homemade dog food for sensitive stomach

5 Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs Recipes

Looking for the best homemade dog food for sensitive stomachs?

We know it can be challenging, especially since most commercial dog foods are likely to trigger health problems in these dogs and usually upset their stomachs.

As an alternative to store-bought dog food for sensitive stomachs, you can prepare your own homemade meals, either daily or once a week (and freeze or refrigerate them).

We've published many dog food recipes before, and while some of them may be a good option for your problematic pup, many won't.

I've searched a list and found the five best homemade dog food for sensitive stomach recipes that will likely work for most canines.

Some meals should be served in multiple, smaller portions, or they can upset your dogs stomach.

The daily serving size for dogs with sensitive stomachs should be 1 cup for every 25 pounds of weight per day, spread across multiple meals.

If none of these meet your pet's needs, I recommend you also check out Samantha's homemade dog food recipes for sensitive stomach, digestive disorders, and stomach upset.

She's published a few of those, but these five are my favorites:

The good thing about making DIY meals for your dog is that you can make adjustments.

If you see some ingredient that you know won't work for your pup, you can make a substitution here's Samantha's article on how to do this right.

And finally, remember that every dog is different, and these may not be well-balanced for your specific canine.

Discuss these recipes with a veterinarian before preparing them regularly.

ALSO READ:Vet's Guide on Buying and Using Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs

The 5 Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs Recipes

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: White Rice and Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups of white rice
• 1 pounds of chopped chicken meat
• 1 cups of vegetable mix
• 4 cups of water.

Preparation

First, heat a big skillet and add rice, meat, vegetables, and water to it. Cook it on medium heat until the mixture boils.

Then cover the skillet and let it simmer for about 15 minutes to cook all the ingredients properly, especially the white rice.

This is a straightforward recipe that suits dogs with sensitive tummies since both chicken and rice have a calming effect.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: Hamburger Meal

Ingredients

• 1 cup of hamburger meat
• 1 tbsp. of canola oil
• cup of cooked oatmeal
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 tbsp. of cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp. of beans
• 3 tbsp. of carrots

Preparation

First, fry the hamburger meat in a skillet in canola oil.

When the meat is fried, add finely chopped hard-boiled eggs.

Then add all the other ingredients to the mix and wait for it to cool down.

Oats are a great addition to this meal because they are nutritious.

And while dogs dont usually care for them, they will gobble this meal up because of the hamburger meat.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: Chicken with Rice and Pumpkin

Ingredients

• 1 cups of white rice
• cup of chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
• cup of plain yogurt
• cup of canned pumpkin
• cup of vegetable mix (optional)

Preparation

Cook white rice according to the instructions on the box.

Put the chicken breasts in a large pot, cover them with water, and boil over medium heat.

Shred the chicken into pieces and mix it well with the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

This is a simple recipe for bland food that is easy to digest.

Yogurt can soothe the inflamed stomach, while canned pumpkin can help make your dogs bowel movements regular and firm up his stool because it is rich in fiber.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons of cottage cheese
• pound of minced chicken meat
• cup of grated carrots
• 1 cup mashed potatoes

Preparation

Mix the chicken, mashed potatoes, and carrots in a pot and put them in the microwave. Heat it for about 4 minutes.

When the mixture cools off, add the cottage cheese and serve it to your pet.

Carrots are great for reducing stomach irritation, and they are also full of vitamins.

They can help your dog improve his digestion and relieve constipation or diarrhea.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rice flour
• 1 cup of quick cook oats
• cup of no-salt chicken broth
• 4 tbsp. of olive oil
• 3 oz. of apple sauce
• cup of diced carrots
• cup of diced green beans,
• 1 tbsp. of baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a baking sheet with some olive oil. Mix all dry ingredients into one bowl and mix all wet ingredients in another.

Then, stir dry ingredients into wet ones. When you get a smooth mixture, shape your cookies and place them on the sheet.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes and allow them to cool before serving.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: FAQs

Do bananas help a dogs upset stomach?

Because of their high fiber content, bananas can aid dogs withdigestive problems.

