Bland diet for dogs: calculate the daily amount
How much chicken with rice or potato should your dog get when it has diarrhoea? The calculator shows the daily amount, the first day and portions – for adult dogs without warning signs.
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In short
On a full bland diet, a 10 kg dog gets about 450 g of chicken with rice a day (cooked, ratio 1 : 2) – that's about 150 g of chicken and 300 g of rice. On the first day you start with about half, 225 g, split into 5 small portions of 45 g each, and increase over 2 to 3 days. With potato instead of rice it's 600 g, because potato has less energy.
Bland diet amount for your dog
For adult dogs with mild, short-lived diarrhoea. If there are warning signs, please see a vet.
Result
450 g
Chicken + rice per day (full amount, cooked)
First day: 225 g in 5 portions of 45 g · Puppy, blood, fever or longer than 24–48 hours: see a vet
Get it worked out for your dogRecipes with grams per ingredient in the DoggoMeal app- Day 1 (half)
- 225 g · 5 × 45 g
- Day 2 (about three quarters)
- approx. 340 g
- From day 3 (full amount)
- 450 g in 4–5 portions
- Of which chicken (cooked)
- 150 g (first day 75 g)
- Of which rice (cooked)
- 300 g (first day 150 g)
- Energy, full amount
- 630 kcal per day
How the figure is calculated
Resting energy requirement 70 × 10 kg^0.75 ≈ 394 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 630 kcal per day.
630 kcal ÷ 140 kcal per 100 g of bland diet (chicken to side 1 : 2, cooked) × 100 ≈ 450 g. On the first day, about half.
- A starting point – check the weight every 1–2 weeks and adjust the amount in small steps. Treats count too.
- A bland diet is only meant for a few days and isn't balanced in the long run.
When to see a vet instead of trying a bland diet
- Puppies, very old dogs or dogs with existing conditions – they dehydrate more quickly
- Diarrhoea or vomiting for longer than 24–48 hours
- Blood in the stool or vomit (red or black and tarry)
- Lethargy, weakness, trembling or pale mucous membranes
- Fever or a hard, bloated belly
- Your dog isn't drinking or can't keep water down
- Suspected poisoning or a swallowed object
- Frequent vomiting, even if your dog otherwise seems well
Bland diet chart for dogs: amount per day by weight
Cooked amounts, chicken to side 1 : 2 by weight. Full amount = normal energy requirement of an adult dog; first day = about half in 5 portions.
| Weight | Chicken + rice (full amount) | First day (half) | Chicken + potato (full amount) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kg | 160 g55 g chicken105 g rice | 80 g5 × 15 g | 215 g70 g chicken145 g potato |
| 5 kg | 270 g90 g chicken180 g rice | 135 g5 × 25 g | 355 g120 g chicken235 g potato |
| 7.5 kg | 365 g120 g chicken245 g rice | 185 g5 × 35 g | 485 g160 g chicken325 g potato |
| 10 kg | 450 g150 g chicken300 g rice | 225 g5 × 45 g | 600 g200 g chicken400 g potato |
| 15 kg | 610 g205 g chicken405 g rice | 305 g5 × 60 g | 815 g270 g chicken545 g potato |
| 20 kg | 755 g250 g chicken505 g rice | 380 g5 × 75 g | 1,010 g335 g chicken675 g potato |
| 25 kg | 895 g300 g chicken595 g rice | 450 g5 × 90 g | 1,190 g395 g chicken795 g potato |
| 30 kg | 1,025 g340 g chicken685 g rice | 515 g5 × 105 g | 1,365 g455 g chicken910 g potato |
| 40 kg | 1,270 g425 g chicken845 g rice | 635 g5 × 125 g | 1,695 g565 g chicken1,130 g potato |
| 50 kg | 1,505 g500 g chicken1,005 g rice | 755 g5 × 150 g | 2,005 g670 g chicken1,335 g potato |
When to see a vet instead of trying a bland diet
A bland diet is meant for mild, short-lived stomach and gut upsets in otherwise healthy adult dogs. In these cases, it's better to call your vet straight away:
- Puppies, very old dogs or dogs with existing conditions – they dehydrate more quickly.
