When I think of a treat, I think of ice-cream. I imagine chocolate, vanilla, or even strawberry. How about an ice cream sandwich or a fudge bar? Yum. Well what about the liver? What happened to the liver? Am I supposed to eat liver ice-cream? Well no. This is about your dog anyway. Liver ice-cream, that’s just ludicrous. Seriously it’s wacked. There are treats of liver though. I wouldn’t recommend these treats for any of my readers, however. This triggers the gag response for me. Even if it had onions I would feel inclined to decline a liver treat invitation. I’m talking about liver dog treats.

While our little girls love their tea parties, our dogs can enjoy a liver party. That sounds like a bad doctor joke, but liver is one of those appealing flavors for a dog. We like ice-cream, or even cake. Our dogs love liver. That’s one of the great things about dogs; they’re not so interested in ice cream or cake.

So what about liver and my dog? Well let’s talk about some benefits to liver treats. Liver is loaded with so many nutrients. Some of these nutrients are used by your dog as an energy booster; they can assist in the growth of muscles. They can be quite good while training dogs or puppies as they promote brain development. It is often difficult for your dog to find a source of vitamin A. Liver contains an abundance of this vitamin.  Liver is loaded with fatty acids and antioxidants. Liver is also great source of the B vitamins as well as vitamin C.

There are also some disadvantages to using liver in our pets’ diets. First, and most commonly known, would be the high level of cholesterol that liver dog treats contain. That is very true. The amount of cholesterol in liver is quite high. One of the many bad things associated with cholesterol is its association with heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in animals. When it is in the blood stream it can coat the inner walls of blood vessels and even lead to blockage. That is one of the reasons that consuming excess cholesterol can be bad for your dog’s health.

Here’s the thing about dogs and liver dog treats. Dogs metabolize cholesterol differently than we as humans do. A younger, more active canine is more likely to burn off the cholesterol they consume than an older or less active dog. The great thing about a liver treat is it can be used when training a puppy. With all of its developmental benefits your puppy will grow up stronger, smarter, and faster. Liver dg treats are incredible when it comes to growth for your pet.

I recommend liver only in an active pet. While I am not a doctor, I do know that increased cholesterol levels can be harmful to our pets, just like it is to us. Feed your dog liver and give it a treat. I wish you happy treating.