Add a small amount of mashed banana to Fido's usual meal to help his stomach calm if he frequently gets an upset stomach or just doesn't feel well.

If your furbaby has never eaten a banana before, start with a few little pieces and watch him closely throughout the next few hours.

Are eggs OK for dogs with sensitive stomach?

Eggs may be able to calm your dog's upset tummy.

Start with half of a scrambled egg to check if your furbaby like it and can easily digest it.

Small or medium dogs just require one egg, while giant dogs could get two boiled eggs.

Is pork good for dogs with sensitive stomach?

Dogs with sensitive stomachs may be able to eat pork, but it all depends on how lean the slices are.

But dogs can only eat cooked pork. Pork that is uncooked or otherwise undercooked is harmful to them.

It might have parasites in it that can give your dog diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and pain.

Homemade Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs: Before You Go

It's important to consult your vet before experimenting with any homemade dog food for sensitive stomachs.

This will enable you to identify the right cause and treatment for your woofer's situation.

Various conditions, including food intolerance, environmental triggers, drug side effects, or other diseases, can affect dogs' sensitive stomachs.

If you decide to make your senior dog's food at home, he or she may need additional supplemental dog nutrition.

Rice, boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables are basic, bland foodsyou can feed Fido.

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4 Recipes For Homemade Dog Food For Gastrointestinal Problems

Key Takeaways

• Before you experiment on any homemade dog food for gastrointestinal problems, make sure to consult with your vet first to figure out the proper cause and remedy for your dogs case.
• Generally, homemade dog food for gastrointestinal problems consists of a bland diet with components that digest well including:pumpkin chunks or puree, sweet potato, cottage cheese, boiled, plain chicken in chunks or shredded, ground chicken, beef, or turkey, white rice, mild-flavored vegetables, etc.
• Gastrointestinal issues in dogs can be caused by a variety of things such as food intolerance, environmental triggers, bacterial infection, medication side effects, or other illnesses.

Heres an easy recipe for a homemade dog food for gastrointestinal problems: In a pot, heat up 3 cups chicken, 2 cups rice, 3 cups mixed vegetables, and 2 cups water. After it boils, lower the fire and cook for 15 minutes. Cool, portion, and serve to your dog.

Like with many dogs, several foods can cause tummy troubles for my dog, and while some might pass within a day or two, other issues can cause my pet to have food sensitivities or a delicate stomach on an ongoing basis. This is why I am careful about what I feed my dog. A dogs digestive system is typically pretty sturdy, and they can eat many bacteria-laden items that we humans would never even touch, without getting sick, because of different bacteria strains living in their gut. However, sometimes a dog has a sensitive stomach like some humans. When my dog showed signs of food sensitivity, I immediately went for homemade dog food for sensitive stomachs and gastrointestinal problemsthis is after consulting with my vet to find out which foods my dog is allergic to.

Your vet can either prescribe or advise on the best dog food for sensitive stomachs, but this is not a guaranteed treatment. Unfortunately, prescription dog food options can also become quite expensive. Even though theyre formulated to help sick dogs improve gastrointestinal symptoms, the labels on these foods can reveal types of processed foods that you dont feel comfortable feeding your pet.

Sure, its easy to find hypoallergenic dry dog food off-the-shelf. However, this type of commercial food for sensitive stomach tends to be quite bland and unappetizing.

However, dog owners can help a pets condition improve with homemade dog food, although theres a slight learning curve to know which foods can help your pup feel better. Check with your vet before modifying your dogs diet with these homemade meals. Another alternative to look into is fresh dog food, which can be personalized to your pets needs. You can most likely treat your dogs gastrointestinal issues on your own, but its wise to rule out anything serious first so that you can get your pup the necessary vet-recommended treatment protocol.

Senior dogs with issues might need additionalsupplemental dog nutritionif you choose to make their food at home. You might even start to enjoy nurturing your fur baby with homemade food for his tummy problems. Fortunately, its pretty easy, and youll find several homemade dog food recipes below that you can use to give your pet comfort at home.

