# Is just kibble ok?



## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

I feed Pipper kibble in the morning and kibble mixed with veggies at supper time. I use Fromm and he loves it. Do you think its ok not to use canned food too. He does so well on the kibble and eats so good so I guess I figure "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Do you think he's getting everything nutrition wise he needs from the kibble and veggies.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Just kibble is fine....and better for their teeth too. :thumbsup:


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## IvysMom (Dec 24, 2012)

Ivy also only gets kibble, no canned, and occasional people food veggies. As long as it is a quality brand kibble he should do fine. Wet foods just add water to the food to make it moist; they do not necessarily have any additional nutrients beyond what the kibble of the same brand would have, just because water has been added to change the texture of the food. A quality kibble is a good diet. And a quality canned is a good diet. What matters is what is in it, not the texture.


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## Zoe's Mom88 (Apr 25, 2011)

Kathy, I think if Pipper is enjoying his dry food then all is well. As long as the food is a good quality food he should be getting all the nutrition he needs.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

I have always fed just dry kibble to Bella. She eats Fromm and she has done great on it. I also think "if it ain't broke don't fix it."


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

ok, glad to hear just feeding good quality kibble is fine. Sometimes I think I just try to think of something to worry myself about.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

This is a great article from the Whole Dog Journal about how to upgrade a commercial diet with fresh foods:

5 Steps to Upgrading Your Dog's Commercial Dog Food Diet - Whole Dog Journal Article


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Fromm is a wonderful food and as long as he is thriving on it I wouldn't mess with it! As others have suggested you can always add veggies or fruit.


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## StevieB (Feb 2, 2012)

That's all I feed (Fromm). I've tried to offer fruits and veggies and he just looks at me like I'm crazy!


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## lmillette (Apr 23, 2012)

Be glad he eats the kibble without canned food! Opey used to until I met my husband who introduced Opey to canned food and I've never been able to get him back to just dry food. He likes it and your adding veggies for a bonus, I think it's great and that you're lucky!!


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## elly (Sep 11, 2006)

Mine only eat kibble and love it!!!


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Now i feel Better Mines the same way.*


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## hoaloha (Jan 27, 2012)

If Pipper is doing well on quality kibble and is drinking adequate amounts of water, you don't have to change it unless you want to!


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Well I'm going to say something different than what others are saying. What's new, right? lol

#1. It's a myth that dry kibble is good for their teeth. There is no scientific study to prove this. This myth was started by Milk Bone years and years ago to help sell their treats. Just took in a Webinar by Dr. Karen Becker and she was the one to finally track down the origin of this myth. There are certain types of oral hygiene kibbles designed to supposedly be chewed that can help to slow calculus accumulation, though they won't remove it. I'm still not sure (IMO) that this can actually work. Think about eating crunchy granola or pretzels. That gets gummy and packs between the facial surface or outer surface of the tooth and cheek on us so I'm sure it does the same for dogs and cats. It's the tearing and gnawing of tendons and meat as well as gnawing on size appropriate joint bones & chews that help with oral hygiene. The best thing you can do to prevent periodontal disease is brushing your dog's teeth at least three times a week.

#2. Lack of moisture in dry kibble is the #1 leading cause of UTI's, struvite crystals, calcium oxylate crystals and stones. Simply put, it's over taxing the kidneys. Your dog simply cannot drink enough to make up for the lack of moisture in kibble. So if kibble is what works best for you and your fluff, I recommend putting warm water over it. But honestly, canned and dehydrated or freeze dried foods are better than dry kibble. The process of rendering all the ingredients into kibble deplete much of the nutrition from the ingredients, not to mention killing off the natural enzymes in fresh meat. Fresh is always the best option so I put freeze dried/dehydrated as a better choice than canned. Canned has little to no preservatives compared to dry kibble but is still processed in ways that deplete quite a bit of nutrients. I remember reading an article about how during WWII, canned foods were introduced as a necessity and never intended to be used long term once the war was over. But it was so convenient that people wanted to continue to use canned/processed foods. And the moisture in canned is much easier on their kidneys.

#3. Variety is the spice of life. Rotate, rotate, rotate. There is no "best" food for all dogs, as each dog is an individual, and what works well for one dog may not work at all for another. In addition, it is better for a dog to get a variety of foods, rather than just one food for its whole life. Feeding different commercial diets can help fill in nutritional gaps that a particular food or brand might have, as well as making it less likely that your dog will develop food allergies. It's also a great way to develop a really strong, healthy intestinal tract. To rotate without having to transition and causing tummy upsets, try to keep protein levels and fat levels close to the same. One of the best ways to improve the quality of whatever diet you feed is to add fresh foods. If you feed at least three-quarters commercial food, you don't need to worry too much about balancing the foods you add, though variety is always better than always feeding the same thing. The more fresh food you feed, the more important it is to provide a variety of foods in appropriate proportions in order to maintain a balanced diet.


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## RileyDC (Apr 20, 2011)

I feed grain free Canine Caviar... just kibble... but will occassionally mix about a teaspoon of some canned in with it... just for something different. Riley goes Nuts, of course!! :thumbsup:


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