Our breeder recommended that we soak Baxter's kibble for life. She said that we should soak the food a minimum of 30 minutes before we feed him for each feeding. She said that since Labs don't chew but scarf that this would help with digestion and since you soak the kibble and there is water in there, the dog will drink less water which means they will pee less.

Wouldn't this cause diarrhea in a dog since its all mush?:confused:

Is this true? Does anyone soak their dog's kibble?

Thoughts?

I think lots do--we do not.

One reason to not soak is, the crunching of the kibble (if your pup does chew it) will help keep plaque off their teeth. There's been a few studies of cats and dogs showing that dental health is much improved in dry kibble fed animals versus wet foods.

I put water in with Kiley's food, but I do not soak it for 30 minutes. It does slow her down, in the fact that she drinks the water before starting to eat. The secondary reason is to keep flushing out her system as she is prone to UTIs.

i too add water but do not soak

We put some water on Cooper's kibble and serve right away (water fills about half way up kibble). We do not allow any soak time. The only reason we do it is because Cooper eats incredibly fast and swallows most his food; I rarely hear him chew. If we don't put some water on the food, he will choke himself and start gagging.

Well Baxter does not chew his food at all. He just inhales it in about 30 seconds flat. I always concerned that he might choke or get bloat, which is why the breeder did recommend soaking the food. Now the vet is dead set against it. She does not want me to do that she say's that it's bad for the dog's teeth.

I am so overwhelmed.....:eek:

the vet said soaking kibble is bad for the dog's teeth? does she think kibble not soaked is good for his teeth? because, fyi, it doesnt really help clean a dogs teeth. not like a raw marrow bone or brushing.

I add water but swoosh it around then put it right down.... It brings out the flavor of the oils.

I have never had a dog that would even touch kibble that was soaked and left for 30 minutes.

I also may have read somewhere about bloating from soaked kibble.. but that is just an memory at this point.:confused:

check your dog food bag...I think Eagle pack says right on there it is not recommended to soak the kibble. Forgot the reasoning but it was something to do with the ingrediants used

I have always made a broth with veggies and meat for my dog and added that to his kibble before serving (but I don't soak it). He used to scarf down his food (and throw up shortly after eating) but now I always serve his meals in two parts, with time to breath and let it settle between parts (approximately five minutes). This works perfectly for us.

Just to clear up any misconception, kibble really doesn't clean teeth. That would be similar to us eating biscotti to clean our teeth. It is thought to be true though that a higher quality kibble will cause less dental issues.

I sometimes add water and sometimes don't. Depends on what other supplements I am adding...

check your dog food bag...I think Eagle pack says right on there it is not recommended to soak the kibble. Forgot the reasoning but it was something to do with the ingrediants usedI think if the dog food contains citric acid you're not supposed to add water.

I read that here in a thread somewhere.

I soak it in warm water in winter to give them a "warm" meal. Most hunt test/field trial trainers put water in their dogs kibble, primarily to just use one bowl while they are on the truck. There should be no reason you shouldn't be able to. To say you can't because it has Citric Acid (Vit C) just doesn't make sense, just think of vit C in drinks. First thing my dogs do after they eat is get a drink of water. It is all a matter of preference.

Should have no effect on bowel or bladder function. Whether food and water is mixed in the bowl or their stomach, there is still going to be a mixing.

I only soaked Tide's when she was a little pup. I think I stopped at about 4 months.

I stopped adding water around 11 weeks with my pups.

We only added water for a couple of weeks as well but never a soak, just a minute at most before putting the dish down.

What we have done is work with Kodi to slow down her eating. We started by lifting the dish and saying "use your teeth" - sometimes we would also have her sit and "leave it" to give her a chance to swallow. These days although she is still a fast eater, she will slow down on command and she will in fact chew her food.... half of the time :D

Just to clear up any misconception, kibble really doesn't clean teeth.
Do you have a reputable source for this information? I think, at best, the jury is out on this question. I realize there are some sources saying that dry kibble does not clean tartar or plaque off teeth--but check the source of that information. Are they selling some sort of teeth cleaning product or wet food?

Wouldn't it make sense--simply in practical terms--that crunchy foods would help remove plaque and tartar? How do you think a toothbrush works?

Plus, if the dog eats dry kibble, then drinks, it rinses the mouth out.

For a discussion of this, see: Recent Developments in Non-Ruminant Nutrition (2005) By Philip C. Garnsworthy, Julian Wiseman, which states:

Dry foods provide an abrasive action on the tooth surface and can reduce the degree of deposition of plaque and tartar compared with softer foods

I've always added water to their kibble but I don't let it soak, I immediately feed it to the boys.

They still wolf down the food in about 60 seconds but the water does seem to slightly slow them down.

Do you have a reputable source for this information? I think, at best, the jury is out on this question. I realize there are some sources saying that dry kibble does not clean tartar or plaque off teeth--but check the source of that information. Are they selling some sort of teeth cleaning product or wet food?

