Ingredient file // Flavor
Beef Bone Broth
Savory water with little proven health benefit
Beef bone broth is the liquid left after beef bones simmer in water. It adds moisture and savory flavor to dog food. It contains some protein, but the amount varies, and broth has no demonstrated joint benefit in dogs.
- What it is
- Liquid made by simmering beef bones in water, then removing the bones and keeping the broth.
- Made from
- Beef bones and water
- Main job
- Moisture and savory flavor
- Typical amount
- Not published
- Watch for
- Onion, garlic and sodium in separate toppers
- Not the same as
- Beef bone meal
Our read // In our catalog
In 1 of every 66 foods we track
Share of foods that list it
2%
38 of the 2,508 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 13 brands. 14 wet dog food, 12 dry dog food, 10 dog food topper.
Each square is 1% of the catalog
Where it sits on the label
Median position 3.5. In the top five of 23 foods, so it is usually a main ingredient.
Above the salt
Listed before the salt in 81% of foods. In the rest it is under about 1% of the recipe.
Price per lb
Median of the cheapest bag price across 11 priced foods, 59% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.
Who leans on it
18%
of the foods that list it are from The Honest Kitchen. 13 brands use it in total.
What it is
How it is made
Meat processing leaves beef bones that have commercial uses beyond meat production. Broth makers simmer them in water, remove the bones and retain the liquid. An industry project examined broth as an outlet for low-value bones.3,4,8
- 01 // Source Beef bones Bones left after meat processing supply the raw material for the broth.
- 02 // Process Simmered in water Heating draws flavor and soluble material from the bones into the water.
- 03 // Process Bones removed The cooked bones are separated from the liquid; some makers also skim off fat.
- 04 // Output Liquid broth The retained liquid supplies water and beef flavor when added to a food or topper.
What is in it
Composition, dry matter
57-59
% protein
Protein made up most of the dry residue in 2 tested broths. As served, each contained only about 2% protein because the liquid was mostly water.
Why it is in the bag
What the manufacturer gets
-
01
Adds savory flavor
Simmering transfers beef-derived flavor into a pourable liquid. Brands sell broth as a way to make food more appealing, though a controlled dog preference test was not found.8,9
-
02
Adds moisture
Liquid broth wets dry food and supplies water to wet recipes. The broths tested in an industry project were about 96% water, so their listed weight overstates their dry nutrient contribution.3,6
-
03
Uses leftover bones
Broth gives beef bones another commercial outlet. An industry project examined the costs and production of saleable broth made from bones described as low-value by-products.3
How much No standard dog-food inclusion rate was published in the sources reviewed; ingredient labels show weight order, not the amount of broth used.6
Our read // The claims
What the evidence supports
Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.
-
Brands say
Broth adds moisture to a dog's food
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Two tested broths were about 96% water. Pouring broth onto food adds water, although the ingredient list does not disclose how much broth a prepared food contains.3,6
-
Brands say
Bone broth makes picky dogs eat
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A brand promotes its beef broth powder for picky eaters. Its product page reports no controlled dog preference test, so the claim goes beyond evidence that dogs eat more food when broth is added.9
-
Brands say
Broth collagen supports a dog's joints
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A small, industry-funded trial tested measured collagen peptides in 31 dogs, not broth. A separate broth analysis found less consistent collagen-related amino acids than supplement doses. Those results do not show a joint benefit from broth.1,2,8
-
Owners say
Beef bone broth is rich in calcium
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Researchers measured 36 retail beef-bone broths and found an average of 7.65 mg calcium per 250 g serving. Calcium in the bones does not make the strained liquid a dependable calcium source.4
Straight answers
What owners ask
-
Q01
Is it just filler?
NoBroth has a practical job: it adds liquid and beef flavor. Its high water content means a prominent place on an ingredient list does not make it a major protein source.3,6,8
-
Q02
Does it replace beef meat?
