to give them corn either. For convenience, many owners buy dry food that can be stored for a long time.

To soak or not

Typically, feeding a pet with industrial diets is standard: they are given two bowls, one with dry granules, and the other with clean water. When does such a process not require additional manipulations, for example, soaking the food? You should not soak hard dry granules in the following situations:

the pet eats the food with pleasure and then drinks it with plenty of water;
there are no disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the pet has healthy hair and skin;
the dog happily responds to the call for food, and afterwards he is cheerful and cheerful;
Eating food does not cause any difficulties for your pet; Difficulties with chewing and swallowing may occur due to pathological conditions of the teeth and oral cavity.

If there are no problems during the feeding process, then you should not improvise and add water or other liquids to the granules.

How much water does a dog need?

To understand whether dry dog food can be soaked, you should learn more about these animals. By nature, dogs are predators, so their diet should contain at least 80% water. Where did this data come from? Meat contains approximately the same amount of water, and the rest is taken up by valuable components. A pet eating only dry food should consume the required level of liquid. This is required for proper absorption and digestion of food.

If this rule is not followed, the dog consumes little water or its quantity is limited, then digestive problems may appear. Dry food contains no more than 10% moisture. Given this, the question arises, is it possible to soak dry dog food? Owners must provide the necessary amount of water so that the pet’s well-being is normal.

Is it possible to soak dry dog food if the animal eats only such food? Yes, this can be done. Only this procedure is not performed in every case. After all, there are 2 options for consumption: soaked food or dry food, but washed down with water. It is the same.

For any breed

This especially applies to those who take large puppies. Their period of development and formation is very short, and proper nutrition now decides absolutely everything. Because all the foundations are laid, the skeleton and muscles are formed, baby teeth change. And the puppy’s weight very quickly increases by about 20 times. Of course, this requires that the small body receive a full range of nutrients and vitamins every day.

The entire puppyhood period is divided into two parts:

The first is feeding with mother's milk.
The second is a complete diet.

Since it is not possible to soak dry food for a puppy to the consistency of milk, if it is impossible for the mother to feed it, the babies are given adapted substitutes.

When is soaking necessary?

In what cases is it necessary to soak dry food? This is evidenced by the following situations:

The animal has oral problems, but she loves food and it is difficult for her to refuse such food.
If recommended by your veterinarian based on your pet's diagnosis.
This feeding method is suitable for puppies.
The dog loves soaked food.

When you start feeding soaked food, you need to follow the rules of brushing your teeth. If this does not happen, then you need to provide your pet with functional treats. It is impossible to leave food soaked for a long time, since pathogenic bacteria appear in it over time.

Benefits of Soaking Puppy Food

Many are convinced that soaking dry food is optimal for complete and convenient nutrition for a puppy. This is especially important in accustoming a puppy to food and makes this process much easier for him - after all, it will be difficult for the baby to bite through solid food right away, and the change of baby teeth is also ahead.

· Soaking puppy food is also useful for controlling the amount of liquid consumed. Babies get most of the water they need through this food, so you, as an owner, no longer need to worry about keeping your baby properly hydrated.

· Dry food soaked in water does not swell inside the stomach of dogs, which avoids pain in the gastrointestinal tract and eliminates the possibility of overfeeding, bloating and other gastrointestinal disorders.

· Many dogs do not feel full after eating a small amount of dry food. However, if they eat the same amount of food slightly soaked in water, it will keep them feeling full and energized for longer.

Soaking rules for adult animals

Can dry dog food be soaked in water? Yes, but this procedure must be performed correctly so that the nutritional value is retained in the finished product:

You need to pour a little water into the bowl so that it covers the food. Wait until it swells. Then the food can be offered to your pet. At first, dogs can only smell the food, but after trying it they eat it with pleasure.
It is necessary to select the appropriate water temperature. Veterinarians advise using liquid up to 35 degrees. The swelling will last longer, but the food will retain its valuable properties.
To make your dog eat the food more willingly, you need to warm it up a little.

Can dry dog food be soaked in milk? Pets love this vitamin combination very much. It is enough to just heat the product a little.

Soaking for puppies

There are no differences in cooking. If the puppy likes this food, then it should be provided to him. Is it possible to soak dry dog food in broth? This option is allowed. In this case, the food will be much tastier and healthier. Is it possible to soak dry dog food in kefir? Yes, animals also love the addition of this dairy product.

Veterinarians' opinions

Properly soaked dry food creates a good alternative for adult cats to wet canned food and pates. And for small kittens they are simply irreplaceable.

Author: Irina Nezhigay
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Professional journalist, higher education major, 30 years of experience in print and electronic media, major advertising and PR campaigns. author, co-author and literary editor of two dozen books on various topics. Nominee and winner of literary competitions.

(1 vote, average: 5 out of 5)

How can you tell if your dog needs to soak his food?

Is it possible to soak dry dog food in boiling water? This procedure is possible, but we should not forget that in this case many vitamins are lost. It is advisable to use warm water. But how can you determine that food needs to be soaked if the animal previously digested it well? If your dog vomits several times after eating within 10-15 minutes, then you need to give him soaked food.

Is it acceptable to soak dehydrated feed?

According to most veterinarians, soaking freeze-dried (dry) food is acceptable and absolutely safe, since this simply restores the moisture content in the product.

Dry food can be diluted with water

When should dry cat food be soaked?

Dehydrated food is a complete and balanced food that does not require any preliminary preparation. But sometimes it becomes necessary to resort to softening it by soaking.

