The Bland Diet: How to Feed a Dog With an Upset Stomach

A bland diet is one of the most commonly recommended at-home approaches for mild digestive upset in dogs, and it works by offering something simple and easily digestible that gives an irritated stomach and intestines a chance to settle, without the added work of processing a more complex regular diet.

The classic version is plain boiled chicken (no skin, bones, seasoning, or oil) mixed with plain white rice, in roughly a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio of chicken to rice. The rice provides easily digestible carbohydrates and helps firm stool, while the chicken provides lean protein without the fat content that can aggravate an already upset digestive system. Plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices) can be added in small amounts for additional fiber if there's a constipation component, or omitted if diarrhea is the primary issue.

Portions should generally be smaller and more frequent than a normal feeding schedule — several small meals throughout the day rather than the usual one or two larger ones — to avoid overwhelming a sensitive stomach.

How long to stay on it: typically 2-3 days once symptoms have started improving, then gradually transition back to regular food over another few days by mixing in increasing amounts, similar to any food transition. Staying on a bland diet for more than a few days isn't nutritionally complete long-term and isn't meant as an ongoing solution.

What to do: If symptoms haven't improved within 2-3 days on a bland diet, or if they worsen at any point, that's a sign this needs more than a diet change — check in with a vet rather than continuing to wait it out.

For the broader picture on other home approaches and which ones are actually worth trying, here's a full breakdown.