# Wetting dry food???



## golfbum

Who here wets there dogs food? Why do you do it and what are the benefits? 

I am wondering as I have been wetting my dogs food as of late and they seem to like the food more and they dont visit the water bowl near as much. I also noticed our female's stool has improved? She has fought loose stool for the past year and once we started wetting it, it has been almost perfect? We have been mixing in just a spoonful of wellness 95 percent canned meat. 
I was scared she would not eat if it was not wet or have something added so last night I fed her just her food dry (TOTW) and she ate great, however I noticed this morning she had a loose stool last night and another this morning? Maybe its just coincidence, but do any of you think it could be from the dry food? I dont know of one loose stool since wetting and adding in a little canned meat. Crazy i know!


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## Good_Karma

I may be mistaken, but I am under the impression that wetting the dry kibble may help reduce the chance of bloat, which is why I do it for my dogs. I just use a sprinkle of water, rather than canned food. But it sounds like it is working well for you, so that's wonderful!


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## robinhuerta

We wet all our kibble food...always have....we also allow it to sit for a few minutes before feeding.


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## Myamom

It has been said that adding water to the kibbles that expand (and all don't) helps prevent bloat...because it's better to expand in the bowl than in their stomach. 


I add water to my foster Cheyenne's kibble because her teeth are horrible and she can't chew dry kibble. 
(just want to add...we feed TOTW and I haven't really noticed any real notable expansion with adding the water)


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## Lucy Dog

Wouldn't adding water to kibble eliminate the "toothbrush effect" of dry kibble?

I'd think that keeping kibble the way it is would be better for cleaning tarter than making it soft and mushy. This was the reason I never added water to Lucy's dry kibble.


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## sable123

Lucy Dog said:


> Wouldn't adding water to kibble eliminate the "toothbrush effect" of dry kibble?
> 
> I'd think that keeping kibble the way it is would be better for cleaning tarter than making it soft and mushy. This was the reason I never added water to Lucy's dry kibble.


I don't add water. Wetting kibble encourages the dog to eat fast and actually increases bloat risk.

It also spoils them and makes them picky. 

Puppies I do for a few weeks.


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## Good_Karma

I fear bloat way more than I fear tartar. I add the water to kibble and brush my dog's teeth.


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## Lucy Dog

No scientific evidence behind this (i'm going to google it after I post this), but I actually heard that adding water increases the possibility of bloat. 

Sable, since you just posted what you posted, can you find something to back that statement up? I'll check around as well.


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## Myamom

Well...don't know about that. Ava gets her's dry...and she couldn't possibly inhale any faster...lol. Gotta address that issue with a special bowl...on my list of things to do! 

Anyway...so many theories out there....one says that dogs aren't really big chewers of their food per sae anyway...so the kibble toothbrush affect is kinda a moot point...and that the real benefits are going to come with brushing and what they are given to gnaw on....and that kibble actually removes enamel from small dog's teeth. 

Who knows.....


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## sable123

Myamom said:


> Well...don't know about that. Ava gets her's dry...and she couldn't possibly inhale any faster...lol. Gotta address that issue with a special bowl...on my list of things to do!
> 
> Anyway...so many theories out there....one says that dogs aren't really big chewers of their food per sae anyway...so the kibble toothbrush affect is kinda a moot point...and that the real benefits are going to come with brushing and what they are given to gnaw on....and that kibble actually removes enamel from small dog's teeth.
> 
> Who knows.....


Use a muffin pan to slow the dog down. I always use it for puppies whether they eat fast or not.


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## robinhuerta

I believe that the ingredient "citric acid" is the component that when adding water, can cause the problem with bloat. (I could be wrong, but I' pretty sure of it).
We give raw knuckle & femur bones for the dogs to chew on...so they can remove tarter buildup (if any).
I've only had 1 dog "bloat" (knock on wood) and she ate her last meal (without water added)....what were the odds on that?


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## Myamom

YES...You are right!! Found this if it helps............
from dogfoodaware
Soaking Kibble: It is best to soak any kibble in warm water or broth (watch out for too much sodium), to help with digestion. Soaking dry food in heated water for 10-15 minutes starts breaking down the binders in the kibble, releasing some of its tasty fat and flavoring and cutting down the time it takes the stomach to break it down for its trip through the small intestine. Note that once dry food has been soaked in water, it cannot be left out or it will go bad, so this can only be done with food the dog eats right away. Also, the Purdue Bloat Study showed a link between soaking kibble that contains citric acid and bloat, something to be aware of if your dog is deep chested or from a breed prone to bloat. Contrary to popular belief, hard kibble does NOT help clean teeth.


