Shih Tzu can eat rice, yes. Rice is an excellent source of energy for dogs, so it’s a good part of your dog’s diet. You can mix it with meat and vegetable, so it’s a nutritionally balanced food for your dog. Anyway, always make sure your Shih Tzu is not allergic to rice. It can happen sometimes.
Shih Tzus, like many other dogs, need support for their daily activities. They are active dogs, and feeding rice to sustain their energy is quite promising.
Here are some of the questions you might ask about feeding rice.
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Can I give rice to my Shih Tzu?
Shih Tzus can eat all types of rice. Thus, you can give rice more often than regular treats. Further, you can even make it part of their weekly diet.
Rice is a famous grain known for both human and pet consumption. In fact, many commercial dog foods contain rice as an ingredient.
Here’s what your dog can get from a hundred grams of cooked rice:
- Calories – 130
- Carbohydrate – 28.7 grams
- Protein – 2.36 grams
- Fat – 0.19 grams
Rice contains a small amount of protein that helps in building muscle. Still, what makes rice a good feed is its carbohydrates. Like bread, cooked rice can give loads of energy to your pet.
If your dog is a picky-eater, rice can be your go-to feed. It has a bland taste that can be suitable even for picky eaters.
Further, you can even mix other food with it. Since it doesn’t have a distinct taste, it blends well with other food.
The only rice you shouldn’t feed your pet is the one with seasoning in it.
You can feed rice as long as you cook it plainly, without oils or other spices like onion and garlic.
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Can Shih Tzus eat white rice?
Shih Tzus can eat both brown and white rice, and neither should cause any issues.
Simply put, white rice had the husk removed and is a result of processing the brown.
Thus, white rice has fewer nutrients but is still safe and beneficial nonetheless.
Brown rice, on the other hand, still has the husk attached to the grain.
This type of rice didn’t undergo any processing like that of the white. As a result, it retains fibers and minerals that are beneficial to both humans and pets.
The good thing about white rice is that it is cheaper compared to the brown.
Thus, if you’re looking for a cost-friendly feed, the white rice is your go-to feed.
Another good reason is that it is low in fiber, and so it’s easier to digest for dogs than the brown one.
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How often can I give rice to my Shih Tzu?
Although rice can be beneficial to Shih Tzus, these small dogs shouldn’t be overeating.
For this reason, it’s ideal to limit its rice intake once in a day, and not too much.
Indeed, Shih Tzus are active dogs. However, they are generally a small breed, so feeding too much rice may be difficult for them to digest.
Whenever you’re feeding rice to your pet, always remember that it’s a starchy food. Thus, overfeeding might end up making your dog overweight or obese.
Instead of putting more rice, try to include protein-rich food such as meat, fish, or eggs.
Creating a balanced diet is the key to avoiding the overfeeding of rice. Further, it will give your pet the nutrition it needs.
How much rice can I feed Shih Tzu at once?
The amount of rice you can feed your Shih Tzu depends on how frequent you provide it.
In general, small dogs like this breed should feed only two-thirds of a cup of rice per day.
If you’re feeding rice once a week, you can add a little bit more, making it a whole cup for a single serving.
However, make a cup the limit to its rice diet, no matter how rare you offer it.
If you give rice daily, limit its intake to two-thirds of a cup. You can divide that amount into the food you are serving.
The only thing you should note is not to go overboard with rice-feeding.
Is it okay if other dogs eat rice?
Like Shih Tzus, other dogs can also eat rice. Many dog foods contain rice in their ingredients.
Rice is rich in carbohydrates, which gives off energy to these animals.
For dogs, both white and brown rice is safe to eat. However, the dog owners who have pets with sensitive stomachs prefer white.
The reason is that white rice is more comfortable to digest, quicker to prepare, and it has lower fiber.
Other owners prefer brown rice since it offers many more benefits compared to the white.
Whatever you prefer, both rice is a safe food for your pet, and you can make it a part of their daily meals.
What can Shih Tzus not eat?
Although rice is a safe food for Shih Tzus, some other food can be harmful to them if fed.
Here is a list of food you should not feed your dog, even in small amounts:
- Onions (both raw and cooked is harmful even in small quantities)
- Chocolate (huge red flag)
- Soda (has a lot of toxic chemicals)
- Salt (too much sodium is also a bad thing)
- Grapes and Raisins (toxic to most dogs and even cats)
- Tea and coffee (the caffeine in both is lethal to these animals)
- Fruit pits and seeds (naturally dangerous for them)
Rice is safe to eat for your pet as long as you cook it straight, without any of these toxic foods.
Being mindful of this list and keeping it out of your Shih Tzu’s reach can help you avoid unwanted incidents. Further, avoiding such will help maintain your pet’s health.
If you feed your pet one or more of this food by accident, it would be best to take it to the vet to get checked. Do so, especially if your pet shows signs of poisoning.
Summary
Rice is a cost-friendly and nutritious feed to Shih Tzus since they won’t have any eating issues. Further, they’ll even gain energy from the carbohydrates it offers.
As long as you cook rice plain and straightforward, your Shih Tzu can eat it as frequently as every day. You can even mix some food into it, make sure it doesn’t include any toxic food for dogs.
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Image credits – Photos by Arjan van den Berg and Matthew Lakeland on Unsplash