Bone Broth for Dogs is a nutritious, flavorful recipe your dogs will love. It calls for beef bones and vegetables, and is an easy way to boost the vitamins and nutrients to your dogs' diet. The broth smells so good that our dogs jump around excitedly when we are about to serve it.
Bone broth for dogs is a great source of collagen, glucosamine, protein, and amino acids like glycine. All of which contribute to your pups living a long and happy life. Specifically, collagen can improve your dog's mobility, skin, coat, and digestion. Glucosamine can improve joint health and help slow the progress of arthritis. Finally, protein and glycine build your dogs muscular strength and prevent the breakdown of muscular tissue.
Bone broth can also be helpful for dogs with digestion issues or upset stomachs. First, it provides great hydration and second, it it can get your dogs gastrointestinal tract working properly following a sickness.
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Ingredients
- Beef bone marrow bones - Beef bone marrow is rich in calcium and protein. It also provides the rich flavor that will make your dogs excited.
- Carrots - Besides the health benefits, carrots add a hint of sweetness to the broth.
- Celery - Celery works with the carrots to create a vegetal flavor.
- Rosemary - Rosemary provides a piney and earthy kick to the broth and contributes to dog brain health.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Add water to a pot - Add water to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add bones, vegetables, and herbs - Add beef bones, carrots, celery, and rosemary to the water.
- Bring to boil - Bring the ingredients to a boil, then lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer.
- Slow cook - Allow the soup to simmer with the lid on for 9 hours. The soup will turn golden and will have a thick consistency. Remove the bone marrow from the bones and mix in the soup. Then, remove the bones and rosemary stems before serving.
- Serve - Remove the lid and allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Serve in bowls and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.
Hint: Be sure to simmer and not boil the broth for the entire cook time. If you boil the soup, it will burn off the liquid. Slow cooking slowly draws out the flavors from the marrow.
FAQ
NO, do not give your dog the bones that were in the soup. Cooked bones splinter and can seriously injure your dog.
Yes! You can add beef bone broth to a bowl of kibble. We recommend reducing the amount of kibble so you don't overfeed your pup. The broth also softens kibble, which helps your dog digest the meal easier.
Yes, you can use other beef bones, chicken bones, turkey bones, or a mix of all of them. Be sure to strain the broth so ensure it doesn't have any cartilage or small bits of bone since poultry bones are more brittle than beef bones.
We recommend serving the soup warm, but not hot. Hot soup can burn your dog. Wait until the soup cools before serving.
Place the bone broth in a resealable bag and gently press out the air. Seal the bag and lay it flat in your freezer. You can also store the soup in a lidded freezer tray and pop out a serving to warm when ready to use.
Substitutions
- Carrots - Use rainbow carrots or baby carrots instead of regular carrots.
- Vegetarian - Omit bones and just use dog-friendly vegetables or vegetable scraps to create a delicious broth.
- Chicken or turkey bones - Use chicken or turkey bones instead of beef bones. If you make chicken bone broth, just be sure to only serve your dog the broth and vegetables and not the bones. Cooked bones can be a dangerous choking hazard for dogs.
Variations
- More vegetables - While this bone broth contains nutrient rich vegetables, you can always add more. More dog-friendly vegetables include sweet potatoes, celery, pumpkin, zucchini, green beans, and chopped spinach. Each of these will help to further support your dogs immune system.
- Frozen pupcicles - Freeze the broth in small ice cube trays and serve them frozen bone broth treats in the summertime to stay cool.
- Apple cider vinegar - Raw apple cider vinegar is believed to improve digestion, relieve allergy symptoms, and fight yeast infections in dogs. However, it can only be given in small doses so we recommend only adding ¼ cup apple cider vinegar to the broth. If you do choose to add it, use organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar.
