More pet food companies are providing everything from complementary products to specific advice on how to combine wet and dry food in pet diets.

More and more pet parents want to be actively involved in their pets’ meals. They’ve moved far beyond scooping dry kibbles into a bowl twice a day to the concept of “combination” or “mixed” feeding, where different types of pet food (dry and wet, gravies and toppers, solids and liquids) are incorporated to provide a complete diet for a dog or cat.

“Wet with dry combination feeding is growing in popularity because it offers the combined nutrition benefits of both wet and dry food recipes while also adding variety, enhancing palatability and making meal time exciting,” said Natalie Asaro, nutrition scientist for Petcurean.

Catering to the idea of combination feeding

Pet food companies are listening to their customers, and the space is evolving to accommodate a new normal for feeding time. Some companies are creating lines that complement one another and are at their best when fed in a combined form.

Guiding pet owners in their decision to combination feed

Arguably, one of the most significant challenges in meeting this trend is doing so in a way that will maintain the nutritionally balanced diets pets need to stay happy and healthy. To that end, pet food companies have gone all in on consumer education, providing multiple ways to get the knowledge of how to properly combination feed across to pet owners.

Some companies offer plenty of information on their website, providing guidance on the benefits of wet and dry food both separately and together, benefits of mixed feeding and a guide on how to transition to mixed feeding.

The future of the combination feeding trend

As with most trends in the pet food industry, those involved expect combination feeding to become increasingly nuanced as it grows in popularity. It’s not the newest trend out there, but it will evolve.

Some pet food companies plan to continue expanding to meet the trend, providing more offerings to pet parents looking for variety in their pets’ diets.

“As more and more humans consider their pets to be full members of the family, it is likely that combination feeding will continue to grow in popularity,” said Asaro. “This is because it is a great way to ensure pets are getting the added benefits of both wet and dry food recipes together, such as promoting good hydration and supporting oral health. Combination feeding is also a great way to make mealtime interesting, by offering different textures and formats to promote palatability and respond to changing pet preferences over time.”