By Nalla’s Dad — updated April 2026
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links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost
to you. Everything I recommend is something Nalla and I actually use.
Nalla had been eating the same kibble for four years. One Tuesday morning,
she stopped. Sniffed the bowl. Walked away. Tried again at dinner — same
result. By Wednesday I was worrying.
I tried the obvious things first. Switched her food brand ($60 down the
drain). Mixed in store-bought bone-broth toppers ($8 for a week’s worth,
half of it preservatives). Warmed her food in the microwave. Hand-fed her like
a puppy. Nothing worked.
Then on Sunday I made bone broth from scratch. Real, slow, no shortcuts
— a 12-hour low simmer with chicken backs, carrot, parsley, and a splash
of apple cider vinegar. I poured a half-cup over her regular kibble that
evening. She inhaled the bowl.
Now I keep a jar in the freezer at all times. Picky days come without
warning, and a fifty-cent ladle of broth solves what sixty dollars of new food
couldn’t.
This is the recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken backs (or 1 whole carcass). Backs are the
single best cut for broth — the most cartilage and gelatin per dollar.
Ask your butcher; they’re often free or under $1/lb. A leftover roast
chicken carcass works great too. - 2 carrots, unpeeled, scrubbed. Cut in half if they
won’t fit in your pot. The skin has flavor. - 1 small sprig flat-leaf parsley. Adds a bit of flavor,
also a mild diuretic that supports kidney function. - 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar with the “mother.”
This pulls minerals out of the bones. Don’t skip it — the difference
in gelatin yield is striking. - Filtered water to cover (about 4–6 quarts).
Absolutely NOT in this recipe: onion (toxic to dogs),
garlic (toxic to dogs), salt (your dog doesn’t need it), pepper, bay
leaf, store-bought stock cubes, or any “bone broth seasoning”
blends — almost all of them have onion powder hidden in the ingredient
list.
Equipment: a 6–8 quart slow cooker is ideal (set and
forget). A large stockpot on a very low burner works too if you’re
comfortable monitoring it overnight.
Instructions
- Rinse the bones under cold water for a minute — this
clears surface fat and any small bone shards. - Place bones in the cooker. Add the carrots, parsley, and
apple cider vinegar. - Cover with water — about one inch above the bones.
- Bring to a gentle simmer — NEVER a rolling boil. A
boil makes the broth cloudy and breaks down the gelatin. You want lazy bubbles
just barely breaking the surface. - Skim the foam off the top during the first hour.
That’s denatured proteins and impurities — you want them out. - Simmer 12 hours minimum. 24 hours is even better for
mineral extraction; that’s the slow-cooker-on-low overnight + half a day
approach. The longer it goes, the more gelatinous the result. - Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container.
Discard the bones, carrots, and parsley — never give cooked
bones to your dog, they splinter and can perforate the gut. - Cool to room temperature on the counter (about 1 hour),
then refrigerate uncovered overnight. - Skim the fat layer off the top in the morning — it
will have solidified into a thin yellow disk. Some fat is fine; too much will
upset Nalla’s stomach. - Portion into glass jars with 1-inch headspace (broth
expands when frozen). Refrigerate what you’ll use this week, freeze the
rest.
Done right, you’ll see the broth go solid in the fridge — that
jiggle is gelatin, the whole point. If yours stays liquid, simmer longer next
time and use more bones.
Nalla’s verdict
I now do a Sunday batch every two weeks. Nalla has learned what the slow
cooker means — she sleeps next to it for the first hour, then loses
interest. When I lift the lid 12 hours later, she’s back at my heels.
For her, the right portion is about a quarter-cup ladled over her regular
kibble at dinner. She gets it three or four nights a week, plus on the days
when she’s being weird about food. Picky stretches went from 2–3
days down to a single skipped meal.
