Bone Broth is a terrific thing to give your dog, whether you give it on its own (great for under-the-weather dogs) or added it to your dog’s usual dinner to perk things up a bit. Easy and economical to make, bone broth is nutrient-dense, incredibly rich in protein—especially gelatin—and has a soothing, delicious taste dogs love. It’s also wonderful for joint and digestive health and is detoxifying. What’s not to love?

To get started, you’ll want to choose beef marrow bones and bones that have a lot of joints, such as chicken or turkey legs. (Ask your butcher for bones or save the bones from Sunday dinner in the freezer until you’re ready to make a broth. Bone broths are generally made with bones with a small amount of meat left clinging to them.) You can roast the bones first to improve the flavour, though it's not necessary. Roast them if you’re making broth for yourself, too, otherwise keep it simple—just throw the bones in the soup pot or crock pot and get ready to get cookin’!

Next, cover the bones with two to three inches of water (add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar if you wish; it helps to extract the minerals in the bones) and then simmer your bone broth for a long time—be prepared to simmer for eight to over 24 hours. The goal is to produce gelatin from the collagen-rich joints and to release trace minerals like calcium. At the end of the cooking time, the bones should be soft and slightly crumbly when pressed between your fingers. Remove the bones and discard—don’t give your dog cooked bones as they can splinter and damage the intestine. Now place the broth in the fridge to cool. After a couple of hours, a layer of fat will have collected on the top—scoop this off and discard. The remaining broth, jelly-like and delicious, is ready to be served to your dog!

Spoon into smaller containers to store. The broth will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Freeze whatever you won’t use in this time period. And prepare yourself for a very enthusiastic dinner reception!

 

And if you don't have the time to make your own, this ready-made bone broth from Primal Pet Foods is just as delicious and nutritious!