Do you want to mix things up in your pup’s diet with some whole-grain foods but are wondering if you can feed your pooch plain couscous?
Yes, you can feed your dog couscous in moderate servings. Couscous is one of the recommended whole grains in homemade dog food. Couscous contains selenium, an antioxidant that prevents cancer. However, dogs aren’t supposed to consume excessive selenium, so it’s important to know what amount of couscous is safe for your pup.
Couscous also contains dietary fibers, magnesium, vitamin B6, and essential proteins. So, include couscous in your dog’s diet. There are many ways to prepare couscous with other ingredients to serve just the right amount to avoid going overboard.
We will tell you all about the proper couscous serving size, how to cook couscous, and also the effects of couscous on dogs. So, dive right in for complete insight into this topic!
Is Couscous Safe For Dogs?
Couscous is safe for dogs, and in the correct portion, couscous is healthy food to be added to your dog’s diet, but only if your dog is not allergic to gluten. Since couscous contains wheat, couscous has gluten. So, make sure to check if your dog is sensitive to gluten or wheat beforehand. If not, then you can feed your doggie plain, cooked, or uncooked couscous.
Health Conditions To Watch For While Feeding Couscous
Couscous is the perfect food for dogs since it is a whole grain, making it highly nutritious. But not every dog can eat couscous without falling sick. For instance, the couscous will backfire on a diabetic dog allergic to carbohydrates. Hence, avoid feeding couscous to your pup in large amounts right off the bat.
If you are unsure about your dog’s health condition or allergies, then try feeding your dog a small amount at first. If your dog doesn’t show any negative reaction, you can slightly increase the quantity of couscous. However, if your dog shows even some minor abnormality, then speak to your vet right away.
Is It Okay To Feed Uncooked Couscous To Dogs?
Are you wondering, can dogs eat raw couscous, and is it safe? Yes, it is safe to feed dogs uncooked couscous. However, there is a high probability that your dog won’t eat raw couscous at all. Most dogs prefer seasoned couscous instead of hard-to-chew tiny balls. You should be careful about choosing the ingredients while cooking couscous for your furry buddy.
Some people add onions, garlic, and chives, which are all toxic to dogs. You think of adding these ingredients to enhance the taste, but that only works with humans, unfortunately, not with dogs. Plus, adding excessive salt also tends to be harmful to dogs. So, even if couscous is safe for dogs, there are certain situations and conditions that can be fatal.
How To Include Couscous To My Dog’s Diet Safely?
Adding new food to a dog’s diet requires a gradual transition because dogs take more time than humans to adjust to new foods. So, it is best to avoid any sudden changes in your pup’s diet. Instead, mix a small amount of couscous in your dog’s regular meal to see how their digestive system will react.
Now, let’s get into the details of adding this whole grain to your dog’s diet!
Adjusting The Amount Of Couscous
Once you start feeding your pup a small quantity of couscous, keep monitoring his health for a week. If the couscous is not producing any gastrointestinal distress, increase the serving amount gradually.
After another week, increase the amount of couscous to the food you mix it with. But only do this if your dog didn’t show any signs of discomfort over the past week. By doing this, you won’t be jeopardizing your dog’s health, instead, you will be blessing your canine with a healthy diet.
Ways To Check Your Dog’s Digestive Health
Once you change your dog’s diet, the only question will be how to check if couscous is safe for your dog? Well, the perfect indicator of your dog’s digestive system health is its stool. So, keep a close eye on any changes in your pup’s stool during dietary changes.
If there are any significant negative signs, it will be best to discontinue feeding couscous to your puppy. Another option for checking if couscous is safe for your dog is to look for any allergy symptoms, like constant licking or chewing off skin resulting in hot spots.
Often, when dogs are allergic to a particular food or their system isn’t accepting it, you have to stop feeding it to them. In the beginning, the allergy won’t be that noticeable, so stay alert to hair fall and slight itchiness.
How To Cook Couscous For Dogs?
You can cook couscous bought from a supermarket just by steeping it in warm water for around 2 to 5 minutes. If you want to add more flavor and extra nutritional content, soak the couscous in beef broth or homemade chicken.
To be honest, your dog’s tummy won’t be filled with only couscous as it is not enough to make a complete meal. If you want to provide your dog with a well-balanced diet, you should add more protein with grains and vegetables.
So, you can mix the couscous with other food such as chicken and lamb for protein, or beans is also a fine choice. You can also mix the couscous with canned food. Here is a quick recipe to cook a healthy and delicious meal for your pup.
Couscous Cooked With Chicken And Vegetables
The first thing you must keep in mind while preparing food for your dog is that their digestive system and nutritional needs are different from humans. So, you don’t have to add spices or salt to food because dogs cannot process herbs properly.
Plus, avoid using a lot of oil and fat as it will be bad for your pup’s heart. However, you can include a teaspoon of olive oil occasionally as it is supposed to be healthy for dogs.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces couscous
- 1 ounce chopped and boiled carrots, celery, and fennel bulb
- 4.5 ounces cooked and diced chicken breasts
- One chopped boiled egg
- Olive oil or sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
- Take a pan and add chicken stock to it and let it heat.
- Now add couscous to the pan and cover it for 5 minutes. Afterward, fluff the couscous and remove it from the stove.
- Take a serving bowl and mix the couscous with the chicken breast and add all the vegetables.
- Sprinkle chopped boiled egg on top and drizzle with some olive oil.
Cooking Tip
The ratio of meat to vegetable to starch varies according to your dog’s needs, but the primary balance is 40% meat, 35% vegetables, and 25% starch. Plus, it is better to use three kinds of vegetables to provide proper nutrients.
You can also add supplements if you want. However, make sure to consult your vet before experimenting with homemade food for your dog.
