Bone Broth For Dogs: Everything You Need to Know

Bone broth is one of the hottest trends in pet food right now, and with good reason. All dogs need protein and fat, but they also need to be eating as many nutrients as they can get. Since bone broth is so high in glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid, which help promote collagen growth, it makes sense that owners are looking for a bone broth specifically for their dog. But there are so many brands! How do you know which one is best? 

What Is Bone Broth

Bone broth has been around for a long time as a traditional, nutrient-rich superfood and a dog's meal that can do wonders for your dog's health. Bone broth is a stock made by simmering animal bones in water for long periods of time.  The rich minerals and electrolytes from the bones absorbed by the water turned into an incredible broth full of great nutrients.

Why Dog Owners Should Feed Their Pets Bone Broth

Bone broth is an excellent way to give your dog a nutrition boost. Here are some of the benefits of bone broth:

1. Bone broth can do wonders for your dog's immune system

As you can see from the benefits mentioned above, bone broth is beneficial for your dog's health. It can help keep a healthy gut, support their immune system strong, and fight off some potential illnesses. It's worth it for everyone to regularly give a nutritious bone broth to their dogs.

2. Bone broth can aid in the regeneration of ligaments and joints

Bone broth is rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy. It also contains the amino acids proline and glycine, which are especially important for making your dog's joints healthy and preventing muscle contractions. If you're feeding your dry food regularly, supplementing with delicious bone broth is one of the best things you can do to support your skeletal system.

A serving once a day will be preferable for dogs with no joint issues or other underlying issues. In contrast, dogs with arthritis or senior dogs can consume this broth 2-3 times a day. Feeding your dog too much bone broth could cause problems of its own.

3. Bone broth can provide gut healing benefits

Bone broth also contains collagen, other minerals, and essential nutrients that can help repair the gut lining and reduce inflammation. Severe inflammation of your dog can cause intestinal lining. But even if you don't have any gut issues or food sensitivities, bone broth is a great way to provide your dog with a few nutrients that may be missing from your pet's diet.

Not only can bone broth help improve gut health, but it also has beneficial attributes for improving the skin, coat, and immune system.

4. Bone broth helps detoxify the liver

If you want the simplest means of promoting your dog's liver function, consider adding bone broth to their diet. A diet full of toxic foods and one that does not provide plenty of alkalinities is sure to tax the body; however, bone broth provides the dog with naturally occurring minerals and vitamins from both the animal and non-animal components of the broth as well as nutritional factors that support a healthy liver.

5. Bone broth is rich in minerals

Why feed your dogs bone broth? Bone broth is full of essential minerals that make up a small portion of their diet. It contains large amounts of vitamin A, B, and vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfate, and potassium. Bone broth also contains smaller amounts of trace minerals such as iron, selenium, manganese, and zinc.

Bone Broth: What You Need to Consider Before Buying

It's also important to know what you're buying. There are several brands of bone broth on the market, as well as more than a few recipes that you can make at home. Ideally, look for a product that contains quality ingredients and is made without preservatives.

Ingredients

Before purchasing, inspect the ingredient and make sure it's free from additives, artificial flavors or other harmful ingredients. Many of the store-bought brands contain salt, which isn't good for dogs with kidney or liver problems. Others contain onions or garlic, which can be toxic to pets in large amounts. Look for a brand of dog bone broth that uses ingredients you recognize and can pronounce. Many brands will use ingredients that you can get in your own kitchen such as beef bones, chicken feet, beef marrow bones or beef knuckles (for a beef bone broth). Consider buying bone broth with human-grade ingredients.

The Packaging 

Make sure to check the packaging of a bone broth before you buy it. The packaging should be easy to open without spilling the soup in your fridge and the bottom of the package should not leak.

Cost

Price is an important factor when choosing the bone broth type you give your dog. Many people think that because they are spending more money on food, they must be getting better quality food, but this is not always the case.

Best Bone Broth for Dogs Review

Here are some of my favorite bone broth for dogs:

The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosts

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The Honest Kitchen Daily Boosters Beef Bone Broth is a powdered supplement made from all-natural beef bone broth mixed with a delicious combination of spices and flavors such as turmeric, parsley, and pumpkin. All of its natural ingredients are found on the best farms in the USA.

Bone broth added with turmeric flavor is perfect for those dogs who are picky eaters and lack appetite. Bone broth is also an excellent source of collagen and chondroitin, two crucial nutrients vital for your pet's health. From joint health to skin and coat care, bone broth can help keep your dog's body tip-top shape.

Brutus Bone Broth for Dogs

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As the only bone broth for dogs on the market fortified with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, Brutus Broth can give dogs the added joint and hip protection that so many animals need. It is easily digestible, could prevent digestive issues, and helps naturally detoxify a dog’s system. Bone broth has also known to help with food sensitivities and food allergies. Their bone broth is non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, low fat, low sodium, and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Native Pet Organic Bone Broth for Dogs 

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Native Pet's organic bone broth delivers all the benefits of a homemade broth in an easy-to-mix supplement. The bone broth comprises 100% human-grade ingredients, is 100% organic, made in the USA, and contains no added preservatives, fillers, or artificial ingredients. This product has organic chicken and sweet potatoes for improved taste and nutrition. Add warm water for a nourishing drink in a bowl or pour over kibble for an enriched meal.

Nylabone Beef Broth Bones Dog Treats

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Nylabone broth bone dog treats contain healthy dog chew bones made with authentic bones rich in amino acids that support healthy joints and your dog's immune system. It has limited ingredients that are highly digestible and promotes overall wellness. These ham-flavored healthy dog treats are grain-free and crafted with all-natural ingredients and dehydrated foods- no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives—best for small dogs weighing 20 lbs.

