# crock pot dog food



## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

I'm new here, but I thought I'd share the "recipe" I use for my dogs. I got it from a book by Dr Martinez, a vet that is close friends with the vet I work for.

You get a whole chicken(sometimes I use leg quarters instead) and put it in a crock pot. You then add whatever vegetables your dog does well on as well as a few chopped up potatoes. He recommends 70% chicken to 30% veggies. You add a little bit of water and cook on low for about 12 hours or however long it takes for the bones to get nice and soft. I always add about a dozen eggs which makes it a bit thicker.

I hope to switch to raw someday, but this has been a nice alternative to commercial foods.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

That sounds terrific, love the way all the bird gets used. Do all the bones soften up? Have you had failures where the bones didn't soften up? If so do you know what went wrong?

A whole chicken is about 30% bone which is 3x the amount needed for calcium. If I was forced, kicking and screaming, to abandon raw food for Max I would love try this out but add in an equal weight of beef/pork/lamb to the chicken to balance the calcium better, add a whole lot of minerals and vitamins chicken lacks and some beef liver at about 2 ounces per pound of meat.


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## Cruiser (Oct 20, 2010)

Well i have never used the crock pot,good idea tho.Where does the dozen eggs come in,for thickening?


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

Sounds like a good, easy alternative for somebody who doesn't want to feed commercial pet food, but isn't ready to or doesn't want to feed raw. I think the fact that you can plop everything in there in the morning and leave it while you're at work would be very appealing to people. I definitely agree with Sassymaxmom about the extra meat and organs. Are all those eggs necessary? How long does a batch last you and do you freeze meal sized portions? I may tell my friend about this, as she's feeding a low quality kibble and is willing to switch to something better but isn't quite ready for raw.


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## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

I have never had problems with the bones not becoming soft. The extra meat/organ is a good idea. I just add the eggs because I have 30 hens- so lots of eggs. Plus it makes it more the consistency off canned food. I divide it into a few days worth at a time and freeze it.


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## kvoccola (Nov 3, 2010)

*crock pot food*

Hi, 
I was wondering about the bones you mentioned. I thought the only way the dogs could eat the bones is if they were raw? Isnt cooking them in the crock pot making them cooked, therefore not good for dogs to eat. I boil chicken thighs, does that mean that my dogs could eat the bones?
thanks for you time.
kara


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

The main problem with cooked bones is that they splinter when chewed. If a dog ingested a big shard of bone it could get stuck in the trachea, perforate the stomach or intestines, etc. I've never cooked bones in a crock pot, but apparently when they're slow cooked over a very long period of time they basically turn to mush. In that form, they wouldn't be a hazard. But no, you should not give your dog boiled bones.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

This might need to be in a tread all it's own. If so, mods, please feel free to move it.

My friend has considered slow-cooking meat and bones until the bones become mush and feeding the cooking water as well. I told her that she would be cooking away many of the vitamins. She said, "well that's why I would feed the cooking water."

My question is, don't many of the nutrients evaporate? Or at the very least, the cooking process changes them? Everything that starts off in the crock pot can't still be present in it's original form after cooking for hours, right? Raw chicken quarter ≠ cooked chicken quarter and cooking water, right? Isn't that why many home cookers need to supplement?


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

The water soluble vitamins might be destroyed but minerals are fine. Protein is fine. Any Omega 3 would be destroyed I would think. Some fragile amino acids would be destroyed, like taurine. I would love to try this but might just cook the chicken by itself and add in the veggies, grains and boneless meats and organ later.


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## Woofers (Nov 14, 2010)

Great recipe followed by great input! I am currently feeding a very picky pregnant poodle. She had been eating Orijen until she just quit. It seems if I totally change up every meal, she will eat a little. 
Then, yesterday my husband boiled pheasant..........BINGO! Shredded the meat and poured the liquid over the kibble and she ate! Had not thought of the crock pot, it's perfect, since it looks like I will now be cooking for the picky poodle momma.
I welcome any advice and input.


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## Edwin (Feb 28, 2011)

Nice recipe,..useful one for the dog lovers because its best for the dog,..


