Does your dog scoot his or her bum on the ground? Has your pup needed those anal glands expressed by the vet? -Ack!- Supplementing your pup's meals with Pumpkin Rice and Green Beans for Dogs may provide that little extra fiber to help with back door issues.
Our Basset Hound, Paisley, has had some troubles with her caboose as she's become a senior gal. She doesn't do a lot of scooting, but she seems to go from fine-and-dandy to impaction to infection in no time at all. Twice we ended up at the emergency vet. During the last visit, the doctor suggested incorporating a little more fiber into her diet.
For years, we supplemented our dogs' meals with Chicken and Rice for Dogs. While white rice and boiled chicken are easy on upset tummies, they don't provide much fiber. So our first inclination was to switch to Chicken, Barley and Veggies for Dogs.
However, our Miss P had suffered some terrible ear infections over the last few years. We finally got those cleared up by putting her on prescription hydrolyzed kibble (What to Know About Hydrolyzed Protein Dog Food).
We didn't want to run the risk of feeding chicken and having a flare up. Those velvety hound ears aren't without their own troubles sometimes! So I took to the kitchen to create a supplement with a little fiber (not too much!) that would not trigger an allergic reaction.
We already knew that our dogs love rice, pumpkin, and green beans individually. It seemed kind of weird to put them together in one dish. But - who knew? They love it! And so far, so good on both ends of the hound.
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Ingredients
The Pumpkin Rice and Green Beans for Dogs recipe has just three simple ingredients:
- whole grain brown rice
- 100% pure pumpkin puree
- low sodium canned green beans
Use these handy links below to have the ingredients delivered to your door.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions / Variations
If you're lacking an ingredient or two... or you know your dog turns his/her nose up at an ingredient, here are a few ideas to vary the recipe without sacrificing the fiber benefits.
- Brown Rice - The brown rice is key, because it contains the fiber necessary to achieve the goal of adding more fiber to your dog's diet. White rice is easy to digest but will not provide any fiber, so it's not ideal in this recipe.
For an alternative to brown rice, I suggest barley. Use the amount of water and cook time directed on package instructions. - Pumpkin - As an alternative to pumpkin, substitute the same quantity of fresh squash or carrots.
For squash: Simply cut the squash in half, peel & seed it, cut into a small dice, and cook in the same pot with the rice.
For carrots: Just peel, dice, and cook with rice. - Green Beans - You could replace the green beans with an equal amount of zucchini, peas, or broccoli. A caution about broccoli, though, is you may find your pup has a little extra gas! 🐕💨
Equipment
We reach for certain items every time we make this recipe. Here they are and why we love them.
OXO 12" Non-stick Fry Pan with Lid - This skillet is a work horse in our kitchen. We reach for it A LOT. I love making rice in it because of the non-stick coating. We also love that it comes with a clear glass lid, which is so nice to see when all the water is absorbed without lifting the lid.
Rubbermaid High Heat Spoon Spatula - When using non-stick cookware, you always want to avoid metal utensils. This spoon spatula won't scratch your OXO Fry Pan, and it's heat safe up to 500° F. And we love that it both scrapes and spoons!
Anchor Hocking Bowl w Lid - We alway refrigerate the Pumpkin Rice and Green Beans for Dogs recipe in this bowl. The lid keeps the food from drying out, and the handle makes it so easy to get in and out of the fridge.
Storage
This recipe should be refrigerated in a covered container. It will keep fresh for up to seven days.
If freezing, always use food storage bags meant for the freezer. You can freeze portions in freezer bags, and it will be good for up to three months.
Top Tip
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS
Talk to your veterinarian before making changes to your dog's diet.
In addition, here are a few articles you may find helpful:
- How to Add Fiber to my Dog's Diet by The Spruce Pets
- What Is Fiber and Why Does Your Dog Need it in Their Diet? by American Kennel Club
- The Right Amount of Fiber in Your Dogs Diet by Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
FAQ
It may take some experimenting to figure out what works for your dog. Start small (about one tablespoon) and increase as your dog can tolerate.
For each of our dogs, we add 3-4 tablespoons to their meals twice a day (once with breakfast and once with dinner).
For reference, our Paisley weighs 50 pounds, Cassie's weight hovers around 45 pounds, and Colby tips the scale at 65 pounds. The servings we feed provide approximately an extra 2 grams of fiber per day, which works well for our pups.
Giving three medium-sized dogs a scant ¼ cup with each meal, this recipe lasts us about 7 days. Scale the recipe according to how much you will need in a week.
Yes! The sooner your freeze it, the fresher it will be upon thawing.
Portion 3-5 days' worth of servings into freezer bags. Don't forget to label and date each bag. Flatten the contents in the bags and freeze flat, so they stack nice when frozen.
Thaw each bag in refrigerator for 1-2 days before using.
Be aware of the extra calories to your dog's diet. We reduced our dog's regular kibble by a little but not too much, because commercial dog food contains formulated nutrients that dogs need.
Ask your veterinarian if you have concerns getting the right amount of calories and nutrition for your dog's size, weight, and age.
Related
Looking for other recipes for your dog? Try these:
- Chicken and Rice for Dogs
- Chicken, Barley and Veggies for Dogs
- Blueberry Dog Treats
- Raw Meatballs for Dogs
You get hungry, too.
Here are some recipes that you might enjoy after you're done cooking for your pup.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole grain brown rice
- 4 cups water
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 29 ounces canned green beans low sodium
Instructions
- Add rice and water to 12" skillet or 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. We like to use our OXO non-stick skillet, shown below.Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Cut green beans into pieces with kitchen shears or chop on cutting board.
- Transfer rice to large food storage container. Stir green beans and pumpkin into rice until evenly combined.
- Keep covered and refrigerated. Consume within seven days.Freeze portions (see FAQs) that will not be used within seven days. Recipe can be frozen for up to three months.
- Mix 1-4 tablespoons into your dog's regular meals as a supplement. See FAQs and consult your veterinarian for working this into your dog's diet.You can also stir in 1-2 tablespoons of warm water with each meal, if desired.
Nutrition
Equipment
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Food Safety
Just like when preparing food for people, we should take the same food safety measures when cooking for our dogs.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Do not leave food sitting out at room temperature.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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