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The debate that divides every dog owner

“Dry kibble or wet food?” Responses on the internet:
  • “Kibble is complete and balanced.”
  • “Only wet food is natural.”
  • “A mix is the solution.”
  • “BARF is better than everything.”
Absolute confusion, fueled by marketing. Let’s see the balanced scientific position.

The fundamental difference: moisture

Average composition: Kibble:
  • 6-10% water.
  • 30-40% protein.
  • 10-20% fat.
  • 30-50% carbohydrates.
  • Rest: fiber, minerals.
Wet food:
  • 70-80% water.
  • 8-15% protein (high dry matter).
  • 5-10% fat.
  • 5-15% carbohydrates.
Implication: 100 g of wet food = 20-30 g of "dry matter" + 70-80 g of water.

The pros of kibble

1. Convenience

  • Large bags.
  • Long shelf life (months).
  • Automatic distribution possible.
  • Can be left in the bowl.

2. Cost

Per 100 kcal:
  • Kibble quality: 0.30-0.80 €.
  • Wet food quality: 1-2.50 €.
Saving: dry food is economically advantageous.

3. Dental hygiene (partial)

Specific dental kibble (Hill's t/d, Royal Canin Dental):
  • Large kibble that "scrapes".
  • Reduces tartar.
Normal kibble: minimal effect on teeth.

4. Calorie dense

Useful for:
  • Underweight dogs.
  • Highly active dogs.
  • Growing puppies.

5. Satiety

Quality kibble with fibers keeps them full well.

The cons of kibble

1. Low hydration

Dog on only kibble:
  • Drinks a lot of water.
  • If drinks little: chronic dehydration.

2. High carbohydrates

Cheap kibble:
  • 40-50% carbohydrates.
  • Dog is omnivorous but with a carnivorous preference.
  • Excess carbohydrates: overweight, metabolic problems.

3. Processing

High temperatures during production:
  • Destroy some vitamins.
  • AGE (advanced glycation end-products).

4. Questionable satiety

Cheap kibble:
  • Fill "with cereals".
  • Not always real satiety.

5. Palatability

For many dogs: less appealing than wet food.

The pros of wet food

1. Natural hydration

75-82% water in food = automatic hydration. Important for:
  • Dogs that drink little.
  • Dogs with renal problems (present or future).
  • Senior dogs.
  • Breeds at risk for urinary crystals.

2. More protein (dry matter)

Quality wet food:
  • On dry matter: 40-50% protein.
  • More "natural" profile for dogs.

3. Palatability

  • More liked by most dogs.
  • Intense aroma.

4. Less dense calories

Useful for:
  • Dogs on a diet.
  • Overweight dogs.

5. Less processed

Even though cooked, generally less processed than kibble.

The cons of wet food

1. Cost

Almost 3x more expensive than kibble for the same caloric value.

2. Storage

  • Opened: max 24 hours in the fridge.
  • Potential waste.

3. Time

  • Opening cans/bags.
  • Cleaning the bowl.
  • Greater waste.

4. Dental effect

No benefit:
  • In fact, "soft" food sticks to teeth.
  • Need for separate dental hygiene.

5. Home hygiene

Wet food left in the bowl:
  • Attracts insects.
  • Decomposes quickly.
  • Less clean.

The scientific position

WSAVA, AVMA, FEDIAF:
  • ✅ Both acceptable if of quality.
  • ✅ Mix is often the recommended solution.
  • ✅ Quality > type: better top kibble than poor wet food, and vice versa.
  • ✅ Customization:
    • Dogs with urinary problems: wet food prevails.
    • Dogs on a diet: wet food (fewer calories).
    • Active puppies: kibble + wet food.
    • Seniors: wet food prevails.

The choice based on the dog

Puppies (0-12 months)

Recommended:
  • Mix 50-50.
  • Specific puppy kibble.
  • Kitten/puppy wet food.
Reason:
  • Hydration + calories.
  • Proper development.

Healthy adults

Option A: only quality kibble. Option B: only quality wet food. Option C: mix (recommended). Typical mix:
  • 70% kibble + 30% wet food.
  • 50% / 50%.
  • 30% kibble + 70% wet food.
Depending on lifestyle and budget.

Seniors (7+ years)

Recommended:
  • Prevalent wet food (60-80%).
  • Hydration important.
  • More appetizing.

Dogs with specific problems

Renal failure:
  • Prescribed wet food (Royal Canin Renal, Hill's k/d).
Diabetes:
  • Specific diabetic kibble.
  • Low carbohydrates.
Overweight:
  • Specific weight loss food.
  • Often wet food prevails.
Allergies:
  • Hypoallergenic food (kibble or wet food).

The smart mix

Basic scheme

Morning: wet food. Evening: kibble. Or vice versa.

"Topping" scheme

Kibble base + wet food topping:
  • Kibble in the bowl.
  • Spoonful of wet food on top.
  • Increases palatability.
  • Hydration advantage.

Scheme for seniors

Wet mix + kibble softened with water:
  • Easier to chew.
  • Maximum hydration.
  • Flavor.

BARF and raw diet

BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food):
  • Raw meat + vegetables + bones.
Veterinary opinion:
  • Possible, but with a nutritionist's guidance.
  • See dedicated article.
Does not replace commercial kibble/wet food for most owners.

How to read the label

Ingredient list

First ingredients = predominant ones. Quality food:
  • Meat as the first ingredient (specific: "chicken", "beef", not "meat").
  • Meat declared in percentage (e.g. "65% chicken").
Poor food:
  • "Animal by-products" generic.
  • "Cereals" as the first ingredient.
  • "Meats and derivatives" (not clear).

Nutritional values

Quality food:
  • Proteins: 28-40% (adult kibble).
  • Fats: 12-20%.
  • Fibers: 2-5%.
  • Ash: <8%.

Preservatives

Natural (tocopherols): ok. Chemical (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin): to avoid.

Quality brands

Top kibble

Premium:
  • Royal Canin (specific for breed/condition).
  • Hill's Science Diet.
  • Purina Pro Plan.
Super-premium:
  • Acana.
  • Orijen.
  • Wellness.
Italian:
  • Almo Nature.
  • Natural Trainer.
  • Forza10.

Top wet food

Premium:
  • Almo Nature.
  • Schesir.
  • Natural Trainer.
Super-premium:
  • Cosma.
  • Wild Freedom.

Monthly costs

For a 25 kg dog: Only quality kibble:
  • 60-100 € per month.
Only quality wet food:
  • 200-350 € per month.
50-50 mix:
  • 130-200 € per month.
30 wet food / 70 kibble mix:
  • 100-150 € per month.

The myths to debunk

Myth 1: "Only wet food is natural". Partially true: but balanced quality kibble is also. Myth 2: "Kibble cleans teeth". False: except specific dental ones. Myth 3: "Mixing is bad". False: balanced combination is great. Myth 4: "Wet food causes diarrhea". False if gradual change. Myth 5: "Cheap kibble is the same". False: huge difference in quality.

The truth

For the dog's health:
  • ✅ Mix of wet food + quality kibble = ideal choice.
  • ✅ Only wet food: excellent, expensive.
  • ✅ Only quality kibble: acceptable, pay attention to hydration.
  • ❌ Poor cheap kibble: worst choice.
Invest a few extra euros each month for quality food. Benefit:
  • Healthier dog.
  • Better coat.
  • Reduction of future problems.
  • Increased life expectancy.
And remember: food is the first medicine. Don’t skimp on nutrition. You’ll save on veterinary care. ```