NoThe tested liquid broths contained 2.3% and 2.4% protein as served. Check the other ingredients and the food's guaranteed analysis to judge its protein; the words beef bone broth do not tell you how much meat nutrition remains.3,6
-
Q03
Can I use grocery-store broth?
Only plain brothRead its full ingredient list first. Onion and garlic can damage dogs' red blood cells. Retail broths also differ widely in sodium, so check that label when your dog's diet has a sodium limit.4,7
Who uses it
Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps
Top brands, by foods that list it
Plus 3 more brands.
Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it
- Beef 79%
- Sweet Potatoes 37%
- Lamb 32%
- Pumpkin 32%
- Carrots 29%
- Potatoes 26%
- Beef Liver 24%
- Salt 21%
- Sunflower Oil 18%
- Kale 16%
- Broccoli 16%
- Tapioca 16%
On the shelf
Foods that list it
38 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.
Show 30 more
Wellness Core Protein Bowls Beef, Potato & Green Beans Wet Dog Food33.3% proteinMerrick Backcountry Bone Broth Coated Beef & Bison Dry Dog Food38.2% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Superfood Pour Overs Lamb & Beef Dog Food Topper45.0% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Beef, Cheddar & Farm Veggies Butcher Block Pâté Wet Dog Food54.5% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Braised Beef & Lamb One Pot Stew Wet Dog Food38.9% proteinWellness Core Bowl Boosters Hearty Toppers Beef & Green Beans Recipe in Savory Bone Broth Dog Food Topper35.0% proteinSolid Gold Homestyle Meals Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinHealth Extension Gently Cooked Lamb And Carrot Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Roasted Beef One Pot Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Bone Broth Pour Overs Dog Food Topper45.0% proteinOrijen FreshPrey Beef, Pork & Lamb Recipe Wet Dog Food56.0% proteinHealth Extension Gently Cooked Beef And Potato Recipe Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters Grain Free Beef & Chicken Protein Plus Clusters Dry Dog Food36.4% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Great Plains Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain - Grain Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains Front Range Ancient Grains for Dogs - RawMix Dry Dog Food32.2% proteinOpen Farm Front Range RawMix for Dogs - Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinNulo MedalSeries Baked & Coated Beef, Pork & Lamb Recipe Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinPurina One True Instinct High Protein Real Chicken Duck Dry Puppy Dry Dog Food36.4% proteinStella & Chewy’s SuperBlends Beef & Lamb : Raw Blend Oven Baked Kibble with Superfoods, Antioxidants & Probiotics Dry Dog Food30.7% proteinTiki Dog Raw Beef, Beef Liver and Beef Bone Broth Frozen Raw Dog Food40.0% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Kitchen Gently Cooked Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Frozen Dog Food33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Grass-Fed Beef Broth Dog Food Topper33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Bountiful Bone Broth Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Mix-Ins Grass-Fed Beef & Pumpkin Recipe in Beef Bone Broth Dog Food Mixer37.5% proteinSolid Gold Bone Broth Stew with Beef & Hearty Vegetables Dog Food Topper62.5% proteinNature’s Recipe Prime Blends Beef, Barley & Venison Recipe Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinNature’s Recipe Prime Blends Grain-Free Beef, Lamb, and Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Proper Toppers Grain-Free Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper50.3% proteinOur read // On the bag
Read broth as flavor and water
If beef bone broth sits high on a food's list, remember that ingredients are ranked with their water. Look at the named meat ingredients and guaranteed protein to judge the food. For a separate topper, check for onion, garlic and sodium. Set aside joint and calcium promises.
Sources
What we read
Checked October 1, 2026.
- 1 The oral intake of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP) improves gait and quality of life in canine osteoarthritis patients-A translational large animal model for a nutritional therapy option
- 2 Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research
- 3 Beef Bone Broth Value Add Opportunities
- 4 Nutritional evaluation of beef-bone broth products: focus on calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium content
- 5 Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats
- 6 Reading Labels
- 7 People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
- 8 Beef Bone Broth
- 9 Beef Bone Broth