Bone Broth for Dogs – Fad or Feast?

When winter is just around the corner, everyone in Real Food circles is talking about Bone Broth.

But is it a fad, and is it really good for our dogs?

All about bone broth

Sometimes bone broth is referred to as “stock”, and it’s far from being a fad.

Bone Broth has been used in most types of traditional cooking for thousands of years. When you are feeding a healthy, natural diet to your dog, there are lots of things you can enjoy sharing. Human grade meats, veggies, fruit, chia seeds, natural supplements, and even a cup of herbal tea!

Well I’m pleased to say that Bone Broth is one of those tasty, nutritious “comfort” foods that will not only benefit your dog’s health, but also your own!

Why is bone broth healthy for your dog (or cat)?

Bone Broth is a healthy addition to any dog’s diet, but particularly a sick pooch or picky eater. The traditional “convalescence” diet for a dog is chicken and rice – but we know now that dogs shouldn’t eat a lot of rice, and that chicken can be an allergen for many dogs. For us people, Bone Broth can be had as a healthful warm drink, or as a stock for many favourite recipes.

In addition to being high in minerals, collagen and micronutrients that are easily absorbed by the body, there are two main nutritional benefits to Bone Broth – its ability to assist in nutrient absorption, detoxification and oxygenation and its powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

How does bone broth work?

1. Nutrient Absorption and Detox: Bone Broth works by detoxing the liver, which can be depleted by toxins in the environment, in medications and in processed foods.
2. Anti-Inflammatory and Joint Support: Bone Broth contains crucial molecules – called glycosaminoglycans – that promote healthy joints, ligaments and tendons by lubricating them and soothes pain from arthritis and luxating patellas. Bone Broth contains lashings of glucosamine, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin.

Bone broth for dogs is incredibly easy to make!

Not only that, but you can add nutritional herbs such as dandelion root, astralagus, and burdock root to turn your bone broth into an absolute health powerhouse!

Any cooked or raw bones can be used to make bone broth, but the trick is to cook them slowly for a very long time – 24 hours in a slow cooker/crock-pot is ideal in order to ensure all the nutrients are extracted from the bones and that the bones are soft.

Please note that Bone Broth is not supposed to be a long-term or exclusive diet, but rather a base for your dog’s meals or a supplement to their regular diet. It is an ideal accompaniment to any type of dog diet and can be used to rehydrate freeze or air-dried products like Balanced Life, Vets All Natural, K9 Natural, or Frontier Pets. 

If Bone Broth is something new for your dog, make sure you introduce it slowly, a spoonful at a time.

So how do you make bone broth?

Well here’s a very simple bone broth recipe for dogs!

Go on, give your Dog a Bone Broth!