Feeding Practice & Safety
Storing Dog Food: Keep It Fresh and Nutritious
Poorly stored food goes rancid, molds, and loses nutrients. We show how to store dry and wet food, how long it keeps, and how to spot spoilage.
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Storing Dog Food: Keep It Fresh and Nutritious
Food quality isn't decided only at purchase. Improper storage leads to rancidity, mold, and nutrient loss, which can cause digestive problems.
Storing dry food
The golden rule: keep it in the original bag, sealed airtight.
- The bag's inner liner protects the fats from going rancid
- If you must use a container, put the bag inside the container, don't pour it out
- Airtight, dark, cool, dry place (not a garage in summer, not in sunlight)
Why does it matter?
- Fats oxidize and turn rancid (stale smell, diarrhea)
- Light and heat speed up vitamin breakdown
- Moisture brings mold and mites
How long does dry food keep?
- Unopened: until the best-before date (usually 12–18 months)
- Opened: 4–6 weeks for optimal quality
Don't buy more than a 1–2 month supply if your dog eats slowly.
Storing wet food
- Unopened: at room temperature until the best-before date
- Opened: in the fridge, covered, max 24–48 hours
- Warm to room temperature before feeding (fridge-cold food can cause digestive upset)
Storing BARF / raw food
- Frozen: 2–3 months
- Thaw in the fridge (never on the counter — bacterial growth)
- Thawed: 24 hours in the fridge
- Strict hygiene: separate cutting board and tools
Signs of spoilage — how to spot them
🚫 Don't feed it if:
- Stale, rancid, sour smell
- Mold spots (greenish, whitish)
- Mites, small bugs in the bag
- Clumping, dampness
- The dog suddenly refuses its usual food (they often smell the rancidity)
Scoop and hygiene
- Use a dedicated measuring scoop, don't grab with your hand
- Wash the container occasionally and dry it completely (moisture is the main enemy)
- Never mix old leftovers with a new bag in the container
This is informational content. For digestive issues with suspected spoiled food, see your vet.
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References
- 1.U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine — Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet. FDA, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/get-facts-raw-pet-food-diets-can-be-dangerous-you-and-your-pet (accessed: 2026-09-10)
- 2.FEDIAF (European Pet Food Industry Federation) — Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. FEDIAF, 2024. https://europeanpetfood.org/self-regulation/nutritional-guidelines/ (accessed: 2026-09-10)
- 3.WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines. World Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2021. https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/global-nutrition-guidelines/ (accessed: 2026-09-10)
This is general information and does not replace a veterinary diagnosis.
This guide was compiled based on the expert input of Reka Fazekas-Birizdo canine nutritionist.
Certified Canine Nutritionist