How Much Wet Food Should I Feed My Dog?

If you’re someone who thinks plain kibble might be boring for your pet, you’re not alone. While kibble is a nutritional option for your cat or dog, it’s easy to wonder if your pet would like to switch it up a little sometimes.

Luckily, there’s an easy solution to ending food boredom: wet dog food! With multiple ways to use wet food, it’s easy to give your pet’s meals an occasional kick and keep them coming back for more. But how much wet food should you feed your dog? Well, it depends.

How Much Wet Food to Feed a Dog Per Day When It’s Their Whole Meal

One way that you can feed wet dog food is probably the most obvious–feeding it as your dog whole meal. To know how much wet food to feed a dog per day, look at the feeding guidelines on the back label. For example, here are the feeding guidelines for our K95 Turkey recipe:

Feed adult dogs one 13 oz. container per 13-15 pounds of body weight daily, depending on activity level. When feeding with dry product, one container of K95 dog food replaces approximately 3/4 cup dry pet food. Have clean, fresh water available at all times.

The feeding guidelines tell you how much wet dog food per day to feed based on your dog’s weight. Depending on how large your dog is, you may need to feed multiple cans or tubs a day.

How Much Wet Canned Food to Feed a Dog When It’s a Topper or Mixer

If you’re not wanting to switch from kibble entirely, you can also feed wet food as a topper. To do this, pair it with your pet’s favorite kibble and simply put some of the moist food on top. You’ll notice in the feeding guidelines above for K95 Turkey, there are also instructions for feeding it with dry product so just follow those instructions when using wet food as a topper.

One main advantage to using wet food as a topper is the increased palatability it adds to your pet’s food. If you have a picky pup who sometimes just doesn’t feel like eating, it’s worth a try to incorporate wet dog food into their meals every once in a while to get them excited about dinner time.

Using moist food as a mixer is very similar to the idea of using it as a topper, but in this case, you actually mix the wet dog food into the kibble. If your picky pet still isn’t eating all of their food with a topper, mixing it together may help your dog eat more of it.

Dog laying with a can of Earthborn Holistic K95 Beef dog food

How Much Do I Feed My Dog When It Comes to Frozen Dog Treats?

Another fun way to switch it up without making a commitment to switching their food entirely is to make frozen treats out of wet dog food. To do this, find an ice cube tray or mold, scoop some of the food into the tray, and then freeze for a few hours before serving to your pet. We have a tried and true method using our cat moist pouches and a silicone tray, but the general idea works the same with wet food as well. Depending on the size of your mold, you can make quite a few treats to last you a while! This also allows you to switch up flavors to make your pet think you’re treating them to something different.

How Much Food Should I Feed My Senior Dog? Understanding Wet Dog Food for Seniors

When it comes to senior dogs, there are a few more considerations you’ll need to watch out for when choosing a food. Seniors are significantly more prone to weight gain than younger dogs due to their metabolisms slowing down as they age. If you continue feeding a calorie-dense food to your dog as they get older, it’s likely they’ll put on a few extra pounds. For this reason, finding a dog food for your senior that’s low in calorie is important.

Just like humans, senior dogs’ joints begin to feel the affects of their age over time as well. As their joints slowly deteriorate, extra weight on top of that could cause even more serious joint issues. To combat this, you’ll want to make sure that in addition to being low-calorie your dog’s food has glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate as well. These nutrients help support your dog’s joint health and will help slow the deterioration of their joints as they continue to age.

In some cases, senior dogs are also more prone to dental issues. Senior dogs sometimes start to have issues chewing harder things like kibble and dog biscuits, so wet dog food is a great option in cases like these. If you’re looking for the best senior wet dog food, our moist tub dinners like Duke’s Din-Din Stew all have less than 225 kcal per container, with Duke’s Din-Din having only 209. These are relatively low-calorie options that would work great for a senior dog who has shown signs of dental troubles.

Wet Food for Allergies

In some cases, the ingredients list on your dog’s food is more important than whether it’s kibble or wet food. If you’re dealing with allergies and looking for solutions for your dog, the ingredients in your dog’s food are likely top of mind as you try to avoid allergens. Being aware of allergies your dog has will help you narrow down your options when it comes to choosing a wet dog food. That being said, some options will sometimes work better than others in general.

Our K95 cans are great canned dog food options for dogs with allergies to specific proteins, as all five of these recipes are made with single proteins that make up 95% of the recipe. They come in five grain-free flavors and also contain healthy vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. You can choose from chicken, duck, lamb, turkey, and beef for a tasty meal.

A mini Australian Aussie standing in the mountains licks out of a Earthborn Holistic Moist Tub dog food with hiking gear in the background

How Much Should My Dog Eat if They Have a Sensitive Stomach and Enjoy Wet Food?

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, one protein we always turn to is lamb. Earthborn Holistic’s Director of Nutritional Services, Dr. Anne Huss, explains that lamb tends to be a less commonly used animal protein in many diets, so most dogs don’t have a chance to develop an allergy to it. Our K95 Lamb and Lily’s Gourmet Buffet recipes are both lamb-based recipes that will be easier on their sensitive stomach. Our tub recipes are even resealable, so you can make sure your pet’s stomach is happy on the go, too.

How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Dogs Wet Dog Food?

To figure out what the recommended dog food amount for your pup is, look at the feeding chart on their food. The chart will explain the amount of food your puppy should be eating throughout the day. Typically feeding a puppy twice a day is not going to be enough food to properly aid them in their growth. So, how often should puppies eat? The recommended amount of puppy meals per day is anywhere between 2-5 meals a day as they grow. The chart below shows how many times to feed a puppy as they develop:

6 weeks to 4 months4 months to 6 months6 months to Adult
Toy Breeds4 to 5 meals per day3 to 4 meals per day2 to 3 meals per day 
Small and Medium Breeds3 meals per day2 meals per day2 meals per day
Large and Giant Breeds3 meals per day2 to 3 meals per day2 to 3 meals per day

When it comes to adult dogs, they typically eat less than puppies because their metabolisms are slower and require less calories so they can typically be fed twice a day. In some cases like with small or large breed dogs you might consider three meals, or if your daily routine works for three meals and your dog seems to get hungry in the middle of the day.

It’s important to note that while looking at the feeding chart is a great place to start for how much to feed your dog, the amount should be split between the total amount of meals you feed per day. It’s always a great idea to run the number of meals and the amount of food you’re feeding per day by your vet as well.

Dinner Time!

Whether you’re switching to wet dog food entirely or just wanting to switch it up, wet food is the perfect addition to your pet’s diet. From cans to convenient tubs, there are many options to choose from that your dog is sure to love.

Sold? Find an Earthborn Holistic retailer near you to pick up your pet’s new favorite treat!