I am fanatical about feeding a healthy raw meat diet to my dogs, Arnold, Rocko and Kirby.
I crossed over from commercial pet food over 10 years ago and the good health of my 11 year old Black Lab littermates, Arnold and Rocko, is a testimonial to the benefits of this diet. They have thick shiny coats, beautiful teeth and no foul body or breath odor. Rocko was born with osteo problems, but Arnold, at 11 years old, is arthritis free; nearly unheard of in Labrador Retrievers. If you are interested in feeding a better diet to your dogs, I recommend you read the Animal Protection Institute’s article, What’s Really In Pet Food .
One challenge of eliminating processed foods from my dogs’ diet is finding treats that I can carry in my pocket to use as training rewards. There are a few commercial brands out there that meet my high standards for quality ingredients like Old Mother Hubbard and Charlee Bear. These are convenient and since they are not a large part of the diet, I feel comfortable using these treats. But for really great training treats that my dogs are CRAZY about, I whip up a batch of Liver Treats. They are simple to make, economical, and I know your dogs will love them too!
Liver Treats
- 1 Pound Chicken or Beef Liver, including liquid
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 Cup Coarse Cornmeal
Process liver, eggs, garlic and oil in food processor until liquefied. Pour into a large bowl and add flour and cornmeal. Grease and/or line with parchment paper a 9 x 13 pan or a jelly roll pan (for thinner treats). Bake for 10 minutes (no longer) at 450 degrees F oven. Cut into small pieces while hot, then freeze when cool (store in a zip-lock bag). Remove from freezer as needed.