Our Pick: Tools Used in This Recipe
What I actually use at home when cooking for Nalla:
- Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker — Set 8 hours, walk away, come back to bone broth. Locking lid means the broth makes the trip from counter to fridge without redecorating the kitchen. View on Amazon
- VIVAGLORY Silicone Pet Food Mat (24"x16", waterproof) — Raised-edge silicone catches every spill and drip. Wipes clean in seconds — saves the floor from homemade-stew splash zone. View on Amazon
- IRIS USA WeatherPro Airtight Pet Food Container (25 lb / 33 Qt) — Foam-sealed lid + snap latches keep kibble and homemade-batch leftovers fresh for weeks. Wheels make it actually pleasant to roll out. View on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. We only recommend gear we actually use.
FAQ
Is bone broth actually good for dogs?
Yes — for hydration, joint support (glucosamine and chondroitin from the
cartilage), and as a food topper for picky eaters. It’s not a complete
food, just a supplement to a balanced diet.
Why is onion off the list?
Onions and garlic contain N-propyl disulfide, which damages dog red blood
cells. Even small amounts over time can cause anemia. This includes powdered
onion in “natural seasoning” and onion in commercial broths.
Always read labels.
How much should I give my dog per day?
See the portion guide below. As a general rule: 1 tablespoon per 10 lb of body
weight per day, given as a topper, not a meal replacement.
Is this a meal replacement?
No. It’s a topper or supplement. Bone broth is mostly water and minerals;
your dog still needs their balanced food for protein, fat, and complete
nutrition.
Can I use store-bought chicken broth instead?
Almost never. 95% of store-bought broths contain onion or garlic powder, even
the “low sodium” ones. There are a few dog-specific brands
(Brutus, Solid Gold) that are safe, but they’re expensive and short on
gelatin. Homemade is cheaper and far more nutritious.
Does it really need 12 hours?
6–8 hours will give you a usable broth, but the gelatin and mineral
content step up dramatically between hour 8 and hour 18. The slow cooker makes
12+ hours easy. Set it before bed and it’s ready by lunch the next
day.
Can I freeze it in ice-cube trays?
Yes — that’s actually the best storage method. Each cube is
roughly 1 tablespoon, so portioning is easy. Pop frozen cubes directly onto
warm kibble; they melt in 30 seconds.
Portion guide
- Small dogs (under 20 lb): 1–2 tablespoons per day
- Medium dogs (20–50 lb): ¼–⅓ cup per day
- Large dogs (50–90 lb): ½ cup per day
- Giant breeds (90+ lb): up to 1 cup per day
Nalla is 28 lb and gets a quarter-cup. If you’re using broth for the
first time, start with half the amount and watch for any digestive
reaction.
Storage
Fridge: 5–7 days in a sealed glass container.
Freezer: 90 days in glass jars with 1-inch headspace, or
indefinitely in ice-cube trays / silicone freezer molds.
Don’t refreeze if thawed. Don’t microwave in plastic.
Safety note
Never give your dog cooked bones. The bones we use to make
broth go straight in the trash after straining — they’re brittle
and splinter. The broth itself is fine; the bones are not.
If your dog has chronic kidney disease or congestive heart failure, talk to
your vet before introducing bone broth — the natural sodium and minerals
need to fit into a managed diet.
For first-time introduction, give a tablespoon and watch for the next 24
hours. If you see vomiting, diarrhea, or unusual behavior, stop and call your
vet. Most reactions are mild fat-content issues; the next batch with better
fat-skimming usually solves it.
Related reading
- Blueberry Yogurt Frozen Bites — the heatwave hack that finally got Nalla drinking water again
- Pumpkin & Oat Dog Biscuits — gentle treats for sensitive stomachs
- Peanut Butter & Banana Dog Biscuits — Nalla’s Sunday batch
Want more Sunday batch-cooking ideas? I post the recipes that actually
move the needle for Nalla — the reel for this bone broth is on
@dogfoodandfun.
Tag a friend whose dog turns up their nose at dinner.