Puppies are similar to humans in what they eat. When a puppy is born, all he thinks of is his mother’s milk for warmth and extra nutrients. But when he reaches a particular age, he needs to be weaned off the mother’s milk and introduce foods. The easiest and best way to present food is by mixing or soaking dry food with water. Feeding the puppy increases their energy and grows physically and also develops muscles and neural pathways.
Getting puppy food also provides the requisite antioxidants that help combat canine diseases and develop a robust immune system. However, some dogs do not prefer mixing the dry food with water, and it could also create picky eaters. The crucial thing is identifying when it is no longer necessary to soak or mix dry food for the puppy.
Why Soak the Puppy’s Dry Food?
When a puppy is born, his first feeding method is suckling his mother. He does not know what other ways to feed and even drink water. However, when they grow to more than four weeks, the mother’s milk is insufficient to provide all the necessary nutrients. This is the time to start introducing regular food.
Puppies cannot be transitioned immediately to eating dry food since they have the baby teeth starting to come in. They need to be enticed to eat regular dry food, and the best way is to soak in water. By soaking, dry food becomes easy to be mushed and produce natural soft food that the puppy can eat.
The puppy will not immediately eat the food, but he will be good to go after a few tries. Once the puppy is in tune with eating the wet food, he will rarely suckle his mother and rely more on natural foods. It is also essential not to over soak the food for too long to become inedible for the puppy. You should also soak the dry food in warm water as cold food is not enticing for the puppy.
Puppy Growth Stages
The different age stages of puppies’ guide when to soak their food and when to stop depending on their teeth, among other factors. The stages include:
| 1 to 2 weeks | there is nothing much going on the first two weeks after the puppy is born. The tiny animal is deaf and blind for the initial 14 days, and they concentrate on suckling the mother to grow stronger. |
| Three weeks | the third week Is a turn-around for the puppy. The ears and eyes open up, and the baby teeth start to grow. Over the following five weeks, the sharp milk teeth get longer, and the mother gradually stops producing milk. |
| 4 to 8 weeks | at this phase, the baby teeth are growing. The puppy starts to eat some regular solid food depending on the size of the teeth. The mother slowly stops producing milk and consequently trigger the weaning process. |
| 8 to 12 weeks | during this phase, it is common for the puppy to be taken to his new home. Therefore, he does not have the luxury of the mother’s milk and will have to be fully adjusted to typical solid food. |
| 3 to 6 months | at this age, the adult teeth may start to grow and begin to lose the baby teeth. This stage is usually known as the chewing phase, as the puppy will chew anything that comes their way. This behavior helps in relieving the itchy feeling that comes with growing teeth. By six months, most puppies should have lost their baby teeth. |
Why You Should Soak Dry Puppy Food
The puppy is still learning to chew- when the puppy stops suckling, eating solid food is a new feeling. Small puppies, if given hard food, find it challenging to chew compared to soaked food.
Dry food can hurt the puppy– the dry hard food can break the puppy’s baby teeth and hurt their gums and stomach. The young body is still learning to digest new food, and dry food is extreme. Soaked food is easy to chew and digest.
Soaking in water increases hydration– puppies and dogs, in general, are not fond of drinking water and are at risk for dehydration. When dry food is soaked in water, it absorbs the water, and by the puppy eating, it eventually reduces dehydration.
Warm water releases pleasing aromas– when the puppy’s dry food is mixed or soaked in warm water, and the water releases the scents in the dog food. Since the food is dry, warm water stimulates the ingredients that release smells otherwise not visible with dry food. The smell makes the food more enticing to the puppy, and they will be excited to eat.
When to Soak or Mix Dry Food with Water
During the weaning phase
When the puppy moves from suckling his mother to eating regular food, it is crucial to soak the food and mush with a fork to create consistency.
If the puppy has dental issues
Dental issues are common with older dogs, but puppies can be affected too. Like humans, dogs experience pain with teeth issues, and it is easier to intake soft food than dry food.
If the puppy has a sensitive digestive system
Soaking dry food softens the food and eases the initial work of digestive enzymes that break down food. These enzymes can be struggling when a puppy is sick or recovering. If the puppy has acid reflux or recovering after vomiting, soft food is helpful to the inflamed or irritated esophagus.
If the puppy is at risk of bloating
If the puppy is likely to drink a lot of water after eating dry foods, this can increase the risk of bloating. Easting too quickly can also increase bloating. Soaking the dry food and training the puppy to eat in an anti-gulp bowl slows down the ingestion rate. An anti-gulp bowl is a unique bowl designed with obstructions that makes the dog eat around to get the food.
If the puppy is prone to losing appetite or is a picky eater
Soaking dry food with warm water brings out natural sweet aromas within the food. Puppies find the scent exciting and delicious. Puppies also naturally prefer warm food compared to cold food.