Nature's Diet Pet Original Bone Broth 

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Nature's Diet Beef Bone Broth is nutritious and delicious. Slowly simmer beef bones to create a nutrient-rich broth. The broth is enhanced with turmeric, pumpkin, fish oil, and parsley. The product's original formula aids in joint flexibility, skin, stomach, and bone health for your pet. All ingredients in Nature's Diet Beef Bone Broth are naturally dried to create a bone broth powder that can be sprinkled dry over dog's food or easily dissolved in water. It contains no preservatives or additives that are harmful to your pet.

Bone Broth For Dogs — Recipes & Cooking Suggestion

If you're looking for a safe, healthy alternative for your dog that's easy on the budget, one of the best ways is to make homemade bone broth. 

There are different ways to make your bone broth but keeping in mind the quality of the bones you put into your broth is essential. It would be best if you chose raw bones from animals that have been grass-fed and organically raised. 

By doing so, you will ensure that you are giving your dog the high-quality bones possible. Here are a few simple bone broth recipes for you to try:

1. Plain Homemade Bone Broth for Dogs by  Samantha Randall

•  Prep Time: 5 minutes
•  Cook Time: 24 hours
•  Total Time: 24 hours 5 minutes
•  Yield: 6-10 cups of broth 1x
•  Category: Bone Broth
•  Method: Slow Cooker
•  Cuisine: Dog Food
  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound beef marrow bones
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• water
• 6–10 chicken feet (optional)
• 3 inches ginger root, sliced (optional)
• 2 ounces parsley, chopped (optional)
• 4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms (optional)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

First, add the bones to your slow cooker (or pot). You can add any type of bone, including chicken feet, lamb, duck or turkey necks, chicken frames, beef marrow bones, and so forth. You can use cooked bones, but raw bones are better because they still have all of the nutrients in them.

Next, cover the bones with water and add the apple cider vinegar. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 24 hours. Check the broth occasionally, and add more water if it dips below the top of the bones.

When it's finished cooking, strain the broth into a large container. DO NOT feed the cooked bones to your dog. The cooking process makes the bones brittle, which could be very dangerous to your dog's digestive tract.

Allow the broth to cool and then refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. A fat layer will congeal on the top of the broth. Scoop the fat and throw it out, and then you are ready to serve the broth to your pup.

NUTRITION

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 25
• Sodium: 20 mg
• Fat: 1.2 g
• Protein: 40 g

Note: As long as bone broth is kept refrigerated, it will be good for up to a week. Freezing bone broth for storage is also possible.

2. Mushroom Bone Broth For Dogs by Sable Mc'Oneal

This broth contains mushrooms, ginger, parsley, and other suitable vegetables for dogs. It is the perfect nourishment for your pooch! This recipe is an excellent way to get more nutrition into the broth.

Mushrooms contain antioxidants and can be used in cancer prevention and to help cleanse the liver and kidneys. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to soothe nausea, cramping, and indigestion. Celery is rich in vitamins A, C, and K and has many antioxidants, which help maintain bone health. Parsley has strong antioxidant properties and may help maintain bone health.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 4 lbs of chicken and beef bones
• ¼ cup organic raw apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces mushrooms (shitake, porcini, cremini, portobello)
• Two stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 ounces parsley, chopped
• 3 inches ginger root
• 6 quarts of water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a large pot or slow cooker.
2. Cook on low heat for 12 to 24 hours
3. Allow to cool and remove bones and vegetables.
4. Place broth in the refrigerator and allow the fat to form a layer on top and solidify. Separate and discard the fat layer.

Other ingredients that can be added to bone broth for dogs are kelp, turmeric, garlic, carrots, sage, rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel seed.

3. Dog-Approved Bone Broth Treats by Nathan Phelps

Receiving a treat doesn’t just have to be a joyous occasion for your dog; it can also be nutritious. Making healthy dog treats at home is easier than you think and can provide another way to add nutrients and minerals to your dog’s diet.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup bone broth
• ⅓ cup vegetable shortening
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• Peanut butter to spread

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit
2. Combine bone broth and vegetable shortening in a bowl and heat until combined
3. Add pumpkin puree and stir, then add flour and stir until mixed. Knead the dough together with your hands
4. Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness, then cut it into treats.
5. Bake for 40 minutes at 375°
6. Spread peanut butter on top of the treats while they are still warm. Cool completely before serving to your dog.

So there you have it! If you're looking to improve the health and wellness of your dog, the bone broth could be an excellent investment. Not only does bone broth taste great, but it can help you reap a ton of benefits. And with that, we hope your pet will be happy with his new nutritious food.

Key Takeaway

Perhaps the best thing about bone broth for dogs is its few adverse side effects. It's a safe food that doesn't upset either the digestive system or the stomach, although some dogs may be sensitive to the level of protein in the broth. With healing benefits like these, it's easy to see why so many dog owners are looking for ways to incorporate bone broth into their pets' diets.

If you do decide to give your dog bone broth, be sure to select a trustworthy brand. There are dozens of options available if you're willing to shop around. However, keep the ingredients in mind, and go with those that are all-natural and human-grade, such as Native Pet's Organic Bone Broth, when you have small dog and just want some treats, Nylabone Broth Bone Dog Treats is the best option.

Making your own bone broth is an incredibly rewarding activity. We feel strongly that every pet owner who desires a superfood for their dog should make their own broth. It's easy, healthy, and simply fun to make.