Wouldn't it make sense--simply in practical terms--that crunchy foods would help remove plaque and tartar? How do you think a toothbrush works?

Plus, if the dog eats dry kibble, then drinks, it rinses the mouth out.

For a discussion of this, see: Recent Developments in Non-Ruminant Nutrition (2005) By Philip C. Garnsworthy, Julian Wiseman, which states:

Reputable source...every vet I have ever gone to. I am not comparing kibble to canned but rather the fact that NEITHER are a tooth cleaning agent.

It doesn't make sense that a crunchy food removes plaque and tartar. Think of it this way, what happens when you eat a crunchy food (potato chips, dry cereal, etc)? Do you think that removes plaque and tartar? Brushing teeth is another matter entirely. Brushing your dog's teeth with a tooth brush is not putting more gunk on the teeth as eating does.

If all I had to do was eat crunchy foods and then rinse my mouth out with water as you suggest a dog could do then I could return my very expensive Sonicare toothbrush. ;)

Simply said, raw bones and brushing your dog's teeth are really the only sure fire ways to keep your dog's teeth clean. So soak the kibble or don't soak but it really doesn't matter when it comes to teeth.

kibble may be better than wet food in terms of slimey build up, but sorry, kibble doesnt clean teeth.

do a google search "does kibble clean a dogs teeth"

If all I had to do was eat crunchy foods and then rinse my mouth out with water as you suggest a dog could do then I could return my very expensive Sonicare toothbrush.
Now you're putting words in my mouth. Never did I say that eating dry food is all a dog has to do. I feed raw bones and brush my dog's teeth as well.

What I did say is, there are studies showing that dry kibble, as opposed to soaked or wet (which was the topic initiated by the OP), can help scrub off plaque and tartar. Given that a dog will generally eat that dry kibble two times a day for 13+ years, it can make a difference in the long run in terms of dental health.

Think of it this way, what happens when you eat a crunchy food (potato chips, dry cereal, etc)? Do you think that removes plaque and tartar?
It probably does. In a hypothetical world, if you take a person who eats only crunchy foods and a person who eats only mushy foods, with no other dental care, the person eating only crunchy foods would probably have improved dental health. I'm not saying, all you need to do is eat crunchy foods. That's ridiculous.

I cited to a recently published book on animal nutrition that supports what I'm saying. You've given nothing other than the hearsay comments of "every vet" you have ever gone to.

Charlie's Dad did you notice in my post how I said I WASN'T comparing dry vs. mushy food. NEITHER cleans a dog's teeth. Does kibble keep it cleaner than wet...maybe, but is by no means a substitute for brushing teeth or providing bones. I think you and I are saying the same thing. I couldn't gleam from your post that you do other things though; all you mentioned was how kibble helps clean a dog's teeth.

I also think my vets would be upset to know that their opinions on their field is hearsay. lol

Sadie just went through a spat of not eating well so I began to add water to her food. She definitely loved it and ate it up! I give my dogs a chew I buy at the vet for their teeth.

I add a little water to her dry nibbles, as she has a hard time swallowing dry food. I don't make it mushy, then she won't eat it.

We add a quater cup of water to the kibble but no soak time. Only for showing them down. They always drink after the meal. Although it is not a primary cleaner of teeth, it does help to a small degree. Think of the difference between kibble and canned foot.
My mother used to buy liver and boil it with carrots. Then feed dry kibble with a little of the juice and carrots only. Talk about loving food. The liver was then cut up into small pieces and used for treats or bait.
WARNING - it sure makes the house stink!

I added water when Hudson was a pup, but after he was 12 wks or so I stopped.

I just moisten Toby's kibble with a little warm water...just to bring out the flavor a bit, but NEVER soak it.

I can't see any benefit in soaking the kibble. I would think that a dog would enjoy his food much more if it had a "crunch" to it rather than eating mush.

I would not feed my Toby soaked kibble.

Just my :2cents:.

I always add a little water to one of my labs since she inhales her food. The water has slowed her down just a little bit!

Jade's nearly 4 and I've soaked her kibble from the start. I soak it in a little warm water about 10/15 minutes before she eats, and when she comes to eat all the water has pretty much soaked up.

In order for a dry food to have any cleaning affect on the teeth, the dog would actually have to chew, which most dogs (especially labs) don't do. Wet food (I would assume completely soaked kibble would fall in this category) is so bad for the teeth because it gets caught and stays between teeth longer, thus causing build up.

Personally, I add water to all of my dogs food right before I serve. I'm not sure it slows them down at all, but it does stop them from "tanking up" at the water bowl right after they eat.

Bella was picky from the start so we tried soaking kibble and she still wouldn't eat it.

We do add 1 tablespoon of Purina Pro Plan Selects canned food to the same brand of kibble because it gives it more flavor and a stronger smell. It works for us...

If we try to give her plain kibble she won't eat it.