Are dogs allowed to eat rice?

Rice is a popular staple for more than half of the world's population. It is inexpensive, easy to store and easy to prepare. But can dogs eat rice too? The good news is that dogs can eat rice too! In fact, rice makes for a great source of highly digestible carbohydrates for dogs and is well tolerated by almost all puppies. A healthy diet is not only important for us, but also for our furry friends.

Find out in our article which type of rice your dog tolerates best and how to prepare rice correctly so that your dog can get the most out of the health benefits of this popular grain.

Benefits of Rice for Dogs

Rice belongs to a group of foods called grains. Grains are seeds of grasses that are grown and harvested for consumption. This also includes foods like bulgur wheat, oats/oatmeal, corn, barley, millet and quinoa. As with human nutrition, pet nutrition is not about the ingredients, but about the nutrients that those ingredients provide. Not all cereal grains are nutritionally equivalent. Quinoa, for example, is high in protein. Bulgar is rich in fiber. Corn provides essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

Rice is high in carbohydrates, but it also contains protein and fiber.

It's also a great source of vitamin D, fiber and iron for your dog. Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphorus levels, while iron helps form hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Rice is a good choice for gluten-sensitive dogs that have an immune response to gluten because it provides important carbohydrates without the gluten.

In general, rice is very good for a healthy and balanced diet for your dog, as it contains valuable vitamins, nutrients and trace elements.

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If your dog has been prescribed a bland diet, rice is ideal. Rice should not be consumed in large quantities by your dog if you have diarrhea. Rice is dehydrating. Theoretically, your dog could even eat rice every day. Boiled rice is generally easy to digest.

Which rice is good for dogs?

Basically are all types of rice suitable for dogs. You can roughly divide rice into long-grain and short-grain rice.

There is the right rice for every application. These types of rice are suitable for dogs:

• brown rice
• Parboiled-Reis
• Basmati-Reis
• Thai-Reis
• Jasmin-Reis
• Risotto-Reis
• brown rice

Wholemeal rice provides the most fiber, vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Can dogs eat white rice?

Yes! White rice - rice that has the husk, bran and germ removed - is a healthy part of a balanced diet for dogs. Due to the absence of the husk, white rice contains less fiber and slightly more calories and carbohydrates than brown rice. It is easy on the dog's digestive system and is therefore a good choice for dogs with gastrointestinal problems or a sensitive stomach.

Plain white rice mixed with chicken is sometimes recommended by veterinarians for dogs that have diarrhea. The fiber and starch in white rice help bind stool and soothe the bowels.

Can dogs eat brown rice?

Less processed than white rice, brown rice retains the husk, bran, and germ. It contains slightly less protein and carbohydrates but more fiber than white rice. Brown rice has the same nutritional value for dogs as white rice and even contains more antioxidants.

However, due to its coarser texture, some dogs have trouble eating brown rice. White rice is the better option for dogs with gastrointestinal issues.

How to cook rice for dogs

To prepare rice for your dog, whether brown or white, you will need 1 cup of uncooked rice and 4 cups of water. Before you do anything, you should rid the uncooked rice of any excess starch. You can do this by putting the rice in a colander with holes that the rice won't fall through and running it under cold water until the water runs clear. Once the rice is cleaned, place it in a saucepan with the water and cook it on the stove for 20 to 25 minutes.

Don't add anything extra to the rice, including salts, spices, oils, butter, or broth. 

Be careful not to add onions or garlic as these can be harmful or even toxic to dogs. Once the rice is cooked, let it cool before removing a portion to mix into your dog's food. Always make sure the cooked rice has cooled properly before feeding it to your dog. Since rice is very high in calories, it should not make up more than 10% of your dog's diet.

How Much Rice Should I Give My Dog?

To test how well your dog tolerates the rice, you should with a small amount start. In general, dogs like rice, but usually not on its own. If you mix it with meat or dry food, however, almost all dogs will happily accept it. Dogs need a healthy, balanced diet, with all the essentials Vitamins, minerals, nutrients and trace elements. Depending on the age of the dog you have to adjust the amount. A puppy needs a completely different set of food than adult dogs.

Our recommendation: boiled rice with vegetables

To make the meal particularly rich in vitamins and fiber, you can add delicious freshly cooked vegetables to the cooked rice. Especially carrots, peppers, zucchini or kohlrabi are highly recommended! You can also prepare rice pudding for your dog, as long as you cook it with water and without sugar.