Taurine for dogs: why chicken hearts are a natural source

Chicken hearts keep coming up in the taurine conversation, and it's worth knowing why. Taurine is an amino acid, and heart muscle is one of the tissues where it naturally concentrates. A dog's body makes its own taurine from other amino acids, and any taurine in the food adds to that supply. So a chicken heart is a natural source of taurine. It's not a supplement or a heart tonic, and it doesn't need to be.

Do dogs need taurine in their food?

Not in the way cats do. Taurine sits free in cells, particularly in muscle, the heart, the retina and the brain, where it's involved in normal cell function (NRC, 2006). It's essential for cats, who can't make enough, and not for dogs, who can. A healthy dog on a complete diet makes its own from the protein in the bowl (NRC, 2006; FEDIAF, 2024). Dietary taurine is a top-up, not the foundation.

So a dog doesn't "need" chicken hearts. Heart is simply where taurine naturally sits, so a treat made of heart carries some, without anyone adding anything. We don't put a number on it: published figures are for raw tissue, and drying removes water. "A natural source" is the true sentence.

What is a naturally dried chicken heart?

An Australian chicken heart, whole, naturally dried at low heat. One ingredient. Heart is technically an organ, but it's built like muscle, so it eats like a small, firm piece of meat. Thumbnail-sized once dried, chicken hearts are an easy one-piece reward from the chicken range.

Which dogs suit chicken hearts, and how many?

Most dogs, with two honest exceptions. Chicken is among the most commonly reported food allergens in dogs (Mueller, Olivry and Prélaud, 2016), so if your vet has your dog on an elimination diet or a novel protein, chicken heart doesn't belong in it. And a dog on a heart medication or heart diet is a vet conversation before any change, treats included.

As for how many: treats stay under about 10% of the day's food. A few hearts through the day for a medium dog is a comfortable pattern. No vitamin A ceiling like liver, but still a treat, not a meal.

Every dog is different. For an ongoing issue, your vet is the first call — this is general information, not veterinary advice.

Keep reading: Organ meat vs muscle meat for dogs: what's the difference? · Beef liver dog treats: what's in them and how much to feed

Sources

• National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. nap.nationalacademies.org
• FEDIAF (2024). Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. europeanpetfood.org
• Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P (2016). Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research 12:9. doi.org

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