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Bland Food for Dogs (5 Recipes with Tips)

A bland diet for dogs means well-cooked rice, lean chicken or turkey, and pureed vegetables like carrots and pumpkin. No salt, no seasoning, no pork. Feed small portions 3-4 times a day until symptoms resolve. Reviewed by veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic.

7 min read
A loving dog owner prepares a light diet in a modern kitchen for her happy dog.

There are several reasons to resort to bland foods. An upcoming operation, intolerance to certain foods, Diarrhea, intestinal diseases or chronic stomach complaints are some of the numerous reasons.

These foods are allowed

Abbildung eines Hundes mit dem Text „Schonkost: Geeignete Lebensmittel für eine leichte Ernährung", auf dem Lebensmittel wie Reis, Gemüse, Leinsamen und Haferflocken zu sehen sind. Die Bilder zeigen eine Karotte, einen Apfel, einen Kürbis, Kartoffeln und Schüsseln mit Reis. Der Text empfiehlt weich gekochten Reis und gekochtes püriertes Gemüse für Ihren Hund.

When feeding your dog a gentle diet, it's important to stick to certain foods.

The classics here are meat, vegetables and rice. Under certain circumstances it is possible that you also use lean curd cheese and cottage cheese. These support the intestinal flora and provide fluid and protein.

Make sure you buy meat that is as low in fat and digestible as possible. It should be well cooked and neither salted nor seasoned. Avoid pork in the light diet, as it is very high in fat and low in nutrients.

Poultry and beef are best for your foster. Since beef can sometimes be difficult to digest, you should focus on poultry in the beginning. The best poultry for this purpose are: Chicken and Turkey.

Rice is the ideal side dish. Make sure you cook the rice soft. This makes it easily digestible and suitable as a light diet for dogs. It is also important not to add salt or other spices to rice.

Vegetables are also suitable for your four-legged friend's light diet. The best varieties include carrots, pumpkin and potatoes. The vegetables are cooked and then pureed. Under no circumstances should they be fed raw. Raw vegetables and fruit are not suitable as a light diet for dogs because they are difficult to digest.

Linseeds are ideal for cleansing the intestines. The tiny seeds swell up in the gastrointestinal tract and thus cleanse the intestines. It is therefore advisable to add one to two tablespoons of linseed to the food. The amount depends on the size and weight of your furry friend.

You can also use oat flakes. They also support the intestinal flora and ensure a varied diet.

Apples are one of the few types of fruit that are suitable for a light diet. It is important to grate them finely. Don't forget to core the apple beforehand.

Please refrain from adding apples if your pet suffers from dental problems. If you are preparing the light diet because of a damaged stomach lining, you should avoid adding apples. The fruit acid they contain will otherwise have a negative effect on your four-legged friend's well-being.

Here again the most suitable foods at a glance:

Fish and meat:

  • Chicken meat
  • Turkey
  • Beef if necessary
  • lean fish (such as trout, salmon and sardines)

Vegetables:

  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Zucchini
  • Pumpkin

Dairy products (preferably lactose-free):

  • Low-fat quark (with little fat content)
  • low fat cottage cheese

Other foods:

  • Rice (preferably in a cooking bag)
  • Flaxseed
  • Oatmeal
  • Apples
  • Honey

The food should be researched beforehand if possible or discussed with the veterinarian. For example, the dairy products are not suitable in every case.

It is important to prepare a spice-free and unsalted meal. Especially in the case of diarrhea, spices deprive the animal of vitamins and other important water, minerals and nutrients.

Always cook rice, vegetables and meat thoroughly. Raw vegetables and fruit are difficult for your dog to digest. You also remove harmful bacteria from the meat by cooking it for a long time.

Fat-free preparation is essential for a light diet. Prepare the meat without fat in the oven, in a steamer or fry it in water.

We give you here a few delicious recipes for your four-legged friend on the way. You can not generalize the quantities for different dog breeds. Our recipes are designed for a dog weighing 25 kilos. At this weight it is recommended to prepare 400 to 450 g of food.

the factor "weight" matters most. Other factors, such as the dog's overweight, age and size, as well as physical activities, must be taken into account.

A quick call to the vet will clarify this. He can tell you how much food is best prepared for your pet.

Recipes

Potatoes with vegetables and oatmeal

Ingredients:

  • 300 g carrots
  • 100 g potatoes
  • ½ tsp honey
  • 1 tablespoon oatmeal

Preparation:

  • Peel and chop the carrots
  • Potatoes also peel and cut into small pieces
  • Put carrots and potatoes in boiling water
  • Cook vegetables until soft and puree
  • Add honey and oatmeal and leave to cool

Turkey with potatoes and cottage cheese

Ingredients:

  • 200 g turkey meat
  • 200 g potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon cottage cheese
  • ½ tablespoon flaxseed

Preparation:

  • Cut turkey meat into pieces as small as possible
  • Peel and chop the potatoes
  • Bring water to a boil
  • Boil potatoes until soft and then mash
  • Add turkey to the water and cook until done

Rice with trout and low-fat quark

Ingredients:

  • 250 g rice
  • 200 g trout
  • ½ zucchini
  • 1 tsp low fat curd

Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 200 °C
  • Put rice in boiling water
  • Cook rice until very soft
  • Cut trout into small pieces
  • Wash and finely grate the zucchini
  • Mix all ingredients together and leave to cool

Potatoes with pumpkin and cottage cheese

Ingredients:

  • 100 g zucchini
  • 100 g carrots
  • 100 g pumpkin flesh
  • 100 g potatoes
  • 1 - 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed
  • 2 tablespoons cottage cheese

Preparation:

  • Wash vegetables and peel if necessary
  • Cut vegetables into small pieces and cook until very soft
  • Put vegetables in a container and puree
  • Add honey, flaxseed and cottage cheese
  • Mix everything together and leave to cool

Rice with chicken and pumpkin

Ingredients:

  • 200 g rice
  • 100 g chicken meat
  • 150 g pumpkin flesh
  • ½ apple
  • 1 tablespoon oatmeal

Preparation:

  • Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender
  • Chicken meat cut into small pieces
  • Pumpkin flesh also cut into small pieces
  • Put chicken and pumpkin in boiling water and cook until soft
  • Puree pumpkin and chicken and place in a container
  • Add rice and mix
  • Wash, core and grate apple
  • Add apple to the container
  • Add oatmeal and mix
  • Allow everything to cool a little

Just as it happens with us, it also happens with our dear dogs that they spoil their stomachs and have to fall back on a diet. As long as your friend's "upset" does not occur at regular intervals, it is normal.

If this is not the case, serious diseases can be behind it. If your dog's symptoms do not subside in one or two days after a diet, do not hesitate. Notify your veterinarian.

You should also do this if your four-legged friend has significant accompanying symptoms that do not just point to an ordinary gastrointestinal upset. Your observation skills are particularly important here. If in doubt, always ask your vet for advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic

Written by

Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic

Veterinarian & Medical Author

Mag.med.vet. (Veterinary Medicine)Practicing VeterinarianCo-Author of the Hunde Gesundheits Bibel

Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic creates medically accurate articles and videos on animal health topics. He is co-author of the Hunde Gesundheits Bibel and ensures professionally correct content at Hundeo.

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