OK, I’ll confess: baking homemade liver treats for dogs may not be the best way to scent your home…but your dog will love you for it.
Many weeks I like to make pretty little dog treats. Dog treats made with shredded carrots and colorful ingredients, all trimmed using cute little cookie cutters.
This is not one of those weeks.
This recipe is, well, it’s downright ugly. The ingredients are hideous. The preparation is just plain gross. The smell of the treats baking is nothing you’d want to bottle as use as a room deodorizer.
But the finished product will make you very popular with your dog. And you’ll know that you’re giving your dog a treat that’s good for him (and also very inexpensive to make).
(Before we go any further, let me just warn you if you’re one of those people that can’t stand the sight of raw liver, run, do not walk, to another DogTipper page. You’ll find plenty of other yummy recipes here like Peanut Butter Treats.)
These treats make excellent homemade dog training treats because they’re firm and can be trimmed into mere nuggets that you can use to reward your dog during his training session.
How Many Liver Treats Should I Give My Dog?
Liver is a highly nutritious organ meat, rich in essential nutrients like vitamin A, iron, and B vitamins. However, because of its high vitamin A content, it’s important to feed it in moderation. Liver shouldn’t make up more than 5% of your dog’s total daily diet so keep that in mind as you treat your dog, taking into consideration your dog’s size and total daily intake.
Too much liver can lead to a vitamin A overdose, known as hypervitaminosis A, which can affect a dog’s bones and muscles.
If you are introducing liver for the first time, start with small amounts and observe your dog for any signs of digestive upset or other adverse reactions.
Step by Step Instructions to Make Liver Treats for Dogs
Step one is to assemble your ingredients, and they’re simple: raw liver, whole wheat flour (or your favorite flour for dog treats) and an egg.
I rinsed the liver with cold water so it’s a little less liver-y but you don’t have to if you’re in a pinch for time.
Next (and this is the toughest step), toss the liver into the blender.
Blend until it’s the consistency of a malt (just keep telling yourself it’s a strawberry and chocolate malt. That works unless you catch a whiff of the pretend malt.)
You don’t want any pieces remaining in the mix or, when it comes time to score the treats, you’ll have a tough time cutting them apart.
Pour the blended liver into a large mixing bowl. (Psst…here’s a quick cleanup tip for the blender: fill it about 1/3rd full of water, add a drop of dishwashing liquid and put it back on the blender. Let the blender do the work and swirl that soapy water to shorten your cleanup job!)
To the mixing bowl, add your flour, egg and water.
Stir well. The result is a pretty heavy batter:
Next, pour the batter onto a well-greased cookie sheet (one with a good lip) or half sheet pan. This mix won’t rise much at all.
Pop the cookie sheet into a 350 degree F oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Cutting the Treats into Squares
Take the cookie sheet out of the oven and score the treats into 1/2-inch squares. (When we train with these treats, we break them up much smaller…but I don’t have the patience to cut them any smaller!)
Turn off your oven and return the cookie sheet with the scored treats back to the oven for about 10 minutes; this will help dry out the treats.
After 10 minutes, remove them and, using a spatula, remove all the treats…then put them all back again (no, not in order! You just want to pile them up in any fashion so the edges that haven’t had a chance to dry out will get nice and crispy.)
[You can also dump the treats out onto a raised wire rack like you use to make jerky in your oven. Put the wire rack on the cookie sheet and return it to the oven.]
Return the cookie sheet to the oven (which is turned off) and leave it there until the oven has cooled or at least another half hour. Crack the door of the oven to allow moisture to escape.
When you take the treats out of the oven, if they’re not completely cooled, let them cool on the counter before you finally bag them up and refrigerate them.
How Long Can You Refrigerate Homemade Liver Treats?
Liver dog treats can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.
If you have more than you’ll use in that time, divide the treats and put some in the freezer.
The result? Our dogs say these treats are lip-licking good!
In a blender, blend liver until smooth then pour into a large mixing bowl.
Add other ingredients and stir until well mixed then pour onto greased cookie sheet with 1/2-inch sides.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Allow treats to cool then cut into training treat size.
Refrigerate treats.
Would your dog love this recipe?
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Cooks: Don’t miss our My Dog Says I’m a Great Cook™ cookbook with over 100 dog treat recipes from the publishers, readers and fans of DogTipper! This paperback book is available in our YUCKY PUPPY gift store!
Pin it to remember how to make these homemade liver dog treats!
Paris Permenter is the award-winning co-author, with John Bigley, of over 30 pet and travel books including The Healthy Hound Cookbook and Texas with Dogs, both available through Simon and Schuster. Paris is also a member of the Dog Writers Association of America.
