how much wet dog food should you feed your dog
How Much Wet Food Should You Feed a Dog? Vet-Approved Feeding Guide
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreEnsuring that youre feeding your dog the right amount of food is an essential part of being a dog owner. Too much can make your dog obese, and not enough will make them malnourished. Canned dog food has its benefits, but how much wet food should you feed your dog?
There isnt an overall general rule, but most dog food manufacturers recommend feeding the average dog 3 ounces of food for every 3 to 3 pounds of their body weight every day.
Here, we discuss this in more detail, and theres also a feeding chart to help you determine what will work best for your dog.
What Are the Differences Between Dry and Wet Food?
First, lets look at the differences betweenwet food and dry food, so you can have a better idea of why canned food might be good for your dog.
How the two are made and processed is part of the difference. Wet food is made by grinding meat or protein sources together, and then a gravy with veggies, grains, vitamins, and minerals is added. The food is then cooked, sterilized, and canned!
Dry food is made in a similar way, but instead of gravy, the mixture is made into a dough that is cooked. Its then extruded through specifically shaped holes, which makes the kibble. Its dried and then sprayed with vitamins, minerals, fats, and oils, and then its packaged.
Why Feed Your Dog Wet Food?
Wet food can provide several benefits that dry food doesnt:
- Moisture:Canned dog food has a high moisture content, which can help dogs that might not drink as much water as they should. There are also health conditions likekidney disease and certainurinary issuesthat require extra hydration.
- Less chewing: Senior dogs or any dogs with dental problems will find wet food much easier to eat than kibble.
- Tasty: Most dogs love the stuff! Canned food smells and tastes good, and its sometimes easier to get dogs to eat wet food when they have experienced aloss of appetite. Its also easier to eat.
- Filling: Wet food is low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein, and it can make dogs feel fuller for longer. This also helps when dogs need to lose weight and to prevent weight gain.
While this doesnt mean that you should immediately replace your dogs kibble, you could consider feeding your dog wet food in addition to dry food.
How Much Wet Food Should You Feed Your Dog?
There isnt a solid answer here because how much you should feed your dog depends on their age, size, current weight, and activity level.
Most manufacturers recommend feeding a dog 3 ounces of food for every 3 to 3 pounds of body weight every day. This amount can be given at one meal or split up into two meals.
First, consider how many times a day youll feed your dog. Therecommended amountis to feed your dog at least two times a day, with no more than 12 hours in between. You dont want to go more than 12 hours between meals, as it can lead to stomach upset.
Also, many dog food manufacturers provide a feeding guide with their products, so you can follow this using your dogs current stats.
The following is a general daily feeding guide:
| Weight | Canned Food Only | Canned Food + Dry Food |
| 4 lbs | 2/3 can | 1/4 can + 1/3 cup |
| 12 lbs | 1 1/3 can | 1/2 can + 2/3 cup |
| 20 lbs | 2 cans | 2/3 can + 3/4 cup |
| 35 lbs | 22/3 cans | 1 can + 1 1/4 cups |
| 50 lbs | 3 1/2 cans | 1 1/4 cans + 1 2/3 cups |
| 75 lbs | 4 1/2 cans | 1 1/2 cans + 2 cups |
| 100 lbs | 5 1/2 cans | 2 cans + 2 1/2 cups |
Remember, every dog is unique, and all the different varieties of canned food will have different ingredients and calories. You can start using a guide like this one, but be sure to adjust the amounts accordingly in order to keep your dog at an ideal weight.
You can also complement this information by using our calculator tool here, and ensure your dogs happiness and wellness:
The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice
Determining Your Dogs Ideal Weight
Before you determine how much to feed your dog, you need to figure out your dogs ideal weight.
You can use PetMDsHealthy Weight Toolby answering a few questions. The results will let you know if your dog is underweight or overweight.
You can also try acalorie counter, which gives you a specific number of calories that your dog should eat daily. You can also take a look atthis chart,which provides the calorie ranges of a healthy adult dog.
Youll want your dog to have an hourglass shape when looking at them from above. The abdomen should be narrow compared to the hips and chest, and from the side, the dogs chest should be closer to the floor than their stomach. Finally, the dogs ribs shouldnt be noticeable, but you should be able to feel them.
You can always talk to your vet if you arent sure how much food you should be giving your dog.
Keep Track of Your Dogs Weight
Its a good idea to keep track of your dogs weight;you can use a diary or an app to make it easier. About every 2 to 4 weeks, check your dogs weight, as this can help you see if your dog is losing or gaining weight. If you notice a significant change, its best to talk to your vet.
Remember, if you end up changing your dogs food, youll need to check the calorie amount and reassess how much you should be feeding your dog daily.
Mixing Dry and Wet Food
Mixing wet and dry food is a great way to get your dog to eat kibble if this is something that your pup normally isnt a fan of. Just adding a few tablespoons of wet food to the dry food can make it more appetizing.
Ensure that both the canned and dry foods are high quality and will provide your dog with a balanced diet. Both foods should address your dogs current needsyou dont want to give your dog kibble for a small breed and canned for a large breed, for example.
Final Thoughts
You should speak to your vet if youre at all concerned about your dogs weight or diet. Even the best charts and feeding guides might not fit your particular dogs dietary needs.
Veterinarians can help determine what the right amount of food should be for your pup, and along the way, youll be able to fine-tune your dogs diet. As you get to know your dogs quirks, likes, and dislikes around food, you should be able to figure out the right amount of wet food to give your dog.