While its done with love, cooking for a dog with a sensitive stomach at home can be a lot of work. You can supplement your dogs diet with commercial wet or dry dog food formulated specifically for sensitive stomachs or gastrointestinal issues. However, if your dog struggles to savor this food, you can take a meal off and order a meal from a dog food delivery service or fresh food brand. Dog owners have to make sure to inform them of your dogs special needs and they will tailor the meal appropriately!

Causes of Gastrointestinal Issues

A dogs stomach can suffer from digestive disorders and other issues that create a sensitive stomach [1].

Some dogs develop a lack of tolerance to most commercial dog foods, even if you try switching them to the best grain-free dog foods, lamb meal, or some of the other specialty foods available.

You might even need to play detective for a bit to isolate any food allergies or conditions around your home that trigger stress or anxiety in your pet. Some dogs have perfectly fine tummies but vomit due to anxiety when they know their humans are leaving the house for a vacation.

Although many dogs can eat some pretty icky stuff and live to tell about it, bacterial infections still happen. Some dogs love to eat bird poop, which can carry bacteria that make them very ill. Dogs have also been known to eat mice or rats that have eaten poison. When rushed to the vet for treatment, the dog has a good survival chance but may have gastrointestinal issues for months afterward.

Canine illnesses, such as parvo or dog flu, can cause diarrhea and other stomach symptoms. If your dog has diarrhea and seems lethargic, please schedule a vet visit as soon as possible because certain diseases can become fatal very quickly, especially in puppies.

One other cause of doggy stomach issues is a side effect of medication. If your pup is undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy, certain drugs can wreak havoc on their stomachs and necessitate a more soothing or bland food.

Best Foods to Treat Puppy Tummies

Most commercial dog foods contain fillers such as corn gluten meal or wheat gluten meal, which can cause reactions in dogs with sensitive stomachs. This situation is where sensitive stomach dog food thats homemade can have an advantage over a commercial diet since you control exactly which ingredients go into your pets food bowl.

Generally, homemade diet consists of a bland food with a shortlist of ingredients. Typical meal components that digest well include:

• Pumpkin chunks or puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• Sweet potato
• Cottage cheese
• Boiled, plain chicken in chunks or shredded
• Ground chicken, beef, or turkey
• White rice (Related article: Rice Water For Dogs)
• Olive oil (for dietary fat)
• Mild-flavored vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, peas, or spinach
• Chicken, turkey, or lamb baby food, as long as they dont contain any garlic or onion in any form (these can be deadly for dogs)

You can also offer your pet bone broth, which works well for extra hydration if your dog isnt drinking enough water. If you are learning how to make bone broth for dogs yourself, make sure to strain the broth to remove all bones as they can get stuck in your dogs throat. Also, let the fat rise to the top and cool, then remove. Foods containing too much fat can potentially trigger pancreatitis, a painful stomach condition for your pup.For that reason, something like hamburger meat, while tasty, is not ideal. In some cases, dog probiotic supplements can be of great help too.

To reduce the risk of triggering stomach upset, good homemade dog food recipes incorporate just a few bland, easily digested ingredientsthis also helps to keep your dogs bowel movements regular. Check with your vet to see how this will affect your pets overall health, not just your dogs digestive health, if you feed these foods for the long term. Anutritionally complete dietfor your pet might need to include other ingredients, or your vet can advise on any supplements to make up for vitamins or minerals your furry friend isnt getting from the bland meals.

Preparation and Feeding Tips

Even if you dont like to cook, preparing a homemade dog food recipe for your canine is a pretty straightforward process. Instead of buying specially prepared food for your pets sensitive stomach, you can learnhow to make your own dog foodand provide the nutritious and tummy-soothing meals your pet needs.

Keep in mind a few things while working on homemade dog food meals:

• Depending on your dogs situation, butter, oils, or any seasonings can make the problem worse
• Never include any onions, chives, or leeks as they can be deadly to dogs
• Prepare once a day for several feedings, or prepare once a week and refrigerate or freeze in individual portions
• Use one cup of food for every 25 pounds of weight as daily serving size total
• To aid digestion, feed your dog smaller meal portions several times per day
• Speak to your vet to gain a better understanding of dog nutrition so that you can either choose nutritionally balanced recipes and ingredient combos or get vet-approved supplements to add to your dogs eating plan.

