My dog won't eat rice anymore, only kibble. Is this healthy?

Dogs can be picky eaters, especially if they are given a choice of what to be picky about. I would not feed dairy products such as curd or too many fruits as this can cause digestive upset and diarrhea. If he likes chicken and rice, you can add the vitamin (or a liquid vitamin supplement to it) or even some veggies such as carrots or broccoli, however trying to get him on a balanced commercial diet is best. You'll want to put down the food for 15 m to give him a chance to eat, and then pick up whatever doesn't get eaten. While transitioning, you should not give any people foods, snacks, treats, other items, etc save for his regular meals. It may take some time, but a dog won't starve and they'll eventually try out the food. Sneaking in a little chicken or even low-sodium broth in with the food may also encourage eating in those 15 m windows.

Chicken and rice isn't a balanced diet for Dahlia, and you can't have her on it long term. Keep adding more dog food back in, and as the amount of chicken and rice decreases, she will get hungry enough to eat her dog food again. Best of luck.

Hi there. No, this is not a nutritionally complete diet for long-term feeding. If Butter won't eat dog food and you prefer to feed him human food, you will need to make sure that his diet is still complete and balanced. You can use the website www.balanceit.com to put together recipes for him using ingredients of your choice, or use a commercial fresh food diet that is formulated to be complete and balanced, such as www.thefarmersdog.com

As you probably realize this is not a balanced diet for a growing puppy. If you haven't already I would recommend trying various canned puppy foods with a little chicken and rice mixed in. If he absolutely won't eat you can talk to your veterinarian about whether or not it is safe for you to leave food out and wait for him to eat when he's hungry - this could take a day or even longer. If you don't mind cooking for him you could also ask your veterinarian for a referral to a nutritionist to help create a recipe for a balanced home cooked diet.

Yes, it is bad for his health because boiled chicken and rice is not a nutritionally complete food for dogs. He has decided what his diet will be, but that is not his job . . . it's yours. Stop feeding him the chicken and rice. Put regular dog food in a bowl on the floor without fuss and leave it for 15 minutes. After that time, pick it up whether he has eaten or not. Do not give him anything--no treats, snacks or human food--until his next scheduled mealtime. Then repeat the process. It may take several times for him to realize that there will be no more chicken and rice, and that he must eat his food. Remember that you are not starving him–he is choosing not to eat. When he is hungry enough, he will. Do not give in or "feel sorry" for him. It will only make it harder to correct. He must have a nutritionally complete diet, and chicken and rice is not sufficient.

It is best to give pets a balanced diet, and it does not matter the source. You can go with homecooked food, as long as it is balanced and vet approved. Therefore I would recommend using resources like dog cook books or the following websites to learn how to do this properly, so that you are not making food that is deficient in vital vitamins and minerals that he needs. balanceit.com petdiets.com You can also look on Amazon.com for recipe books for dogs. The boiled chicken, egg and rice isn't going to be good long term, because pet need vegetables in their diet. I hope this helps answer your question! Best wishes and take care of Jerry moving forward.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend Purina Pro Plan shredded blends chicken and rice. This specific diet is very palatable and also very good in terms of nutrition. You could also consider adding dog grade gravy to her food which may improve her appetite. Another thing you can do is add pieces of chicken to the kibble at least for now to encourage her to eat. Good luck!