Can I mix Royal Canin with water

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Wet or dry dog food - Mixed feeding

Is it better to use wet dog food or dry food? Or maybe prepare your dog food yourself? These are very often asked questions new pet owners ask their vets. Proper

nutrition for dogs

is the key to their

healthy development

. So it can be a daunting task to decide whats best to feed them.

Types of dog food

The most important

ingredient

that differentiates wet and dry dog food is the water content. In dry foods, the moisture content is around 8%, while in wet foods, this is usually around 75%. This means that the content of nutrients, and hence metabolic energy, is definitely higher in dry foods than in wet foods.

feeding your dog

only with dry food, you need to feed it about 3-4 times less than if we fed your dog only with wet food.

Wet dog food will definitely have more values and stimuli affecting your dogs sense of taste. Dry dog food is more difficult to chew, which can be a problem for some animals. There are dogs that are particularly picky, so will only play with dry food instead of actually eating it. This may be due to the difficulty in chewing on hard kibbles. The dog can then treat them as a toy, not food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

Both types of feed have their pros and cons, which is why pet owners are increasingly choosing to combine them. This is a good solution that can bring many benefits.

Combining wet and dry food brings a number of benefits. When it is necessary to switch a pet to a wet diet, the body will be prepared for such a change. This change can be carried out efficiently, quickly, and most importantly, without any unpleasant consequences.

There is no need to mix the

dry food and the wet food

in the one bowl when you feed your dog. In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily or leave a strong smell, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in the evenings.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

The right amount of food

The amount of dry food, due to its strong dehydration and condensation of nutrients and energy, is not equal to the same volume of wet food. To provide the same amount of energy and nutrients, give the dog a 3.5 times smaller portion than with wet food. When feeding once dry and once wet food, this is important to remember to avoid overfeeding.

With this in mind, after receiving a certain volume of wet food, a dogs stomach may be stretched. After a smaller dry portion, a dog often has the feeling of scarcity and may search and ask for additional help. Some owners now give in and add an additional, sometimes not small, portion of food. These are calories that the body does not need and can easily lead to obesity.

A dog which receives one type of food throughout the week, and is given a portion of moist food during the weekend, may not tolerate such sudden changes. In short, diarrhoea may appear. The digestive tract becomes accustomed to the composition and type of food. So when starting a mixed feeding method, its important to gradually introduce the dietary changes. To find out more on how best to introduce new feeding patterns, read more here.

Mixed feeding your dog

Is it better to use wet dog food or dry food? Or maybe prepare your dog food yourself? These are very often asked questions new pet owners ask their vets. Proper nutrition for dogs is the key to their healthy development. So it can be a daunting task to decide whats best to feed them.

Types of dog food

The most important ingredient that differentiates wet and dry dog food is the water content. In dry foods, the moisture content is around 8%, while in wet foods, this is usually around 75%. This means that the content of nutrients, and hence metabolic energy, is definitely higher in dry foods than in wet foods.

100 grams of dry dog food contains about 370 kcal. The same amount of wet food contains "only" 100 kcal. The differences are therefore significant. This also adds to the amount of food your dog eats. To cover your daily energy needs by feeding your dog only with dry food, you need to feed it about 3-4 times less than if we fed your dog only with wet food.

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

Both types of feed have their pros and cons, which is why pet owners are increasingly choosing to combine them. This is a good solution that can bring many benefits.

There is no need to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog. In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily or leave a strong smell, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in the evenings.

There are, however, two important points to keep in mind.

