Can dogs eat chicken and rice long term

Can I feed my dog rice and chicken every day? What should dogs eat?

Obviously, our dogs need to eat, and there are tons of options out there for what we can feed them,but what is best for our little furry friends?

Should you buy them the top of the line dog food? What things do I need to make sure my dog is eating? Can I feed them chicken and rice every day?

Hopefully we can help ease your mind and help you provide a balanced diet for your dog.

Chicken and Rice, is it a substantial diet for every dog?

While many people have different views on how a balanced diet looks for dogs, we recommend talking to your vet about your dogs specific needs and any special circumstances that may make a chicken and rice diet bad for your dog.

My Name is Shelby, and my furry best friends name is Lily! I am always wondering about the what I feed her.

I am sure I am not the only one who looks at the ingredients list and wonders if just making my pets food is better for her!

Is Chicken and Rice Good For my Dog?

Both chicken and rice have benefits for dogs. Chicken in dog food is defined as a clean food when delivered from a whole carcass of a chicken.

Like most meats, it provides great protein, and essential amino acids which are key for growing dogs as it helps to build strong muscles.

Rice in dog foods is a great carb. These carbs work in the same way they work for us, as energy!

While there is great nutritional value in a chicken and rice diet, it is not to be forgotten that this is a single source protein, and single carb.

Meaning that this dynamic duo is missing a lot a key vitamins and nutrients that store bought or more complex meals provide.

There are about 6 essential things to keep in mind for a balanced diet for your dog. Water, Proteins, Fats, Carbs, Minerals, and Vitamins. All 6 of these basics aid in the everyday functionality of your dog.

Most people reach for a chicken and rice diet when their dog is sick. The reason behind this is because of how simple the ingredients are.

This allows your dog to easily digest the food and aids in their recovery. This two ingredient meal packs enough nutritional properties to put your dog back on the road to wellness but not enough for long time.

How Do I Make Chicken and Rice for my Dog, Is it Hard?

If you do choose to feed your pup chicken and rice, whether it be in conjunction with other foods to supplement what this meal lacks, or your pup is ill and needing something easily digestible here are a few things to keep in mind and the steps involved in making this meal.

Purchase the highest quality chicken you can afford to limit your dogs exposure to toxins. Buy a package of short or long grain white rice.

Avoid quick minute rices as it lowers the nutritional value in comparison to the regular rice.

You can also sub white rice for brown but note that it needs to be cooked longer than white rice to avoid irritation in your dogs stomach.

Prepare the chicken by removing all fat, and place into a long pot to boil. Once thoroughly cooked through and proceed to removing all bones.

Leave the water (chicken brother) that you used to cook the chicken in the pan but skim off any fat that may have surfaced.

Return the chicken broth to a boil and pour the rice into the broth. Lower to a simmer and cover then cook.

Cut accordingly to the size of your dog. Smaller dogs need smaller bites while a larger dog can handle pieces cut into 1-inch cubes.

You can cook the chicken with the bones into but take note that the bones must be removed before feeding to your pup.

The History Behind What We Feed Our Furry Companions

Like we mentioned, Chicken and Rice lacks a lot of what vets recommend to keep your dog healthy. To understand what your dogs actually need, we need to go back to what they used to eat!

DNA evidence suggests that dogs are decedents of wolves dating back 100,000 years ago. It is suggested that as the human evolved, so did the dog.

Meaning, we used to feed the dogs what we ate, but nowadays most people avoid giving dogs table scraps. Why? Well the short answer is money and showing off wealth.

As time went on the middle class began to prosper and dog foods started showing up. Dog food was considered a luxury, and if you could afford this food then you were considered to be higher on the social ladder.

From there on people begin creating things like dog treats, and wet food making it more mainstream and through lobbyist groups campaigns were created with TV ads and radio talking about the dangers of table scraps.

This isnt to say that commercially produced and store-bought food isnt good for your dog, we are just saying it is not the only option.

There are some great dog foods on the market and with a good rotation of certain foods homemade food can be a great option as well!

Keep in mind that some store bought foods have un-needed toxic materials and some homemade food recipes lack some of the things your dog needs to consume on a daily basis.

