How long does dry dog food stay fresh once opened?

Perhaps you are considering buying a large bag of dry dog food, but concerned your dog won’t eat it all before it goes bad. After all, it’s cheaper to buy in bulk. However, if you have to throw half of it out, you aren’t really saving any money. 

You may also be wondering how to keep your dogs food fresh. Dogs prefer fresh food just like we do. You don’t want to eat old stale food, and your pooch doesn’t either. 

There are some guidelines to follow when storing your dog’s food. This will ensure that they get maximum taste and nutrition from their food. 

First, you may be wondering if it matters how long the food has been opened. Dry dog food has a relatively long shelf life. However, once its opened, it’s exposed to oxygen. The oxygen will begin to break down the food, eventually affecting both the taste and nutrition. 

Check the Expiration Dates 

First, you’ll want to make sure your dog’s food is fresh before it’s opened. Every bag of dog food has an expiration or best by date. Food doesn’t immediately become disgusting or dangerous after this date, but it does begin to break down and become stale. It also loses some nutritional value. 

To ensure your dog’s food is fresh, choose one with an expiration date as far in the future as possible. This gives you the best starting point for keeping your pooch’s kibble fresh. 

Dry Food Shelf Life

Dry food has a shelf life of 18 to 24 months when unopened. However, fish based foods have a shorter shelf life, because fish oil will break down faster than other types of oils. 

What Happens After You Open Dry Food? 

Dog food bags may seem like simple convenient packaging, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Dog food bags are designed to keep out oxygen, light, and moisture. This keeps the food fresh as long as it is unopened. 

Once the food is opened, it is exposed to air and moisture. This begins to break down the fats in the food, which is known as oxidation. When this occurs, the food gradually loses some of its nutritional value. 

The taste will also change. It will not be as palatable to your dog. Eventually, it may become rancid, and smell spoiled due to oxidation. 

How Long Can I Store an Open Bag of Dry Food? 

Dog food is good for a maximum of 6 weeks once opened, if it is stored properly. 30-45 days is a better time frame, but you can get away with storing it for up to 2 months.  When buying food, you should only purchase what your dog can eat in 6 weeks or less. 

To get an estimate on how much kibble your pooch goes through, you can do some math. Determine how many cups of food your dog eats in a day. Then multiply this amount by 42 days. 

Now, you’ll need to convert the cups to pounds. Dry dog food weighs about 4.3 ounces per cup. To keep it simple, 1 pound is about 4 cups. A 40 pound bag of dog food should contain about 160 cups of food. 

The math doesn’t have to be exact. The purpose is to give you a general idea of how much your dog will eat in this time period, give or take a few cups. 

How Long Can a Bowl of Food Be Left in the Bowl? 

You can leave dry dog food in the bowl for up to 24 hours, but this isn’t a great practice. Many bugs love dog food, so if the food is left out continuously, it may attract unwanted pests. 

It will also lose some of its flavor over the hours. It’s best to change your dog’s food bowl at least every 12 hours. If the conditions are hot or sunny, Cayou should toss the food within 6 hours. 

Once a week, wash your dog’s bowl in soapy water, and allow it to dry. 

If you add water, canned dog food, or a topper to the food, you’ll need to follow the guidelines for canned dog food. 

How long is canned dog food good for after being opened?

Canned dog food has a longer shelf life than dry food when it’s unopened. It can last about 2 years before it reaches its expiration date. However, once its opened, it has a much shorter shelf life than dry food. 

It should be refrigerated and used within a few days, with 7 days being the maximum. If you can’t use an entire can in a week, you can freeze individual portions. Then just thaw and serve as needed. 

How Long Can Canned Food Remain in My Dog’s Bowl? 

Canned food also has a much shorter window once it hits your dog’s food bowl. If the food is at room temperature, it should be discarded after 4 hours. 

If the temperature is hot, it should be eaten or discarded within 2 hours. The higher temperatures allow bacteria to grow faster, which can make your dog ill. The food also breaks down at a faster rate, and quickly becomes disgusting. 

