Why The Dry?

A lot of people have been asking us why we serve dry food as part of our daily meal plans.  When we were formulating our diets we did countless hours of research speaking with local vets and nutritionists, reading reputable sources from the Internet and even a few late nights reading university textbooks.

So I thought I would take some time to explain the rational behind our decision.  So let's get started:

(A FEW) PROS AND CONS

DRY FOOD
PROS	CONS
Cheaper and more energy dense	Lower palatability, the lack of smell can be a deterrent for many dogs, that’s why it’s left in the bowl sometimes!
In most cases very balanced and meets all nutritional requirements (AAFCO)	More likely to contain preservatives and lacks good sources of protein
Good for the teeth.  Dogs like to chew so the dry option allows them to meet this need at the same time as cleaning and hardening gums to prevent gum disease. Note: for some dogs with sensitive gums dry food many not be an option.	Dry foods do not provide as much moisture as wet foods, this becomes more important as a dog ages, when an animal becomes ill, and in hotter climates commonly experienced in Australia.

WET FOOD
PROS	CONS
Wet foods typically contain more meat protein than their dry counterparts.  Dry food companies use meat by-products instead of fresh meat and sometimes substitute with grain proteins like Soy	All dogs are more prone to developing dental and gum disease when solely on a wet diet.
Wet foods are often more palatable than comparable dry diets. While manufacturers boost the taste appeal of dry kibble by coating it with tempting fats, gravy, and other flavorings, it’s hard to compete with the delectable aroma from a freshly cooked meal with quality meats	Canned foods contain a lot of binding agents like gelatin and coloring agents that can upset your dog’s tummy.
Not all dogs drink as much water as they should and wet foods can help replace any fluid deficits..	Dogs being fed on an incorrectly formulated home cooked diets are at a high risk of developing nutritional deficiencies (more below)

HOME COOKED MEALS

It’s very common these days for pet owners to prepare home cook meals for their dogs – that’s how DoggyBag was born!  It is however very important that when cooking for your dog you prepare the right food that meets their daily nutrient requirements (as defined by the AAFCO) – Especially if your dog is a puppy, elderly or has sensitivities or special requirements.

In many cases the home cooked meals don't meet theses requirements and those nutrient deficiencies could potentially be harming your dog over long periods of time.  As an example - if you feed your dog a raw meat diet then it’s important to supplement their diet with calcium to avoid deficiencies in this important nutrient. Calcium deficiency can lead to brittle bones and other diseases    This can be prevented by regularly given you dog raw bones - however this is not always possible for some dogs with sensitivities or not always readily available for the owners. 

THE VERDICT

So at DoggyBag when we were formulating our daily meal plans we decided on a dry breakfast and a wet dinner to balance out all pros and cons. 

We offer dry food in the morning for the dense energy push to keep the dogs going during the day, plus the added benefit of keeping their teeth healthy.  Then at night-time we serve a specially formulated wet dinner that rehydrates your dog and gives them quality sources of proteins and minerals to help repair muscles and keep them living longer.

However we do understand that all dogs are different and sometimes the mixed meal plan won’t work for all dogs.  If you have a fussy eater make sure you get in touch and we’ll formulate the perfect meal for your pooch.  For more information on our meal plans please visit the Our Food section of our website.

If you have any questions please get in touch and don’t forget to sign your pooch up to DoggyBag today