I am always searching for new and better ways to help pet parents have healthier dogs. I understand the financial burden of caring for our furry family members, especially large dogs or multi-dog households...I'm in that boat with you. As you well know, food is just a part of our responsibility to our Fido's and Spot's. However, it is a very important one, and as I have said for years, it is their first line of defense against disease. I know that majority of owners feed dry kibble, and unfortunately the cheapest one they can find. That troubles me, but my plea is that you will at least add something that will be of benefit....it's better than nothing. There are numerous add-ins that I have blogged about over the many years that can be beneficial to your dog's health and well-being.
I recently began researching the benefits of collagen for myself, and with that came much reading about bone broth. It is a powerhouse of nutrients. Then I saw an advertisement just the other day regarding dogs and bone broth...which got me to thinking, 'yeah, why not for dogs?' So....this morning I did some further research. I have in past blogs posted my exclusive 'Chaplin Doggie Diner' recipes, and canine soup is so easy to make! Adding bone broth as the liquid is a cinch! The most convenient way to do this would be to buy it, but it can be pricey...around $5-6 for 32 ounce of the organic, but that is always my recommendation because of the better health benefit of organics.
If you are willing to invest some time, you can make it yourself very inexpensive. Check the Asian food markets, or stores with a butcher shop to get raw bones...the best ones being beef knuckles, chicken necks, turkey wings, oxtails, soup bones and even poultry feet. You can put these in a crock pot and cook on low for about 24 hours (here is a link with directions.... http://www.grassfedgirl.com/easy-crock-pot-bone-broth-2/) Do not feed the bones to your dog! Cooked bones are a danger for dogs to eat! Consider adding some veggies to the broth in the last couple of hours of cooking...carrots, celery, broccoli, potatoes are all good choices. Even herbs like some fresh parsley is a great choice!
I have long believed that any dog over the age of seven needs to be on a joint supplement to help avoid joint issues, as many smaller breeds develop luxating patella, and large breeds tend to have hip problems. Bone broth can help, as it has high concentrations of minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and calcium...all of which develops/maintains stronger bones. It also contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate which I have supplemented in wafer form for years with my own dogs and have had positive results. As always, consistency is key with diet...yes, even with dogs!
So many dogs have digestive issues, mainly which I believe develop from the daily diet of kibble. Bone broth has healing properties that aids the digestive process because it contains glycine, which is an amino acid (aka: a building block of protein) Dogs can suffer from leaky gut too! Digestive ills can lead to allergies, which can not only affect the digestive tract and cause diarrhea, but also bring on skin issues. Bone broth contains gelatin which can seal up holes in the intestines. (Note: the intestines contain small holes naturally that allow nutrients to pass into the body, but can become problematic if the holes become too large, which can cause things to pass into the body that shouldn't). Besides gelatin, this broth also has collagen. I did quite a bit of research on collagen as a advantage for humans, and found the best way to get benefit from it is through ingesting it, as the molecules are too large to absorb into the skin.
Another gain from adding this to your dog's diet is bone broth aids in liver detoxification. When you consider how our furry friends are directly connected to their world, their bare paws touching flooring that has been cleaned with toxic cleaners, and grass that has been sprayed with chemicals, it is easy to understand how their bodies can become overwhelmed with dealing with elimination of these. Also, synthetic ingredients in the typical food they eat, dewormers, flea and tick preventatives, antibiotics and vaccines (most times over vaccination), and you just have an accident waiting to happen!
Truly, this is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. This can be one small change to your dog's diet that will reap positive results. I am a firm believer in herbs and complimentary, natural forms in caring for people and animals, as it is close to nature, to our natural biorhythm of life. When you treat the body as the whole and connected form it is, you provide a harmonic environment in which it is able to heal, and that is the very root of sound health and well-being!
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