Liver is an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals for dogs and a diet that includes liver will support the health and development of your dog.
Dogs love liver and this nutrient rich source of protein is an excellent meat for your dog to eat. Liver from a variety of animals can be fed to your dog and, whether fed raw or cooked your dog will enjoy it as either a complete meal or as an addition to his normal food.
How much liver can I give to my dog?
Like all new foods you should introduce liver gradually to your dog’s diet if he has not eaten it before.
The amount of liver that you can feed to your dog will vary depending on his size and weight and how active he is but, as a general guidance, you should feed a medium sized dog one to two ounces of liver – which can be either cooked or raw.
Reduce this amount for smaller dogs and remember to start off with small portions of liver if your dog has not tried it before.
What kind of liver do dogs like?
There are several types of liver that dogs like and which can be safely fed:
Beef or cow’s liver – contains a good range of vitamins A and B along with essential fatty acids.
Chicken liver – a healthy source of B vitamins, iron and other nutrients.
Lamb’s liver – higher in calories than the others but again lots of vital nutrients and minerals.
Beef or cow’s liver for dogs
Beef or cow’s liver is an excellent choice for dogs. Per 4 ounces ( approx.100g) beef liver contains:
156 Calories
407 mgs of phosphorous
11.7 mgs of copper
5.3 mgs of iron
4.3 mgs of zince
Chicken Livers
Chicken liver is another type of liver that dogs really like. Again per 4 ounces (100g) chicken liver contains:
136 calories
322mg of phosphorous
0.4 mgs of copper
9.5 mgs of iron
3.26 mgs of zinc
Lamb’s liver
Dogs love lamb’s liver and this is another great choice for dog food. Lamb’s liver contains:
180 calories
344 mgs of phosphorous
5.8 mgs of copper
6.79 mgs of iron
6.47 mgs of zinc
Cooking liver for dogs
If your dog doesn’t like the texture of raw liver or you simply don’t want to feed it raw then you can cook it.
Cooking liver makes it firmer and easier to handle, it also makes the meat easier to digest for your dog.
Liver is very easy to cook and you have a few options:
Grill – place beneath the grill until it firms and changes colour
Fry – In a small amount of oil again until firm and darker in clour
Bake – in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes
On the barbecue – until dark and firm
Make sure that the cooked liver has fully cooled before you feed it to your dog. Cooked liver can be easily cut into chunks and fed alone or mixed into your dog’s normal food.
Liver treats for dogs
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Final words
Dogs love liver. It is a good source of nutrients for dogs and you’ll normally find that even the most fussy eaters will happily devour any type of liver.
