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Is it normal for dogs to refuse dry food after eating wet food?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 22 days old

Is it healthy to alternate between dry and wet food daily ? I’ve been given Willis wet food in the morning and dry in the evening however lately he has been refusing to eat the dry food, is this normal ?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on September 27th, 2017

It is very normal for a dog to refuse dry food, as the wet food has more flavor. My advise would be to mix both wet and dry food together for each meal. This way Willis will get the benefits of each, and should eat them both well. There are only three pet food brands which are approved by veterinarians. These are science diet, royal canin and purina pro plan. Only these three Have undergone research to ensure they provide an adequate and nutritious diet for pets. This research is approved by veterinarians. Any other food brands may not be regulated or researched as thoroughly. For this reason I would only advise feeding one of those three.

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for your post. As long as it is the same brand and type of food, giving wet in the AM and dry in the PM should be OK. If not, switching types and brands of wet/dry foods can cause stomach upset. Refusing to eat the dry may not be a good thing as dry food is better for the teeth, but at 4 months of age, Willis is likely teething and may be in a little discomfort making the wet food a little easier to eat. What you may want to try doing is feed wet for the next couple of months but switch the dry food entirely when the adult teeth begin to become prominent around 6 months of age. Keeping on dry food will help reduce the build up of dental calculus. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 18th, 2017

    It is ideal for a cat to have plenty of moisture in their diet, but as long as they are drinking enough water, they can be fine on just a dry food diet. I feed my cats only dry food, and they have a water fountain which encourages them to drink plenty of water, and I don't have any issues with their health. The same goes for dogs, as long as they are drinking plenty of water, dry kibble is fine. The concern about adding more moisture in the diet is when there are urinary problems. Then wet food should be fed.

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on December 28th, 2016

    That's fine as long as it is a quality food. Stay away from store or discount brands as these typically contain low quality ingredients and more fillers. You should to brush her teeth daily as well. Use a pet approved tooth paste and toothbrush.

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    Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on October 11th, 2017

    Dry food is the most convenient food for us and also the least expensive, so that has been the most common way to feed dogs. There are a number of companies that now offer fresh food diets to various degrees. One of my favorite options is dehydrated food from The Honest Kitchen which is both convenient and good quality. In general, canned food tends to be a little higher quality than dry food. They are not limited by the restrictions that require enough carbohydrates to be put into a dry food. But feeding canned food alone can be very expensive for a large dog, so most people feed a combination of canned and dry. If you do that, make sure that Leo eats all the food at once and doesn't leave some kibble coated with canned food for later (which can be a problem for bacterial growth). I would also recommend a slow transition with any diet changes. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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