Bland Diet for Dogs: Treat Upset Stomachs, Vomiting, & Diarrhea [2025]

Has your veterinarian ever recommended you try a bland diet for your dog after he or she experienced a digestive flare-up? Bland diets have traditionally been one of the go-to treatments for dogs experiencing stomach issues. Bland diets for dogs made with gentle, easy-to-digest ingredients can help with recovery from diarrhea, vomiting, or even symptoms of IBS.

KOHA Limited Ingredient Bland Diet comes in both wet and dry recipes, making it easy to find the right fit for your pup. Each meal is packed with high-quality animal protein, such as beef, chicken, or lamb, which provides omega-3 fatty acids to support a healthy coat and skin barrier. Plus, fiber-rich pumpkin, rice, and probiotics help promote smooth digestion and regular stools, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

This guide will review what a bland diet is and what it’s for, provide general guidelines on feeding your dog a bland diet, and give some examples of bland diet recipes for dogs. Read on to find out more about this diet for your furry companion.

What is a Bland Diet for Dogs?

A bland diet for dogs is a meal plan that’s low in fat and contains easily digestible carbohydrates. Bland diet foods for dogs are available in both wet and dry food options, making it easy to incorporate them into any meal plan. This type of diet is recommended by veterinarians and designed to soothe and reset your dog’s gastrointestinal system. The typical components of a bland diet include lean protein sources and carbohydrates.

Protein Sources for Bland Diet Dog Food

Protein is essential for healing and recovery, but certain ingredients commonly found in dog food should be avoided.  For the most gentle formula, KOHA Limited Ingredient Bland Diet features high-quality lamb, chicken, or beef as a single protein source, supporting easy digestion without unnecessary ingredients.

Carbohydrate Sources for Bland Diet Dog Food

Carbohydrates help soothe digestive discomfort, but not all are suitable for a bland diet. While plain boiled white rice is a common recommendation, some commercial diets include harder-to-digest grains like wheat or corn, which can further irritate sensitive stomachs. To promote gentle digestion, it's best to choose recipes that use easily digestible white or brown rice, which provide fiber and support healthy stool production. Both types of rice offer healthy benefits for your pet. Brown rice is rich in fiber to support healthy stools, while white rice is highly digestible, even for pets with extreme food sensitivities. 

KOHA Limited Ingredient Bland Diet is an excellent choice for digestive health, as it includes fiber-rich pumpkin, rice, and essential vitamins that are gentle on the stomach and supports a healthy immune system.

Try KOHA Limited Ingredient Wet Bland Dog Food

What to Look for in a Bland Diet for Dogs

When selecting a bland diet for your dog, it’s crucial to choose one that can support their digestive health. Below are key characteristics to look for in your dog’s food to ensure it’s both nutritious and gentle on their sensitive stomach.

1. Easily digestible

A bland diet should feature ingredients that are simple for your dog’s stomach to break down and absorb. Look for easily digestible ingredients like chicken, beef, lamb, rice, and pumpkin. KOHA Bland Diet Wet Food for Dogs offers beef, chicken, and lamb proteins alongside ingredients like pumpkin and white rice to support healthy digestion and regularity.

2. Low-Fat

Low-fat dog foods are less likely to overwhelm your dog’s digestive system, especially during recovery from an upset stomach or gastrointestinal issues. KOHA Limited Ingredient Wet Bland Diet offers low-fat recipes featuring chicken, beef, or lamb paired with white rice. Each meal is low fat and formulated with high protein to support gentle digestion and nutrition. Ingredients such as pumpkin support gut health, while marine microalgae oil offers a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids to help skin and coat health. Unlike many commercial diets that contain high-fat content, KOHA focuses on limited ingredients to support your dog’s digestive health.

