Comparison
Raw, cooked, dehydrated or freeze-dried liver for dogs
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The quick version
Dogs can eat raw beef liver, and many raw feeders give it, but it needs careful handling because of bacteria. Cooking settles that, but cooked liver keeps only a few days in the fridge. Freeze-dried raw liver keeps on a shelf and travels well, though it is still a raw product. Wash your hands after each form.
The four forms side by side
Liver shows up in four main forms. They are the same organ, and they behave very differently on the counter, in a pocket and in the bag.
Four ways to give a dog liver
| Fresh raw | Cooked | Dehydrated | Freeze-dried raw | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Fridge or freezer | Fridge, a few days | Pantry | Pantry |
| Texture | Wet, slippery | Firm, moist | Dense, leathery or hard | Light, dry, crumbly |
| Mess on hands | A lot | Some | Little | Dust and crumbs |
| Breaking it small | Knife and board | Knife | Scissors or a snap | Fingers |
| For a walk or the car | Poor | Poor | Good | Good |
| Raw product | Yes | No | Varies by maker | Yes |
Dehydrated treats vary the most. Some are cooked before drying and some are not, so the label is the only way to know.
Fresh raw liver
Fresh liver from a butcher is the cheapest way to get liver into a dog, and it is the messiest. It slides around the cutting board, it stains, and it has to stay cold. People who feed raw diets already have routines for this.
The FDA screened more than 1,000 pet food samples in a two year study and found raw pet food was more likely than other types to carry bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Its page has handling tips for households that feed raw. If you go this way, read them first. It is worth knowing that the bacteria concern covers the people in the house as well as the dog.
Cooked liver
Boiling or baking liver at home takes the raw question off the table. Cook it plain with nothing added, cool it, and cut it small. The tradeoff is time and shelf life. Cooked liver goes in the fridge and lasts a few days, so most people cook a batch and freeze portions.
It is also soft. That makes it easy to tear, but it leaves your fingers greasy and your treat pouch worse.
Dehydrated liver
Dehydrating dries liver with warm moving air over hours. The result is shelf stable and firmer than freeze-dried. Some dehydrated liver is close to jerky; some is hard enough to need scissors. Because makers differ on whether they cook first, read the bag before you assume either way.
Freeze-dried raw liver
Freeze-drying works differently. The liver is frozen, and then most of the water is drawn out while it stays frozen, under low pressure. What is left keeps its shape but weighs very little. Our label lists moisture at a maximum of 10 percent.
That is the form we make. Our bag holds freeze-dried raw beef liver, one ingredient, from a Pennsylvania farm, made in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Pieces are medium sized and break apart by hand. The back of the bag says to wash hands after handling, and we mean it.
Freeze-drying removes water. It is not cooking. VCA Animal Hospitals says to be wary of freeze-dried or dehydrated raw treats because of the risk of bacterial contamination, which can pass to other pets and people through saliva and feces. We would rather you hear that from us than find it later. Our answer is to wash your hands after handing out treats and keep the bag sealed between uses. If your dog shares a home with a baby or with someone whose doctor has told them to avoid raw foods, ask your veterinarian before bringing any raw treat into the house.
Read the back
The label tells you how to handle it
Our back label says to store the bag in a cool, dry place and reseal it after opening. It also says to wash hands after handling. The feeding directions call it intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only, and not intended as a complete and balanced diet.
Why owners pick freeze-dried for training and travel
A pocketful of freeze-dried liver does not leak or need ice. A piece snaps into several small rewards with your fingers. An open bag sits in a drawer for weeks without fuss. For a training class or a long drive with the dog in the back seat, those are the things that matter.
The one cost is weight for weight. Freeze-dried liver has most of its water gone, so an ounce of it is a lot more liver than an ounce of fresh. So the calories in a small pile of dried liver add up faster than its weight suggests. Our portion guide works out the weight that fits your dog's treat budget.
Which to choose
If you already feed raw and have a kitchen routine, fresh liver fits in. If raw makes you uneasy, cook it. If you want something that lives in a pouch and breaks small by hand, freeze-dried is the practical choice, with the hand washing that comes with any raw product. For the bigger question of how much liver belongs in a dog's week, see our beef liver guide for dogs.
Our freeze-dried raw beef liver
One ingredient, Pennsylvania farm beef, three bag sizes.
Raw and freeze-dried questions
Is freeze-dried liver raw?
Ours is. Freeze-drying takes water out while the liver is frozen and does not cook it. Some other freeze-dried treats are cooked first, so check the bag.
Is raw beef liver good for dogs?
Many dogs eat it. The concern the FDA and VCA raise is bacteria, for the dog and for the people handling it. If you feed raw, follow the FDA's handling tips.
Can dogs eat cooked beef liver?
Yes, cooked plain with nothing added and cut into small pieces. Keep it in the fridge and use it within a few days.
Freeze-dried vs dehydrated dog treats: what is the difference?
Freeze-drying pulls water out of frozen food under low pressure, so pieces stay light and crumbly. Dehydrating uses warm air and gives a denser, harder piece. Whether either is raw depends on the maker.
Does a bag of freeze-dried liver go in the fridge?
No. Keep our bag sealed somewhere cool and dry, and finish it within 30 days of opening. Unopened, it keeps until the best by date printed on the bag.
Should I wash my hands after giving freeze-dried raw treats?
Yes. Our label says so, and VCA notes that bacteria from raw treats can spread to people.