When should I feed my dog soft food?
Soft foods are semi-moist kibbles that are another feeding option for dogs. Here is a brief overview and facts about semi-moist dog food:
- Moisture content: this is around 20% for soft food, which means it contains more moisture than dry food but also significantly less than wet food. Therefore, even with soft food, it is important to ensure that the dog always has enough fresh drinking water available.
- Consistency : The kibbles are softer and therefore also very suitable for older dogs whose teeth are no longer the best.
- Acceptance: : Many dogs like soft food very much because of the consistency and the somewhat more intense smell and taste.
- Digestibility: Especially for sensitive dogs, semi-moist food can be a good alternative, because it is easier to digest. The raw materials in the food are gently cooked and already broken down during the cooking process, which increases digestibility and makes the food fresh and juicy. Soft food hardly swells in the stomach due to the higher water content compared to dry food and is also particularly easy to digest because it is transported further into the small intestine more quickly.
- Odor: Soft food smells a little more intense than dry food.
- Handling : Soft food can be compared well with dry food in terms of handling, since the croquette shape corresponds to that of dry food croquettes.
- Shelf life: The shelf life is naturally not as high as with dry food due to the moisture in the food. Tip: Proper storage is critical to the shelf life of semi-moist food. It is best to store in the original packaging, cool, dry and not airtight, as there is a risk of mold due to the residual moisture.