Is cooked chicken safe for my 5-month-old Shih Tzu puppy to eat?

Yes, cooked chicken meat is fine. Do not give cooked chicken bones as they will splinter when chewed and can cause damage in the stomach and intestines. I prefer to give a good quality dog food, and use a small amount of chicken for treats when training or to encourage dogs to eat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If just eating chicken breast then it would be about 10 ounces. This is based on a daily caloric intake of about 465 calories. Keep in mind that it is recommended to give a protein with a carbohydrate such as rice which then would lower the amount of chicken. You can always check the calories in whatever you decide to feed him knowing that it should be about 465 calories. Good luck!

Occasional treats of plain, unseasoned, boiled chicken is probably ok. However, it is best only to use in special circumstances, like during training sessions. If you feed it rountinely she may not want to eat her regular dog food. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi, It generally is a good idea to only feed dog food. It is specially formulated for dogs and most are properly balanced and have everything they need. Human food, especially fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis and other health issues. The dog food does not necessarily have to be for Shih Tzus. Hope this helps!

Yes, you can give your pup cooked chicken or meat as an occasional treat. I would boil the chicken or meat as that's the healthiest way to give it to your pup. Too much fat can lead to pancreatitis, so never give your pup pork and only lean cuts of meat :-)

Commercial diet of good quality (Royal Canin or Hill's puppy food) is the best option up to twelve months of age. Then you can switch to adult food. Feed her twice daily. As treats it would be ideal to use vegetables like carrots for example. These would be very healthy and not fat at all.

Hi there and thank you for posting this question. Raw chicken can cause intestinal salmonella and campylobacter infections in dogs just like it can in humans. There is also a human health risk as the people in the household could be exposed my licking or fecal matter. If you want to feed chicken I would encourage you to cook it first. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.