How long do you keep a dog on chicken and rice?

Has your dog been feeling under the weather? Or maybe seems just off their food? Perhaps a temporary switch to a bland homemade diet is just what they need. Chicken and rice for dogs is a common recipe often prescribed by vets. This homemade recipe is so simple and delicious, your doggo will be wagging their tail just smelling it!

When should you feed your dog chicken and rice?

Dogs can have tummy trouble just like us. When this happens, we want to do everything we can to make them feel better.

When your dog is vomiting, or has persistent diarrhea, gas or constipation, their system can get stressed. Always go to the veterinarian when symptoms seem serious or last longer than a day. In some cases, your vet may recommend a temporary change to a bland diet that's easy to digest, and can help lower your dog’s stress, get essential nutrients into them, and reset their digestive system.

Homemade chicken and rice is the pup’s equivalent of chicken soup, an all-time favorite for us humans when we're feeling low. Chicken is easy to digest and contains tons of the right vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to help your dog recover.

For dogs with diarrhea, chicken and rice can be soothing and just what they need to help form better stools. It's also super tasty, and most dogs will gulp it down before you can blink, making it a "pawtastic" choice for those puppers who don’t seem to have any appetite.

This meal is good for most gastric problems, though veterinarians often recommend that if you are making chicken and rice for a vomiting dog, let the dog fast for a day first, then begin this yummy diet. A bland diet for puppies with stomach trouble is sometimes needed too, though be sure to consult with your veterinarian first, as these growing pups need lots of additional nutrition.

Chicken and rice dog food recipe

When getting ready to make this recipe of chicken and rice for your dog, be sure to get the right ingredients. You’ll want to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts to keep the dish easily digestible.

Stay away from brown rice, which has more fiber than your dog needs. White rice is just gentle enough to help the digestive system get back on track.

Next, resist the temptation to add seasonings like you would for you and your family, as many can be toxic for pups. Also, stay away from any oils or butter. Let the chicken be the flavor on its own — trust us, your dog will love it!

Once you have everything ready to go, here's what you need to do:

1. Boil 2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in water until fully cooked, then remove from broth.
2. Use a rice cooker to cook 1 cup uncooked rice, or boil 1 cup uncooked rice in the chicken broth once the chicken has been fully cooked and removed.
3. Shred chicken.
4. Allow rice and chicken to cool before feeding to your dog.

Once you have your ingredients, it's time to mix them up. The rule of thumb here is to mix 1/3 portion of meat to 2/3 portion of rice. Now that you have your chicken and rice mixture, you're ready to feed it to your dog.

Be sure to feed your dog no more than they would normally eat in a day. For a big dog that normally eats 4 cups of food daily, start with 1 cup of the chicken and rice mixture. Then, later in the day, give another cup, and continue on until you have given the amount your dog would eat regularly. (But don’t be surprised if your dog eats less until they feel better.)

Likewise, for a little doggo who only eats 1 cup of food a day, start with a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the mixture, and so on. The rules are the same for puppies who need a chicken and rice diet, but be sure to consult your vet for the specific needs of your growing furball.

After the chicken and rice diet

Always watch how your dog is feeling. While they will probably gobble up the chicken and rice like there’s no tomorrow, it's what happens after they eat that tells you how they feel. Be sure to follow your veterinarian's instructions, and take your dog to the clinic if symptoms get worse or persist.

Most dogs stay on the chicken and rice diet for 2 to 3 days. Your vet will tell you how long to give the chicken and rice diet to your dog and when to reintroduce your dog’s regular food. 

When you start to add in your dog’s regular food, be sure to mix it in small amounts with the chicken and rice at first, gradually increasing the regular food and decreasing the chicken and rice over several days.

If you've got a pot of broth left over, you can feed it to your dog with the chicken and rice mixture, or even save some to drizzle over their food later on. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for a cool and delicious treat.

Your chicken and rice mixture will last in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for 2 months, so no worries if you made a big batch! This yummy recipe is one that works not only on pups who are under the weather, but also dogs who just aren’t into their regular food. It’s a great addition to a regular, healthy diet as a woofderful treat.

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