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Wow, sounds like a good recipe. I would add pork/beef/more meat to it like sassymaxmom said. It sounds a lot like what I do to add broth and extra meat to the dogs kibble. :] If I weren't going to switch everyone to completely raw I'd probably try this out. Thanks for the recipe!! I know I'll definitely show it to our friend when she gets a puppy as she doesn't want to do raw feeding but wants to home cook.

sassymaxmom, since you're really good about knowing the vitamins/minerals in cooked foods, would you think that there are foods you could supplement in for the dog that are cooked instead of adding supplements that are powdered? I'd rather give my dogs natural foods than powder, but not veggies really...So, to add back in the omega-3's would canned sardines be an okay idea every few days? Separate from the crock pot cooking that is.

I remember us talking about vitamin a not being water soluble...Liver could be a good thing to add in to the recipe, right?

The eggs sound good to me, up the protein and since they are in their cooked form they are more digestible. I do give my dogs eggs, the raw yolk(whites excluded) or boiled and mashed for kibble meals.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

Yes, canned sardines are fine. If you can find ones without added salt that would be really great. Max needs about an ounce of sardine a day for his omega 3 needs. Liver is a great idea. Add in 1-2 ounces of beef liver per pound of meats used for vitamin A and copper. You can add in an additional amount of other livers, but no more beef liver or you might be feeding too much copper.

Here are my secret sources of information.
Nutrition facts, calories in food, labels, nutritional information and analysis – NutritionData.com
And
http://www.netrophic.com/misc/NewPersonalDogFeedingGuide.xls


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

sassymaxmom-What supplements do you recommend?? I'm looking into canning homemade dog food for a disaster kit and the only thing left I need to find is supplements.

Edit: I don't know if you know about this for cats or not, but if I was to make something like this for cats, would I need to add more taurine as well as a multi-vitamin supplement?


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

If it is for emergencies you really just need it to be safely canned as it is for short term feeding. The basic need is for calcium. Add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered egg shell per pound of meat or food if you use whole grains in the food. If you use mostly red meats plus a little beef liver then there is no need for vitamins. Have a couple cans of sardines, mackerel or salmon in your kit and omega 3 and vitamin E are provided. Not sure taurine survives the canning process or not but it would be a good thing to add for cats. Safer would be to have some capsules in the emergency kit and sprinkle some of the powder on the food and mix in before feeding.


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## channeledbymodem (Dec 25, 2008)

*Crockpot recipe from Bark Magazine*

I like this recipe as a foundation: Dog Food Recipes: Easy Crockpot Chicken & Brown Rice | The Bark

I tend to make less rice and add more meat plus calcium but since I feed it in rotation with pre-made raw, good kibble and canned, I don't worry that it's "not balanced." I think it is *good* food.


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## KC23 (Nov 17, 2010)

Channeledbymodem,

Hi. Have you ever tried putting chicken bones back into the crockpot and cooking them until they are really soft? You will actually be able to squish them between your fingers, and then you can add them back into your recipe (if you want to). I did that with a pressure cooker before, but I know it can be done w/a crockpot too--will just take longer.


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

sassymaxmom said:


> If it is for emergencies you really just need it to be safely canned as it is for short term feeding. The basic need is for calcium. Add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered egg shell per pound of meat or food if you use whole grains in the food. If you use mostly red meats plus a little beef liver then there is no need for vitamins. Have a couple cans of sardines, mackerel or salmon in your kit and omega 3 and vitamin E are provided. Not sure taurine survives the canning process or not but it would be a good thing to add for cats. Safer would be to have some capsules in the emergency kit and sprinkle some of the powder on the food and mix in before feeding.



Thank you thank you thank you!! 

I would not be adding any grains to it. Spike reacts horribly to them. What I was thinking was to cook the chicken in the crockpot with the water and cook the extra meat, liver and veggies separately. Would flash-seared liver and meat be fine if I canned it? 

Do these amounts look okay? Everything would be combined and then canned using a pressure canner and canning jars.


1 four pound chicken
3-1/2 pounds cubed beef, flash-seared(?)
14 ounces cubed liver, flash-seared(?)
7 tbsp. steamed vegetables, pureed

Also, you are completely right about the taurine. I didn't think about that, but I would absolutely just add a bottle of 500mg taurine to the kit and add it before serving.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

I would cook the beef meats and veggies until they reach whatever temperature is supposed to kill bacteria and then can. To be sure this recipe works gut wise you might try it out without canning first. If you aren't cooking the bone until soft it isn't a lot of veggies and that is quite a lot of liver too.