However, these were all suggestions. They shouldnt eat things like fast food, tons of cheese, and candy, but they can eat people food.

If it is healthy, and literally digestible. If youre eating things like roasted chicken, greens beans and potatoes you can definitely feed some to your dog.

Cant I Just Feed My Dog the Cheapest Food On the Market?

There are tons of dog foods out there. While I cannot tell you which one is best for your dog, I can tell you that my best advice is to feed your dog the highest quality food you can afford.

There is a large difference between high quality food and budget food.

These differences arent found on the nutrition labels, as most companies that create budget food are great at finding things to supplement these nutrients most of the time not in the best ways.

The major differences are found in the ingredients themselves.

Comparing two different dog foods side by side, they may contain the same about of protein but the source of the protein is vastly difference when it comes to your pet digesting it.

Another thing to consider when looking at your dog foods is how old your dog is. Every dog needs a different level of things in different stages of their lives.

The younger the dog is the more often they need to consume. By the sixth month mark the need for food in dogs has decreased because they have reached about 75% of their growth stage.

Puppy food has specific specialties over adult food as it caters to what a puppy needs like calcium, etc.

The food you feed your puppy at a young age is very important because of how rapidly they grow. Feeding them the wrong food can cause health issues down the road.

We have done some great research to pin point great food options for your dog! Here are a few great resources:

1. High sodium diets are not just bad for humans, it can be harmful to our puppy pals as well. Best Low Sodium Dog Food 10 Healthy Picks!
2. Buying the right dog food goes beyond just going to the store and buying whatever is a good deal The Top 10 Dog Foods My Honest Review!
3. Not all dog foods are created equal and not every dog will like every dog food The Best Dog Food for Picky Eaters Feed Your Fussy Friend
4. Keeping your dog in shape is a good balance between eating the healthiest food and daily exercise The Top 9 Best Weight Management Dog Food for Large Breeds

These articles are bound to help you with your dog whether they have a food sensitivity, are picky eaters or need to shed a few pounds!

Some animals require more things than others due to health concerns and this can also vary depending on how active your dog is.

Not only does nutrient requirements vary from dog to dog but research also shows that it also depends heavily from breed to breed.

For example dogs that were bred in as water dogs may have adapted to specialized diets that are common of that region because of what is readily available.

Final Thoughts

My opinion on feeding chicken and rice still remains that you should speak to your vet before making a long-term decision.

Choosing a high-quality flood among the crowd can be tough. There are many foods that your dog should avoid but feeding your dog table scraps is not a bad thing, as long as it is healthy.

If you are adamant about feeding your dog a human food diet, I would get a list of foods to avoid from you vet and get a list of foods your vet suggests you add to your dogs diet.

Feeding chicken and rice to your dog when ill is a great idea as it allows them to easily digest a single carb and protein meal. It is not sufficient for a growing active dog in every stage of life.

How Long Should I Keep My Dog On Chicken And Rice?

Also called the bland diet, chicken and rice resemble chicken soup for human beings.

Whenever you are under the weather, you tend to feel better after downing a bowl of chicken soup.

Your dog, too, could greatly benefit from the diet when he has tummy troubles.

Whether he is constipated, vomiting, bloated, or has a runny stomach, chicken and rice can help. Your vet probably told you this already.

But the question is how long should you keep your pup on the diet?

The Magic of Chicken and Rice

When your dog is throwing up, has gas, is constipated, or experiences persistent diarrhea, it means that his gut is in shambles.

Homemade chicken and rice have been shown to ease these symptoms to a greater extent.

For one, chicken is very easy to digest. It makes it easy for your pups system to handle incoming food.

After being sick for a while, the last thing your fur baby needs is hard-to-digest foods.

Secondly, chicken is a super protein that packs all the necessary ingredients a dog needs. These include minerals, amino acids, and vitamins that nourish the coat and skin and enrich the bones. Plus, dogs go crazy for chicken.

If your pooch has a low appetite because of the sickness, the chicken will make him normal again.

Rice is similarly easy on a dogs digestive system. Vets recommend it for a sick dog since it helps bind stools.