3. Fiber-Rich

The best bland diets include a healthy amount of fiber to help regulate your dog’s bowel movements. Fiber helps firm up loose stools and supports healthy digestion, making it a key component for dogs with diarrhea or other digestive problems. KOHA Bland Diet Dog Food recipes incorporate fiber-rich ingredients like pumpkin and white rice to promote healthy stools and support digestive health.

4. Minimal Ingredients

For dogs with food sensitivities or allergies, a hypoallergenic bland diet can be highly beneficial. Look for foods with limited ingredients that exclude common allergens like potatoes, dairy, or certain animal proteins. KOHA Minimal Ingredient Dog Food is a great choice, offering high-protein, moisture-rich recipes free from peas, potatoes, or corn, which can sometimes cause digestive issues.

5. Nutrient-Dense

A bland diet should be gentle on your dog’s stomach while fulfilling their daily nutritional needs. A nutrient-dense diet supports energy levels without overwhelming the digestive system. KOHA Bland Diet Dog Food is an excellent choice for a calorie-dense option. Each meal is loaded with calories from healthy fats, carbohydrates, and animal protein to maintain proper nourishment throughout the day.

By choosing a bland diet with these essential ingredients, you can help support your dog’s digestive system and overall well-being.

Bland Diet for Dogs: Wet food vs. dry food 

Bland diet dog food comes in wet and dry food options, so it’s important to understand the differences between them. Some pet parents even mix wet and dry food to combine the benefits of both.

Wet Food

When your dog is experiencing digestive issues, wet food can be a gentle option to support their recovery. Here’s why wet food is a great choice for digestive support:

• Higher moisture content: Wet food contains significantly more water, which can help promote hydration, which is especially important for dogs recovering from diarrhea or vomiting.

• Soft texture: The softer consistency of wet food is easier to chew for dogs with dental issues, sensitive teeth, or those who struggle with hard kibble.

• Palatability: Wet food’s richer aroma and flavor make it a great choice for picky eaters or dogs with reduced appetites during illness or recovery.

Try KOHA Wet Bland Diet for Dogs today.

Dry Food

While wet food is great for short-term recovery, dry food provides long-term benefits to your dog’s daily routine. Here are some key benefits that dry food offers:

• Cost-effectiveness: Dry food is typically more budget-friendly than wet food, making it a practical choice for homes with larger breeds or multiple dogs.

• Storage: Storage is easier as it does not require refrigeration after opening. 

• Less mess: Food with less residue offers tidier servings and less cleanup.

Treat your pet to KOHA Bland Diet Dry Food for Dogs.

Veterinary Diets vs. Bland Diets for Dogs

When dogs experience gastrointestinal issues, many veterinarians have traditionally recommended homemade diets made with ingredients like chicken and rice. While these simple, home-cooked meals can be helpful for short-term digestive distress, they may not provide everything your dog needs for complete recovery or long-term health. 

Homemade bland diets can certainly be a good option for a few days, but they often fall short when it comes to meeting your dog’s daily nutritional and calorie requirements. Plus, preparing these meals in bulk can be time-consuming, especially if you have a larger dog. 

Ready-to-serve bland diets like KOHA Bland Diet for dogs  offer easily digestible ingredients like chicken or rice, along with ingredients like pumpkin to provide added fiber and nutrients that homemade meals might miss. These bland diets for dogs help with upset stomach, recovery, and long-term nourishment.

For dogs with chronic gastrointestinal issues, a formulated bland diet can be beneficial for the long-term. These bland diets for dogs often provide consistent, balanced nutrition that supports your pet's digestive health without causing further irritation. 

While homemade diets may work as a quick fix, ready-to-serve, complete and balanced bland diets offer a more convenient and reliable solution to support long-term digestive health.

KOHA Bland Diet Dog Food offers simple, limited-ingredient recipes that may help with chronic upset stomach, digestive flare-ups, and food sensitivities. Perfect for dogs with sensitive stomachs, each recipe features highly digestible ingredients like pumpkin and rice to support smooth digestion. With a single animal protein per recipe, your dog can avoid junky fillers or common allergens that may trigger their digestive system. And with dry food options enriched with prebiotics and probiotics, you can help your pet build a balanced gut microbiome, achieve better nutrient absorption, and benefit from enhanced immune support.