Are you cooking the chicken until the bones are soft? Hope it works!


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

sassymaxmom said:


> I would cook the beef meats and veggies until they reach whatever temperature is supposed to kill bacteria and then can. To be sure this recipe works gut wise you might try it out without canning first. If you aren't cooking the bone until soft it isn't a lot of veggies and that is quite a lot of liver too.
> 
> Are you cooking the chicken until the bones are soft? Hope it works!


Yeah, I'd be cooking the chicken until the bones are soft. How much should I reduce the liver? In half? I'll certainly cook the beef meats longer than flash-searing. I didn't think about the bacteria in canning versus freezing. I'm definitely going to try it before canning.


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

Okay, I tried this recipe today. I cooked the whole 4 pound chicken by itself in the slow cooker for 12 hours and cooked the rest separately and then combined everything together. The rest was 3-1/2 pounds cooked cubed beef, 4 ounces cooked cubed lamb liver, 4 ounces cooked cubed lamb kidney, 3 tbsp. lightly steamed pureed vegetables (spinach, baby greens and asparagus) and 4 tbsp. pureed fruits (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and pear).

It was all mixed together just in time for their dinner. I fed it to the cats and Spike for dinner and added some taurine before feeding it to the cats. Spike wasn't so sure about it at first. He looked at me like "Huh? What IS this??" The cats dove right into it. They all liked it, but Spike was kind of looking around for something else.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I make it in the crock pot for Chelsy (she refuses to eat raw food) but I don't add any fruits or vegies. Usually just the chicken and some extra liver, plus whatever organs came in the whole bird. The last time I added pork in with the chicken and cooked them together.

She goes crazy for it and will eat it when she rejects canned food. Maybe your dog doesn't like the vegies and fruits?


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

The veggies and fruit are for bulk if the bones don't soften up, plus a little antioxident, vit/min and all that. If the bones do soften up then the dog should be able to just do the meat/softened bone/organ without a problem after used to this diet as it is about 15% bone and one tries to get to about 10% bone on prey model raw. The liver plus other organ like the kidney ought to add up to 10% of the total weight of the meats used. 8 pounds of meat/bone/organ+8 ounces of organ is 136 ounces so go for about 13-14 total ounces of organ or 6-7 ounces of liver next time. Don't worry about it though and my math is faulty - it isn't 10% that way but a little closer anyway. I need the total weight that 8 pounds would be 90% of and that calculation is more than my fried brain can do right now.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i pressure cook a whole chicken or two.
when it's done i add a little more water.
you can get 2 to 3 qts. easily. when you
pressure cook a whole chicken the bones
become moosh. you can rub the bone
between your fingers and it becomes
moosh/pulverized, granulated/powder. there's so many
good things you can add in with the chicken.
i use the mix as a topping for kibble. 
i freeze a qt. or two and put one in the
refrigerator for immediate use.


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

channeledbymodem said:


> I like this recipe as a foundation: Dog Food Recipes: Easy Crockpot Chicken & Brown Rice | The Bark
> 
> I tend to make less rice and add more meat plus calcium but since I feed it in rotation with pre-made raw, good kibble and canned, I don't worry that it's "not balanced." I think it is *good* food.


that's exactly what I needed, can't wait to try it out. Btw I like to try it with turkey only because all this talk about dogs having allergies and itch to chicken. Why is that and not with other poultry like turkey or duck? I find this confusing because I thought chickens are the easiest prey for dogs and have been so available rather than duck or turkey. I would think chicken is a dog's best friend in terms of food. :noidea:


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

Woofers said:


> Great recipe followed by great input! I am currently feeding a very picky pregnant poodle. She had been eating Orijen until she just quit. It seems if I totally change up every meal, she will eat a little.
> Then, yesterday my husband boiled pheasant..........BINGO! Shredded the meat and poured the liquid over the kibble and she ate! Had not thought of the crock pot, it's perfect, since it looks like I will now be cooking for the picky poodle momma.
> I welcome any advice and input.