Mini Starter - Mother & Babydog

PRODUCT DETAILS

Newborn puppies have unique nutritional requirements to help support their developing senses and nervous systems. What's more, feeding growing puppies is a strenuous task that can take its toll on your small dog's metabolism. During the weaning period when the litter are transitioning to solid food, your dog and her nursing puppies need a tailored diet to meet their unique nutritional needs. ROYAL CANIN Mini Starter Mother & Babydog is specially formulated to support the nutritional needs of new mothers and their puppies. This formula is suitable for small adult dogs that weigh up to 10kg, and weaning puppies up to 2 months old. This tailored diet is specially adapted to meet your small dog's high energy needs at the end of gestation and during lactation. It's also formulated to support the healthy development of nursing puppies. This formula contains nutrients such as vitamins C and E to support natural defences. Thanks to a combination of beneficial prebiotics (such as MOS) and highly digestible proteins, ROYAL CANIN Mini Starter Mother & Babydog also helps to support a healthy balance of intestinal microbiota (gut flora) for good digestion. This formula is enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) to help support healthy brain development in young puppies. The kibble in ROYAL CANIN Mini Starter Mother & Babydog is easy to rehydrate with water, giving it an appetising porridge texture that's ideal for weaning puppies. Did you know that a puppy's nutritional needs change as they grow? In the short span of 8 weeks, your puppies will need a diet that's specially adapted to meet their nutritional needs during the next growth phase. At this stage, you can transition them onto ROYAL CANIN Mini Puppy, available either as a dry kibble diet or with wet chunks in gravy. At Royal Canin, we're committed to creating a better world for cats and dogs. For more than 50 years, we've worked closely with breeders, vets, and pet experts, sharing specialist knowledge and scientific research to create a dedicated approach to individualised, precise nutritional solutions. All of our products undergo an extensive quality control process to guarantee the optimal quality of food. When your small dog and her puppies eat ROYAL CANIN Mini Starter Mother & Babydog, they're getting a complete and balanced diet.

Mixed feeding your dog

Mix feeding - combining wet and dry food

As we have discussed above, both types of diets, dry and wet, have their unique benefits. So what about using both together? Combining wet and dry food can be a good solution bringing many benefits to your pet. So how can you start doing this with your dog?

A lot of how to feed your dog will come down to your dogs personal preference. Some dogs will prefer their wet food separate from the kibbles as they each have their own unique aromatic profiles to encourage your pet to eat them. Others might enjoy them mixed together, but in this case it is best to be served fresh at the same time each day. There is no requirement to mix the dry food and the wet food in the one bowl when you feed your dog; In fact, you don't even need to serve them at the same time. One of the benefits of dry food is it doesn't spoil easily, which makes it perfect to leave out during the day if your dog likes to snack rather than gobble their food down. Then you can serve them their wet food in one to two set mealtimes during the day to best fit into your schedules.

Some additional tips for mixed feeding include:

1. Gently heating the wet food. This helps to release some of the great aromas in the wet food to encourage them to eat it. Important that this is only done in 5 second bursts, and to make sure you check the centre of the food with your finger to make sure it isnt too warm to touch and give it a good stir before serving it to your dog.

2. Make sure you clean the bowl used for the wet food after every meal. Even though your dog will lick the bowl clean, some of the oils and fats in the wet food will stick behind. These can convert to a rancid smell quickly. Remember your dog has a very sensitive nose, so this might discourage them from eating the fresh food you have put in the bowl.

3. For fussy eaters, a small amount of warm water mixed with the wet food can turn into a gravy to mix into the dry food.

4. Remember that any change in diet, including the introduction of wet food if they have not been mixed fed previously, should be done slowly and with care. Just like us, our dogs have a unique set of bacteria in their intestines that responds to the food your dog is fed. Therefore, a change in diet will result in a shift of this bacteria population that needs to be done slowly to prevent things like diarrhoea from a quick transition.

Babydog Milk

PRODUCT DETAILS

ROYAL CANIN Babydog Milk is formulated to be as close as possible to maternal milk, with high energy and protein levels to help support your puppy's steady, harmonious growth in its early weeks. This product is suitable for first age puppies from birth to weaning. ROYAL CANIN Babydog Milk is an exclusive, instant formula that dissolves completely, leaving no sediment. Your puppy's intestinal flora gradually develops over several weeks, so a diet that helps to support a healthy digestive environment is key. This formula contains a lactose content very close to that of maternal milk and is composed of carefully selected, ultra-digestible proteins and prebiotics to support your puppy's digestive health. To further support healthy digestion, ROYAL CANIN Babydog Milk does not contain starch, as puppies are not able to digest it. After birth, your puppy's nervous system and natural defences continue to develop. ROYAL CANIN Babydog Milk is enriched with DHA (an essential Omega-3 fatty acid) that is naturally present in maternal milk and helps to support your puppy's cognitive development. It is recommended that you refer to the on-pack feeding guide to make sure your puppy gets the appropriate volume for optimal support. All our products undergo extensive quality checks to ensure that when your puppy eats ROYAL CANIN Babydog Milk, it's getting complete and balanced nutrition to support a healthy start to life.