Hug Home Comforts: Chicken bone broth for dogs

Bone broth is a multi-tasking wonder for pups. It cultivates a healthy gut, is super digestible, and a source of nourishing comfort for those days when they may be under the weather or just need some extra hydration. Better still, it’s chock full of the essential nutrients and minerals (like magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, collagen, and gelatine) that dogs need, aiding joint support and good immune health. Pretty great for a bowl of broth, right?

We teamed up with the Canicross Trailrunners to create this recipe, ideal for helping to get your pooch hydrated before their next run. Giving your dog chicken bone broth before and after exercise will hydrate them more effectively than a bowl of water would – they’re also likely to drink more as it’s really tasty. Win-win.

Our bone broth for dogs is ultra easy to make, freeze, and have ready for whenever you need it. If your dog can’t tolerate chicken, use any other type of bone such as beef marrow bones, pork trotters, or duck carcasses. This recipe is so versatile it can be tweaked to suit any pup.

Ingredients you need

1-2 x chicken carcass (depending on size)

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

4 litres of water (enough to cover the carcasses)

Time to get cooking

Pop the carcasses in the slow cooker and pour over the water until all the bones are completely covered.

Add in 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of crushed black pepper, and 1 tsp of turmeric powder (or a 1cm wedge of fresh turmeric root). 

Stir the mix until combined.

Leave to cook for 24 hours on a low setting – remember to check every so often to ensure there is enough water still.

 

24 hours later…

After 24 hours, lift out the carcasses and strain the mixture to catch any small pieces of bone. If there is any meat left on the bone, you can keep this to one side and feed this as a nice treat or mix with the broth itself. 

Pour into a container, ice cube tray or use straight away. We like to keep a few ice cube trays filled so you can pop a few out and pour a bit over your pup’s meals when you want to give a little boost. 

Store in the fridge and use within 5 days or freeze for a future date.

Bone appetit!