Equipment
Making bone broth recipe requires a few kitchen essentials used for many other common recipes. To make this recipe, you will need a knife, cutting board; large dutch oven, large soup pot, slow cooker or instant pot; ladle, and dog bowls. We love these insulated dog bowls that keep the soup warm, and these lidded freezer trays to freeze leftovers.
Storage
Store this dog bone broth in its pot or in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow the dog food to reach room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. Freeze the bone broth up to 3 months in an air-tight container, like this reusable silicone freezing tray, or storage bag. When its time for your dog's dinner, heat 1 serving from the tray over low heat. Then allow it to cool before adding it to your dog's kibble.
Top tips
- Look in the frozen section or ask your butcher for beef bones to make bone broth.
- Don't give your dogs cooked bones. They can splinter or break, and be very dangerous to ingest.
- Add bone broth to your dogs meal. Bone broth is not a meal replacement. Add it on top of your dogs' kibble or protein and vegetables.
Dog Dessert
If you are celebrating a special day for your dog or just want to provide them with a delicious dessert, check out our pupcakes recipe.
How to Make Beef Bone Broth for Dogs
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 2 lbs beef bone marrow bones
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Add water to a pot - Add water to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add bones, vegetables, and herbs - Add beef bones, carrots, celery, and rosemary to the water.
- Bring to boil - Bring the ingredients to a boil, then lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer.
- Slow cook - Allow the soup to simmer with the lid on for 9 hours. The soup will turn golden and will have a thick consistency. Remove the bone marrow from the bones and mix in the soup. Then, remove the bones and rosemary stems before serving.
- Serve - Remove the lid and allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Serve in bowls and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Tammi
How much cider vinger do you use per batch?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Tammi, ACV can only be given in small doses so you can start by adding ¼ cup apple cider vinegar to the entire batch of broth. If you do choose to add it, use organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Let us know how it your pups like it!
Tammy
Is this safe for cats?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Tammy, great question! Bone broth is safe for cats. Just make sure to not give them any of the actual bone because it can splinter. Let us know how your cat likes the broth!
Ronda
I thought making my own broth would be so labor intensive that I have balked at it for a few years. Made this today but doubled because I have that many pounds of bones and I have the storage for it.
My question is I have read on multiple sites you can reuse the bones to make more broth. Is this true? Can you freeze the bones and reuse??
Thank you!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Ronda, thank you for trying our recipe & for leaving a review! You can reuse beef bones to make a second batch and freeze the bones in between; however, the flavor will be much weaker and there will be less nutrients after the first batch, especially if the bones are clean (i.e. if the marrow falls out and the meat and fat falls off). If you reuse the bones, you can add more veggies to make the flavor stronger. Additionally, a lot of sites say you can give dogs cooked bones, but we do NOT recommend this as the bones can splinter once cooked. Let us know if you have any more questions!
Chelsea
Can you make this in an instant pot ?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Chelsea, yes, you can. It cuts the time in half, roughly. Add the bones and water to the pressure cooker, cover and secure the lid with the pressure valve closed, and cook on high pressure for 120 minutes. Then, release the pressure once the time is up. Add the carrots, celery, and rosemary, then cook for an additional 120 minutes and let the pressure release once finished. We like to store leftovers in these silicone freezer cubes so the broth stays fresh. Let us know how your pup likes it!
Cougar Goddard
I have a 60# lab Mix and a 75# Catahoula Leopard Mix how much bone broth should be given to them with every meal. Maybe i missed it but I dint think the recipe says how much to give to your pets
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hello, the serving size depends on the size of the dog. We have two dogs under 25 lbs each and give them a half cup with each meal. You could start your dogs off with a half cup to see how they like it and how their stomachs adjust to the broth, then increase it to an amount that suits their weights. If you give your dogs kibble, it hydrates the dry food and adds flavor and nutrients to their meals. Let us know how your dogs like the broth!