A dog with diarrhea can really benefit from eating rice for a few days. It stimulates the growth of good bacteria to regulate bowel movements.

In addition, rice contains vitamins G and D for optimal heart health, iron, calcium, and riboflavin.

When combined, rice and chicken make for a fantastic diet that offers plenty of nutrients while giving the gut a much-needed break.

How to Give the Bland Diet to Your Dog

While the bland diet is great for a sick dog, the benefits lie with the preparation.

The main reason why it is highly recommended by vets is because it is low in fiber and fat while still being high in carbohydrates and protein.

When you cook it in oil, it defeats the purpose by adding unwanted fats. Boiling is the ideal mode of preparation.

Besides boiling the rice and chicken, steer clear of any seasonings for the best results. Some of them are toxic to canines.

You want to use white rice rather than brown rice for this recipe.

Granted, brown rice is better under normal circumstances since it is lower in glycemic index.

It doesnt spike blood glucose making it suitable for diabetic dogs. However, it is harder for a dog to digest it compared to white rice.

The recipe is pretty straightforward:

• Boil two or three boneless, skinless chicken pieces in water until they are fully cooked.

• Next, boil a cup or two of rice in the chicken stock.

• Now, shred the chicken and mix them up. The recommended ratio of chicken to meat is 1:2.

• Once the meal is ready, feed it to your dog.

You want to exercise some caution with the portion. Keep in mind that your dogs gut needs a break.

Rather than giving one huge meal in the evening or two as is your custom, seek to serve frequent smaller meals.

For example, if your pup often eats five cups of food per day, start giving one cup of the bland diet at a time.

Let him rest for two to three hours before giving him another cup.

How Long Should A Dog Be On The Chicken And Rice Diet?

This will heavily depend on your vets recommendations. If you are following your vets instructions, they will let you know when you need to stop giving the dog the diet.

Else, if you are not under the vets advice, always watch your dogs poop to determine when to stop giving rice and chicken.

Typically, your pups poop should go back to normal after 2-7 days. But as you might have guessed, this is based on the individual dog.

If the gut heals faster, the poop will harden and go back to normal in record time.

However, if the damage is too much that the gut still needs a break, it might be a while before your pups system heals completely.

As a matter of fact, vets often recommend a 24-hour fast before the bland diet. They do this if the gastric upset is pretty intense.

The fast resets the system and gives it time off from digesting food. The entire system including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine get a chance to heal.

After the fast, offer the bland diet of chicken and rice.

If after a week, your dog still has runny stools, consider going back to the vet. The problem might be pretty bad to warrant medical attention.

How Long Till a Dog Poops after Chicken and Rice

Different dogs arrive there at different times.

On average, expect your pup to poop normally after 2-3 days. Some can even take one day only to get the system back on track again.

Without the bland diet, a pup can go as long as one week for the stools to firm up.

As a rule of thumb, you dont want to use the chicken and rice diet for extended periods of time.

Although it has plenty of minerals, it is not a wholesome diet. For instance, an active dog relies on proteins and fats as his main energy sources.

Both the chicken and rice dont have any fat in them. Without enough energy, the dogs gut will be rendered unable to consume the food, which means he will not have enough nutrients in his body.

You dont want to use the bland diet for more than a week. As aforementioned, see the vet if the problem persists after a week.

Additional Tips

I. Introduce the Bland Diet Gradually

Dogs have super sensitive tummies. Any hasty change in their diets can throw their guts in turmoil.

Since you are trying to alleviate a problem in the gut, you want to be careful with the chicken and rice diet.

To be safe, mix the rice and chicken in his food a few days before going completely bland.

In the same way, gradually reintroduce other meals after the diet.

II. Watch the Calories

A chicken and rice meal is higher in calories compared to other diets.

Be sure to calculate the calories in the diet and match it with the pups calorie requirement.

Final Thoughts

The length at which to keep your dog on chicken and rice heavily depends on how well (or otherwise) he responds to the diet.

The best judge is the consistency of his stools. As soon as he eliminates normally again, consider giving the diet a rest.

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