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## Lucy Dog

robinhuerta said:


> I believe that the ingredient "citric acid" is the component that when adding water, can cause the problem with bloat. (I could be wrong, but I' pretty sure of it).
> We give raw knuckle & femur bones for the dogs to chew on...so they can remove tarter buildup (if any).
> I've only had 1 dog "bloat" (knock on wood) and she ate her last meal (without water added)....what were the odds on that?


You're right about the citric acid.

"The risk of GDV was increased 4.2-fold (or 320%) in dogs that consumed dry foods containing citric acid that were also moistened prior to feeding by owners. Dry foods containing a rendered meat meal with bone among the first four ingredients significantly GDV risk by 53.0%."

Bloat (GDV) Study


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## Jax08

sable123 said:


> I don't add water. Wetting kibble encourages the dog to eat fast and actually increases bloat risk.


While I understand the theory of dogs eating quickly can cause bloat, I don't see how wetting their kibble will make them eat any faster, other than they don't have to chew as much. 

Is there any proof that it causes dogs to eat faster? Having gone from kibble to ground RAW for my senior, I see no evidence of that. Nor did she eat faster when we soaked her kibble.

Dry kibble, which expands in the stomach, increases the chance of bloat. So, six of one, half a dozen of another. Dry kibble can cause bloat but wetting the food will make the dogs eat faster will make them bloat. Take your pick....

Bloat in Dogs
(_Brenda Rushman, Web Author, in cooperation with Dr. Steve Van Wie, D.V.M.)

_


> It's also generally accepted that *dogs that tend to drink water in large amounts after meals* are more susceptible to bloat, particularly if they also eat large amounts of dry kibble. The large amounts of water will, in turn, cause the large amounts of kibble to swell.





> *Try not to feed a kibble which expands greatly when wet*. Do the kibble test overnight. Put a cup of kibble in a bowl. Add water and let soak over night. What you see in the morning is the amount of swelling this food will do in your dog's stomach. If it's excessive, change to another kibble which doesn't swell as much.



Myamom - a chiffon cake pan will work that same as the bloat bowls because Ava will have to chase it around the pan. And they are probably less expensive!


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## MaggieRoseLee

I add water to my dog's food at every meal. Help slow them down! Specially Bretta, she'll otherwise eat so fast she'll gag...


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## Myamom

all of this makes your head spin...LOL

Thanks Jax!!


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## Myamom

Ava says thank you Maggie...she loves your theory!! (because of course...she prefer's moistened) 

(will be checking for citric acid!)


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## Lucy Dog

I do feed orijen, but I don't moisten my food, so this isn't really an issue for me, but I know a lot of people here feed Orijen and possibly moisten their food. 

Looking at the orijen website, I found this:

*ETHOXYQUIN: Does ORIJEN contain ethoxyquin? * *A:* No. ORIJEN fish meats arrive FRESH; which means they are never frozen and have no preservatives what-so-ever. We work directly with our fish meal suppliers and pay them a premium to have ORIJEN fish meals preserved naturally with Vitamin E, *Citric acid* and Rosemary extract instead of the commonly used ethoxyquin preservative.


Orijen Pet Foods: FAQs


Does this mean that Orijen should never be moistened if bloat is a concern?


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## ZAYDA

I was just given a link about our dogs,kibble,and water and although I don't have access to my computer I can't bring it up at this time but it said you should always water your kibble. It was related to dogs don't know when or how much water to consume and eating kibble without water was not good for our dogs.

Water your kibble or if your dogs drink on command then just tell him to drink after he eats. =)


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## robinhuerta

I would be interested in finding out if EVO Red Meat has any chance of containing "citric acid"? I've read their ingredients when we first decided to feed it, and I did not see it listed. HOWEVER:...it does say "natural flavors"...does anyone know what may be the underlying ingredients in that??
Citric acid is used for a preservative...not as a "natural flavor"....but I'd still like to know _"what are natural flavors"???_


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## Myamom

fyi-just checked...TOTW uses asorbic acid not citric acid....whew...since I've been adding water


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## robinhuerta

Lucy Dog.....would having a dog eat a meal of dry kibble, and then immediately drink water be considered the same as adding water to the food? 
I wonder if the same chance of bloat could arise??
*Now I have a headache!....this whole thread has me looking at ingredient lists!!*
Any thoughts or opinions?....I find it fascinating AND a pain in the butt.


