How To Make Bone Broth For Dogs (Step-By-Step Guide)

Bone broth isn’t just for us humans! Here’s how to make bone broth for dogs. It’s super simple to make and is packed with nutrients they need!

It seems like a bit of a no-brainer that something with the word “bone” in it would be good for dogs. And it is true, bone broth is great for dogs! But, just like bone broth for humans, many have additives that aren’t necessary or good for dogs.

On top of that, if you buy bone broth specifically marketed towards dogs, it can be so expensive! (Similar to chicken jerky and dehydrated sweet potatoes, which both cost a fortune at the pet food store but are insanely affordable to make yourself.)

So whether you’re trying to add a healthy new treat into your dog’s diet, or just want to save some money, here’s the easiest bone broth for dogs recipe!

Benefits Of Bone Broth For Dogs

Bone broth has similar health benefits for dogs as it does for people – joint health, healthy skin, hydrating, etc. It really is a great way for us all to start the day!

Joint Health: Bone broth is packed with glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acids. All of these promote collagen growth with in turn helps your pup’s joints. Collagen acts as the cushion at the end of bones and around ligaments and when it starts to go away with age or injury, joint pain develops.

Healthy Skin & Coat: Collagen can help restore moisture to the skin, which improves your dog’s coat and nails.

Hydration: Broth by nature is mostly water. So, adding it to a dog’s diet or feeding it to a dog that is maybe recovering from an illness and has a hard time drinking, is a great way to get some hydration in them. It is also easy on the stomach making it a great choice for dogs with an upset stomach.

Ingredients for Beef Bone Broth For Dogs

Bone broth is awesome because it requires very minimal ingredients. This one only requires 3 ingredients!

• Marrow Bones: Marrow bones are great for soaking because the marrow is where all those nutrients lie. You can typically find these in the freezer section of your grocery store.
• Water: Water is what will be infused with beef flavor!
• Apple Cider Vinegar: The vinegar is necessary for releasing the collagen in bones into the liquid.

How to make Dog Bone Broth

This bone broth for dogs recipe is super easy. You will need a roasting pan and a large stock pot but that’s about it!

Step 1: Roast
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place bones in an oven-safe casserole dish. You can also add dog-safe vegetables (like cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini) to the roasting pan to enhance the nutrient profile and creating a darker brown color. Roast for about 1 hour, or until bones are browned. This browning of the bones creates more flavor and releases more liquid from the bones than just boiling them.

Step 2: Simmer
Transfer bones and all juices into a large slow cooker. Cover with 12 cups of water and stir in apple cider vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours. (This can also be cooked on the stove in a traditional pot, but be sure to keep an eye on it for the entire length of cooking.)

Step 3: Strain
Strain bones and any bone fragment from the broth and discard (DO NOT feed the bones to your dog – dogs should never be given cooked bones).

Step 4: Cool
Quickly cool the bone broth by adding 4 to 5 cups of ice cubes. This is super important to cool quickly to avoid bacteria growth from sitting out too long. When cool enough, transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 12 hours.

Step 5: Skim
Once cooled, skim the fat off the top of your broth and discard (the main nutrients are in the broth, not the fat, and dogs shouldn’t consume high levels of fat).

Step 6: Serve
Broth may be gelatinous from the collagen or liquidy – both are packed with nutrients! Add a few spoonfuls to your dog’s bowl, or freeze them into ice cubes for long-term storage!

How Much Bone Broth Should Dogs Consume?

As with any supplement, they should not make up more than 10% of a dog’s diet by calories. This equates to about 1-2 tablespoons per day for most sizes of dogs.

Can I Add Vegetables?

Yes! Adding vegetables is a great way to pack in more nutrients. Simply add them to the roasting pan and strain them out with the bones before cooling. Here are some of my favorite vegetables to add.

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Carrots (pro tip: boil carrots in this broth to make homemade dog chews!)

Dogs cannot eat onions, garlic, leeks, and some mushrooms. While these are common ingredients in human-grade bone broth, don’t add them to your dog’s bone broth!

Best Bone Broth For Dogs

I might be biased, but I think the best bone broth for dogs is this recipe. This is because it contains no additives and is totally natural. Even some of the most natural bone broths for dogs on the market can contain yeast extract which is not necessary for a dog’s diet.

If you are looking to purchase a bone broth, look for one that is kept in the refrigerator section and that has all ingredients you know and can pronounce.

More Nutrients For Your Pup

Looking for more ways to add nutrients and fun to your pup’s diet? Try any of these recipes and resources!

• Egg Shells are easy to make and I add them every day to Rhubarb’s food for added calcium.
• Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats are great to keep on hand for a quick snack for your dog. Plus they are high in antioxidants and fiber!
• Watermelon Dog Treats are another great hydration option and are best served frozen to keep your pup cool.

How To Make Bone Broth For Dogs (Step-By-Step Guide)

Prep: 1 hour hr

Cook: 12 hours hrs

Total: 13 hours hrs

Servings: 12 cups

Author: Sarah Bond

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Bone broth isn’t just for us humans! Here’s how to make bone broth for dogs. It’s super simple to make and is packed with nutrients they need!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs marrow bones these are often found in the freezer section
• 12 cups water
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions 

• Roast: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Place bones in an oven-safe casserole dish (adding vegetables? roast them too*). Roast for about 1 hour, or until bones are browned.
  
• Simmer: Transfer bones and all juices into a large slow cooker. Cover with 12 cups of water and stir in apple cider vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours.
  
• Strain: Strain bones and any bone fragment from the broth and discard (DO NOT feed the bones to your dog – dogs should never be given cooked bones**).
  
• Cool: Quickly cool the bone broth by adding 4 to 5 cups of ice cubes. When cool enough, transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 12 hours.
  
• Skim: One cooled, skim the fat off the top of your broth and discard (the main nutrients are in the broth, not the fat, and dogs shouldn't consume high levels of fat).
  
• Serve: Broth may be gelatinous from the collagen or liquidy – both are packed with nutrients! Add a few spoonfuls to your dogs bowl, or freeze into ice cubes for long term storage!
  

Notes

*Add vegetables to your bone broth for richer flavor, more nutrients, and a darker color! Our favorites are carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, and/or celery. Simply roast and simmer them with the bones, then strain them out at the same time.

**Cooked bones can easily splinter, which can cause serious injury to your pup.

It's important to cool your bone broth as quickly as possible to prevent it from sitting in the "danger zone" of temperature, which is the temperature that bacteria are most likely to grow.