Most people who switch their dog to wet food get stuck at the same point: the tin says "feed according to bodyweight", the shop sells packs of six, twelve and thirty-six, and nobody knows how many to actually buy.
It is a small question that stops a lot of people from trying wet food at all. So here are the numbers.
The short answer
As a starting point, an adult dog eating wet food alone needs roughly 2.5% to 3% of their ideal bodyweight per day. For a 10kg dog that is about 250g to 300g, which is around three quarters of a 400g tin.
That is a rule of thumb for working out what to order, not a prescription. The feeding guide printed on the tin you are actually buying always takes priority, because it is calculated from that specific recipe's calorie density. Two wet foods can differ by a third in calories per 100g.
Wet food feeding chart by dog weight
These figures assume an adult dog of average activity, fed wet food only, at roughly 3% of bodyweight. Tins are 400g.
| Dog's weight | Approx. wet food per day | 400g tins per day | 400g tins per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2kg | 60g | about 1/7 of a tin | about 5 |
| 5kg | 150g | about 1/3 of a tin | about 11 |
| 10kg | 300g | about 3/4 of a tin | about 23 |
| 15kg | 450g | just over 1 tin | about 34 |
| 20kg | 600g | 1 and a half tins | about 45 |
| 30kg | 900g | 2 and a quarter tins | about 68 |
| 40kg | 1,200g | 3 tins | about 90 |
Use your dog's ideal weight, not their current one. If your vet has said your dog should be 12kg and they are 15kg, feed for 12kg.
Which pack size to buy
Once you know the daily amount, the pack maths becomes simple. Take the tins per month from the table and round up to the nearest pack.
Our Happy Dog Pure range comes in 400g and 800g tins, and in multipacks. As a worked example, Pure Sensitive Horse Wet Dog Food (Montana) is £3.79 for a single 400g tin, £20.89 for 6 x 400g, £35.09 for 12 x 400g, £5.69 for a single 800g tin and £31.29 for 6 x 800g.
So for a 10kg dog eating 300g a day, wet food only, you need about 23 tins a month. Two 12-packs at £35.09 covers it with a tin spare, which works out at around £70 a month. Buying the same food as single tins would cost over £85, so the multipack is worth roughly two weeks of food a year.
For a larger dog, the 800g tins are usually the better buy: fewer tins to open, less packaging, and a lower price per 100g.
If you are feeding one of the bigger ranges, the 36-tin cases make more sense again: Pure Kangaroo Wet Dog Food (Australia) is £4.19 for one 400g tin, £40.79 for 12 and £119.89 for 36, and Pure Ostrich Wet Dog Food (Africa) runs £4.69, £44.59 and £132.99 across the same sizes.
Feeding wet and dry together
Mixed feeding is the most common arrangement in British homes, and it is where most overfeeding happens, because people give a full wet portion and a full dry portion.
The rule is that the two have to add up to one day's food, not two.
The simplest way to do it is by percentage. Decide the split, then feed that fraction of each food's own guideline. For a 50/50 split, feed half the recommended daily wet amount and half the recommended daily dry amount. For a dog who has dry food in the morning and a wet dinner, a 40/60 or 30/70 split is typical.
Worked example, 10kg dog, half and half:
- Wet: half of 300g, so 150g, which is a little over a third of a 400g tin.
- Dry: half of whatever that kibble's guide says for a 10kg dog.
One practical warning about mixing: if you are using wet and dry as a topper arrangement, keep them to the same protein where you can. Happy Dog Africa dry (£8.29 for 1kg, £32.29 for 4kg, £64.69 for 12.5kg) is the ostrich kibble that pairs with the Pure Ostrich tins, and Happy Dog Montana (£8.29 for 1kg, £59.19 for 10kg) is the horse kibble that pairs with Pure Horse. That matters a great deal for a sensitive dog, and not at all for a dog with a cast-iron stomach.
How many meals a day?