Try KOHA Limited Ingredient Bland Dog Food Diet.

When To Feed Your Dog a Bland Diet

A bland diet can be a highly effective solution for various canine digestive issues, including:

Upset Stomach

For dogs experiencing an upset stomach, a bland diet can help reduce irritation. Typical bland diet ingredients are chosen for their low fat and simple composition to reduce strain on the digestive system and give your dog’s stomach time to heal.  

Vomiting

When a dog struggles with vomiting, veterinarians generally recommend a diet that is simple, easy to keep down, and anti-inflammatory. With its soothing properties and easily digestible ingredients, a bland diet can help settle your dog’s stomach and reduce the frequency of vomiting. 

Diarrhea

If your pup has diarrhea, a bland diet helps firm up bowel movements and restore normal intestinal function. A bland diet for dogs is usually high in fiber to support healthy stools. This can provide relief to the digestive tract, allowing it to heal.  

Other Digestive Issues

For chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a bland diet can help manage symptoms when they flare up. Just be sure to choose a nutritionally complete diet like KOHA Bland Diet for dogs so your dog gets the nutrients they need to feel better.

Ruling Out Serious Conditions

Veterinarians often recommend a bland diet as a diagnostic tool to rule out more serious conditions. If a dog's symptoms improve on this diet, that suggests that their issues are dietary rather than indicative of a more severe underlying condition. 

This approach is important in formulating long-term dietary strategies for your dog’s general well-being.

Best Bland Diets for Dogs

The best bland diets for dogs are simple, easy to prepare, and highly digestible, making them ideal for pups experiencing digestive discomfort.

KOHA Bland Diet for Dogs

If you need to feed your dog a bland diet, whether it’s for a sudden upset stomach or an ongoing digestive problem, KOHA Bland Diet is a convenient and easy to serve solution. Available in chicken, beef, or lamb, KOHA Bland Diet is made with highly digestible white rice and pumpkin to support healthy stools, plus pre and probiotics in dry dog food recipes for healthy digestion. With these powerhouse ingredients and more, KOHA Bland Diet can help get your pup’s tummy back on track.

KOHA Bland Diet is ready to serve, with no cooking or preparation required. It has all of the necessary vitamins and minerals your dog needs, making it a great option as a complete and balanced diet. Save yourself cooking and prep time, and simply serve KOHA Bland Diet instead.

Switch to KOHA Bland Chicken & White Rice Diet Today.

Homemade Bland Diet for Dog Recipe

The standard bland diet consists of boiled, unseasoned white rice, and boiled, diced chicken breast, with skin and bones removed. This combination provides a balance of carbohydrates and protein, which is essential for your dog's recovery. 

The chicken should also be unseasoned. When cooking meat, use a meat thermometer to confirm that the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit so it's safe for your dog to consume.

Bland Diet for Dogs Allergic to Chicken

Chicken, despite being a popular and generally healthy protein source for many dogs, can cause allergic reactions in others. 

For dogs allergic to chicken, the bland diet can be modified by replacing chicken with other protein sources. Options include lean lamb or beef, cooked in the same manner: boiled or pan-fried without seasoning and thoroughly drained to remove fat. If your dog is allergic to chicken, KOHA Limited Ingredient Bland Diet offers lamb or beef as excellent alternatives to chicken. Lamb and beef are highly digestible proteins that provide essential amino acids to support muscle health and recovery, making them ideal for dogs with specific food allergies. These proteins are also packed with iron, zinc, and B vitamins, providing essential nutrients to support your dog’s daily energy levels.

Try KOHA Wet Bland Diet with Lamb & White Rice

Bland Diet for Dogs with Add-ons

Additional ingredients like canned (or puréed) pumpkin or bone broth can help enhance the nutritional value and variety of the bland diet for dogs. This approach allows for a bit of diversity in the diet, which is good for picky eaters, while still retaining the bland diet’s gentle nature. 

