Knowing what your husky can and can’t eat isn’t always so straightforward. There are many “human foods” that huskies should avoid, but what about rice? You’ve probably heard it’s good for an upset stomach, is this really the case?
This article will explain everything you need to know about huskies consuming rice.
In short, yes, huskies can eat rice. Rice is an easily digestible carbohydrate and is considered a grain. While rice is usually only given to huskies with upset stomachs, it may also be given regularly.
Huskies & Rice
Rice is perfectly safe for huskies to eat. In fact, rice is so easy to digest that it’s considered the go-to food to give to a dog that’s suffering from an upset stomach.
Rice is a grain and is a carbohydrate. It does not contain gluten, fiber, or fat, which is why it’s so easy on the stomach.
Many kibbles already include rice in their formula to meet their carbohydrate needs.
White vs Brown Rice
If you plan on feeding your husky rice, it’s best to stick to white rice as it’s much easier on the stomach compared to brown.
Brown rice has the bran and the germ while white rice has had these removed. The bran and the germ contain a lot of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as fiber. Despite technically being “healthier”, brown rice is significantly harder to digest and defeats the purpose of offering rice in the first place.
Can Huskies Eat Rice Everyday?
Okay, by now you’re likely wondering whether rice can be given to your husky on a daily basis as part of their regular diet.
Yes, your husky can eat white rice every day. But consideration needs to be taken in regards to their overall macronutrient breakdown. Rice is all carbohydrates, and huskies thrive off a diet primarily made up of protein and fat.
It makes sense to offer your husky white rice on a daily basis if you are feeding him a raw/cooked food diet.
However, if your husky is consuming a premium kibble then there’s really no need to include rice into his diet.
Most kibbles tailored for working dogs have the right amount of carbohydrates contained already, so it’s best not to interfere with that.
Can Your Husky Eat Rice When Sick?
If your husky has an upset stomach or dealing with diarrhea, one of the best solutions is to transition onto a bland food diet. (after ruling out serious health issues with your vet)
The most basic bland food diet consists of nothing more than plain boiled chicken breast and cooked white rice with no seasonings.
This provides your husky with sufficient (not all) nutrients while allowing his stomach and digestive system to recover.
So yes, your husky can absolutely eat rice when sick, in fact, it should be one of the only things he eats!
In the long run, once your husky regains strength in his stomach, it’s important to move on from chicken and rice as that alone doesn’t provide all nutrients necessary.
Related: Can Huskies Eat Chicken? Raw? Cooked?
How Much Rice Can You Give Your Husky?
If you’re including rice on your husky’s diet then it’s important to know just how much is okay.
The amount you can give your husky depends on why he’s eating rice in the first place, is he sick, or is rice a part of his regular raw/cooked food diet?
Feeding a sick husky
If your husky is following a bland food diet, you’ll want to offer him three small meals per day, all of which are plain boiled chicken and rice.
The amount of rice to chicken should generally be 2-1. So if your husky requires 1 cup of food per meal (which is suitable for a sick husky) then 2/3 of a cup will be rice and 1/3 of a cup chicken.
Feeding rice regularly
If your husky is consuming rice as part of his regular diet then it can be a little more complicated to get right.
In general, an active husky should eat around 35-40 calories per lb of body weight. An active 50lb husky requires around 1750 calories (35×50). Carbohydrates should make up no more than 20% of the daily calories (general rule).
If your husky weighs 50lbs then out of the 1750 calories they need, 350 calories should be from carbohydrates, this equates to around 270 grams of cooked rice (90 grams when dry).
Important note* Cooked rice is around 3 times heavier than dry rice. Crucial to remember when weighing.
| Husky weight | Cooked Rice (grams) |
|---|---|
| 40 lbs | 215 |
| 45 lbs | 240 |
| 50 lbs | 270 |
| 55 lbs | 295 |
| 60 lbs | 320 |
| 65 lbs | 350 |
Best Way To Prepare Rice For Your Husky
The best way to prepare rice for your husky is to plain boil it.
Ensure the rice is thoroughly cooked and avoid adding any seasonings, salt, pepper, butter, or oil. Plain white rice in water only.
Other methods of cooking rice are suitable too (like microwaving), just as long as the rice is kept completely plain.
Related: Can Huskies Eat Grapes? The Truth
Will Rice Make Your Husky Constipated?
Whether or not rice will make your husky constipated comes down to each husky’s individual digestive system and diet.
Generally speaking, a poorly husky consuming chicken and rice will benefit as this diet does tend to reduce bowel movements.
But when considering if rice alone will cause constipation, it’s harder to say. For some huskies, rice alone will cause constipation, and for others, it will not.
We have to remember that white rice doesn’t contain fiber, and diets lacking in fiber usually lead to constipation. So if your husky is consuming a lot of rice (which wouldn’t be recommended anyway) it’s safe to assume it will promote constipation.
Additional Info:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/can-dogs-eat-rice/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319947
Disclaimer
The advice given in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice in any context. Before making any decisions that may affect the health and/or safety of your dog, you should always consult a trained veterinarian in your local area. For the FULL disclaimer Visit HereCopyright Notice: The content produced and published on My Happy Husky is unique and original. My Happy Husky makes an active effort to search for plagiarized content using plagiarism detection software. If plagiarized content is found, action will be taken.
