Soaking kibble

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

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i recently saw a YouTube video where this guy recommended soaking kibble and stuffing a Kong with it and freezing it.
I thought it would be good as a break from always having food in a bowl at breakfast times.
Plus I think I read/ heard it fills them up more if it’s pre-soaked.
Obviously it swells as it soaks, now should I be reducing the amount to account for this swelling or keep it the same as I know dry kibble does swell in the belly anyway to a degree. I’ve just noticed it looks like a lot more I’m giving than it does when it’s dry.
At the moment she has 30g, do I need to reduce that?

 

[JudyN]

I'd have thought you'd give the same dry weight of kibble, regardless of whether you've mixed it with water or not. Nutritionally it will be the same whether it's bulked out with water or not.

 

[Janer]

What JudyN said. Kibble always amazed me at how much it swelled up when wet x

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Okay thanks

 

[excuseme]

I think this is what contributes to such a lot of overweight dogs. The kibble in its dry state does not look like much at all, so more is given, but when moisture is added it is like feeding some dogs a bucket full of food. Some people just don't realise just how much food they are actually giving their dogs
Am I right in thinking that moisture in a tin of dog food is around 80% ?

 

[Rinkydinkydo]

It bulks out once they swallow it anyway. So just feed their normal amount if you are pre soaking.

 

[JudyN]

Am I right in thinking that moisture in a tin of dog food is around 80% ?

I believe the moisture content of humans (and presumably other animals) is something like 60%, and muscles around 80% so that figure for dog food seems quite likely - and even biologically appropriate!

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Wet food is indeed around 80% water! One of the reasons I switched back to dry, that’s some expensive water!....don’t get me started on fat dogs

 

[JudyN]

Wet food is indeed around 80% water! One of the reasons I switched back to dry, that’s some expensive water!

You do have to compare price per meal though - human food is round about 70% water but we don't object to paying for that water. I'd guess that dry dog food is a lot more expensive by weight than wet, but you don't have to feed the same weight.

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

That’s true, never thought about it that way

 

[merlina]

A lot depends on what you want from your dog food, I think. Dry kibble has many negatives - the worst being it coats your dogs teeth with starch which makes them more prone to decay. All this about how it's crunchy and keeps their teeth clean is pet-food makers hype. Soaked kibble is fine fresh but can develop moulds quite quickly (even before you can see them with the naked eye) which nobody would want their dog to eat. I do feed some best quality kibble which I add cold water to and I feed raw as well- nothing makes a handful of kibble more delicious that a slice of bloody ox heart on top!

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Absolutely, I soak the food for a few minutes and put it straight in her Kong and it goes in the freezer, I only ever soak one meal at a time and she usually has it the next morning anyway.
I make sure I brush my dogs teeth regularly and I’m trying out a supplement called ‘Plaque X’ which she has sprinkled on top of her food. I’d never rely on just her food to keep her teeth clean, it is nonsense!

 

[Ashley]

I think we will try this with our dog every now and again.

She has only just figured out she has to work for whatever is in the kong not bring it to us to remove it for her haha.

Should make breakfast more interesting for her anyway!

 

[excuseme]

Of course food can affect our dogs teeth.

Absolutely, I soak the food for a few minutes and put it straight in her Kong and it goes in the freezer, I only ever soak one meal at a time and she usually has it the next morning anyway.
I make sure I brush my dogs teeth regularly and I’m trying out a supplement called ‘Plaque X’ which she has sprinkled on top of her food. I’d never rely on just her food to keep her teeth clean, it is nonsense!

What we feed our dogs can make a huge difference to the condition of our dogs mouths and teeth, it is NOT nonsense !!.
Who ever heard of a wild dog or wolf using a tooth brush and cleaning their teeth every day

 

[JudyN]

I agree with @excuseme - I don't brush my dog's teeth but give him raw bones. When he was under sedative just before he turned 9 the vet checked his teeth and said they were perfect apart from just a couple of bits of tartar. If you're able to brush every surface of your dogs' teeth, right to the back, then that's great but for many dogs it's simply not realistic.

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

I wasn’t saying that what they eat cannot do their teeth good. I just meant that thinking feeding dry kibble alone will take care of their teeth is nonsense. I know people who think that their dogs teeth don’t need any additional care, as long as they’re fed dry kibble
Of course I’ve heard that raw food is amazing for their teeth, digestive system, coat, skin etc.
I would love to put her on a raw diet but I'm just not able to right now.

 

[niamh123]

Liam had a kong for the first time today he thought it was amazing I didn't soak the kibble but I added kibble to Naturo turkey grain free dog food with a few raspberries and a small amount of cheese he had never had cheese before either when he was eating the Kong which I made last night the kibble had swollen from the wetness of the dog food.
Although Liam is not fed raw anymore he still has a pork bone at lunchtime to clean his teeth

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Awww wow that sounds like an amazing kong concoction bet he loved it!