Split the daily amount across two meals for most adult dogs, roughly twelve hours apart. Puppies need three or four smaller meals, reducing as they grow.
Splitting is more important with wet food than with dry, partly because a full tin in one sitting is a large volume of food, and partly because an opened tin has to be used within about two days anyway.
Storing an opened tin
Cover it, refrigerate it, and use it within about two days. Let it come back to room temperature before serving rather than feeding it fridge-cold, which most dogs dislike and some sensitive stomachs object to.
If your dog's portion is a third of a tin, you will get three days out of one tin, which is at the edge of that window. A small dog is often better served by buying a recipe available in the smaller format, or by portioning the tin into an ice cube tray and freezing it.
Are you feeding the right amount? Check the dog, not the chart
Every feeding guide on every tin is an average, and your dog is not an average. Adjust based on what you can see and feel, over two to three weeks.
- Ribs. You should be able to feel them easily under a thin layer of covering, without pressing hard. If you have to dig, reduce the portion. If they are sharply visible from across the room, increase it.
- Waist. Looking down from above, there should be a visible narrowing behind the ribs.
- Tuck. From the side, the belly should slope up from the ribs towards the back legs.
- Stools. Firm and consistent. Persistently soft stools on wet food often mean the portion is too large rather than the food being wrong.
- Energy and appetite. A dog leaving food regularly is usually being given too much, not being fussy.
Change portions by about 10% at a time and give it a fortnight before judging.
Things that change the number
- Neutering. Calorie needs commonly drop by a meaningful margin after neutering, and weight gain in the following six months is extremely common. Reduce the portion before the weight arrives, not after.
- Age. Older, less active dogs generally need less. Puppies need considerably more per kilo than adults.
- Activity. A working or very active dog may need well above the guideline; a dog with two short lead walks a day may need below it.
- Winter. Less of a factor than people assume for a house dog, but a real one for dogs who spend long periods outdoors.
- Treats. Treats should be no more than about 10% of daily calories, and that 10% should come off the meal, not go on top of it. This is the single most common reason a dog gains weight on a correctly calculated portion.
Frequently asked questions
How much wet food should I feed a 10kg dog?
Around 250g to 300g a day as a starting point, which is roughly three quarters of a 400g tin, split across two meals. Always check against the guide on your specific tin and adjust to keep your dog at a healthy weight.
Is one tin a day enough for a dog?
It depends entirely on size. One 400g tin a day suits a dog of around 13kg to 15kg. A 5kg dog needs roughly a third of a tin; a 30kg dog needs more than two.
Can I feed wet food only?
Yes, provided the food is labelled complete and balanced rather than complementary. Every recipe in the Happy Dog Pure range is complete. Dogs fed wet food only take in considerably more water through their food, which is generally a good thing.
How do I work out a wet and dry mix?
Decide the split, then feed that proportion of each food's own daily guideline. Half and half means half the wet guideline plus half the dry guideline, never a full portion of both.
Why is my dog still hungry after their wet food?
Wet food is mostly water, so the same calories arrive as a larger, heavier meal, which usually satisfies dogs more rather than less. A dog who still seems hungry is more often bored, or has learned that looking hopeful works, than genuinely underfed. Check their body condition before increasing the portion.
How long does an opened tin keep?
Covered and refrigerated, about two days. Freeze portions if your dog's daily amount will not use the tin within that time.
Getting started
Work out the daily amount from the chart, round the monthly figure up to the nearest multipack, and order the smallest size first if the recipe is new to your dog. The full range is in Wet Dog Food, with the matching kibbles in Dry Dog Food.
Still deciding between the two? Our guide to wet versus dry dog food covers cost, teeth, hydration and fussiness. If your dog's digestion is the reason you are looking at wet food in the first place, start with the best dog food for sensitive stomachs in the UK.
Free UK delivery on orders over £30.
General guidance only. Speak to your vet about portion sizes if your dog is a puppy, is pregnant, is overweight, or has a medical condition.