How to get dog food to last longer?

It is essential to store your dog’s food properly to maintain its shelf life and their safety. Food poisoning from improperly stored food is one of the leading causes of food borne illness in dogs, and it can make them very ill. 

Cool and Dry 

Both dry and wet foods should be stored in a cool and dry location. It’s fine to keep it at room temperature, although cooler temps might extend their shelf life. 

You should also avoid unnecessary light exposure. Don’t place it in front of an open window, for example. A pantry is a great place to store your dog’s food. Cabinets work as well. 

Lastly, both types should  be stored away from moisture. This means kep them away from areas of high humidity and moisture as well as obvious water. 

Don’t store it in your bathroom, for example, or a damp basement. 

Dry Food Storage

To get the maximum mileage out of your dog’s dry food, store it in an airtight container. The best option is a container designed for dog food. However, a plastic bin with a lid will work well. You can also use a metal trash can. 

However, when storing dog food in this way, you must leave it in the original bag. Place the bag inside the container, instead of pouring the food into the container. 

This gives you the benefits of the bag, which is designed to keep your dog’s food fresh, as well as limiting air and moisture exposure. This is particularly important once the bag is opened. 

It also protects the food from pests and vermin. Flies, bugs, and mice will all happily chow down on your dog’s kibble fi they can access it. Container storage prevents them from getting to the food. 

Storing Canned Food 

Canned food does well as long as it’s kept  cool and dry. It has a long shelf life, and isn’t exposed to insects and vermin. It’s relatively worry free, until it is opened. 

Once it is opened, it should be refrigerated immediately. You’ll also need to cover it with a lid. This prevents the food from drying out and oxidizing. 

A pet food can lid is convenient and effective. If you don’t have one, plastic wrap works as well.

In a pinch, you can place the can inside a Ziploc bag and zip it closed. Tupperware containers are another solution. You can purchase containers expressly for wet dog food. However, any airtight glass, plastic, or metal container will work. 

If you use a plastic container, it’s best to use it only for your pet’s food. The plastic may pick up some smell and taste from the food, which makes it unpleasant to use for your food. 

What type of dog food lasts the longest?

Generally, canned dog food  lasts longer than dry food before it is opened. Once it’s been opened, dry food lasts much longer. However, canned food comes in small portions, which makes it easy to use it all in the recommended time frame. 

Proper storage is essential for either type of food. Without proper storage, the food will go bad much faster, and can become unsafe. 

If you are very concerned about shelf life, or seeking dog food for emergency situations, you can find survival food for dogs. This food is specially packaged, and has a shelf life of up to 15 years. 

As a pooch parent, it’s important to make sure our furry friends are enjoying fresh food. While many commercially-available dog foods have an extensive shelf life, they certainly don’t last forever. So, you’ll want to know when it’s time to toss your canine’s kibble or canned food. 

You’ll always want to heed the manufacturer’s advice in this regard, but we’ll provide some general guidelines for the different types of dog food and share some other dog-food-storage tips below! 

• While most commercial dog foods last quite a while, they don’t last forever. Accordingly, you’ll need to keep tabs of your canine’s chow to make sure it’s still safe and scrumptious.
• Different types of dog food last different lengths of time. Unopened kibble tends to remain safe for 12 to 18 months, unopened canned foods last about 2 years, and fresh foods last varying lengths of time, depending on the manufacturer.
• Once opened, dog foods become susceptible to spoilage more rapidly. Kibbles generally only last a few weeks after being opened, while opened canned or fresh foods can be stored in the fridge for a day or two.

Does Dog Food Go Bad or Spoil?

Dog food, especially kibble and canned food can last longer than many people foods. However, they can still go bad or spoil — especially if not stored or handled properly. 

When it comes to dog food, it’s best to refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines and expiration dates for determining freshness. 

You’ll also want to inspect your dog’s food for any signs that the batch has gone bad which we’ll dive into below. 

But at the end of the day, you’ll always want to err on the side of caution. It’s just not worth taking chances with your four-footer’s health. 