Bland Diet For Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs

For dogs with sensitive stomachs, selecting the right bland diet is essential to support their digestive health without causing further irritation. Dogs with sensitive stomachs can experience discomfort when exposed to junky fillers, allergens, or overly complex ingredients. A bland diet made with limited ingredients helps provide gentle nutrition while easing digestive discomfort. Look for recipes that include simple proteins like chicken, lamb, or beef, paired with easy-to-digest ingredients like white rice or pumpkin. 

KOHA Bland Diet Dry Food for Dogs is an excellent solution for pups with sensitive stomachs. Each formula includes high-quality, easily digestible proteins like chicken and beef, combined with rice and pumpkin to support healthy stool production. Whether your dog is recovering from a temporary stomach issue or managing a long-term sensitivity, KOHA provides delicious bland diets that promote a healthy digestive system.

Bland Diet for Dogs Guidelines

While a bland diet is effective in settling your pup’s upset stomach and normalizing bowel movements, its success still depends on how well you adhere to the guidelines to ensure your dog’s health and safety.

How Much to Feed Your Dog with a Bland Diet

The amount of bland diet food your dog needs depends on their size, activity level, age, environment, and breed. Here’s a general breakdown of feeding guidelines based on KOHA’s wet and dry bland diet options:

KOHA Bland Diet Dry Dog Food Daily Feeding Instructions

Always provide access to clean, fresh water. Store in a cool, dry place in a sealed bag or container, and use within 60 days of opening for freshness. Here are some general guidelines for how much Bland Diet Dry Dog Food to feed your pet:

Adult dogs:

• 5-15 lbs: ¾ - 1 ½ cups per day for maintenance; ½ - 1 ¼ cups per day for weight loss.

• 16-25 lbs: 1 ½ - 2 ¼ cups per day for maintenance; 1 ¼ - 1 ¾ cups per day for weight loss.

• 26-50 lbs: 2 ¼ - 3 ½ cups per day for maintenance; 1 ¾ - 2 ¾ cups per day for weight loss.

• 51-75 lbs: 3 ½ - 4 ¾ cups per day for maintenance; 2 ¾ - 3 ¾ cups per day for weight loss.

• 76-100 lbs: 4 ¾ - 5 ¾ cups per day for maintenance; 3 ¾ - 4 ¾ cups per day for weight loss.

Puppies: Feed up to twice the adult maintenance amount.

Pregnant/nursing females: Feed up to three times the adult maintenance amount.

KOHA Bland Diet Wet Dog Food Feeding Instructions

Serve wet food at room temperature and refrigerate unused portions. Feed adult dogs one pouch per 15 lbs of body weight per day. If you’re using wet food as a mixer, feed half the serving amount of KOHA Bland Diet alongside half the serving amount of your dog’s current food.

General Bland Diet Feeding Tips

Here are a few general feeding tips for effective bland diet use:

• Small meals: Divide the recommended daily intake into multiple small meals (two to three times a day) to avoid overburdening your dog’s digestive system.

• Monitor your dog: Observe your dog’s response to the diet, adjusting portion sizes as needed so they’re comfortable and satisfied.

• Hydration: Always ensure your dog has access to fresh, clean water, especially when transitioning to a bland diet.

How Long to Feed Your Dog a Bland Diet

Although it can sometimes be used to manage symptoms of a chronic digestive issue in dogs, a homemade bland diet is typically a short-term solution that’s meant to manage acute gastrointestinal symptoms. 

Generally, dogs should be on a homemade bland diet for three to five days. However, the exact duration can vary based on the severity of the symptoms and the dog's response to the diet. Some dogs may benefit from a complete and balanced bland diet for all their meals.