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## Myamom

here you go robin..
Dog Food Reviews - Innova EVO Red Meat (Large bites) - Powered by ReviewPost

they use asorbic acid


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## Lucy Dog

robinhuerta said:


> I would be interested in finding out if EVO Red Meat has any chance of containing "citric acid"? I've read their ingredients when we first decided to feed it, and I did not see it listed. HOWEVER:...it does say "natural flavors"...does anyone know what may be the underlying ingredients in that??
> Citric acid is used for a preservative...not as a "natural flavor"....but I'd still like to know _"what are natural flavors"???_


If I were you, I'd call or email Natura or P&G (not sure what they go by now) and ask directly from the source. 

Usually when I have a question about dog foods, I'll just email the company directly. They're usually pretty good about getting back to you in a couple days.


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## Lucy Dog

robinhuerta said:


> Lucy Dog.....would having a dog eat a meal of dry kibble, and then immediately drink water be considered the same as adding water to the food?
> I wonder if the same chance of bloat could arise??
> *Now I have a headache!....this whole thread has me looking at ingredient lists!!*
> Any thoughts or opinions?....I find it fascinating AND a pain in the butt.


Robin, I was actually thinking the same exact thing and I really don't know. 

I know i've read that you should really restrict exercise before and after eating. I know i don't exercise lucy for at least a couple hours after her meals. Exercise and drinking water usually go hand in hand, so maybe that has something to do with it.

I was always under the impression that water and kibble are not a good mix, so i've always avoided the two the best I could.


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## ChancetheGSD

Lucy Dog said:


> Wouldn't adding water to kibble eliminate the "toothbrush effect" of dry kibble?
> 
> I'd think that keeping kibble the way it is would be better for cleaning tarter than making it soft and mushy. This was the reason I never added water to Lucy's dry kibble.


Kibble doesn't do -anything- for reducing tartar/plaque build up. (If it did, than why do 80% of dogs over the age of 3 have dental diseases and build up?) If you're worried about your dogs teeth, feed them treats that proven to help and BRUSH THEIR TEETH! Otherwise your dog is -still- at risk for dental problems.

I personally add water to my dogs foods but I DON'T soak it. I just throw in the food, any extras if I'm giving extras that day and run water over it.

I don't really have a solid reason for Chance besides helping keep him better hydrated but for Zoey I do it because it helps prevent UTI's which she suffers from ALL THE TIME. Water and a cranberry pill have greatly reduced her UTI problems from at least once a month to MAYBE 1-2 times a YEAR.

I've never had a problem adding water. *shrugs* As for bloat problems, Chance actually -is- a bloat risk. The only thing I've found that helps keep him from bloating is raising his food bowl. (I never found a difference between adding water and not adding water) When I used to feed him on the ground I was always having problems with him blowing up like a balloon and multiple times, it got very scary. (Knock on wood) No problems since raising his bowl.


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## Lucy Dog

ChancetheGSD said:


> Kibble doesn't do -anything- for reducing tartar/plaque build up. (If it did, than why do 80% of dogs over the age of 3 have dental diseases and build up?) If you're worried about your dogs teeth, feed them treats that proven to help and BRUSH THEIR TEETH! Otherwise your dog is -still- at risk for dental problems.


I'm not disputing what you're saying as incorrect because I really don't know, but do you have any legitimate studies to back what you're saying up?


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## Myamom

they discuss it here...you have to scroll down 
I haven't had time to click their links so not sure if there are studies involved vs. their feelings on the subject.....

DogAware.com: Commercial Dog Foods


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## Lucy Dog

Well I guess it's a good thing I brush my dogs teeth too then! Good to know for future reference. 

I also give nylabones, bully sticks, and deer antlers, so hopefully all of that stuff helps too.


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## Jax08

robinhuerta said:


> Lucy Dog.....would having a dog eat a meal of dry kibble, and then immediately drink water be considered the same as adding water to the food?
> I wonder if the same chance of bloat could arise??


I wouldn't think so as far as the risk of bloat is concerned. Adding water to the food increases the volume of the food before it enters the stomach. Letting them drink a lot of water would add the volume of the water to the dry kibble, which would then expand. So, theoretically, the volume in the stomach with kibble and water could be greater than if the water was added beforehand.

Think of it this way..

1 c kibble add 1 c water = dog eats 3/4 of the food because the water has added volume before hand 

1 c dry kibble add 2 cup water = dog eats the 1 c. Then drinks 2 cups of water because the kibble is dehydrated so more room in stomach.

