Baking (Baked Kibble)

Baked kibble is dry dog food produced by baking the dough in an oven rather than extruding it under high pressure. The temperatures are lower (around 165 degrees Celsius vs 200 for extrusion) and the cook time is longer. Baked kibble is denser, harder, and lower in moisture than extruded kibble, which means dogs need slightly less by volume to get the same calories. Brands like Flint River Ranch and some Wellness recipes use baking. The nutritional difference vs extruded kibble at the dog level is small. The main practical difference is texture and shelf life.