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Taurine is abundant in most meats and fish, but cooking, especially cooking methods that immerse meat in water, such as boiling, can reduce taurine levels in food by up to 85%. However, this is not supposed to be a problem for dogs, because, unlike cats, dogs are supposed to be able to synthesize sufficient taurine from the sulphur amino acids, cysteine and methionine, much like humans. You'll notice the "supposed to’s" in that sentence. That's because it is far from clear that all dogs have the ability to synthesize adequate levels of taurine.

Clinical Study

17 healthy Beagles (a breed not predisposed to developing taurine deficiencies or dilated cardiomyopathy), the dogs were fed low protein diets that supplied methionine and cysteine at or above the levels recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
Yet the dogs experienced significant decreases in whole blood taurine concentrations, and one dog developed dilated cardiomyopathy, while another dog developed heart changes compatible with early DCM. Taurine supplementation resulted in substantial improvements in heart function.

While premium dog foods typically include additional taurine supplements, low protein diets as well as  brands using high levels of cereal protein can produce deficiencies. Lamb and rice diets have also been implicated in taurine-related DCM, as have homemade vegetarian and vegan diets. Some breeds (e.g., Newfoundlands, American Cocker Spaniels) are prone to developing taurine deficiencies even when taurine levels in their diet are adequate.

There is evidence that dogs with heart disease can benefit from taurine supplementation even if their blood taurine levels are normal.

This is most likely due to taurine's pharmacological effects as a cardiotonic. Not only does taurine protect the heart by regulating natriuresis and diuresis, it can also strengthen the contractions of heart muscle cells and help stabilize heart rhythm abnormalities.

Additionally, there is evidence that taurine diminishes the harmful effects of angiotensin II (a hormone responsible for everything from blood vessel constriction to the breakdown of lean body mass in patients with congestive heart failure) and reduces oxidative damage by decreasing levels of lipid peroxides in oxygen-deficient tissues.

In a placebo-controlled study of taurine-normal dogs with experimentally-induced congestive heart failure, taurine supplementation  improved clinical condition, strengthened heart muscle contractility, and reduced mortality.

Carnitine supplementation can produce excellent results in some dogs; cardiomyopathy begins to reverse and prescription heart medications can be discontinued, although the dogs must remain on supplements. Discontinuing supplementation results in a return of clinical DCM symptoms and heart muscle dysfunction.

The body's ability to synthesize Carnitine decreases with age as well as with congestive heart failure, so it's possible that, in some dogs, Carnitine deficiencies are the result, rather than the cause, of heart disease.

Carnitine supplements can boost exercise tolerance, reduce fatigue, minimize muscle atrophy, improve lipid patterns, and decrease heart rhythm disturbances. Carnitine also helps protects the heart muscle against oxidative stress by means of its substantial antioxidant effect. Consequently supplementation may be beneficial even without an underlying Carnitine deficiency.