Can I add warm water to my dog's kibble in winter?

Adding warm water to dry food is safe, cheap, and genuinely helpful on cold mornings.

Smell is most of how a dog decides whether food is worth getting up for, and warmth releases more of it. A couple of tablespoons of warm water over kibble, left to sit for about a minute, makes the same bowl considerably more interesting to a dog who has been picking at breakfast all week. Use warm water, not hot, and check the temperature with your finger before it goes down, the same as you would with anything else.

There's a second benefit. Dogs drink less when it's cold, but they don't need less water. Dry food plus reduced drinking is how a dog ends up mildly dehydrated in July without anyone noticing. A splash over dinner tops them up without them thinking about it.

Two practical notes. Don't leave softened food sitting out for hours, especially in a warm room, because it goes off faster than dry kibble. And if you're feeding outside, bring the bowl in. A wet, freezing concrete step makes any dinner less appealing, and it cools softened food down within a minute or two.