Easy Bone Broth Recipe For Your Dog April 29 2018

Nutrient-rich, bone broth is a great supplement to your dog's diet.  But pre-packaged broths often come with lots of sodium and other unwanted, or even dangerous, ingredients so homemade broth is best and very easy to make.  The collagen in bone broth is anti-inflammatory, full of minerals, beneficial to joints, and healing and/or aging dogs can get a nice immune boost from the minerals.  Try adding bone broth to your dog's meals to entice them when they aren't eating well.

I start with a very hot heavy big stockpot. I take all my bones (beef marrow and other bones).  Because Starr can't have chicken I usually use turkey legs and wings (more bone, less meat than say a breast) and maybe a short rib or two. You can obviously use chicken. You can definitely use chicken feet which have good cartilage.  Oxtails are great too.

I always brown all my bones in the hot heavy stock pot first.  It brings out a ton of taste. I'll brown all the sides, the ends/exposed marrow of the marrow bones (I often ask the butcher to cut the marrow bone down the shaft of the bone).

After browning the meat and bones I add water with about a teaspoon of ACV per gallon of water or so, ( you don't have to be exact but don't go nuts and overdo the vinegar either). I always use Bragg's apple cider vinegar (ACV) and shake it up well first so you get the "mother" included.

Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to very low.  Let simmer for several hours (at the very least about 2 - 2 1/2 hours). Check water level every now and then.  You can add some if it goes down to quick or let it be super concentrated.

You can go with pure bone broth or add some veggie's like I usually. Carrot, celery, parsley and yes even garlic in the right moderation for dog size. No onions like you would your own soup. You can add your veggie's to the pot in the later stages of cooking.

After cooking strain the bones and meat leaving the liquid behind and let cool. Refrigerate overnight and if done well you should have a layer of fat on top.  Remove that fatty layer and under that, you should have a gelatinous broth. The more gelatin the more you know you're leached out all the goodies from the marrow. (That's what the ACV helps do.)
DISCARD and never feed the cooked bones. The meat is fine.

If your broth is very concentrated you can add some water and heat up gently (don't feed HOT) and let it come to a tepid temp before feeding.

I always keep some broth in the freezer.

Do you have a variation you like to make?  Tell us about it, or if you try our recipes, in the comments below.