The benefits of feeding your dog offal: the nutritional value and interesting facts

Over the last few centuries, we have domesticated pets like cats and dogs and drawn them further away from their natural way of life. This means that one of the main things that have been altered is their diet. 

Dry food and dog biscuits are quite foreign to their digestive system compared to their original, natural sources of nutrients. That is why introducing offal for dogs into their diets is an ideal way to give them a balanced meal while keeping their requirements for protein in mind. CDK9 is a raw dog food supplier that endorses giving pets their natural diet. We also supply raw organs for dogs to be delivered through our subscription. In this article, we will dive more into how offal can benefit a dog’s health in the long run. 

What is offal? 

The AAFCO defines offal as clean, non-rendered internal organs of mammals like cows and lambs. They are a nutritious and tasty way to keep your dog full and satiated throughout the day. Offal contains several essential vitamins, minerals and fats your dog requires to grow properly.  Our catalogue of offal for dogs at CDK9 includes but is not limited to duck giblets, lamb liver and beef kidney.  

Is offal good for a dog?

Yes. CFA is an essential fatty acid found in the entrails of mammals that boosts the immunity of your pet.  With its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a great treat that protects your dog against diseases like cancer and arthritis. 

Take for example, raw tripe for dogs. They serve as a nutritious addition to your dog’s meal thanks to being a rich source of protein, calcium and phosphorus. 

How much offal should I feed my dog?

A good model to incorporate into your dog's feeding habits is the Prey Model Raw diet. It is based on the ancient food habits of prey-hunting canines and gives you an approximate breakdown of how much and what you should feed your dog. The PMR has 80/10/10 rules. This means 80% muscle meat, 10% bones and 10% organs. 

It’s good to put a cap on how much offal you feed your pet since overfeeding might cause an imbalance in their nutritional intake. So when you’re choosing some of our liver for dogs, serve it in small doses. If you’re ever looking for an easy way to implement the PMR diet, we suggest subscribing to one of our many raw dog food essentials plans.   

What types of offal can dogs eat? 

Dogs are capable of eating and digesting a range of offal. CDK9 stocks: 

• Raw tripe 
• Beef, lamb and duck liver 
• Duck giblets 
• Salmon head

These tidbits make any meal for a dog packed with the nutrients it needs. 

How do I serve raw offal to my dog?

When your raw dog food arrives from CDK9, it will be vacuum sealed and kept cool with ice bags to preserve freshness. We recommend putting it straight into the freezer. Take it out to thaw and put it in the fridge a day before required.  

You can serve your dog portions based on its existing diet. We recommend mixing your offals with food items with different textures like lamb necks and salmon frames for dogs. This gives your pet some variety and a balanced meal that they can enjoy. You can also include fruits and vegetables when serving your dog's offal. Another great way to serve offal for dogs is to dehydrate them at a low temperature. That way you can make homemade treats to take to the park for your furry friend.   

What offal is best for dogs?

Liver is a popular offal known for it’s nutrient-rich properties. Since it’s low fat, it’s something you can include in your dog’s meal every day. Beef liver is an especially good source of protein, iron, copper, zinc, B12 and other essential vitamins. It gives them a boost of energy, so it can be part of a healthy breakfast for your pup to start the day.