Dog food products come in two main varieties: wet and dry. These differ in moisture, cost, palatability, and amount of nutrition delivered per pound of food. Depending on your dog’s size, breed, and health condition, he may be better suited to one variety over the others. But, with today’s advanced technology, all types of dog food products can be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition. Consult your veterinarian to select a kind that’s right for your dog. 

Generally, as the amount of moisture in a dog’s food increases, the amount of protein, fat, and other essential nutrients decreases. That means your dog must consume a larger portion of high-moisture product to receive the nutrition he needs.

Wet Diets

Wet dog foods contain from 8% to 15% protein, and 2% to 15% fat, depending on the type(s) of ingredients used in the diet. The moisture content for wet pet foods is usually about 75%. Wet dog foods deliver about 375 to 950 digestible kilocalories per pound-a relatively low caloric content-so total food consumption will be high. The nutrient balance is less predictable, as it’s largely dictated by the type of animal tissue used. Wet-food diets offer the highest palatability and the highest cost-per-serving compared to dry and soft-moist products, and are clearly more perishable than other product types. Once a can is opened, unused food should be stored in the refrigerator.

Dry Diets

Most dry dog foods contain up to 18% to 30% protein, 7% to 20% fat, 35% to 50% carbohydrate, and less than 20% water. These products also deliver between 3,100 and 4,400 digestible kilocalories per kilogram.

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