Situations may be as follows:

The pet consumes little liquid, as a result of which the solid granules do not completely dissolve in its stomach. Dry ingredients have difficulty moving through the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to constipation and even obstruction . Stagnant and decomposing food releases toxic substances that lead to intoxication of the cat's body.
An aging animal begins to have problems with its teeth, which makes it unable to chew dry pieces of food.
Kittens undergo age-related changes in their dentition and cannot fully chew hard kibble.
Read also: What to feed a Labrador: which food is best?
Small kittens cannot chew dry granules when changing teeth
An animal greedy for food eats very hastily, practically does not chew the food, but swallows the pellets whole. Large hard pieces injure the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, against this background gastritis can develop, and subsequently a stomach ulcer.
About 10–15 minutes after eating, the cat vomits, during which large dry pieces of granules are expelled from the body. This means that the digestive system cannot digest such food.
When switching from feeding natural foods or wet (canned) food to dehydrated kibble.
The pet is weakened by illness. The cat's body spends all its energy on eliminating toxins, spending a large amount of fluid on this.
A cat weakened by illness simply does not have the strength to chew solid food.
After surgery, the animal simply does not have the strength to chew the granules.

Some animals have an extremely sensitive gastrointestinal tract that does not accept dry food at all.

Veterinarians and breeders consider feeding cats with soaked food only as a necessary measure or a transitional stage to another nutritional option. Only in exceptional cases is it permissible to use it on an ongoing basis.

Our cat came to us as a very small child. Then she still didn’t really know how to drink herself, much less chew dry granules. Since it was decided to feed her only dry food, we had to work hard to accustom her to this specific diet. At first, we soaked dry kitten food in sterilized baby milk; this capricious one flatly refused to consume other dairy products. And sometimes they mixed in (for the smell) a little wet food from bags. At first, the food had the consistency of liquid porridge, then gradually the mixture became thicker. When they started giving just swollen food (not mashed), they added dry granules a little at a time. At first, the cat carefully left them untouched on the saucer, hugging the wet food around it. Then she started eating everything and the need to soak the food disappeared.

Can soaked food cause the formation of tartar?

Some manufacturers of freeze-dried pet food authoritatively claim that chewing hard granules trains teeth, promotes self-cleaning and prevents the formation of plaque. But this is just a publicity stunt. In fact, with this type of nutrition, some teeth (fangs, for example) are not used in the chewing process. Any experienced practicing veterinarian will confirm that when a cat eats pelleted food, harmful plaque also forms. Stone formation is promoted by the microflora in the mouth and the mineralization of saliva, which depend on a balanced diet.

Tartar can form in a cat due to an unbalanced diet.

Mineral deposits on teeth are removed naturally only when the cat eats raw meat and bones, which involves all the teeth.

All about dry food

When switching a dog from natural food to dry food, many owners have concerns about the health of their pet. Some people doubt the benefits of such a product, so they are not sure whether it is possible to give such food to their animal. But such food is good for the dog, you just need to follow the instructions so that the food does not cause harm.

It is necessary to gradually transfer the dog to dry food if it previously ate regular food. And a sudden transition can cause complications. Due to ignorance of the intricacies of the process, you can harm the animal. There are several rules that people who decide to feed their dogs the dry option should know:

Do not mix dry and natural food. This can cause hypervitaminosis.
The owner should not save on the health of the pet. The ratio of cost and quality is not always stable, so you should remember that cheap food cannot replace a natural diet.
It is necessary to buy dog food from trusted stores. Storage conditions are usually observed there.
You should buy packaged products. If you buy food in bulk, it will be difficult to check the expiration date.
The dog should always have water, because eating dry food requires a lot of liquid. You need to regularly pour clean water into the bowl.

If your dog likes soaked food, then you shouldn’t deny it to it. But if she prefers to crunch on her food, let her do so. Not every dog food can be soaked. Usually the manufacturer indicates this information on the packaging.

Therefore, feeding is very important for the health of dogs. It is important to give your pet only what is good for him. This will ensure your pet's well-being.

Debunking myths about the dangers of softened food

There are at least three legends about soaking “drying”, which are firmly entrenched in the minds of ordinary people:

"It spoils quickly." If you give the soaked food in doses and do not leave it in the bowl for more than 1.5-2 hours, then the cat is not in danger of intoxication. In a hot room, it takes 30-60 minutes to clear the cat's dishes of any remaining liquid food. These sanitary and hygienic rules also apply when feeding your pet “natural” or canned food.
“Promotes the formation of tartar.” This is the typical self-justification of a cat owner who has freed himself from the oral hygiene of his four-legged friend. However, dry food is not an adequate replacement for a toothbrush. It has been proven that the intensity of saliva mineralization, and not the consistency of foods, leads to stone formation. The composition of saliva, which determines the normal microflora in the mouth, depends on the balance of the diet.
“Doesn’t train the fangs.” It is precisely this type of teeth that remains “uninvolved” in the process of biting granules. Some purrs generally swallow food, not chewing, but sucking it whole. It’s another matter when the cat gets chicken stomachs for lunch - this is where the entire dentition has to work hard.

Question: “Can dry food be soaked in water?” generated by such myths. They are easily debunked by verified facts and sound reasoning.

For a meowing pet to grow up healthy and happy, it is not enough to feed it enough. It is necessary to develop a rational nutrition system for the ward. It is possible that liquefied feed will take the main place in it. Not only experience, but also consultation with a veterinarian will help you make sure that the decision is correct.