Rice is one of the most convenient foods to cook. Owing to its health benefits, brown rice, in particular, is gaining more and more fame. Because of that, people often cook it in large quantities, ending up with extra leftovers. Eventually, these leftovers stay for a long time in the fridge, often leading you to wonder “can puppies eat brown rice?” Find out the answer here, with the help of the 6 more frequently asked questions:

1. Can puppies eat brown rice?
2. Can brown rice hurt dogs?
3. Can I give my 8-week old puppy rice?
4. Can I feed my dog rice every day?
5. What are the benefits of feeding my dog brown rice?
6. Risk of feeding brown rice to puppies

Can Puppies Eat Brown Rice?

Yes. Puppies can indeed eat brown rice. In comparison with white rice, this one has a higher level of protein. As you may know, dogs need more protein than humans. However, this does not mean that it should be a replacement of meat.

Keep on reading to know the pros and cons of feeding brown rice to your puppy.

Can Brown Rice Hurt Dogs?

No – It can’t, as long as you feed your dog correctly. In fact, brown rice is starting to become an integral part of dog food.

It won’t hurt your dog if you follow these simple cautions:

• Avoid feeding brown rice to your dog if he is a dog that mainly eats dry dog food. The reason behind this is that the type of food that you give him already has a good amount of carbs. Adding rice to that increases the chances of your dog becoming overweight, for example.
• The amount of carbs that your dog consumes, matters a lot. You shouldn’t let it pass the 30% of your dog’s diet. Do not forget that they need meat. (Carbs are integrated into vegetables as well)
• Do not feed your dog rice in combination with raw meat as it can lead them to develop intestinal disorders. To break it down, rice slows down digestion while raw meat makes it faster.
• You should not feed rice to your dog on a regular basis since he can build intolerance or allergies.

Can I Give My 8 Week Old Puppy Rice?

Rice is actually one of the most suitable foods to start feeding your puppy at 8-weeks old. This, in fact, is the age when you can start the process of feeding him “human food” if that’s what you are planning on doing throughout his life.

Therefore, the answer is yes – you can give your 8-week old puppy rice.

However, make sure that you give it in small portions and add cooked meat, such as chicken, to the meal.

Can I Feed My Dog Brown Rice Every Day?

No – you shouldn’t feed your dog brown rice every day.

Just like humans, dogs need a varied and diverse diet. Put yourself in your dog’s “paws”: Can you imagine eating the same thing every day?

Besides, as we’ve mentioned previously, eating the same food on a regular basis is a catalyser for the development of intolerance and allergies to that particular food.

Therefore, you should only give brown rice to your dog occasionally and in small portions.

What Are the Benefits of Feeding My Dog Brown Rice?

Brown rice is highly nutritional, which makes it great for your puppy’s health.

Here’s a list of the nutrients it holds:

• Manganese
• Folate
• Selenium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Vitamins B2, B3 and B6
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• Fatty acids

As a matter of fact, brown rice is considered to be an excellent source of neurotransmitter nutrients, which prevents the Alzheimer’s disease.

Other benefits include:

• Ease stomach discomfort

If your dog manifests this, you could try feeding him stewed brown rice. Besides giving them energy, it helps them heal quickly.

• Gain weight

For those dogs who are underweight, rice is an excellent option for curing that. It has carbs and is healthy at the same time. Therefore, this may be seen as the best and healthier option.

Bear in mind that just because your dog is underweight, you may not give them brown rice on a regular basis and in big portions. Moderation is key.

• Relieve constipation

Since brown rice is high in fiber, it helps your dog with his evacuation problems.

However, if your dog is suffering from diarrhea, do not give him a lot of rice since it can trigger stomach pain.

• Stabilizes the sugar levels in the blood

Dogs shouldn’t consume a lot of sugar, particularly those with diabetes.

Studies have stated that brown rice has at least 23% less sugar than white rice. Consequently, brown rice prevents your dog from becoming diabetic.

• Source of Energy

As we’ve mentioned earlier, brown rice is high in carbs. Accordingly, small portions can offer many calories and subsequently, a great amount of energy to your pet.

Risk of Feeding Brown Rice to Puppies

There isn’t much risk in feeding brown rice to puppies as long as this is done in moderation.

Otherwise, giving large amounts of rice to your dog can lead him to having digestive issues, including bloating. Moreover, as it is high in carbs, your dog might become overweight if you don’t keep the portions in check.

Besides, brown rice can act as fillers, which can lead to medical implications for dogs with unbalanced diets.

In addition, feeding your puppy brown rice every day may build up intolerance and allergies, as we’ve stated earlier.

Final Thoughts

Overall, your dog may eat brown rice without any worries as long as it is in moderation, just like everything else.

Nonetheless, if your dog suffers from stomach problems, we advise you to contact your pet’s vet in order to be sure that he can indeed eat brown rice.

Other than that, your puppy appreciates that you’re looking out for his health in order to provide him a balanced diet. Note that this is the key to preventing diseases and having a joyful life.

If you’ve enjoyed this post, you may check out other posts on our website about what your dog can and cannot eat.