Oh yeah, that pheasant will work. IMO there is no kibble out there incl orijen that dogs won't get tired after a while. I've seen friends who buy huge bags of the same dog food and feed their dogs the same thing day after day. That would drive me nuts. We always have some pot of soup or stews leftovers that I use sparingly and that's enough added flavor juice totally enhances any kibble into something any dog will appreciate and enjoy.


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## channeledbymodem (Dec 25, 2008)

Yorkie967 said:


> Btw I like to try it with turkey only because all this talk about dogs having allergies and itch to chicken. Why is that and not with other poultry like turkey or duck? I find this confusing because I thought chickens are the easiest prey for dogs and have been so available rather than duck or turkey. I would think chicken is a dog's best friend in terms of food. :noidea:


Any kind of meat is fine but of course you can use cheaper cuts since you're cooking it for so long. I don't think dogs are allergic to chicken, per se. Many people still feed their dogs one brand of kibble day in and day out and the cheapest protein source in grocery store kibbles is often chicken based. It is the repetitive feeding that leads to the "allergy" rather than anything inherent in the protein itself. Of course the second rate ingredients in many kibbles also eventually lead to a weakening of the immune system which doesn't help. Time was lamb based foods were recommended to determine if itching was food related because most dogs had never eaten it. But these days there are so many lamb formulas the same cautions apply to those foods as to those that are chicken based.

For this reason, I think it's a good idea to avoid feeding a few "unique" proteins you might be able to get in your area and feed as a food trial. I don't give Benji rabbit, venison, pheasant etc just in case.

Cute dogs, btw.


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

channeledbymodem said:


> Any kind of meat is fine but of course you can use cheaper cuts since you're cooking it for so long. I don't think dogs are allergic to chicken, per se. Many people still feed their dogs one brand of kibble day in and day out and the cheapest protein source in grocery store kibbles is often chicken based. It is the repetitive feeding that leads to the "allergy" rather than anything inherent in the protein itself. Of course the second rate ingredients in many kibbles also eventually lead to a weakening of the immune system which doesn't help. Time was lamb based foods were recommended to determine if itching was food related because most dogs had never eaten it. But these days there are so many lamb formulas the same cautions apply to those foods as to those that are chicken based.
> 
> For this reason, I think it's a good idea to avoid feeding a few "unique" proteins you might be able to get in your area and feed as a food trial. I don't give Benji rabbit, venison, pheasant etc just in case.
> 
> Cute dogs, btw.


Thanks, that makes sense so I guess I'll drop that whole chicken in the slow cooker and I found something tonight at walmart that's great for the slow process. They had this big package mixed of chicken hearts and gizzards for only $2 but I didn't get it because I don't like the toughness of gizzards. My yorkie doesn't like to chew, he'll just swallow those. But I can add that package with the chicken and in 8 hrs it should all be broken down.


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## dustinshaw98 (Feb 22, 2012)

The veggies can be cut down a bit. Dogs can't digest plant matter properly.


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## merry (Mar 31, 2012)

Hello ,

I am LM , i am new hear, i want to know what food is more healthy for the dogs .........

Thankyou.............


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Hello and welcome to the forum. Not sure how to answer you because of where you have posted. I do believe raw is healthier for your dog but home cooked would be my next choice.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

Herzo said:


> Hello and welcome to the forum. Not sure how to answer you because of where you have posted. I do believe raw is healthier for your dog but home cooked would be my next choice.


i think she has realized this in the 2 years since she asked that question.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> i think she has realized this in the 2 years since she asked that question.


Herzo is replying to this post, which was from a day or two ago, not the OP...




merry said:


> Hello ,
> 
> I am LM , i am new hear, i want to know what food is more healthy for the dogs .........
> 
> Thankyou.............


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

FYI - I saw today's flyer from Fresh & Easy and one of their amazing specials for easter is Jennie- O's turkeys for only .59 cents/ lb. You can certainly stock up on this and split a 8 or 10 lb bird in half and throw it in the slow cooker. I wish I had more room in my stand alone freezer or else I would buy 3 but 1 is good for my yorkie and maltese. I think they like turkey more than chicken based on their reaction when I gave them some last thanksgiving.


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## Shukie (Jul 3, 2011)

The crockpot sounds great! Another way to cook so the bones are mushy is with a pressure cooker... a 5 pound chicken falls off the bones and the bones turn to mush in less than 30 min ... if you have the time to stay near the pressure cooker.
Thanks for all the great ideas about crock pots!