Simply put: When in doubt, throw it out! 

With that in mind, as long as you’re following the recommended storage guidelines and keeping tabs on the expiration date, most foods should remain fresh, tasty, and safe for quite a while.  

Need to Replace Your Dog’s Food Quickly?

Don’t freak out if you just noticed your dog’s food is no longer safe and fresh — there are several same-day dog food delivery options available that’ll help keep Fido fed in a pinch!

Bottom Line: How Long Does Dog Food Last?

Different types of food stay fresh and tasty for various amounts of time based on how they’re prepared and preserved. Here are some basic guidelines on how long you can expect each Fido food type to keep. 

• Standard Kibble — Generally speaking, unopened dry food can last about 12 to 18 months. After opening the dry food bag, kibbles should last a few weeks so long as they are stored properly and kept closed tightly. 
• Canned Food — Unopened canned food can keep for up to 2 years. Once opened, canned or wet foods require refrigeration and will last an additional day or two in the fridge (and a lid will help keep it from getting dry and grody). You don’t want to leave wet food out at room temperature for more than a few minutes, and you’ll want to toss out any leftovers from the bowl that your furry friend doesn’t consume. 
• Fresh Dog Food — Fresh dog food needs to be kept frozen or refrigerated until ready to serve. Because they typically don’t include preservatives, these foods remain safe and fresh for a shorter amount of time than kibbles. However, you’re unlikely to have any leftovers as most dogs love the taste of these premium mutt meals. If your furry friend does leave behind any meal morsels, you’ll want to toss them as you would with canned wet food. 

While it can be tempting to buy food in bulk for the price cuts, it may make sense to buy smaller quantities instead and enroll in an “autoship and save” program. This will not only eliminate the need to order your dog’s food each month, but by buying smaller quantities, it’ll help keep your dog’s food as fresh as possible. 

For example, if you have a smaller furry friend, you probably don’t want the largest bag of kibble you can find since it will take a while for your dog to make his way through the bag. This can lead to the food becoming unsavory or unsafe over time, so make sure you’re purchasing food that’s proportionate to your pooch’s eating habits. 

How Can You Tell If Dog Food Has Gone Bad? 

There are a couple of telltale signs that your dog’s dinner is past its prime. Here are some things to look out for while inspecting your mutt’s meals: 

1. Something smells suspicious. Bad odors are a key sign that your dog’s food isn’t as fresh as it could be. Of course, you’ll still want to use common sense. Fish-focused foods are bound to smell, well, fishy, and the same goes for other doggie delights. However, if you notice a sharp, rancid odor, or a huge difference in smell from previous food batches, it could be a sign that the food has gone bad. 

2. You find mold. Any signs of mold or moisture (in the case of dry food) mean that it’s time to toss out your dog’s food. Unfortunately, our furry friends can develop food poisoning from even a small amount of moldy food. 

3. There are bugs in your dog’s food. First of all, ew! If you see any bugs in your dog’s food, it’s time to toss it. While the bugs themselves won’t necessarily harm your hound, it’s a sign that the food was not stored properly on it’s way to your pup’s plate, so it’s best to stay on the safe side and get rid of the contaminated food entirely. Plus, bugs may crawl through bacteria or other potentially dangerous substances, which they can then spread to your dog’s food. 

4. The food is past the bag’s expiration date. While expired food may not necessarily have gone bad, it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

5. Your dog isn’t interested in the food. Don’t misunderstand: Dogs may turn their noses up at a new or unfamiliar food without it indicating anything about the food’s safety or quality — picky eater dogs may just not like the new offering. However, if your furry friend usually wolfs down his food and doesn’t seem interested in a particular batch, it might be a sign that the food isn’t fresh or safe to eat anymore. Take your pooch’s preferences seriously and just order a new bag of food. 

If your dog’s food exhibits any of the above signs, the food isn’t fit for Fido. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you’re evaluating your dog’s food appropriately. 

Treats Don’t Last Forever Either!

