Homemade Dog Gummies with Chicken Broth and Unflavored Gelatin
Homemade dog gummies with unsalted homemade broth and unflavored gelatin, no sugar or sweeteners. Two ingredients, a silicone mold and about 40 pieces.
- Time
- 15 min + 3 h resting
- Makes
- 40 pieces
- Type
- Treat
- Difficulty
- Easy
- 100 % unflavored gelatin powder, sugar-free
Follows THE RULE. All 2 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
These homemade dog gummies are homemade chicken broth set with unflavored gelatin: two ingredients, not a pinch of sugar and a soft, chewy texture that senior dogs and dogs with sensitive mouths really enjoy. Each one has very few calories, so they work as training treats or for handing out several over the day.
They take five minutes with a silicone mold in small shapes (bones, paw prints, little bears), and the fridge does the rest. The only thing to watch is which gelatin you buy: it has to be unflavored, powder or sheets, with no flavoring, no sugar and no sweeteners. Strawberry-flavored dessert mix won't do.
Why it works
Homemade broth brings the chicken flavor with almost no fat or calories. Unflavored gelatin is pure protein (collagen), and it's what sets the broth into a firm, springy piece you can pick up with your fingers. The ratio, about 75 g of gelatin per liter of broth, is higher than for a dessert: that way the gummies hold up outside the fridge for the length of a walk without melting.
Step by step
Bloom the gelatin
Pour 100 g (a scant 1/2 cup) of the cold broth into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top without stirring. Leave it for 5 minutes until it absorbs the liquid and looks spongy. If you are using sheets, soak them in cold water and squeeze them out.
Heat the rest of the broth
Heat the remaining 300 g (1 1/4 cups) of broth until it steams, without letting it boil: if it boils, the gelatin loses strength.
Dissolve
Take the broth off the heat, add the bloomed gelatin and stir for a couple of minutes until not a single grain is left. If there is foam on top, skim it off with a spoon so the gummies come out clear.
Fill the molds
Set the silicone molds on a tray (otherwise they bend when you move them) and fill the cavities with a small pitcher or a dropper.
Set in the fridge
Let them cool for 15 minutes and put the tray in the fridge for at least 3 hours, until they are firm and come away from the mold on their own.
Unmold
Push each gummy out from underneath and store them in a container. If one breaks, it still works as a treat.
How many a day?
As a treat, keeping under 10% of what they eat each day.
— pieces a day at most
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pieces/day | 7 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 43 | 53 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 3.3 kcal/piece
- Protein
- 364 % dry matter
- Fat
- 15 % dry matter
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). A treat: keep treats under 10% of what they eat each day.
Storage
Fridge: 5 days in a well-sealed container. Freezer: up to 2 months in a bag; when thawed they release a little liquid and turn a bit softer, but they are still fine to give. Out of the fridge they last a couple of hours: for walks, carry them in a small bag and use up any leftovers the same day.
If you don't have…
- You don't have homemade broth
- Water with 80 g of cooked chicken breast blended very finely; they come out cloudier but just as tasty
- You want a fruit gummy
- Replace the broth with 300 g of water and 100 g of blended, strained strawberries or mango
- You want them softer, for a senior dog
- Reduce the gelatin to 20 g
Cooking tips
- The 10% rule: treats shouldn't make up more than 10% of your dog's daily calories. These gummies have about 3 kcal each, so they go a long way; the table in the recipe tells you how many fit their weight.
- The homemade bone broth on this site, well skimmed, is perfect for this recipe. If you have it frozen in cubes, thaw 400 g and you're set.
- For small dogs or puppies, use chocolate-truffle molds or mini gummy-bear molds: 5 g pieces are ideal for training.
Safety
- The gelatin has to be unflavored. Flavored and "sugar-free" gelatins contain sugar or sweeteners, and some may contain xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs. Always read the ingredient list.
- Broth only if it's homemade and unsalted. Boxed broths and bouillon cubes almost always contain onion, garlic and a lot of salt.
- If you use your own bone broth, strain it first through a fine-mesh sieve: not a single bit of bone can be left in it.
- For dogs that gulp their food, choose small, flat shapes: a large, soft gummy can get stuck.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat gelatin?
Yes, plain unflavored gelatin is safe for dogs: it's collagen, a protein, with no sugar or additives. What they can't have is flavored dessert gelatin, which contains sugar, coloring and sometimes sweeteners such as xylitol. Before buying it, check that the ingredients list only says "gelatin".
Is gelatin good for dogs' joints?
It provides collagen and amino acids such as glycine and proline, but there is no solid evidence that kitchen gelatin improves dogs' joints. Think of it as a low-calorie treat, not a treatment. If your dog has osteoarthritis, supplements and weight control are something to work out with your vet.
How many gummies can a dog eat a day?
It depends on their size, but at about 3 kcal each they can have quite a few without overdoing it: around 11 for a 5 kg (11 lb) dog and around 19 for a 10 kg (22 lb) dog, as long as they don't get other treats that day. Since they are protein, they shouldn't replace their food. The table in the recipe gives you the exact number.
What's in it, in detail
- Chicken Yes
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.