What Is Semi-Moist Dog Food?
While most dog owners are well versed in the primary varieties of dog food like dry dog food and canned dog food, other varieties get less far less attention.
Semi-Moist dog food is one such type, and as the name would suggest, it lies somewhere between dry dog food and wet/canned dog food.
While traditional canned or wet dog food is usually made up of around 80% moisture, semi-moist dog food lies in the range of 20% to 70% moisture.
This difference in composition gives it a unique texture in that it is “soft” but not wet.
The History Of Semi-Moist Dog Food
In the past, Semi-Moist dog food used to be far more accessible and available than it is currently.
Products such as Gaines Burgers were widely available and bought by a massive portion of the market.
However, in the last two to three decades, there has been a significant decline in the sale of semi-moist dog food.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly why this decline took place but many believe it is due to the huge rise in popularity and variety of dry dog food or kibble.
That being said, there are still recipes available, and most importantly, the quality of these recipes is vastly superior to what it was forty or fifty years ago.
Benefits Of Semi-Moist Dog Food
Many dogs enjoy wet/canned dog food, but one of its most significant drawbacks is that it tends to be quite expensive.
This high cost is as wet dog food tends to be as much as 80% moisture, which means there is quite a small calorie-providing portion within the food.
Semi-Moist dog food can be a more acceptable middle-ground as it contains less moisture and more nutritious content. That being said, the cost of semi-moist dog food will still be more than dry dog food.
Another benefit of semi-moist dog food is that it can be advantageous to dogs with certain health or medical problems.
Some dogs are not able to chew food, especially dry dog food. Semi-Moist dog food, along with wet dog food can be a lifeline to ensure they can get adequate nutrition until the problem is resolved.
Drawbacks Of Semi-Moist Dog Food
As we mentioned earlier, there is a far smaller availability and variety of semi-moist dog food than there was in the past.
This lack of variety means that if you are looking for semi-moist dog food with particular meat ingredients or a lack of other ingredients that cause your dog discomfort, then it may be an arduous task.
Another potential drawback of Semi-Moist dog food is that it can be difficult to store. The high level of moisture present means that it will go bad far quicker than kibble.
This speed means that semi-moist dog food will usually need to be eaten within a few days of being opened. However, manufacturers get around this by selling semi-moist dog food in smaller packaging to ensure food does not go to waste.
Best Semi-Moist Dog Food
Eden, a premium brand based in the UK, is one of the best examples of high-quality semi-moist dog food. Eden has two Semi-Moist recipes, including one with Duck and one with Wild Boar.
We recommend you check out our Eden Review Page, for more information about Eden.
An example of Semi-Moist dog food in the United States is the brand Redbarn. Redbarn offers five different semi-moist recipes in the form of “rolls”. There is a significant variation in these recipes, and they include Beef, Lamb, and Chicken.
Also, the recipes often include organ meat such as Liver and Lung. These organ meats can provide micronutrients that are often lacking in traditional meat cuts, as well as enhance the flavor of the recipe.