Tammy
You may not know this answer but would this be a good replacement for the cosequin I have my golden on now, I can’t add a picture but if you look it up she’s on 2 maximum strength with MSM plus omega 3. I also give her 2 milk bone brand daily digestion pills, both bought from Walmart. Would love to be able to replace with something that I know what’s in it for her arthritis and stomach issues. These are just products I put her on myself not brands chosen by the vet but she was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 3 and now going in 10. I think she’s in the night 70-80 weight range.
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Tammy, thank you for sharing your story about your golden. I'm not positive that the broth can replace cosequin since it's a concentrated supplement; however, the broth may help both your dog's joints and digestion. I suggest consulting with your vet before you make the swap.
One of our dogs has a very sensitive stomach and we're considering these probiotics to help his gut bacteria. They're a little $$, but I take the human vitamins from the same company and they've changed my life.
What kind of stomach issues does your dog have? As I mentioned, one of our dog's has a very sensitive stomach, and we changed their feeding routine last year and it made a world of difference. We make our dogs a giant batch of soup (this bone broth recipe or another chicken & veggie soup recipe) and changed their kibble to Stella & Chewy's, and the combination has helped our sensitive dog's stomach SO much. Please feel free to email me (hello@theheirloompantry.co) -- I'm happy to chat more and share our other soup recipe and routine with you! - Kat
Deborah S Garrard
Is this recipe suitable for humans Also?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Deborah, yes it is! You may want to add a pinch of salt for a little more flavor. All of our recipes for dogs are also suitable & safe for humans 🙂
Julie Carlson
Can you can this recipe?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Julie, I imagine you can as long as you use a pressure canner. Since bone broth is a low-acid recipe, it can't be processed in a water bath. Please let us know if you try canning the recipe!
Annette
I have a 170 lb St. Bernard and he hadn't been eating. Made this broth and now he's been devouring his kibble. He usually gets 4 cups of kibble twice a day. Can you recommend how much broth we should use? We've only been giving him about 1/2 cup to moisten the kibble. But that's what you give your 24lb dog!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Annette,
Happy to hear your St. Bernard is loving his kibble now. 1/2 cup to moisten the kibble is fine. Sometimes we just like to spoil our dogs with a little extra bone broth since they love the flavors.
Caren Burcher
If cooking in a Slow Cooker/ Crockpot, do I cook on High or Low setting? And do I bring the liquid to a simmer before adding it to the Crockpot?. TIA.
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Caren,
You don't need to bring it to a simmer, just let it cook on low in the slow cooker for at least 12 hours.
Jeanette
Great recipe for my dog fighting valley fever! I poured the broth in muffin tins and froze them. Now I just pop one of them in microwave to melt and heat up. He loves it!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Jeanette,
Hope your pup is feeling better! We also freeze them for later for our pups. We highly recommend these soupercubes because you can freeze individual portions.
Cathy
Do I need to do anything different if I want to make this broth in a slow cooker?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Cathy,
We suggest slow cooking it for about 12 hours, or until the broth is golden.
Vivian Buzako
Does this have glucosamine in it from the bone and marrow or do you need to add something to it?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Vivian, you do not need to add it. The bone marrow provides the glucosamine in the bone broth. Hope your pup likes it!
McKenzie
How much is one serving size?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi McKenzie,
It depends on your dog's weight. We have one dog that is 24 lbs and one that is 16 lbs. We give them each a 1/2 cup broth with their kibble. Please let us know how your dogs like it!
Bonnie Green
Hello how much water does the Beef Bone Broth recipe call for?
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Bonnie,
Thank you for reaching out, you should use 3 quarts water. Apologies for omitting that information, we just updated the recipe card to reflect the correct amount.
Jacque
Wanted to make my own broth for my dog who needs more fluids, he (and the other ones!) absolutely love this. Thank you for a great recipe!
Kathleen Higashiyama
So happy your pups enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for more of our dog recipes in the future 🙂
Paula
Must be delicious; the dogs look adorable waiting for the broth!