Can a dog just eat shredded chicken for his diet?

[Guest]

Yes, unfortunately I am back for more advice!

I am hoping that Bentley is heading in the right direction when it comes to his stool, however his eating is another story! So Tuesday and Wednesday Bentley mostly ate chicken and rice, which is exactly what my vet told me to give him, but for some reason today, he will only eat chicken, and will not touch the rice. I even tried adding a little bit of canned food with the rice, and he will not touch it. I then tried to add some canned food with his regular kibble, and he will not touch it.

So my question is can a dog just eat shredded chicken for his diet? If so, how much should he eat? He is about 17.9 pounds.

[Tracy]

No. He cannot eat only chicken. Sounds like he’s a picky eater. If you keep adding things or changing food that’s making him that way.

[Sarah]

He can For a short while yes but not long term. I would consult with your vet about how much to give him.

[Amy]

Dogs will not starve themselves. Put his food down for 10 minutes then pick it up til the next meal. It might take a few days, he's not going to die from skipping a couple days until he realizes "this is what I'm offered, so this is what I eat". Stop doctoring and enticing him and he won't hold out for something else. Dogs skip meals all the time and rarely need to eat the way we think they do. But he knows if he turns his nose up, he gets something else. When he goes other places, take his food so he doesn't get to taste something else.

And shredded chicken is a diet that will result in malnutrition.

[Diane]

Try some cooked butternut squash or pumpkin. Green beans or sweet peas. Carrots. The best rice is the jasmine. It tastes good. Try it with some beef bone broth in it.

[Laurie]

I have a fussy eater. She eats about 1-2 cups of a Freeze Dried Raw and then I have some homemade whole cooked food that I mix in with kibble. Pretty much I am disguising her kibble with tasty homemade whole food. I am learning how much to feed. Enough to disguise but not so much to over feed. If she doesn’t eat it at one feeding she gets it for the next feeding. I am learning that my girl my skip a day of meals but she will eat. Good exercise will help inspire eating.