- Diarrhoea or vomiting that lasts longer than 24 to 48 hours.
- Blood in the stool or vomit, bright red or black and tarry.
- Lethargy, weakness, fever or a hard, bloated belly.
- Your dog isn't drinking or can't keep water down.
- Suspected poisoning or a swallowed object.
Bland diet for dogs: daily amount and schedule
The full daily amount covers your dog's normal energy requirement. Because the gut needs to settle first, you start smaller and increase slowly:
- Day 1: about half the full amount, split into 4 to 5 small portions, lukewarm. Fresh water is always available.
- Day 2: about three quarters, once the stool becomes firmer.
- From day 3: the full amount, still in 4 to 5 portions.
- Once the stool has been firm for one to two days, gradually mix in the normal food over 2 to 3 days: first a quarter, then half, then three quarters. If the stool becomes softer again, go back a step.
Chicken and rice: how much and how to prepare it
A tried-and-tested ratio is one part lean chicken to two parts rice, both weighed cooked. For a 10 kg dog, the full amount is about 150 g of chicken and 300 g of rice; for a 20 kg dog about 250 g of chicken and 505 g of rice.
Cook skinless, boneless chicken breast in water and boil white rice until very soft. Don't season it: no onion, no garlic, no stock cubes. Let it cool and feed it lukewarm. You can mix in a little soft-cooked, mashed carrot – it adds hardly any energy, so the calculation stays almost the same.
Bland diet with potatoes: amount and preparation
Boiled, peeled potatoes are a good alternative if your dog doesn't like rice or doesn't tolerate it. They provide less energy than rice, so the daily amount is larger: for 10 kg about 600 g instead of 450 g (200 g of chicken, 400 g of potato). Raw potatoes and green parts are off-limits because they contain solanine.
How long should a bland diet last?
3 to 5 days of bland diet are usually enough. Once the stool has been firm again for one to two days, mix the normal food back in over 2 to 3 days. If the diarrhoea doesn't improve within 24 to 48 hours or keeps coming back, your dog needs to see a vet.
A bland diet isn't suitable as a long-term diet: chicken with rice provides too little calcium, vitamins and essential fatty acids. If you want to keep cooking afterwards, use a complete recipe that is supplemented with oil and a mineral and vitamin supplement just before feeding – for example chicken & rice or turkey & rice.
Bland diet for puppies
Puppies dehydrate quickly with diarrhoea, and there may be serious infections or parasites behind it. So if your puppy has diarrhoea, call your vet first.
If your vet gives the go-ahead for a bland diet, bear in mind that puppies need considerably more energy than adult dogs – this calculator is meant for adult dogs. The puppy feeding calculator shows how much energy your puppy needs.
Rice gruel, rusks and cottage cheese for diarrhoea
Besides chicken with rice, these home remedies are often mentioned for diarrhoea – here's how they compare:
- Rice gruel: easy to digest and provides fluid – suitable at the start if your dog is eating little.
- Rusks: soaked, in small amounts as a transition, low in sugar and without chocolate or raisins. They don't replace a meal.
- Cottage cheese: lean and can replace part of the chicken – give only a little, as some dogs don't tolerate lactose well.
The recipe, duration and preparation of rice gruel, rusks and carrot soup are covered in detail in the bland diet article. Home remedies don't replace treatment: if any of the warning signs above apply, please see a vet.
How we calculate
The calculator follows the method described in veterinary nutrition guidelines. First the resting energy requirement: RER = 70 × body weight (kg) to the power of 0.75. Then a factor for life stage and activity: daily requirement = RER × factor. Finally, the conversion via the energy density of the food: grams = kcal ÷ kcal per 100 g × 100.