When changing from one brand to another
Soaking and mixing different brands disguise the difference, and the puppy will receive the change of nutrients. Puppies commonly resist abrupt change in food. Changing food is advisable to be done gradually over several days.
When to Stop Soaking Puppy Food
Even though there is no much harm, continuous soaking of dry food can develop picky eating behavior. Some puppies will refuse to outgrow their soaked dry food because of the enticing smell and flavor. Thus, it can become harder to feed the grown dog if they refuse to eat any other foods.
The main danger in soaking food is the soaking process. The recommended time to soak dry food is half an hour; else, the food will ferment and become inedible. Soaked food is also prone to attract flies if not monitored well. Preparing the soaked food also takes time, so the sooner the dog can eat dry food, the better.
How to Transition the Puppy’s Dietary Needs?
A puppy should be introduced to wet food at the age of four weeks to give the mother a break from the puppies and enable them to be independent. The soaked food has an oatmeal texture that can be easily fed to learning puppies. When purchasing dry food, ensure to choose a specific diet. Puppy food is tailored to suit the nutrients and calories that growing puppies require that are not offered in adult food.
Additionally, puppy food is made in small sizes that can for the tiny mouth of the puppy. Some dog food brands to keep in mind should be grain-free and have few ingredients to avoid food-related allergies. Most dry foods have formulas specific to puppies and also different growth stages. Transitioning from puppy food to adult food will be less strenuous and gentle to the puppy’s stomach if the brand is maintained.
When Can Puppies Eat Dry Food Without Water?
After figuring out which diet is necessary for the puppy, the next step is to identify how long to keep up with the soaked food. Ideally, the puppy should be fully weaned at eight weeks and wholly separated from the mother. This means that in a month, the puppy should rely more on a dry food diet.
To transition from soaked food, you should gradually reduce the amount of water you add to the dry food over one month. It would not be best to quickly reduce the amount of water as the puppies will not show interest in eating the food or have difficulties digesting it.
Consider reducing the amount of water by ten percent every 2 to 3 days. This allows the puppies to adjust to new food textures easily, and if they are having trouble adjusting, you can add extra days. By eight weeks, puppies should be having the full set of baby teeth and therefore be able to eat dry foods.
How Much Food to Feed the Puppy and How Often?
Puppies have small stomachs that hold little amounts of food at a go. This means that they should be fed small frequent meals according to their preference during weaning. The puppy should be ideally fed four times a day based on size. Find out the recommended daily feeding amounts the divide by four. Once the puppy is 9 to 10 weeks old, he should eat dry foods and feed himself. Overfeeding a puppy can cause rapid bone growth, which Is not good.
Here is a guide on the amounts of food to feed puppies
- Weaning age – 4 to 6 meals daily
- 2 to 3 months– 4 meals daily
- 4 to 6 months– 2-3 meals daily
- Over six months– 2 meals daily depending on puppy breed.
Ensure to read the feeding instructions on the food packaging carefully. The feeding amounts vary depending on age, breed, how energetic the puppy is, and any underlying medical conditions. Often, playful puppies burn a lot of energy and require more food. Weighing the puppy consistently helps you to ensure they are of the right age and size.
Why Is the Puppy Not Eating Dry Food?
If the puppy has refused to eat dry food, there could be several issues the dog is facing. It can be that the puppy is picky or could be suffering from a medical condition. Some of the issues to keep in mind include;
Is the puppy healthy?
If the puppy usually eats well and suddenly is not interested in food, his health is the first concern. A sudden loss of interest in food could indicate that the puppy is sick and maybe stomach issues. If you think the puppy has some health discomfort, book an appointment with the vet for a proper medical check-up. If the puppy eats some food and refuses others, he might be a picky eater.
Is the puppy old enough to eat dry food?
Puppies should be fully weaned at around 6 to 8 weeks of age. For the first few weeks, the puppy will not be excited about dry food, but he will start to bite solid foods with time. If the puppy is younger than that age, he is too young to eat dry food and meals. Most often, puppies are taken when they are 6 to 8 weeks of age after weaning.
Is the puppy teething?
Most puppies eat and chew less when they are teething. Teething occurs when the puppy is 3 to 6 months old. Loose teeth and tender gums cannot accommodate dry food, and hence the puppy may not eat completely. To solve this, you should consider moistening the food or mixing it with warm water to make chewing easy.
Is the puppy feeding on a regular schedule?
Having a strict feeding schedule compared to leaving the puppy food on the bowl helps regulate the digestive system. It also provides a plan of when the puppy needs to go outside and hence eases house training.
The Bottom Line
In the end, some puppies prefer soaked food compared to dry foods. The taste, preferences, and texture vary from puppy to puppy. If the puppy refuses to eat dry foods, you can moisten or mix with warm water to entice him. However, it would be best if you regulated so as not to develop picky eating behaviors. Keep in mind that as much as dry foods look smaller than wet food, they are more energy and nutrient-dense than wet food. The puppy should eat more wet food to gain equal calories.