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## circletheme (Mar 30, 2013)

Thanks for all of your suggestion.

Sweetpea, my Shitzu is the love of my life!


Now, after reading the book "Dog Food SECRETS"(see my signature) I know exactly what to look for and what to avoid in dog food ingredients.

I love my dog and want to care for her the best I can!

Thank you,


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## rawforlife00 (Oct 27, 2014)

sassymaxmom said:


> That sounds terrific, love the way all the bird gets used. Do all the bones soften up? Have you had failures where the bones didn't soften up? If so do you know what went wrong?
> 
> A whole chicken is about 30% bone which is 3x the amount needed for calcium. If I was forced, kicking and screaming, to abandon raw food for Max I would love try this out but add in an equal weight of beef/pork/lamb to the chicken to balance the calcium better, add a whole lot of minerals and vitamins chicken lacks and some beef liver at about 2 ounces per pound of meat.


I usually give my dogs 30% bone because they been digesting it perfectly fine. Stool is smooth as butter. what is your opinion based on it, I am not debating just asking due to my always worrying about my feeding habits to my dogs. They eat whole chicken on the daily and I add more beef or fish to up there complete muscle meat input, but what is the worst case scenario feeding extra bone.


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## Shukie (Jul 3, 2011)

That is a great sounding recipe! Thank you. There is another way to cook food so that the bones squish between your fingers... not turkey leg bones though. Have you ever used a pressure cooker? They cook faster, and seal in all the vitamins. I cook chickens and the bones are all really easy to squish... like a chicken will be done in 35 minutes or less.


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## jenniferny (Jul 24, 2014)

*Bones*



kvoccola said:


> Hi,
> I was wondering about the bones you mentioned. I thought the only way the dogs could eat the bones is if they were raw? Isnt cooking them in the crock pot making them cooked, therefore not good for dogs to eat. I boil chicken thighs, does that mean that my dogs could eat the bones?
> thanks for you time.
> kara



*NEVER, EVER feed cooked or processed bones, including those sold at Walmart & pet stores!!*! They splinter and can puncture the intestinal tract. Surgery to repair this damage is in the THOUSANDS, if you catch it in time and the vet is able to repair the damage!!


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

jenniferny said:


> *NEVER, EVER feed cooked or processed bones, including those sold at Walmart & pet stores!!*! They splinter and can puncture the intestinal tract. Surgery to repair this damage is in the THOUSANDS, if you catch it in time and the vet is able to repair the damage!!


 This post is referring to bones that have been cooked to squishiness, not the typical cooked ones. The bones are cooked for either a really long time (crockpot) or under pressure (pressure cooker) until the bones are so soft that you can squish them with your fingers. This way there is no real chance of any danger because the bones are too soft to have sharp "points" or not be quickly digested.


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## LeonilCraig (Oct 7, 2013)

Nutritious, economical, easy food to make for your dog! (About $1.30 for a one cup portion which is enough for a 12 pound dog/day.) Thank you for sharing!


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## ButtersPupp (Apr 6, 2015)

How is the Honest Kitchen? I saw this Pet Food review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCdROTAsBTw. Any other suggestions?


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## Kritter (Jan 9, 2015)

Celt said:


> This post is referring to bones that have been cooked to squishiness, not the typical cooked ones. The bones are cooked for either a really long time (crockpot) or under pressure (pressure cooker) until the bones are so soft that you can squish them with your fingers. This way there is no real chance of any danger because the bones are too soft to have sharp "points" or not be quickly digested.


Just curious why you would feed a dog bones that you can squish. What is the nutritional value once all of the minerals are gone? I ask because I make bone broth and have a pile of chicken bones that I throw away weekly.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I, usually, do this as part of a homemade "canned". It's sort of a bone broth turned into a stew/soup (if my pups ate "soupy" foods). I leave the bones in to sort of add bulk and the "marrow". Sometimes, if I'm feeling energetic, I'll cut the meat off the bones, then add it back in at the end of the cooking process. I figure the bones don't hurt and might possibly add something, so I just leave them in.


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## BarbaraKnapp (Dec 29, 2016)

Nice recipe shared. Will try. Hope my dog loves it.


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