Beef liver dog treats: what's in them and how much to feed

If you have ever watched a dog forget its own name over a scrap of something, it was probably liver. Beef liver is the most nutrient-dense cut in our range and the classic training treat, and it's also the one where "a little goes a long way" is a rule, not a slogan.

What's in beef liver?

Quite a lot, for a small piece. On the raw figures USDA publishes, beef liver carries around 5,000 µg RAE of vitamin A, around 60 µg of B12, around 5 mg of iron and around 20 g of protein per 100 g. Those nutrients are involved in normal vision, blood formation and oxygen transport. They're part of what a dog's complete diet has to supply, and liver is a concentrated natural source of them, which is exactly why it stays a treat.

Ours is Australian beef liver, naturally dried, nothing added. Whatever's in the bag, you can read it, and the label is two words long.

Which dogs suit it?

Most of them. It's soft enough to break into fingernail-sized pieces, which makes it the go-to for training and for puppies from 12 weeks. Two honest caveats: beef is one of the most commonly reported food allergens in dogs (Mueller, Olivry and Prélaud, 2016), so if your vet has your dog on an elimination diet, liver has to fit that plan or it doesn't go in. And a dog on a prescribed diet for any reason should have liver cleared by the vet first.

How much, and what to watch for

Liver is very rich in vitamin A, so a little goes a long way — a few small pieces a day for a medium dog, with all treats under about 10% of daily food.

Vitamin A is fat-soluble and stored in the body, and very large amounts over a long time are harmful. You won't get there with a few pieces of dried liver as a reward, but you could with liver as a daily side dish. Keep it in rotation with lean cuts from the beef range, and count it against the 10% rule. A dog that isn't used to organ meat may get a loose stool if you start big — start small.

Keep reading: Organ meat vs muscle meat for dogs: what's the difference? · Which nutrients are involved in a dog's coat?

Sources

• USDA FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov
• National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. nap.nationalacademies.org
• Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P (2016). Common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Vet Res 12:9. doi.org

Pudel · Reviewed September 2026 · Single-protein, naturally dried dog treats, made in Australia. General information, not veterinary advice.