Should I remove uneaten wet food?
Wet food should always be removed if not eaten. Left in a bowl and at room temperature, remaining dog wet food is likely to become colonized with bacteria and even maggots.
We go into more detail on this in our article Soaking Puppy Kibble: How, Why, and When to Stop
The “Danger Zone” where food is likely to grow bacteria occurs when the environment is between 40-140°F. Because of this, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends that refrigerated food should not be left out longer than 2 hours (or only 1 hour when the temperature is 90°F).
Wet food falls under this category since it’s recommended to be refrigerated after opening if not used right away.
It also only takes flies minutes to find food and start laying eggs – which can hatch into maggots in less than a day.
Thus, with wet food, you should always remove it if your dog doesn’t eat it right away. Not just to encourage good eating habits, but to ensure your pet doesn’t become sick.
If you would like to use your dog’s kibble as treats, then be sure to read our post Can Kibble be Used as Treats? (Dog trainer answers)
Should I remove uneaten kibble?
If kibble is not eaten entirely in one meal, it’s fine to save it for another meal or two to see if your dog will eat it later. However, you should avoid saving uneaten kibble for more than a day or two (and avoid putting it back in the unused storage bag or container) because it can spoil and degrade when left out.
Kibble is OK to remain at room temperature longer than wet food, since the lack of moisture in kibble helps prevent bacterial growth, but any food left out for too long has the potential to spoil.
You also want to ensure you know exactly how much food your dog is eating. If you keep a bowl constantly full, rather than at least checking that it’s been eaten daily, you won’t be able to tell if your pet has a decrease or increase in their appetite.
Another reason to remove uneaten kibble is to encourage your dog to eat on a schedule. If your dog is used to eating and grazing throughout the day, they may not eat when offered food if they expect it to remain available.
Not only is teaching your dog how to eat their entire meal when it’s offered a helpful way to monitor how much food they’re eating, but it can be essential when you have multiple dogs in the household – especially if they’re on different diets.
By offering your dog food for 15 minutes, and then taking away any uneaten kibble until the next mealtime, your dog will learn to eat shortly after food is available. Skipping a meal or two is rarely detrimental to your dog’s health, and having them on a feeding schedule can actually mean you pay closer attention for changes to their appetite.
Donate the Food to a Pet Food Bank
While most people are familiar with the concept of food banks for humans, fewer people realize there are also food banks for pets. Like animal shelters, not all pet food banks take open bags of food, but some do and may put the food into bulk bins that pet owners in need can buy from.
This is another excellent place to drop off unopened dog food cans, as these donations go directly to needy families looking to take care of their pets on a budget.
Storing Dog Food Kibble and Wet Food
Leftover dog food is a certainty that no one wants to deal with, especially if your dog has passed away. Or maybe your dog just doesn’t like the type of food you bought. Most people don’t buy more dog food than their dogs can typically eat, so having leftovers tends to add to the clutter in your home. However, there’s no reason just to chuck that bag into the trash. Here are some excellent ideas for repurposing your late dog’s food.