The risk is low but not zero. Freeze-dried liver is hard and brittle, which means it breaks easily with light pressure — unlike bully sticks or antlers that require sustained bite force. For most senior dogs with normal age-related dental wear, the treats are fine. For dogs with cracked teeth, tooth resorption, or advanced periodontal disease, any firm treat carries some risk and you should consult your vet.
In this article
How firm are these treats really?
Freeze-dried beef liver is harder than a soft chew but much less dense than a bully stick, rawhide, or antler. A useful way to think about it: place a piece on a hard surface and tap it with a finger — it does not bounce, it shatters. That brittleness is the key distinction. A treat that shatters requires very little bite force, whereas something like a bully stick or pressed rawhide requires sustained jaw pressure that can crack a tooth.
Veterinary dentists use the "thumbnail test" as a rough guide: if you cannot dent the treat's surface with your thumbnail, it is hard enough to potentially crack a tooth. Stewart freeze-dried liver fails this test — you can crush a piece easily between two fingers, which means the bite force required is well below what would stress even weakened teeth in most dogs.
The thumbnail test and bite safety
The thumbnail test is a practical proxy for what veterinarians call the "hardness threshold" for dental safety. Treats that pass (dent easily with a thumbnail): freeze-dried liver, soft jerky, boiled chicken. These are generally dental-safe for dogs with dental disease. Treats that fail (cannot dent): antlers, real bones, compressed nylabones, dried hooves. These can fracture teeth and should be avoided in dogs with any history of dental problems.
Stewart freeze-dried liver passes this test comfortably. The pieces crumble under moderate finger pressure, which tells you the jaw force needed to bite through is low.
Senior dogs: what changes with age
Older dogs experience predictable dental changes: enamel thinning, increased likelihood of tooth fractures from previous chewing, higher rates of periodontal disease (which weakens the supporting structures of teeth), and occasionally tooth resorption (a painful condition where the tooth root is gradually destroyed). None of these make freeze-dried liver automatically dangerous, but they increase the importance of monitoring how the dog is actually interacting with the treat.
A senior dog who chews deliberately is at low risk. A senior dog with a fractured slab from a previous hard chew, or one with severe periodontal disease affecting multiple teeth, should have any treat assessed by a vet before you establish a regular habit.
When to use the treat as a crumble instead
For senior dogs with confirmed dental disease, or after any dental procedure, the crumble at the bottom of the Stewart pouch is a safe alternative. Crumble has the same smell and flavor — it still motivates — but there is nothing to bite through. You can use it as a food topper, mix it into a small amount of water or wet food, or hand-feed it as a powder from your palm. The training value is reduced slightly because there is no distinct texture reward, but the scent motivation remains intact.
Dental conditions that change the calculation
Fractured or cracked teeth: any tooth with a visible crack or missing enamel slab is vulnerable. Even light bite force applied to the right angle can propagate the fracture. Treats should be crumble-only until the tooth is evaluated and treated.
Severe periodontal disease: teeth with significant bone loss and deep pockets are essentially loose in their sockets. Any chewing activity applies torque to these teeth, which can accelerate loosening. Your vet's recommendation after a dental cleaning is the right guide here.
Post-extraction healing: wait at least 7–10 days after dental extractions before resuming firm treats. The extraction site needs time to close, and food particles getting into the site can cause infection.