How to Cook a Bland Meal for a Dog

"Where did you find garbage to eat, Chubby?" Some dogs are very adventurous and eat things that they shouldn’t, such as garbage, plants or grass. These items can cause considerable stomach issues that become obvious in the form of vomiting or diarrhea. When your pet has an upset stomach from eating foreign items, you can make him a bland meal to restore his stomach health quickly and save yourself from cleaning up the remnants of his eating habits. It might be a good idea to get a dog-proof garbage can too.

Remove your dog’s access to his food and water bowls. Withhold any type of food or liquids for about four hours. This will allow the stomach lining to settle from any irritation causing vomiting or diarrhea. Allowing his stomach to settle will save you from cleaning up more messes from an ailing stomach.

Remove the skin and bones from chicken or turkey breast and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Place the meat in a pot on the stove. Peel and dice potatoes and place them in the same pot. Cook one chicken breast and one medium potato for small dogs. Double the amount for medium dogs and triple it for large dogs to provide a few days of a bland diet for them.

Add water to the pot to cover the meat and potatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil on high heat. Reduce the burner to medium heat, place a lid on the pot, and simmer the ingredients until they are tender. Insert a fork into the meat and potatoes about every 10 minutes to check for tenderness.

Turn the burner off when the meat and potatoes are tender. Remove the meat and potatoes from the liquid and place them in a bowl to cool.

Boil 2 cups of water for each cup of rice that you are cooking for your furry friend. Add the rice, place a cover over the pot and cook on medium for about 20 minutes until the liquid absorbs into the rice. Remove the cover and take the pot off the burner. Allow it to cool.

Place some of the cool meat, potatoes and rice in a bowl. Mash all of the ingredients with a potato masher. Add a small amount of the liquid from the meat and potato pot to the mix to make a thick, but smooth gruel. Gruel is easier to digest than chunks of food.

Feed your ailing pet 1 tablespoon of gruel per 10 pounds of weight every few hours. Offer him the food on a spoon while you hand-feed him. Increase the amount of food gradually over the next day. Observe him closely to make certain he keeps the bland food down and does not vomit. If he can’t keep the food down and vomiting or diarrhea persists over 12 hours, you may need a trip to the vet. Dogs can dehydrate quickly and may require IV fluids.

Place ice cubes in a bowl for him to lick. Some pets don’t want to drink water when they have an upset stomach. Large amounts of water with nausea can lead to vomiting. You really don’t want extra messes to clean when your pet is not feeling well.

Restore your pet’s normal diet slowly over the next few days by mixing the gruel with his normal diet. Return to his original food and feeding schedule if he has no outward signs of stomach upset.