Featured Image Credit: Kristesoro, Shutterstock
How Much Wet Food Do I Feed My Dog? Vet-Approved Feeding Chart
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreMany dogs do best on wet food. If your canine is picky, the moisture and smell of wet food may encourage them to eat more. Plus, wet food is usually tastier. The moisture may also help with certain health problems, especially if your dog has trouble staying hydrated.
Of course, the moisture in wet food is not a replacement for water, as dogs drink water to combat thirst just like us.
No matter whether youre feeding exclusively wet food or only partially wet food, youll need to account for your canines weight. Furthermore, different foods contain different amounts of calories. Therefore, your dog may need less or more of certain recipes. We recommend looking at the directions on the can to determine how much to feed your dog.
Activity Levels
Feel free to adjust the amount of food based on your dogs activity level. Very active dogs may need more, while very inactive dogs may need less. Keep an eye on your dogs body condition to determine whether you need to increase or decrease the amount of food theyre eating.
If youre combing wet and dry food, figuring out how much to feed can get a bit more complicated. However, the best thing to do is determine how much food youd need to feed your dog completely with your chosen dry food and completely with your chosen wet food. Then, you can decrease it to fit whatever ratio youre using.
For instance, if youre feeding half wet food and half dry food, youd reduce both amounts by half. Lets say itd take one can to feed your dog completely with your chosen wet food, and two cups to feed your dog with the chosen dry food. If youre feeding 50/50, then youd feed half a can of wet food and one cup of dry food. You can do this for any ratio.
However, 50/50 and 25/75 are typically the easiest.
Feeding Chart
While every type of canned food will have its own instructions, they generally have about the same calorie content. Heres a quick feeding chart to help you figure out how much wet food to feed your canine.
Of course, always double-check with the back of the can to ensure this chart is accurate for your chosen food.
| Weight | Food Amount |
| 4 lbs | 2/3 of a can |
| 12 lbs | 11/3 of a can |
| 20 lbs | 2 cans |
| 35 lbs | 22/3 of a can |
| 50 lbs | 31/2 of a can |
| 75 lbs | 41/2 of a can |
| 100 lbs | 51/2 of a can |
You can also complement this valuable information by using our dog calculator tool here:
The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice
Is It Okay to Feed Dogs Wet Food Only?
Wet food provides balanced nutrition for your canine and is designed to be fed solely. Therefore, while many owners top kibble with wet food, you can also solely use wet food. There are several reasons why it may be the best choice to feed your dog wet food, as well.
1. Added Moisture
Wet food includes a lot more moisture than dry food. Therefore, it is best for canines that need some extra hydration. Most dogs do a pretty good job of maintaining hydration. However, some dogs may need extra help due to underlying health problems in the environment.
For instance, dogs with kidney issues may need extra hydration, as their kidneys have to work extra hard. If you think your dog may fall into this category, speak with your veterinarian.
2. Easier to Eat
Wet dog food is easier to eat than dry dog food. It doesnt require as much chewing and is much softer. Therefore, many dogs with dental problems do better on wet food. Older dogs and puppies may also do best on wet food for this reason. However, some puppies find that the crunchiness of dry food helps their teething pain more than wet food does.
Sometimes, youll need to experiment to find out if your dog prefers eating wet food or dry food.
3. Tastes Better
Wet food contains more moisture and is, therefore, tastier for most dogs. Plus, it smells more strongly, which can also help with the taste. Wet foods also tend to be higher in meat. Therefore, they may taste better for this reason, as well.
If your dog is picky, getting them to eat can be vital. If your dog falls into this category, we highly recommend considering using wet food.
4. Higher Meat Content
Wet dog food tends to have a higher meat content. Therefore, it tends to contain more protein and fewer carbohydrates. For this reason, wet dog food is often more nutritional than dry dog food, which is the main reason many dog owners decide to feed it to their puppy.
However, this isnt always the case. You should still read ingredient lists to be sure.
How Much Wet Food Equals Dry Food?
There is not an exact comparison between wet food and dry food. Different formulas will contain different amounts of calories. Therefore, we highly recommend being cautious about using a simple formula to switch out your dogs dry food for wet food. Instead, we recommend following the directions on the back of the can.
Of course, you may have to adjust the amount you feed your dog based on their activity level. However, for the most part, the feeding directions should provide you with a pretty good idea of how much to feed your canine.
With that said, two cans of food typically equal a cup of dog food. Because wet food contains so much moisture, you have to feed your dog a lot more of it and you have to use more wet food than you would dry food. However, this is great for dogs that are overweight or obese, as it means that they feel fuller on less.
Of course, this factor is also one of the reasons that wet food tends to be more expensive. You simply have to feed more, which increases the overall price that you pay.
Can I Feed My Dog Wet Food Every Day?
Yes. You can safely feed your dog wet food every day. It provides complete nutrition, so it meets all of your dogs nutritional needs. Plus, many dogs do best when they stick to one type of pet food. Therefore, if you want to feed your dog wet food, we recommend feeding only wet foodunless you need to cut costs.
Conclusion
Wet food isnt nearly as popular as kibble. However, it can provide dogs with a complete diet and extra moisture. Some dogs with health problems benefit immensely from wet food for this reason. Plus, it is also easier to eat and usually contains more meat.
However, your dog will usually need more wet food than dry food. Wet food contains a lot of moisture content and you have to feed more for your dog to meet their nutritional needs.
Featured Image Credit: dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock
