Why Your Dog Needs Bone Broth in Their Diet

You’ve probably heard of that tantalizing, juicy, meaty deliciousness that dogs adore. Bone broth! Dating back centuries to Ancient China, bone broth has long been used for its many health benefits. Bone broth is inexpensive, simple to make, and packs a nutrition powerhouse for our Best Friends. Here are some reasons why your dog needs bone broth in their diet, and a simple recipe to make your own.

Reasons Why Your Dog Needs Bone Broth in Their Diet

Bone Broth Benefits Joints

To begin, bone broth is chock-full of collagen boosting compounds like glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. These nutrients are released when it is boiled down. Additionally, they keep bones strong. Finally, bone broth contains other compounds with strong anti-inflammatory benefits. The less inflammation in the joints, the better.

Bone Broth Improves Gut Health

Our gut microbiome is responsible for so much of our health, with reports of about 70% of our immune health tied to our gut health. Your dog is no different. Interestingly, a compound in bone broth called glycine is responsible for much of that benefit. Glycine is present in gelatin, which is abundant in bones. Furthermore, glycine helps repair the intestinal wall from leaky gut syndrome, which causes a host of issues from arthritis, irritable bowel, and many allergies.

Bone Broth Helps Your Dog Detox

We live in a pretty toxic environment. Since our dogs are smaller than we are, their chemical load is amplified from the grass they walk on, the products we use in our homes, and the products we use to protect them from fleas and ticks. Of course, that makes their liver health even more vital, since their livers are responsible for filtering out those toxins. Fortunately, the glycine in bone broth is a brilliant detoxification compound too! Glycine in bone broth helps the liver to function optimally and protects your dog from those toxins.

Appetite Stimulant

If you’ve ever had a sick dog with vomiting and diarrhea, you know how concerning it is getting him to eat! Further, you know your dog needs nutrition. Enter, bone broth! The gelatin in bone broth temporarily slows the body’s need for protein. Additionally, important nutritents in bone broth can boost the immune system, lessening the need for large, nutrient dense meals for a convalescing dog.

Bone Broth Provides Additional Hydration

Dry kibble is dehydrating to the body, especially bodies of cats. To that end, the body has to give up hydration from kidneys, the liver, and other organs to properly digest it. Another reason your dog needs bone broth in their diet is that adding bone broth provides important hydration to an otherwise dehydrating meal.

A Simple DIY Bone Broth Recipe

A couple of years ago when we couldn’t get Birdie to eat her kibble (she was onto something, and never really enjoyed kibble), I purchased some bone broth at the dog food store. Boy, was it pricey! I just figured it would be too difficult to make myself. Turns out I was wrong!

Here’s a simple and inexpensive recipe.

• Meaty Bones (soup bones, chicken feet-good because they have joints with cartilage, or bones you’d throw away from your meals) 3-4 pounds of bones goes a long way
• Water
• Crock pot or stove top (broth simmers for 24 hours, so you may be more comfortable with the crock pot)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Veggies: your choice, to add at the end

1. Put the bones in the pot
2. Combine water and 3-4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar in your pot. (The acid in the ACV is what makes the magic happen; acids pulls the minerals and nutrients from the bones.
3. Put the crockpot on high for 1 hour
4. Turn it to low and cook for an additional 24 hours
5. When the borth is finished, strain the bones, meat and bits out
6. Make sure to discard the bones (your dogs can’t eat cooked bones, and the nutrients are now in the broth!)

Optional Healthy Add-Ins

After the broth is cooked and strained feel free to add some healthy veggies like green beans, kale, broccoli, medicinal mushrooms (dog friendly mushrooms are GREAT for our Best Friends!), or any dog-friendly veggies. Consequently, this is a fantastic way to encourage your dog to eat some greens, especially if he’s a picky eater! No need to cook the veggies, they’ll cook in the warm broth.

Cooling and Storage

Finally, you can put the pot in the fridge to cool. In a couple of hours, there should be a hard jelly-like substance on top. Dig it off and throw it out. Underneath, your bone broth should have a jelly-like consistency. This is what supports your dog’s joints and plugs up those leaky gut holes. If your broth isn’t jelly-like, it’s still good, but next time you’ll have to add more vinegar.

To store your dog’s new meaty, juicy goodness, you can keep it in Mason jars in the fridge. Additionally, you can freeze it in ice cube trays to pop into meals. Bone broth is good in the fridge for a week, and freezes for longer. Of course, feel free to keep a batch handy in the freezer.

To feed, add 2-3 heaping tablespoons over food (for large breeds). A couple of teaspoons are fine for smaller dogs. Or, you can pop a frozen cube in your dog’s meal. Your dogs are waiting! Try making them some bone broth today! They’ll love you even more!