Are You Feeding Too Much Liver?

My Journey with Fresh Food

My journey into fresh food started when I was five years old, living in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. We fed our dogs raw beef mixed with leftovers that a family of seven had not eaten that day. This was back in the late seventies.

I don’t recall that we intentionally fed liver to the dogs—but I have vivid memories of my parents trying to feed liver to me. My sister and I would pocket it in our trousers and later sneak it out to the dogs. Funny how things come full circle.

There wasn’t a lot of information on how to feed dogs on a small island like that. It wasn’t until I immigrated to the United States that I was exposed to kibble. My family thought this was the “American” way to raise dogs, so we adopted this way of feeding. That said, we soon found our way back to how we had always fed our dogs.

The 80/10/10 Era

Fast forward to approximately 20 years ago—I went back to feeding cooked food and started following the classic 80/10/10 rule: 80% protein, 10% organ meat, and 10% bone (or the appropriate amount of calcium). The organ meat was 5% liver and 5% other secreting organs.

During this time, knowledge was shared among other fresh feeders, and some veterinarians, such as Dr. Tom Lonsdale and Dr. Billinghurst, were gaining traction as the pioneers of the raw feeding movement.

The Blood Panel Wake-Up Call

I’m not entirely sure of the exact year, but let’s say it was in the years leading up to COVID, when pet parents started becoming more proactive. I found myself, along with other pet parents, asking to have our dogs’ blood panels drawn. This was an exercise previously reserved for when something was wrong with your dog, a standard procedure prior to surgery, or when your dog was officially a “senior dog.”

What emerged from the community surprised me.

Dogs that were being fed either a raw or cooked diet were coming home with abnormal levels in their lab work. One diagnosis that stood out to me was “copper storage disease”. I asked myself…. could we possibly be overfeeding liver?

This question that I posed to myself, among others, disrupted the paradigm and my naive claim that fresh diets were supreme.

My Response: Learning to Formulate

My dogs were young at the time, so I decided to officially learn how to formulate recipes for dogs to ensure all of their nutritional requirements were met.

During this journey, I decided that protecting their organs was of utmost importance. So I adjusted my recipes so that liver accounted for no more than 1.5% to 3% (depending on the protein source).

I based this on observations that some raw-fed dogs were developing copper storage disease or exhibiting elevated kidney values.

The Logic Behind My Liver Percentages

Part of how I arrived at these amounts was to look at liver weights as a percentage of body weight for common livestock and poultry species:

Poultry:

• Chicken: 2.5-3.0% of body weight
• Duck: 3.0-4.0% of body weight
• Turkey: 2.0-2.5% of body weight

Mammals:

• Rabbit: 3.5-4.5% of body weight
• Pig: 1.5-2.5% of body weight
• Cow (cattle): 1.0-1.5% of body weight

Finding the Right Balance

I intersected this data with what I had also learned about ideal ratios for minerals in dog food. Although I prefer cooked meals today, the structure of these meals is influenced by the ratios that would be present if they were fed a prey model raw-style diet.

The Current Liver Overload

I tend to keep to myself. The internet can be quite loud and noisy, and I’m a sensitive type. I no longer visit pet stores because I prefer to make my own dog food (as well as dog treats). That doesn’t mean I’m unaware of the deluge of liver; dogs are now being fed. From treats to how dog food is formulated, my general personal opinion is that your dog is being fed way too much liver.

So, How Much Exactly Should Your Dog Get?

This will vary depending on their size, so I’ll just share what my own 20-pound dogs get. In a beef recipe I prepare for my own dogs, they receive about 1.5 to 2% beef liver, which amounts to approximately 8 grams of liver per day.

This is approximately in the 11mg/kg range (based on dry matter), and the rest of the recipe reflects targeted ratios that I strive for in a balanced diet.

They do not get any liver treats.

And if they did… when you factor in that dehydration removes 90-95% of the moisture, their daily amount would be exceeded if they were fed a piece weighing over a gram.

Why This Matters

I share this story because it’s always been my goal to help you understand what to feed your dog and why. Along with that comes the dosage or portion that you should be feeding if you’re following a style of feeding where we carefully and intentionally watch how what we feed measures up against known standards.

Liver is a nutrient-dense organ meat and a fantastic source for nutrients like copper, choline, iron, vitamin A, folate, and B vitamins. Including it at the right portion is the responsible thing to do. But like any powerful nutrient source, more isn’t always better—it’s about finding that sweet spot where your dog gets the benefits without the risks.

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