The Benefits of Bone Broth

The Benefits of Bone Broth

Many of the dogs we home have had a rough start to life in many ways, not to mention their nutrition.

Bone broth has been a staple in many diets for centuries and was particularly popular in the UK after the war. It has now been branded a superfood, not only for us humans but for dogs too!

So why is it so good?

Bone broth provides a variety of nutrients that aren’t easily obtainable through a normal diet, and bone broth can help fill this gap. It’s packed full of amino acids, glycine, collagen, gelatine and trace minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. These tend to be lacking in a processed diet. You can read more about the importance of your dog’s diet here.

So what does that mean for my dog?

It’s suggested that bone broth can help with the following:

• Can help heal joints and improve joint aches
• Supports digestion and gut health
• Help boosts immune system
• Detoxes liver
• Helps with diarrhoea and upset tummies
• Provides extra nutrition for sick dogs whilst also keeping them hydrated
• Contains no common allergens

So how do I make it?

You can actually buy bone broth for your dog but it’s really easy and inexpensive to make. All you need is a slow cooker or big pot that you can leave simmering- the longer the better!

1. Fill your stock pot with as many bones as possible. Marrow bones are particularly good and will help your bone broth set later on. Pigs trotters and chicken feet are also good additions or you can use the chicken carcass left over from your Sunday dinner! If your dog suffers from joint problems, it is thought that bones with more joints such as feet will be the most beneficial since these are packed with things like collagen.
2. Cover all the bones with water so that there is an extra couple of inches on top.
3. Next you need to add an acid. This is what helps draw out all the nutrients from the bones. Most people use raw apple cider vinegar since this also has additional health benefits, but you can also use lemon juice. Add about 4 tablespoons.
4. At this point you can also add any other herbs, spices and other bits and bobs that have extra health benefits to your dog
5. Leave cooking for 24 hours or more.
6. Strain and remove all the bones (do not feed these bones to your dog)
7. Transfer to a container and pop into the fridge to set.
8. Once the bone broth has set, you will see a layer of fat has formed on top which you can now remove.
9. You can keep your bone broth in the fridge for 3-4 days and feed with each meal or as and when necessary if your dog is sick and in need of some nutrition. Alternatively, you can freeze the broth. I do this by slowly heating the broth up again in a bowl of hot water and then pouring it into silicone moulds and popping them into the freezer. You can also use ice cube trays or anything else you have handy. Defrost the broth daily, add them to the meal straight from the freezer or give them as a treat throughout the day.

Top tip: Frozen bone broth is especially good in summer when your dog needs a cool treat!