Don’t forget to apply the same scrutiny to your dog’s treats that you do his food — treats can and do go bad over time.

However, it’s harder to make generalizations about the length of time different treats will last, as they come in so many different forms. For example, dried treats (such as bully sticks or jerky) will tend to last longer than the fresher, high-value treats you use for training.

Will Your Dog Get Sick If He Eats Expired Food? 

Unfortunately, your dog may very well get sick if he consumes spoiled or expired food, but it’s not guaranteed. To keep your furry friend safe, it’s best to toss out any food that may be on the fence between fresh and spoiled. 

Your dog may be more likely to get sick if mold or bacteria has grown on top of the food. There’s also a higher possibility that your pooch may have some tummy trouble if the fats in his food have gone rancid. 

However, it is important to note that dogs all have varying immune systems, so some pooches will prove more susceptible to food-caused illnesses than others.

If you suspect that your canine companion has eaten food that may have gone bad, give your veterinarian a call. Have information about your dog’s food’s ingredients, the food manufacturer, and the expiration date at the ready so that you can give your vet the clearest view of your dog’s situation. 

Keeping Dog Food Fresh: Tips & Tricks for Making Your Dog’s Food Last!

We’ve explained the typical length of time that most dog foods last before becoming spoiled or stale, but it’s important to note that these time frames aren’t set in stone. With proper storage and care, you can maximize the length of time your dog’s food will last.

So, consider doing some of the following things:

• Protect all dog foods from light and heat. Light and heat both work to breakdown dog food packaging, as well as the food itself. So, be sure you aren’t keeping your dog’s kibble right next to your heater vets or oven and avoid using clear containers to store it (unless you’re buying food in very small quantities). Also, be especially careful to avoid leaving dog food in direct sunlight (even if it is still in the bag).
• Keep your dog’s kibble dry. While a bag of dry kibble will last for several weeks after being opened, damp kibble will begin to harbor bacteria and other microorganisms very quickly. So, keep your dog’s kibble in a dry place in your home (the pantry is a pretty good spot) and roll it up tightly between meals.
• Keep canned foods in a cool place. Unopened canned foods usually last a long time, but you can maximize their shelf life by shielding them from heat as best you can. The bottom shelves in your pantry are a great location for them.
• Keep your dog’s kibble in the bag. Most authorities recommend keeping your dog’s kibble in the bag it came in, as these bags are specifically designed to keep Fido’s food fresh. Doing so also makes it easier to find out crucial information in the case of a recall (such as the lot number, date of manufacture, and similar tidbits).
• Consider a storage container. Putting your dog’s kibble (bag and all) into an air-tight dog food storage container can go a long way to extending the shelf-life of your dog’s food, in addition to keeping bugs and pests out.
• Always refrigerate opened canned foods and fresh foods. Moist foods will quickly start to develop mold and harbor bacteria, so it is vital that you keep them at low temperatures (generally speaking, you want them cooler than 40 degrees Fahrenheit). You can give your dog an hour or two to leisurely nom his dinner, but you should never leave wet food in your dog’s bowl for more than about 4 hours.
• Invest in some dog food can lids. If you routinely feed your dog canned food, spend a couple of bucks and pick up some reusable can lids. These will work better than improvised “lids” and they’ll help keep your dog’s food as tasty as possible between meals. These are especially helpful for owners who feed canned foods as toppers, and therefore only need a small amount of food at a time.
• Thaw frozen-fresh foods as instructed by the manufacturer. Thawing frozen food is actually a more delicate process than many owners would think. For example, it is often important to prevent the outer layers of food from entering the 40- to 140-degree “danger zone” while the inside layers of the food are still thawing. But if you heed the manufacturer’s advice, you should be able to avoid these kinds of problems.

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In order to keep Fido feeling his best, it’s important to serve him food that’s fresh and nutritionally sound. Each food has its own storage and preservation pointers, but you’ll also want to keep an eye out for any clear signs that your dog’s food is past its prime. 

What kind of food does your dog eat? How do you keep Fido’s food fresh? We’d love to hear all about it below!