Freeze-dried Liver

[Falcon]

I've read in several places that one of the best treats to give a puppy for those really important things (housetraining, socializing with kids/other scary people, recall, etc.) is tiny bits of freeze-dried liver.

 

I was wondering if any of you knew where to buy it? Went by a grocery chain and they had "frozen liver", is that the same? Would I cook it first?

 

Sorry about all the questions, I'm rather newbish when it comes to meat/raw. Thanks.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

You can get it at the pet stores or order it online (cheapest). The most common brand sold is Gimborn. It's really expensive but a few ounces lasts forever if you break it up.

 

Or, you can google "homeade liver treats" and there will be numerous recipes for treats you can make yourself much less expensively, at home.

[Kat's Dogs]

If you go to specialty pet stores (not like Petsmart or anything), ya know, the little dog shop on the corner type place, they always seem to have liver treats and other fancy (i.e. REALLY yummy!) dog treats. A lot of local dog bakeries do too.

 

Just getting frozen liver might be a bit different (it just CAN'T be too different) then store bought dog treats but if it is cheaper, getting that and cutting it up into little treats would be fine, and your dog won't know the difference.

 

But IMHO, I don't let my pups (or dogs) get used to good treats like that. Cheese is like the top thing for them - usually they just get their own food, even for training. They are used to it, and they love it, and it is cheaper. Just letting you know, if you do liver now, you will just have to keep on doing it and keep on doing it and keep on doing it......

[urge to herd]

And here's a recipe now:

 

Take a lb (or so) of any kind of raw liver. Whirl it in the blender till it's liquid. If you're a queezy stomached sort of person, get someone else to do it for you.

 

Pour the liquid liver into a mixing bowl. Gradually add 3 cups (or so) of rolled oats. You want a pretty stiff batter, but still spreadable. You can add a bit of water or broth if you need to.

 

Spread the batter in a baking spray coated cookie sheet, the kind with sides work best. Get the batter as even all the way around as you can.

 

Bake at around 200 degrees, lower if your oven will do it. It takes a couple hrs, you'll want to check every so often. It's done when you've got a cake or brownie like texture.

 

Cool, pull apart into chunks, and then break into tiny, tiny pieces. No, smaller. I use pieces about the size of 1/4 of my littlest fingernail. Freeze in packets of about 1/2 c or so. Keep the packet you're working from in the fridge.

 

You can add stuff - grated cheese, egg (throw it in the blender at the same time as the liver, include the shell)apple, etc. You can use basically any kind of meat that will liquify. If you use tuna or mackeral, your house will reek of fish. Course, it's going to reek of liver, so choose your poison.

 

Your dog(s) will love this stuff. It keeps in your pocket for a day or so. There's just about no way to goof up the recipe. It's cheap, cheap, cheap!

 

Or, you can get a basic baking mix, add the liver or a can of tuna to that and forge ahead. I use the liver/oatmeal mix because of Shoshone's allergies.

 

Bone Appetit!

 

Ruth n the BC3

[urge to herd]

Originally posted by Kat's Dogs:

 

Just letting you know, if you do liver now, you will just have to keep on doing it and keep on doing it and keep on doing it...... [/QB]

That's not been my experience. I can use cheerios, bits of potato chip, crumbs of bread, etc for treats for my guys. I use the yummy stuff for 'proofing' a behavior or cue in a new environment where the distractions are higher, or for something that they really hate for me to do, like trimming nails, cleaning wounds, etc.

 

My guys will eat anything. Buzz even gets dried cranberries for food rewards.

 

Ruth n the BC3

[Root Beer]

Originally posted by urge to herd:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kat's Dogs:

 

Just letting you know, if you do liver now, you will just have to keep on doing it and keep on doing it and keep on doing it......

That's not been my experience. I can use cheerios, bits of potato chip, crumbs of bread, etc for treats for my guys.

 

Ruth n the BC3

That hasn't been my experience, either. Speedy tends to like variety - sometimes he even prefers something "low value" if he hasn't had it in a while.