Bone Broth for dogs

by | Apr 17, 2016 | 40 comments

“Good broth will resurrect the dead

– Old South American proverb

Bone broth is a immune boosting super food and ideal for getting sick pets back on their feet and for maintaining the health of an active dog.  Even sick dogs that are not eating will enjoy a bowl of broth and you can add it to their food to help them eat.

Bone broth for dogs is great as it’s packed with minerals like like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium in forms that are easily absorbed by your dog .  Rich in amino acids like glycine and proline they help maintain a healthy digestion and keeping your dog calm.  The collagen in the bones protects and heals the mucosal lining of the digestive tract aiding in the digestion of nutrients and the gelatin supports fur, skin and nail growth while helping joint pain and inflammation.  Marrow helps provide the body with materials needed for healthy blood cells and immune development. It’s perfect for flu season for dogs AND people.

It’s very cheap to make since all you need is some good marrow bones but you can also buy it, pet-ready here.

Apple Cider Vinegar

You need apple cider vinegar to help break the bones down and leach all the goodness out.  Apple cider vinegar is also great for deterring parasites, is antibacterial and antifungal, improves and conditions the coat, relieves arthritis and improves digestion.

Organic bones

You can use chicken, pork or beef bones but if possible get organic bones and with beef bones try to get grass fed.  Grass fed is higher in Omega 3’s.  It’s also higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic.  Grass fed is also higher in vitamin E, vitamin A, glutathione and antioxidants.  Pigs raised outdoors have a better Omega 3/Omega 6 ratio and more mono-unsaturated fat which is more resistant to high heat.

 

Cooking methods

You can really improve the health of your dog by learning how to make dog food that’s delicious, simple and healthy and bone broth is as easy as it gets.  You’ll know when the broth is ready when the bones start to soften and get crumbly/chalky.  In a pressure cooker it takes about 4 hours but you can also do it in a pot or slow cooker which will require between 8-24 hours of simmering.  Once cooked discard the bones, it’s just the broth you want. Dogs should never be fed cooked bones.

Shelf life

Broth just lasts a few days even in the fridge regardless if it’s for humans or dogs… the general rule is freeze it until it’s needed.

INGREDIENTS

1kg of bones, 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1-2 cloves of garlic (optional) But isn’t garlic bad for dogs?

METHOD

frozen beef bones

I have a kilo bag of frozen organic grass fed beef bones

 
organic beeg bones

I don't need to thaw, I'm just gonna chuck 'em in the pot.

 
bones in pot

So add the bones to your pot or pressure cooker

 
cup of apple cider vinegar

Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to pot

 
bones in pot with water

Then fill pot to just cover the bones, I used about 3 litres

 
pressure cooker

I'm using my pressure cooker. It doesnt set to 4 hours so I will do it for 2 hours twice over. If using the stove or slow cooker then simmer between 8-24 hours - topping up with water when needed.

 
cooked bone broth

4 hours later and it's done. Smells amazing! My dogs know something smells good!

 
sitting dog

"oh jeez... that smells so good, can I get some? I'm sitting ever so nice, I am"

 
bowl of fresh bone broth

Yummy, I add the fresh broth to a bowl and leave to cool. You can fridge it for a few days or just chuck in a freezer for whenever!

 
dog drinking bone broth

OK Flo you can have some since you're such a good girl, yes you are!

 

How to store

As a general guide if meat protein is present in recipe then it will last around 3 to 5 days stored in a cool place.  If it has second class protein in it eg. cheese, lentils, eggs, etc, then they will store for about 10 days in a cool place. You can use cake tins lined with baking paper – greaseproof. If there is no meat or second class proteins present then it will last around 3 weeks before they go soft like human biscuits.

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By Jamie Shanks

BDWS is owned and run by me, Jamie Shanks. I’ve been a professional dog walker since 2010. When I’m not walking dogs, I’m usually at home entertaining my three dogs and attending to five hens and my vegetable garden. 

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