When your dog has an upset stomach, this is the first recipe to reach for. Pumpkin's soluble fiber soothes both diarrhea and constipation. Chicken keeps it light and easy to digest. Banana and probiotic yogurt add gut-healing support. Gentle enough for sick days, good enough for every day.
Cook white rice in plain water (no salt or broth). White rice is far gentler on an upset stomach than brown rice — save brown rice for healthy days.
Simmer chicken breast in plain water for 15–20 minutes until fully cooked through. Reserve the broth — you can use it to moisten the bowl at serving. Shred into small, easy pieces.
In a large bowl, mix the cooked rice, pumpkin puree, and mashed banana. Stir until evenly combined. The pumpkin should coat everything in a warm orange colour.
Fold in the shredded chicken. If using ginger, stir it in now while the mix is still warm so it disperses evenly.
Let the bowl cool completely to room temperature — this is important. Then stir in eggshell calcium and salmon oil cold (heat destroys both). Top with probiotic yogurt right before serving.
This is your dog's sick-day meal — reach for it during upset stomachs, after antibiotics (to restore gut flora), after dietary changes, or anytime digestion seems off. The classic vet-recommended bland diet is chicken and white rice. This version adds pumpkin's fiber power and probiotic yogurt for a more complete recovery meal.
Both work. Canned plain pumpkin (not pie filling) is more convenient and has consistent fiber content. Fresh pumpkin — steam and puree it yourself. Either way, aim for about 1–2 tablespoons per 10 kg of body weight per day. Too much pumpkin can cause loose stools in healthy dogs, so keep quantities sensible.
Per serving (~200g, medium dog)
Soluble fiber regulates both diarrhea and constipation — the only ingredient that works both ways.
The most digestible protein. Low fat means less stress on an already-irritated digestive system.
Live cultures restore good gut bacteria after illness or antibiotics. Add cold, never cooked.
Natural pectin forms a soothing coating on the gut lining. Gentle, sweet, dogs love it.
Whole food recipes are a strong foundation — but three steps are non-negotiable for long-term nutritional completeness, per NRC (National Research Council) 2006 guidelines, the gold standard for homemade dog food.
Meat is very high in phosphorus and very low in calcium. Without correction the body pulls calcium from bones. Add ¼ tsp ground eggshell powder per serving, stirred in cold after cooking (≈900 mg calcium per ½ tsp). This corrects the Ca:P ratio to the NRC target of ~1.2:1.
Unless this recipe already includes fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), stir in ½–1 tsp salmon or sardine oil per serving after cooling. Never heat the oil — it destroys DHA and EPA. Dogs cannot convert plant omega-3 (ALA) to usable EPA/DHA at meaningful rates.
Beef liver covers copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and B12 — the micronutrients most commonly missing from home-cooked meals. Use 30–40g per 10 kg body weight, 2–3× per week. Do not exceed 10% of total food intake — vitamin A toxicity is a real risk with too much liver.
For complete peace of mind, add a calibrated dose of Balance IT Canine once per batch. Developed by UC Davis veterinary nutritionists, it fills remaining gaps for manganese, selenium, magnesium, iodine and vitamins not easily provided by whole foods alone. Follow the label dose for your dog's weight exactly.