If you’re looking for a nutritious, tail-wagging treat to enhance your dog’s diet, homemade bone broth could be the perfect addition. Packed with flavor and beneficial nutrients, bone broth can support joint health, improve digestion, and even entice picky eaters to finish their meals. The best part? Preparing bone broth for your furry friend is simple and allows you to control exactly what goes into it, ensuring it’s made with love and tailored to your dog’s needs.
How to Make Bone Broth for Dogs – A Nutritious Treat for Your Furry Friend
Bone broth for dogs is more than just a tasty treat—it’s a nutrient-packed powerhouse that supports your pup’s gut health, immunity, and joint strength. If you’ve been curious about incorporating this health trend into your canine’s diet or exploring holistic ways to enhance their well-being, you’re in the right place. This easy guide walks you through everything you need to know about making bone broth for dogs, including its benefits, a step-by-step recipe, and tips on how to serve it.
Why Bone Broth Is Good for Dogs
Bone broth is a rich, flavorful liquid made by simmering animal bones with water, vegetables, and apple cider vinegar to extract beneficial nutrients. While bone broth has gained immense popularity for its health benefits among humans, it can do wonders for dogs, too.
Key Benefits of Bone Broth for Dogs:
Improves Digestive Health
Bone broth contains gelatin, collagen, and amino acids like glycine and glutamine, which help strengthen the gut lining, ease inflammation, and prevent issues like leaky gut syndrome.
Boosts Immune Function
Packed with antiviral and anti-inflammatory amino acids like proline and glycine, bone broth supports your dog’s immune system and promotes overall health.
Supports Joint Health
The slow-cooking process extracts glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen from bones—elements that protect and strengthen cartilage and joints.
Detoxifies the Liver
Bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid that aids in liver detoxification, keeping your dog’s metabolism healthy and efficient.
Hydration and Appetite Aid
For picky eaters or dogs recovering from illness, the savory broth can help sustain hydration and encourage eating.
With these health benefits in mind, let’s move on to making your first batch of bone broth.
What You’ll Need to Make Bone Broth for Dogs
Ingredients:
Raw Bones: Marrow bones, knuckle bones, chicken feet, or beef neck bones. Ensure they are raw and organic for the best results.
Apple Cider Vinegar (2-4 tablespoons): Helps extract nutrients from the bones.
Vegetables (optional): Celery, carrots, parsley, or thyme. Avoid onions or excessive garlic as they can be harmful to dogs.
Water: Enough to cover the bones with a 2–3-inch buffer at the top.
Equipment:
- Slow cooker, pressure cooker, or Dutch oven
- Strainer or cheesecloth
- Freezer-safe containers, mason jars, or ice cube trays for storage
- Step-by-Step Guide to Making Bone Broth for Dogs
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Place the raw bones in your slow cooker, pressure cooker, or Dutch oven. Add your vegetables (if using) and pour in water until the bones are fully submerged with at least 2–3 inches of excess water. Add apple cider vinegar to help draw nutrients from the bones.
Step 2: Cook Low and Slow
Set your slow cooker to LOW and simmer the broth for 24 hours. For faster preparation, use a high-pressure cooker and simmer for 12 hours. Stir occasionally to ensure everything mixes evenly.
Step 3: Strain the Broth
Once cooking is complete, allow the broth to cool briefly. Strain it thoroughly using a fine strainer or cheesecloth to remove bits of bone and vegetables. Never feed your dog cooked bones as they can splinter and become a choking hazard.
Step 4: Skim the Fat
After the broth cools further, place it in the fridge for a few hours. A solid layer of fat will form on top, which you can skim off. Excess fat isn’t ideal for dogs and may upset their stomachs, so this step is essential.
Step 5: Store for Future Use
Pour the broth into freezer-safe containers, mason jars, or ice cube trays, and label them with the preparation date. It can last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy!
Add 2–3 tablespoons of broth over your dog’s meals as a tasty topper or offer it as a standalone treat. If using frozen cubes, thaw them before serving.
Pro Tips for Making the Best Bone Broth for Dogs
Choose the Right Bones
Bones high in cartilage, like chicken feet or beef knuckles, yield more collagen, making for an especially nutritious broth.
Add Supplements with Care
Consider adding extras like turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties, medicinal mushrooms for immune support, or kelp for trace minerals. Just remember to research safe dosages for dogs.
Serve in Moderation
While bone broth is healthy, it’s not a substitute for a balanced diet. Use it as an occasional supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Bone Broth Safe for All Dogs?
Yes, bone broth is generally safe for dogs of all ages and breeds. However, always consult your veterinarian if your dog has dietary restrictions or preexisting conditions.
Can I Use Store-Bought Bone Broth?
Store-bought bone broths often contain onions, high salt levels, or preservatives that can harm dogs. Opt for homemade to ensure safety and quality.
How Much Bone Broth Should I Give My Dog?
Start with 2–4 tablespoons per meal for small to medium-sized dogs, or up to ½ cup for larger breeds. Gradually adjust based on your dog’s preferences and weight.
Why Making Bone Broth for Your Dog is Worth It
By dedicating a small amount of time to creating dog-friendly bone broth, you’re giving your pet a gift of optimal health and delicious flavor. Beyond the essential nutrients and immunity boost it provides, bone broth is an affordable, wholesome way to support your dog’s overall wellness.
Whether you’re just getting into dog-friendly recipes or are already a holistic pet parent, including bone broth in your dog’s diet is a simple way to elevate their health routine. If you’ve made bone broth for your dog, we’d love to hear how it went! Share your recipe tweaks or questions in the comments below.