Dehydrated dog food is pet food where the water has been removed. According to manufacturers, the food dehydration process only removes the water from the food and leaves the important nutrients like enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phyto-nutrients in tact. The raw dog food is not actually cooked but just dehydrated at a low enough temperature to maintain many of the nutrients while at the same time the temperature is high enough to kill any pathogenic bacteria that are usually present in raw meats.

Dehydrated dog food can normally be rehydrated before being fed to pets but any of the food that is left over after that should be refrigerated or discarded.

Most manufacturers produce dehydrated pet food by blending animal-type meal products with things like vitamins, cereal grains and minerals. This fairly dry mix is them softened by steaming then extruded into pellet shape. It has very low moisture content which gives it a stable shelf life. The manufacture processes differ between different companies with some claiming all natural processes where preservatives and other types of additives are not added to the final product. If you read the label of the packaging of some of the pet food, it may give you some kind of idea about the process the manufacturer uses.

Some of the processes used do not use direct heat and the food is not canned or extruded. The manufacturers argue that such techniques ensure that the dog food is not harmed by the force, pressure and heat of conventional pet food processing. Because of the minimal processing involved, these foods can help pet owners to create natural and colourful meals which are delicious and nutritious, and made with recognizable ingredients that are ready to prepare and serve.

Dehydration or drying is not new. In fact, it is one of the oldest methods of food preservation known to mankind. The food is preserved because the water content is removed. All the other nutrients remain and become very highly concentrated due to the absence of water. Dried pet foods are very nutritious and they are also easy to prepare and store. Certain foods such as meats and eggs are dehydrated at higher temperatures to kill any bacteria that may be present.

Pet owners have different views on whether dogs should eat grains. If you prefer not to feed your dog grains, you may want to check the pet food labels to make sure that cereals or grains have not been added to the food during the drying process. Every dog is different and you probably know best about what your dog needs. Some dogs need grains in their diets to maintain a healthy skin, coat and bodyweight. But some foods like wheat, soy, corn, rice are common allergens for dogs and are best avoided for some dogs.

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