One of the most common questions we get here at Dogs Naturally is how to make bone broth for dogs.
Bone broth is a pot full of delicious and nutritious minerals and nutrients that dogs love … and I love that so many of you are starting to make this super-easy, super-nutritious treat.
And speaking of love, when you take the time to make your own bone broth recipe at home for your dog, they’ll know you’ve gone the extra mile to give them sparking good health!
Why would you want to make homemade bone broth for your dog’s diet? It:
- Helps maintain a healthy gut, especially for dogs with digestive issues
- Supports your dog’s immune system and detoxes his liver
- Helps protect his joint health
- Is full of minerals, including silicon, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus
But best of all, making bone broth is super easy!
So now that we know why you should make bone broth for your dog, you’re ready to start cooking, I’m going to give you a step-by-step guide to how I make organic bone broth for my crew so you’ll know how to make bone broth for your dog.
Step 1: Add Bones And Garlic
First, I fill my crockpot with raw bones. Because I like to make sure there’s lots of healthy, joint protecting gelatin in my broth, I use bones with a lot of joints in them like chicken feet. I also include beef bones (I particularly like beef marrow bones).
Plus, I’ll also add some garlic for health and flavor (and if you think garlic is dangerous for dogs, just leave it out or read this article).
If you don’t have a crockpot, you can use a regular old pot on your stove … but you have to leave it cooking overnight so I prefer the crockpot.
No matter which animal bones you use, remember that organic, grass fed bones will be the best … don’t skimp on the bones and feel free to use discarded cooked bones from your own meals … they’re just fine for broth (but never feed cooked bones by themselves to your dog!).
Step 2: Add Water And Apple Cider Vinegar
Next, I’ll fill the pot so the bones are completely covered, plus an extra two or three inches of water on top.
The important part is to add raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the pot … this is the magic ingredient that makes sure your broth has all of that great and healthy gelatin in it … it also pulls the nutritious minerals out of the bones.
I’ll add about three or four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a pot this size.
Once I’ve added the bones, water and vinegar, I put my crockpot on high for an hour, then I turn it down to low and leave it cooking for 24 hours. You can leave it cooking for two or three days if you want, but I find it starts cooking down too much after a day and I can still get a good jelly-like consistency after a day.
NOTE: Get our Free Raw Feeding Videos and start your dog on the path to ultimate health today!
Step 3: Strain The Bones
When the broth is finished, I need to strain the bones and meat out. These bones shouldn’t be fed to dogs, so I put them in the food trash bin. My dogs don’t need them anyway … I’ve already got the good parts in my broth.
Step 4: Get Creative
Here’s the fun but optional part.
When I turn the crockpot off, I’ll add some nutritious extras. For this batch of broth, I added some frozen kale and fresh leftover green beans. But I also like to add medicinal mushrooms, broccoli, kelp and herbs … and sometimes nothing at all.
Toss in any healthy herbs or vegetables your dog loves (and if he doesn’t love them, then bone broth is a great place to hide them).
I’ll add these ingredients while the broth is hot, right after I’ve turned it off. Then the broth will cool with the veggies in it, making them just soft enough for my dogs to get their yummy goodness. The veggies add some extra essential nutrients.
Step 5: Let It Cool
Once my broth is cooled, I’ll put it in the fridge. This is where the magic happens … and in just a few hours, you’ll know if you’ve made a good batch!
Once your broth comes out of the fridge, it will have a hard layer of fat on top. You should chip this off and throw it into your food trash bin.
Underneath the fat, your bone broth should now look like jelly … the jelly means you’ve got lots of gelatin in there, and that’s what helps with your dog’s joints and the leaky gut that can cause allergies and digestive upset. That gelatin plugs the holes in leaky gut that can cause allergy symptoms, so the more jelly-like, the better!
If your broth doesn’t look like jelly, don’t worry … it just means you didn’t add enough vinegar. Next time just add a little more vinegar and your next batch will be just fine.
But first use the broth you have because it will still be packed with healthy goodness!
Step 6: Store Your Broth
Because I have a lot of dogs, I just leave my bone broth in the crockpot in their fridge (yes, my dogs have their own fridge, but I’m sure there’s room in your fridge for bone broth). A pot this large will last my five large Labradors about 4 or 5 days. I wouldn’t want to keep it in the fridge for more than a few days anyway so I just make a fresh batch once or twice a week.
If you have just one or two dogs, you can take the broth and label it into mason jars and store it. If you’ve got small dogs, you can ladle your broth into an ice cube tray and just pull a cube out at a time.
Having a supply of bone broth in your freezer is a super idea … bone broth is incredibly nutritious and healing for sick dogs (think chicken soup). So make sure you have some on hand for emergencies.
Step 7: Give It To Your Dog!
The final (and best) step is to serve bone broth to your dog!
I pull bone broth out of the fridge and give my large dogs two or three heaping spoonfuls over their dinner. It’s food not medicine, so I don’t get too hung up on exactly how much I give my dogs.
My dogs love hanging out in the kitchen when it’s cooking … and you can see above that Dottie can’t wait to sample it after smelling it all day!
So there you have it … it’s incredibly easy to make bone broth and your dogs will love the taste and reap the health benefits. It’s an easy, delicious way to support joint health for dogs.
So what are you waiting for? Get cooking! 😉
FAQ
How to make bone broth for your dog?
To make bone broth for your dog, fill a crockpot with raw, organic bones such as chicken feet and beef marrow bones for rich gelatin. Add water until bones are covered by an extra two to three inches, and mix in three to four tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar to extract gelatin and minerals. Cook on high for an hour, then set to low for 24 hours.
What type of bone broth is best for dogs?
The best type of bone broth for dogs is made from organic, grass-fed joint bones, like chicken feet or beef marrow bones. These bones ensure a high content of joint-protecting gelatin, essential for your dog’s health.
What ingredients should I avoid in bone broth for dogs?
Avoid adding onions, excessive garlic, and spices that may be harmful to dogs. Stick to simple, dog-safe ingredients like a minimal amount of garlic (if tolerated), apple cider vinegar, and optional dog-friendly vegetables like kale or green beans.
How long do you boil dog bones in broth?
For dog bone broth, boil bones in broth for about 24 hours in a slow cooker set to low. This duration ensures all nutrients and gelatin are thoroughly extracted from the bones, making the broth rich and beneficial for your dog’s health.
