How Often Should I Feed My Dog Chicken Hearts? Domestic dogs, regardless of breed or size, require a balanced diet.
In the good old days before processed foods, dogs mostly ate what their owners ate and often straight from their owner’s dinner plate.
I spent a lot of time on an uncle’s farm growing up and the dogs were fed just about anything you can think of raw or cooked. Read more about raw food in companion animals in this study published in the National Library.
Back in the time when humans were beginning to domesticate dogs, they were mostly fed scraps of bones and meat, and often vegetables, according to scientists who study past human and animal behavior.
How Often Should I Feed My Dog Chicken Hearts?
A chicken heart is a bit of muscle with a lot of protein that is good for carnivore animals, including dogs. Experts recommend feeding your dog chicken hearts no more than 2-3 times a week, depending upon the dog’s size and breed. Dogs fed too many carbohydrates can rapidly gain weight.
Are Chicken Hearts Healthy Food for Dogs?
Chicken hearts in moderate portions are nutritious food and can be added to supplement your dog’s current diet.
Keep in mind that, like anything, and particularly food, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Chicken hearts are rich in vitamins and protein. They have a number of nutrients including iron, B vitamins, and zinc, all good supplements for your favorite dog.
They also contain fatty acids that are a source of omega-3 that help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fatty acids can also lower the death risk if your older dog has cardiovascular disease.
Your Dog’s Health and Diet
Heart disease is common in dogs and their dog owners. As in humans, dogs can suffer from irregular heart rates, heart valve degeneration, arrhythmia, and heart muscle issues.
It is a good thing to keep in mind that chicken hearts are organ meat just like kidneys, gizzards, and liver. As such, they should be consumed in moderation with the amount dependent upon a number of factors, as follows
- The size of your dog.
- How active is your dog is
- Does your dog have health issues?
Big dogs, especially if they are active, appreciate a load of protein, which chicken hearts can provide.
For a reasonably active dog, organ meat can make up around 10% of the daily diet. If your dog is very active, such as a great swimmer or ball and Frisbee chaser, you can go as high as 15% in his or her daily diet.
Dogs and Activity
Very active dogs use up more energy and can burn through a big pile of calories in a day, as opposed to more sedentary breeds.
If your dog does have health issues, then it is best to consult with a veterinarian, particularly if your dog has digestive problems.
A heart is both an organ and an organ with a lot of muscle. If you want your dog to have heart, feed him or her heart.
It literally builds heart health. Puppies fed a regular diet from as soon as they can ingest solid food will be better off than those on a diet of commercial dog food.
As well as providing your puppy with a good number of the daily vitamins he or she needs, chicken hearts will also create a smooth, silky coating of hair.
This may not be the case with all dogs, but it has certainly been in my dog-owning experience.
Preparing Chicken Hearts for your Dog
Most veterinarians consider raw chicken hearts are better and more natural food for dogs.
However, you can prepare them at home and add some to your dog’s regular meals. Chicken hearts can add flavor to regular meals and their addition also creates a well-rounded diet.
There are several ways of preparing chicken hearts for your dog. The simplest way is simply simmering them for an hour in water that has been lightly salted.
Roast them by cooking them for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use your kitchen meat thermometer to make sure they have an interior heat of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are into dehydrating foods, you can use your skill in creating dehydrated chicken hearts.
Frequently Asked Questions about Feeding Dogs Chicken Hearts
Where is the best place to buy chicken hearts for my dog?
Try your local butcher or the meat department at your supermarket. If you live somewhere where fresh chicken hearts are not available, you can buy them frozen online.
My dog has been raised on dry dog food. Is it okay to begin to feed him chicken hearts?
You can, but I would recommend starting slowly. Just a small helping a few times a week and see how your pet responds.If in doubt, check with your dog’s vet.
My dog suffers from diarrhea. Can I feed her chicken hearts?
An older dog that eats more than five percent of his or her daily food intake as chicken heart can generate loose stools. I would suggest starting her on a very small helping and monitoring her progress. But, consult your vet first, however.
Conclusion To How Often Should I Feed My Dog Chicken Hearts
Animal nutritionists recommend serving chicken hearts to your dog no more than two to three times a week, depending on the size of the serving and the size of the dog, and how active it is. At the end of the day, whether the chicken hearts you bought are served raw, boiled, roasted, dehydrated, or fried, your doggy companion will love them.