It’s not always easy to find the time or energy to prepare food for our pets.
Fortunately, you can learn how to soften puppy food on your own! How much you soak the dry dog food will depend on how soft you want it. Some people like to make their pet’s kibble as mushy as possible, while others prefer it to have some crunch still.
Here is a list of steps and tips for those who would like to try this at home:
- To start, measure out your desired amount of dry dog food in a large bowl or pot.
- Add one cup of warm water per pound of dried dog food and stir until all the pieces are moist. This should take about two minutes of constant stirring.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 4 hours. How long you need to leave the mixture will depend on how dry your dog food is, so check on it occasionally after 2 hours have passed. If needed, add more warm water, as well!
When To Stop Soaking Dry Food For Puppies
It would be best if you stopped soaking the dry food when it reaches a mushy consistency, which may take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. Before serving your pet their meal, make sure you let all of the water evaporate as this can cause diarrhea or stomach upset if too much is left in the kibble.
Dry food can be soaked in water or broth to help with digestion. Moreover, you can soften dry food with milk or yogurt to help your pet digest it. If you don’t want to soak the dry food for puppies, you can always use a blender instead. Blend wet and dry ingredients before serving them in small portions throughout the day.
You should also first strain all blended foods through a cheesecloth before feeding them to your pet. This is an extra precautionary measure against blockages caused by larger chunks of kibble not being broken down enough during digestion. This is because many dogs are lactose intolerant, meaning they cannot process dairy products properly.
If there are any leftovers after soaking, this may result in diarrhea due to undigested sugars present within them, which will cause an upset dog stomach. To reduce these risks, simply blend the dry food with water or your puppy’s favorite broth before serving it to them.
3 Simple Steps on How to Soften Dog Food at Home
Don’t panic if you have a puppy and your pet supply store is out of wet dog food. You can soften dry kibble on your own by following some simple steps:
1. Add Water to Dry Kibble
This step will help make it easier for them to eat their food and rehydrate any dried ingredients in the dog food formula. Simply add warm water until there are no more dry spots seen through the bottom or sides of the container.
Let stand about 5 minutes before serving so that all parts are moistened evenly with water. If you do not want this method because it requires getting an extra dish dirty, use another one but only fill halfway.
2. Microwave
Another way to soften dry kibble is by using the microwave, but only as a last resort because you will have to wait for it to cool down before serving. It can destroy any essential nutrients in the food that are needed during digestion.
If you want to use this method, place your puppy’s food on a microwavable plate or feeding bowl with about an inch of water around the edge. Set at medium power until you hear no more crunching sounds from inside the microwave & serve once cooled down completely.
3. Add Warm Water First
This is another option that doesn’t require getting an extra dish dirty. You can simply add warm water to the dry kibble and let it sit for about five minutes before feeding your pet. Do not forget that you must supply fresh drinking water whenever giving dry food, especially if trying one of these options!
Be sure to clean any dirty dishes right away after or even during use with dish soap & rinse thoroughly so there’s no chance of leftover bacteria growth inside.
How to Pre-Moisten Dry Dog Food
When your dog is a puppy, it may require softer food. This should be done for several reasons, and this is how you can pre-moisten dry food:
- Mix the dry food with some warm water
- Soak for about 20 minutes, then serve it to your dog
- You can also soak dry kibble in milk or broth. It is a more palatable option that will make him eat faster and get nutrients simultaneously. How long you should pre-moisten depends on what type of food product you are using, but generally, around 15 minutes would be good enough before serving it to your puppy.
Be sure not to leave moistened dog food out too long because bacteria growth could occur if left unattended overnight. When doing this process periodically throughout his life, your dog won’t have issues eating proper foods later on when all grown up!
When Can Puppies Eat Dry Food Without Water?
Ideally, dog food should be soft enough for puppies to eat without the need for water. However, pet owners may find that their pet’s dry pet food is too hard and crunchy in some cases.
This can lead to dental issues such as tartar build-up on teeth if not softened before consumption or fed with a liquid substance like canned pet food or baby food to help prevent it from occurring in the first place.
If you want your dog’s pet food to be softer but don’t know where to start, read below to learn how to go about softening your puppy’s dish!
- Purchase a good quality pet wet (canned) product at the store. Make sure it has high-quality ingredients with no by-products or fillers. Add pet food to the wet pet product and let it sit for a few hours before feeding.
- Purchase premade pet soft foods at stores such as Walmart, Target, or Petco, etc.
- Look online for recipes to make your soft pet food using ingredients like baby carrots, pumpkin puree (canned), oils/poultry fat, water, or broth from boiled meats. Rice cereal cooked in chicken stock is also an excellent option if you need help getting started on this process yourself!
Benefits of Soaking Your Dog’s Dry Food
There are many benefits to soaking dry kibble before feeding it to your pet. Soaking your pet’s dry food can help soften your pet’s kibble, so it may be easier for them to digest if they have chewing issues or other dental problems. This method works well because after you soak dry dog food, not only does it soften and swell up, but the pet food will also absorb water.
When your pet eats soaked kibble, they can consume more of their food at one time without choking or having problems chewing since the kibble is soft and moist instead of hard and crunchy.
Senior Dogs and Food
The benefits extend beyond just dental health concerns for puppies or senior pets who may have difficulty eating dry kibble due to age or injury. Soaking pet food can also help reduce tartar build-up on teeth which helps prevent gum disease from forming in older dogs that already suffer from dental issues such as loose teeth, plaque build-up, missing teeth, or diseases.
It has been shown that by journaling your pet’s diet, you can see improvements in many other aspects related to your senior pet’s age, such as improved coat, weight gain, and even overall better pet health since they can absorb more nutrients from their pet food.
While you’re soaking the dry dog food in water, try adding some beneficial supplements like fish oil or other essential oils (i.e., olive oil) into the mix. These oils have been shown to help improve immune system functions along with providing healthy anti-inflammatory benefits!
By adding fat into the mix, such as olive oil or animal fats, you can help improve your pet’s coat by making it healthier and shinier.
Final Thoughts
Puppies need soft dog food to eat. As they grow, their teeth and gums may not be strong enough for hard pet food, so softening the dish before feeding your pup a meal is essential.
There are many ways to go about this process, depending on whether you want store-bought wet pet foods. Alternatively, you might prefer to make your own at home with ingredients such as baby carrots, pumpkin puree (canned), animal oils/poultry fat, water or broth from boiled meats, and rice cereal cooked in chicken stock!
We hope our guide on how to soften puppy food has been helpful!