By the way, you also dont have to use the foods just for meals. You can make them into baked dog treats to give your dog some variety. This also makes foods portable for park outings, traveling.

Chicken and White Rice Recipe

This simple recipe makes a soothing meal for your dog, and most people already have these items in their pantries.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped chicken
• 3 cups chopped, mixed vegetables
• 2 cups white rice
• 4 cups water (if cooking all ingredients together)

Heat a large skillet or pot and add chopped chicken, rice, chopped vegetables, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. You can also cook the chicken and veggies separately and add the cooked rice when feeding your pup.Just make sure that both chicken and rice are cooked completely for this recipe.

Baked Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Most dogs really love sweet potatoes, and it doesnt get any easier than this recipe! Baked sweet potato treats make a nutritious snack for your pup and contain healthy fiber to treat diarrhea or constipation.Its a key ingredient in my homemade dog food recipe for constipation, for when you really need the best dietary countermeasure to that condition.

Ingredients:

• Whole sweet potatoes, as many as you want to cook

Wash the outer skin of the sweet potatoes, then slice them thinly but no thinner than 1/4 inch. Try using a mandolin slicer for consistent slices. If the slices are too thin, theyll get crispy, and your dog will gobble them very quickly. Thicker slices stay chewy and keep your pup busy for a while.

Once sliced, spread the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in the oven at 250F (130C) for 2.5 to 3 hours, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Cook until the slices are dried out and shrunken but still slightly bendable. After cooling, store the sweet potato treats in a closed container in your refrigerator. Theyll keep for up to three weeks.

Beefy Rice Slow-Cooker Recipe

This recipe saves time since it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and cooks on its own in the crockpot. It contains kidney beans and butternut squash, but you can omit these items if you dont think your dog can tolerate them.

The following ingredients make about 12 cups of homemade dog food, so you can freeze or refrigerate and have your doggy meals done for the week.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. beef, ground
• 1 cups brown or white rice, uncooked
• 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans (drain and rinse)
• 1 cups butternut squash, chopped
• 1 cups carrots, diced
• cup green peas, frozen
• 4 cups water

Add all ingredients into a crockpot, along with 4 cups of water. Cover and cook 5 or 6 hours on low heat, or you can cook it for 2 to 3 hours on a medium heat setting. Stir periodically while cooking, and let the dog food cool to room temperature before feeding.

Chicken and Mashed Potatoes with Carrots

This simple recipe can give your dog a break from rice by using mashed white or sweet potatoes instead.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground chicken
• 1 cup white or sweet potatoes

Optional:

• 1 1/2 TBSP yogurt or cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup carrots

Boil water in a pan and cook potatoes until they come apart easily. Mince the chicken and cook in a saucepan until no longer pink. Slice or chop carrots very fine and saut with chicken or boil with potatoes.

Mix chicken and rice together, and when serving, mix in yogurt or cottage cheese.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What to feed dogs with gastrointestinal problems?

You can feed them basic, bland foods, including rice, boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, and some vegetables. If your dogs tummy troubles are temporary, you can feed a few servings of rice and boiled chicken, small portions of pumpkin puree, either cooked or unseasoned canned pumpkin (especially good for bouts of constipation or diarrhea), or cottage cheese. For a longer-term diet, you can incorporate ground chicken, beef, or turkey and rice, along with veggies.

How do you treat gastrointestinal diseases in dogs?

Your first step should be a visit with your vet to assess your dogs gastrointestinal symptoms. The cause could range from a bacterial infection or life-threatening virus to the flu or something milder, such as an allergy to an ingredient in its regular dog food. Your pup couldve eaten some food off the kitchen floor that didnt sit well, or it could be having a bout of severe anxiety because youre leaving on vacation. Its difficult to tell without having your vet perform a full examination of your pup.