So the kibble expands in the stomach, trapping pockets of air, which can lead to bloat.


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## robinhuerta

Jax...it's not just the expansion of food that is of concern to me...it is the "gasses and air" that is released at the time of expansion.
This is why I wet food AND allow it a few minute to start to "break down" before I feed the dogs.
*I did an experiment once (with several dog foods).
Placed some kibble in a baby bottle, added hot water, placed nipple on top and shook.... within seconds the nipple blew out "whistling air" and small amounts of liquid.
Then I did the same...(but waited about 5 mins before shaking)...I had less whistling and almost no liquid. My assumption was: After a few minutes, the food will "lose" some of it's air and gasses, and be safer for feeding. Having the possibility of those gasses remaining in the dogs stomach bothers me...whether trapped or not...they must release and go somewhere?!
Again...I'm no scientist...I did the experiment for myself, and I've fed that way since.
Robin


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## maxtmill

Good_Karma said:


> I may be mistaken, but I am under the impression that wetting the dry kibble may help reduce the chance of bloat, which is why I do it for my dogs. I just use a sprinkle of water, rather than canned food. But it sounds like it is working well for you, so that's wonderful!


 -That is the reason we wet our giant breed Great Dane's food - to reduce the chance of bloat.


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## maxtmill

Lucy Dog said:


> No scientific evidence behind this (i'm going to google it after I post this), but I actually heard that adding water increases the possibility of bloat.
> 
> Sable, since you just posted what you posted, can you find something to back that statement up? I'll check around as well.


I would also love to know if there is any science behind whether or not to wet kibble to reduce chance of bloat. It seemed to make sense to me to allow the food ingriedients to puff up &/or release gases in the food dish rather inside the dog! There has been a huge controversy on raised food dishes, too. I use a raised food dish for my Great Dane, as well as one of my French Bulldogs who has reflux. Antbody have opinions on the raised food dishes?


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## Jax08

robinhuerta said:


> *I did an experiment once (with several dog foods).
> Placed some kibble in a baby bottle, added hot water, placed nipple on top and shook.... within seconds the nipple blew out "whistling air" and small amounts of liquid.


Holy Crap...that's a bit scary...

Was the temperature of the water relevant to the body heat of a dog? Did you find some built up less pressure than others? Did you try the same experiment with cold water? Part of the pressure could be from the heat of the water, rather than gas from the food.


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## onyx'girl

When I fed kibble, I use to feed it from the freezer in the Summertime...the gas is something to think about! 
I remember feeding gravy train to my dog as a child, we always mixed it with hot water before feeding. Lady loved it!


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## FG167

sable123 said:


> I don't add water. *Wetting kibble encourages the dog to eat fast *and actually increases bloat risk.
> 
> *It also spoils them and makes them picky.*
> 
> Puppies I do for a few weeks.


I disagree and in my experience, with my personal dogs, my family's dogs and my friends' dogs I've actually found the opposite to be true. I've never had a picky dog and I've been wetting their kibble for years. I guess them being spoiled is debatable 



Lucy Dog said:


> Wouldn't adding water to kibble eliminate the "toothbrush effect" of dry kibble?
> 
> I'd think that keeping kibble the way it is would be better for cleaning tarter than making it soft and mushy. This was the reason I never added water to Lucy's dry kibble.


I don't feed kibble to clean their teeth - which, I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that anyway. I give them bones to keep their teeth clean, they work quite well!



MaggieRoseLee said:


> I add water to my dog's food at every meal. Help slow them down! Specially Bretta, she'll otherwise eat so fast she'll gag...


THIS is why I started adding water. I had 3 of 4 dogs that would puke immediately following dry kibble. Add water and now they eat slower and no puking. Never had any of them bloat either. Two are labs as well, which are prone to it.


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## robinhuerta

Jax...I used "warm" water...a little warmer than room temperature. I figured food starts to break down once it's in the stomach of the animal ( and an animal's core temp is warm)...so I did the experiment with a temperature I thought would compare.
It's like when they did studies about humans burning more calories when they drink "cold" water vs "warmed" water.....the body uses energy to "warm" the water before utilizing it.


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## doggiedad

i wet my dogs kibble. there's always something mixed in his food.


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## doggiedad

how does adding water to kibble make a dog a picky eater?



sable123 said:


> I don't add water. Wetting kibble encourages the dog to eat fast and actually increases bloat risk.
> 
> It also spoils them and makes them picky.
> 
> Puppies I do for a few weeks.


