Wet vs dry vs raw dog food

The biggest difference is water

Dry kibble is about 10% water. Wet food in cans and pouches is often around 75% to 80%. Raw food sits in between, and air-dried or freeze-dried food is closer to kibble. That water changes every number on the label, so a wet food at 8% protein can have more protein than a kibble at 26% once the water is taken out.

To compare them, convert to a dry matter basis. The label guide has a calculator that does it for you.

Dry food (kibble)

• Good: cheapest per meal, keeps well once opened, easy to measure and use in puzzle toys.
• Watch: kibble needs starch to hold its shape, so it usually carries more carbs. Check what sits in the first five ingredients.

Wet food

• Good: very tasty for fussy eaters, adds water to the diet, and often has fewer carbs.
• Watch: costs more per meal, spoils quickly once opened, and many pouches and trays are toppers that are not complete meals. Look for “complete and balanced” on the label.

Raw, air-dried and freeze-dried food

• Good: usually meat-heavy with few fillers, and the air-dried and freeze-dried kinds keep well without a freezer.
• Watch: raw meat can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria, which can make dogs and the people handling the food ill. Wash hands, bowls and surfaces, and keep raw food frozen until use. Home-made raw diets are easy to get unbalanced, so use a complete recipe or ask your vet.
• Cost: the most expensive per meal of the four.

Which is best?

None of them wins outright. A good kibble beats a poor raw food, and the other way round. What matters most is the same for all four: a named meat near the top, few fillers and no problem additives, and a “complete and balanced” statement if it is the main meal. Many owners mix a kibble with some wet food, which is fine as long as the total stays balanced.

When you scan, pick the matching food type. SnoutScan then compares protein and fat on a dry matter basis, and if the label gives no moisture it uses a typical figure for that type, so different formats are judged on the same footing.

Common questions