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Homemade Bone Broth for Dogs
In the Benji's Kitchen series, we share our favourite healthy dog recipes and discuss anything nutrition-related.
In this episode, we're making a dog-safe bone broth.
Bone broth is a stock liquid made from slowly cooking animal bones, herbs, spices and other ingredients at low heat for an extended period. It contains substantial quantities of collagen, glucosamine, glycine, potassium, magnesium, and other essential nutrients.
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The benefits of giving bone broth to dogs
- Bone broth contains a lot of gelatin produced when bone collagen is cooked. Gelatin can prevent or reverse a condition known as a leaky gut syndrome by 'plugging' the larger holes in your dog's intestinal lining and only allowing for essential nutrients to pass through as opposed to toxins or undigested food.
- Glycine and proline, the two amino acids found in bone broth, can help to decrease inflammation in canine intestines and assist in building new tissue in your dog's digestive tract.
- The naturally occurring glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid found in bone broth support joint health.
- Bone broth can support liver detoxification and help your pet better deal with exposure to environmental or household pollutants that can be irritating.
- Bone broth is rich in the neurotransmitter arginine, which helps with circulation. A healthy dose of arginine in the diet can smooth blood flow through the vessels and help prevent clogged arteries.
- It can be an alternative to solid foods while your pup is vomiting or having diarrhoea.
- It can help with weight loss.
- It can entice fussy eaters when added to their meals.
- It can improve the look of a dog's skin and coat, making it shinier and healthier.
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 1–2kg of meat bones
- water
- vegetables
Other
- slow cooker
Method
1. Fill up the pot with bones, leaving enough room for about an inch of water over the top of the bones.
2. Set the slow cooker to low and let it cook.
3. After a few hours, use tongs to remove bones carefully. Push marrow into the soup using a knife and return the bones to the pot.
4. Cook for around 24 hours. If the bones are bigger, you can cook for longer.
5. Unplug the slow cooker, remove the lid and let it cool.
6. Remove the bones with tongs or—if you've used small bones—let the broth cool for a while, then strain.
7. Once cool enough, put the liquid in the fridge and leave for a few hours. Scrap off and discard the top layer of fat.
8. Serve as a liquid with meals or on its own. Alternatively, pour it into small silicone ice cube trays, freeze it, and serve it during meals.
Storage
You can refrigerate the broth for 4–5 days
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