For the bland diet, the calculator uses the requirement of an adult, neutered dog with normal activity (factor 1.6) and a cooked mix of chicken and side in a ratio of 1 : 2 by weight: about 140 kcal per 100 g with rice, about 105 with potato. On the first day, the dog gets half, split into 5 portions.
We round kcal to the nearest 5 kcal and grams to the nearest 5 g. The range shows ±10%, because dogs vary a lot individually. The values are starting points for healthy dogs and don't replace veterinary advice in the case of illness, pregnancy or marked overweight or underweight.
Factors applied to the RER
| Adult, neutered, normal activity | 1.6 |
|---|---|
| Adult, unneutered, normal activity | 1.8 |
| Calm or senior (from about 8 years) | 1.4 |
| Active (2–3 hrs of exercise, dog sports) | 2.0 |
| Very active (working or sporting dog) | 3.0 |
| Puppy under 4 months | 3.0 |
| Puppy from 4 months until fully grown | 2.0 |
| Weight loss (RER at the target weight) | 1.0 |
Typical energy densities
- Dry food: 360 kcal/100 g (typically 330–400 kcal/100 g)
- Wet food: 100 kcal/100 g (typically 80–120 kcal/100 g)
- Home-cooked / fresh food: 130 kcal/100 g (typically 110–160 kcal/100 g)
- Bland diet chicken + rice (1 : 2): 140 kcal/100 g (typically approx. 130–150 kcal/100 g)
- Bland diet chicken + potato (1 : 2): 105 kcal/100 g (typically approx. 95–115 kcal/100 g)
Sources
- Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006)– National Research Council (NRC), National Academies Press
- Global Nutrition Guidelines– World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)
- Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food– FEDIAF – European Pet Food Industry Federation
Frequently asked questions
How much bland diet does a dog need a day?
The full daily amount equals the normal energy requirement: for a 10 kg dog that's about 450 g of chicken with rice (cooked, 1 : 2), for 20 kg about 755 g. On the first day, give roughly half in 5 small portions and increase over 2 to 3 days.
How much chicken and rice should a dog get?
One part chicken to two parts rice, weighed cooked. On the full amount, a 10 kg dog gets about 150 g of chicken and 300 g of rice a day, a 20 kg dog about 250 g of chicken and 505 g of rice.
How long should a dog stay on a bland diet?
Usually 3 to 5 days. Once the stool has been firm for one to two days, mix the normal food back in over 2 to 3 days. If the diarrhoea lasts longer than 24 to 48 hours or warning signs appear, please see a vet.
Can I use potatoes instead of rice?
Yes, boiled and peeled potatoes are a good alternative. Because they provide less energy than rice, the amount is larger: a 10 kg dog gets about 600 g instead of 450 g a day. Raw potatoes and green parts are off-limits because of solanine.
Can puppies have a bland diet?
Only after talking to your vet. Puppies dehydrate quickly with diarrhoea, so the cause should be checked first. Puppies also need more energy than adult dogs – this calculator is meant for adult dogs.
When do I need to take my dog to the vet with diarrhoea?
With puppies, very old dogs or dogs with existing conditions; with diarrhoea or vomiting lasting longer than 24 to 48 hours; with blood in the stool, fever or lethargy; if your dog isn't drinking; and if you suspect poisoning or a swallowed object.
Do rice gruel or rusks help with diarrhoea?
Rice gruel is easy to digest and provides fluid, so it's suitable for the first day. Rusks are fine soaked and in small amounts, ideally low in sugar and without raisins or chocolate. Neither replaces a complete meal, nor treatment when there are warning signs.
Then back to balanced recipes
After the bland diet, the DoggoMeal app helps you get back to a balanced diet: recipes with grams per ingredient, matched to your dog's weight and what it tolerates.
- Dog profile
- Recipes with gram amounts
- Allergy warnings
- Cooking with video
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