If you’re serving KOHA Bland Diet to your dog, it can be served to your dog as a permanent part of their diet. It’s complete and balanced, so your dog will receive all of the nutrients they need in an easy-to-digest diet. It can also be served as a daily meal topper. 

How to Reintroduce My Dog’s Regular Diet

Portion control and frequency are important factors in feeding your dog a bland diet. Small, frequent meals are recommended to ease digestion. 

If you’re returning to your dog’s original diet, do so gradually  to avoid upsetting their stomach again. Start by mixing a small amount of their regular food with a bland diet. Start with a ratio of 25% regular food and 75% bland diet. Over the course of five to seven days, gradually increase the proportion of regular food while decreasing the bland diet.

Watch for any signs of gastrointestinal distress during this transition. If symptoms reoccur, revert to the bland diet and consult your veterinarian. This cautious approach ensures a smooth dietary transition and avoids sudden changes that might upset your dog's digestive health.

If your dog suffers from chronic digestive issues, your best bet may be switching to KOHA Bland Diet for Dogs, rather than staying on their current diet or returning to their original diet after a brief period of homemade bland foods. Made with easily digestible proteins like chicken, beef, or lamb, this gentle formula helps soothe digestive flare-ups. 

Learn More About Bland Diet for Dogs

Are scrambled eggs considered a bland diet for dogs?

Yes, scrambled eggs can be a good option for dogs on a bland diet. Eggs are easily digestible and provide a good source of protein, making them suitable for a dog recovering from digestive issues. Just be sure to cook the eggs thoroughly and avoid adding seasonings, butter, or oil, which can irritate the stomach.

How do you make a homemade bland diet for dogs?

A homemade bland diet typically consists of simple, easily digestible ingredients that won’t stress your dog’s digestive system. A common homemade bland diet includes boiled chicken and white rice. When preparing a homemade bland diet, avoid spices, seasonings, and oils that could irritate your dog’s stomach. Always consult your veterinarian before switching to a homemade diet to make sure it meets your dog’s nutritional needs.

Can dogs eat peanut butter on a bland diet?

Peanut butter can be included in a bland diet for dogs, but it should be used sparingly. Ensure the peanut butter does not contain added sugar, salt, or xylitol (a sweetener that is toxic to dogs). While it can be a good source of protein and healthy fats, peanut butter should not be a primary part of a bland diet, especially if your dog has a sensitive stomach or food allergies.

How else can I help my dog with an upset stomach?

In addition to feeding your dog a bland diet, you can help soothe their upset stomach by ensuring they have plenty of water to stay hydrated. If your dog has a reduced appetite, try hand-feeding smaller, more frequent meals to encourage them to eat. Providing a calm, quiet environment can also help reduce stress, which may exacerbate digestive issues. If your dog’s symptoms persist or worsen, be sure to consult your veterinarian for further guidance and care.

Choose the Best Bland Diet for Dogs

Ensuring your dog's quick recovery from gastrointestinal distress starts with choosing the best bland diet. The right blend of highly digestible ingredients not only soothes your pet's stomach but also supports their overall health during recovery. A bland diet is more than just food; it's a bridge to better health, offering balanced nutrition while your companion’s digestive system heals.

When selecting a bland diet, choose from gently formulated KOHA Bland Diet Wet Food or KOHA Bland Diet Dry Food for a convenient and nutritious option. Both are made with your dog's delicate digestive system in mind, featuring limited ingredients like chicken, beef, lamb, white rice, and pumpkin. KOHA Limited Ingredient Wet Food is ideal for immediate relief and hydration during acute digestive issues, and both it and  KOHA Limited Ingredient Dry Food for dogs offer a convenient, nutritionally complete solution for long-term digestive support. You can even mix the two for added variety and benefits.

If your dog is allergic to grains and grain by-products, KOHA also offers a variety of grain-free dog food options. The most important thing is to find the food that works best for your dog and their health needs.

Explore KOHA’s range of wet and dry bland diet foods to find the perfect fit for your furry friend.