Should you feed your dog wet or dry food? It's a choice that many new and existing dog owners face. Both claim to have superior health benefits and other advantages such as low costs. One way you might choose is by letting your dog taste test each type and see which it prefers. 

When comparing which is better for your dog, however, you need to look at the facts. There's many factors which you need to consider when picking the right food. Some examples are shelf life, weekly cost and health benefits. 

The Advantages of Wet Food 

• It helps to keep your dog hydrated because of the amount of water in the jelly. This is great if your dog struggles to consume enough water throughout the day. 
• It is also a good choice for older dogs who may have lost some sense of smell. This can affect the dog's appetite. Wet food has a much richer taste and smell, which can be more appealing. 
• Dogs with damaged or delicate jaws can greatly benefit from wet food because of its texture.  

The Disadvantages of Wet Food

• Once opened, wet food loses its shelf life and must be refrigerated. If your dog is used to eating throughout the day then this can be a problem. 
• Wet food is also very messy and if your dog has a lot of hair around the mouth, it will need to be cleaned regularly. The bowl will also need to be cleaned more often than it would with dry food. 
• Wet food isn't as efficient as dry food to transport. This can lead to much higher costs. The weight also means you will be buying smaller amounts at a time. 

The Advantages of Dry Food 

• Dry food is the easiest to transport and store. This means lower costs to buy in the store and you'll often be able to buy enough to last a lot longer than wet food. 
• The food is safe to leave out throughout the day in the dog's bowl. This allows the dog to eat at its leisure. It's much easier to serve multiple dogs with dry food for this reason. 
• Some dry foods are specially made to clean teeth whilst being chewed. This can greatly benefit the dog's long term dental health.  

The Disadvantages of Dry Food

• Dry food has very little moisture to aid a dog's hydration. This can be a problem if your dog has a habit of not consuming enough water throughout the day. 
• Dogs often prefer wet food over dry food because of the smell and taste. If your dog is under weight or has eating issues then switching to dry food could make it much worse.

For more information, talk to a pet food supplier, such as Geelong Farm Supplies.