DIY Bone Broth Recipe for Dogs

Have you ever given your dog bone broth? Most human grade bone broths are unsafe for dog consumption, as they include added salt as well as toxic (to dogs) ingredients such as onions.

Many specialty pet boutiques sell small packs of bone broth that are perfect for pouring over food to entice a picky eater, or you can also make your own with a bone broth recipe for dogs.

Many pet parents often find that their sick dogs will be happy to drink up some bone broth in lieu of their usual food.

If refrigerated or frozen into molds, it becomes a perfect treat and source of hydration during hot summer days.

Benefits of Bone Broth for Dogs

Either way, it’s a nutritious and flavorful addition to your dog’s diet. Bone broth is full of nutrients and minerals that have been shown to improve joint health, liver detox, and promote a healthy gut.

Best of all? If you have a slow cooker or pressure cooker in your home, you can easily make your own bone broth at home!

To make your homemade bone broth, you’ll need at least one pound of raw bones – these are usually labeled as soup bones from the grocery store, or you can ask your local butcher for recommendations.

If you’re looking to make a gelatinous broth, look for bones that contain collagen, such as feet, joints, and tendons.

Unless your dog has any protein allergies, you can also mix and match different types of animal bones.

DIY Bone Broth Recipe for Dogs

How to Make Dog Bone Broth in a Slow Cooker:

1. Add enough bones to cover the bottom of the pot.
2. Add just enough water to cover the bones.
3. Add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar – this helps extract all the nutrients from the bones.
4. Set the slow cooker on medium/high until the broth begins to simmer (but not boiling!), which can take about 1 hour.
5. Turn the temperature lower to allow the broth to simmer continuously. Cooking times will vary according to how dense your bones are. Chicken bones will take around 24-36 hours, pork bones will take around 36-48 hours, and beef bones will take about 48+ hours.

How to Make Dog Bone Broth in a Pressure Cooker:

Using an Instant Pot is definitely the easiest way for pet owners to make their own broth for the dogs. The process is pretty much the same as cooking it on the stove or in a slow cooker, but cuts down on the cooking time tremendously—and still gives your dog the same bone broth benefits.

1. Add enough bones to cover the bottom of the pot.
2. Add just enough water to cover the bones.
3. Add a good splash of apple cider vinegar – this helps extract all the nutrients from the bones.
4. Cook at high pressure for 2-4 hours. You may need to experiment with your pressure cooker to find the perfect timing for you.

After Cooking Bone Broth for Dogs

You want to make sure you store your broth safely after all of that hard work. Here’s what to do after the cooking process:

1. Remove all larges pieces of bone from the broth.
2. Strain your broth into a clean glass airtight container (mason jars are perfect)
3. Let the broth cool slightly, then refrigerate overnight. If you used bones with high collagen content, you’ll end up with a jello-like texture!
4. Remove the fat cap on top and discard before feeding to your dog.
5. Store your bone broth for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Freeze your bone broth into cubes for longer storage and easy access! Pro tip: freeze extra broth in ice cube trays for a quick treat, especially during the summer!

What to do With all of That Healthy Bone Broth

There’s really no wrong way to add bone broth to your dog’s diet, but it should never be used as a food substitute. It’s a great addition over their food at meal time, or bust out one of those ice cube tray treats in between meals. If you have a dog with digestive issues or a senior dog with joint pain, bone broth is perfect for giving them a natural boost.

Choosing the Best Bones for Making Bone Broth

You can make your dog bone broth from just about any type of bone. It’s a good idea to choose larger animal bones that contain bone marrow, which will give your bone broth plenty of collagen. Most people find it’s easiest to make broth from the chicken they cook at home. Roasting up a whole chicken for family dinner? Using the leftover chicken bones is a great way to make chicken bone broth (even better if you throw in some veggie scraps that are safe for dogs, too). For a short cut, pick up a rotisserie chicken at your local grocery store. Have you made your own DIY bone broth for dogs at home before? We’d love to hear how it went!

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