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## Wolfiesmom

I wet Wolfie's food with a bit of canned food. I heard that adding canned food or table scraps significantly reduces the chance of bloat.


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## Jax08

robinhuerta said:


> Jax...I used "warm" water...a little warmer than room temperature. I figured food starts to break down once it's in the stomach of the animal ( and an animal's core temp is warm)...so I did the experiment with a temperature I thought would compare.
> It's like when they did studies about humans burning more calories when they drink "cold" water vs "warmed" water.....the body uses energy to "warm" the water before utilizing it.


Ask a lot of questions, don't I? The engineer in me starts whirling at puzzles like this. 

That's really frightening that gasses are being released at that rate.


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## PaddyD

Dry all the way here. My dog drinks and eats at the same time so I don't see much difference because she is wetting it inside her stomach almost immediately. I did try wetting it and she found that 'interesting' for a while but the novelty wore off and I was left with moistened kibble that sat there. She was a picky eater early on but we eventually figured out that she wouldn't starve herself and reverted to dry. She adjusted just fine and has been a self feeder for over a year. Her weight has remained 'perfect'. Not too slim, not too fat.


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## Lesley1905

I always heard wetting it helped prevent bloat as well. I guess its like the debate of food stand or no food stand.


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## krystyne73

I have a Great Dane along with the other dogs and My Great Dane book says to feed small amounts 3x a day to avoid bloat and to reduce physical activity for an hour after feedings. Avoid doesn't mean eliminate because any dog is at risk any time with any feeding style IMO
I only wet the great danes food now, because he is 9 yrs old and he is on the decline. As far as dental issues I have read in dog books that dry kibble chips away tartar in the canines teeth vs only feeding canned food. But my dogs have regular Vet dental cleanings so I don't worry about that.


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## krystyne73

okay I did find this in my Barron's Great Dane pet owners guide, its 10yrs old, but whatever lol it says:
"because dry dog food requires more use of canine teeth it contributes to better dental health and tartar control"..."however dry dog food does contain less than 10% moisture rating so make fresh clean water available"
also "major contributors to bloat is huge consumptions of food along with large consumption of water and vigorous exercise"

I personally would worry if my dog ate watered food then still drank more water it would actually cause more problems but I truly believe it is the personal preference of the dog owner and the dog. I don't think there is one correct reference that leans either way.


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## ZAYDA

doggiedad said:


> how does adding water to kibble make a dog a picky eater?


Well I have one picky eater for years she would just skip meals almost every other day until I did the water trick. She has not missed a meal in 1 year since I started adding a little water to her kibble.

So I feel my dog was a picky kibble eater and still is but she likey the water added.


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## Lin

MaggieRoseLee said:


> I add water to my dog's food at every meal. Help slow them down! Specially Bretta, she'll otherwise eat so fast she'll gag...


Same here. I typically don't feed kibble, but if I do I wet it down. Otherwise Tessa gags and often horks it back up. But when its wet she's fine.


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## koda00

robinhuerta said:


> We wet all our kibble food...always have....we also allow it to sit for a few minutes before feeding.


i do the same.... have been for years.. I never feed dry kibble.


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## Jake71

Every dog we've had in my lifetime has had their food softened up with water. If they don't want to eat the food dry then i drop some warm water in it and stir it for a few minutes till it cools.

My current dog Daisy eats slowly regardless of whats in the bowl.

Worried about bloat? 

nope... had dogs in the past that ate like it was their last meal.. all lived long healthy lives.

I just water it down because she seems like like to eat soft food rather than hard.


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## Mika140

I don't soak my dog's kibble, mostly because I thought I had read about how it breaks down nutrients (to the point that you lose nutrients; not just that it makes for easier digestion). I do, however, add water to the kibble and then immediately feed it....it seems to go down easier than dry kibble, especially with my dog that likes to inhale food. It causes him to take his time and not choke on it.

As for the nutrient break-down theory, I tried some searches to see where that info had come from. On another dog forum, I found a thread where someone had asked the same info. They emailed Natura (this was a few years back) and got the following reply: 



> Thank you for contacting us about our products. As long as you use water that is at room temperature, you can soak the kibble in water. If you use hot water, then that can begin to breakdown the nutrients. We recommended that if you do soak your food in water, that you would just use enough kibble for one days worth and refrigerate that amount. Once left at room temperature, you need to use it up within 3 hours. Please let me know if you need further information.


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## lanaw13

Raw meat is what? 80% H2O? We wet the kibble and feed raw bones for teeth cleaning…. dirty teeth lead to cardiac disease in humans and dogs…..


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