Can Dogs Eat Sardines?

If you’re looking at expanding your dog’s diet, you may be wondering: Can dogs eat sardines? The short answer is that yes, dogs can eat sardines as long as they haven’t been packed in oil, brine, or tomato sauce.

Here’s what you need to know about dogs eating sardines.

Can Dogs Eat Sardines?

Generally, yes, dogs can eat sardines. However, it makes a difference how the sardines are prepared. Many sardines are canned with oil, brine, or tomato paste—ingredients that can all cause various problems for dogs.

While fresh, frozen, or raw sardines and sardines canned in water are all excellent treats for dogs, avoid giving your dog sardines that have been canned in anything other than water, as they may make your dog ill.

Are Sardines Good for Dogs?

Yes, sardines are good for dogs because they are low in mercury due to being plant-eaters, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein-rich, and full of essential vitamins.

Can Dogs Eat Canned Sardines?

Dogs can eat sardines that have been canned in water, but they should avoid eating sardines that have been canned in oil, brine, tomato sauce, or anything else as these added ingredients may make your dog sick.

Can Dogs Eat Sardine Varieties?

Here are some of the most common types of sardines and whether they are safe for dogs.

Can Dogs Eat Sardines in Olive Oil?

No, dogs should not eat sardines in olive oil because they are extremely fatty and may trigger pancreatitis.

Can Dogs Eat Sardines in Water?

Yes, dogs can eat sardines in water.

Can Dogs Eat Sardines With Bones?

While dogs can eat small sardines without worrying too much about choking on bones, larger sardines may need to be de-boned before being given to a dog, especially if the sardine has been cooked or smoked in any way.

Health Benefits of Sardines for Dogs

Low on the food chain, sardines are an excellent fish for dogs because they are very low in mercury. Here are some other health benefits of sardines for dogs.

High-Quality Protein

Sardines are a complete protein, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your dog needs to thrive.

Vitamins and Other Nutrients

These small fish are packed with taurine, calcium, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, copper, coenzyme Q10, vitamin D, and Vitamin B12.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Helpful for eyesight, brain health, shiny fur, healthy skin, and more, sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Potential Health Risks of Sardines for Dogs

No food is perfect, and sardines may pose health risks to certain dogs.

Bones

Sardine bones may be a choking hazard, particularly if you give a large cooked sardine to a small dog. The bones in a small, raw sardine should be soft enough for a dog to eat without too much of a problem, however.

Mercury

While all fish contain trace amounts of mercury, sardines contain relatively small amounts since they eat phytoplankton (microscopic algae) rather than other fish and because they have short lifespans.

High Fat Content

Being an oily fish, sardines are relatively high in fat and may not be an appropriate snack for dogs with a history of pancreatitis, obesity, or another problem with high-fat snacks.

How to Safely Feed Sardines to Dogs

If you choose to feed raw sardines to your dog, make sure you freeze them for at least 3 weeks before giving them to your dog to kill any potential parasites. You can also choose to feed your dog freeze-dried, cooked (but not fried), smoked, or canned sardines (as long as they’ve been canned in water rather than oil, brine, or anything else).

No more than 10% of your dog’s daily diet should be treats, snacks, or other foods outside your dog’s normal balanced diet, so keep that in mind when deciding how much sardine to share with your pup.

Can My Dog Eat Sardines Regularly?

Yes, you can feed your dog small portions of sardines on a regular basis as long as it doesn’t make up more than 10% of their daily diet. If you’re feeding your dog sardines as part of a raw diet, ensure you’re feeding a diet that’s fully balanced for your dog’s needs (sardines alone don’t make a fully balanced raw diet for dogs).

Precautions Before Feeding Sardines to Your Dog

If your dog is prone to choking and you want to feed your dog larger sardines, you may want to remove the bones first to prevent any choking risk. The bones in canned sardines should be small enough not to pose any risk.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Meat?

Are you planning to feed your dog sardines as part of a raw diet? Or maybe you’re simply looking to spruce up your pup’s kibble. Did you know there’s an easy way to feed your dog a complete and balanced raw diet?

We Feed Raw makes pre-portioned raw patties that contain approximately 80% muscle meat (with associated connective tissue and fat), 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone, plus an added vitamin mix to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients they need.

Our recipes are formulated to meet or exceed AAFCO nutritional requirements for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies, and we use a cold-pressure process to inactivate any potential pathogens, making our food safe.

Click here to learn more about why We Feed Raw is the best species-appropriate diet for your dog, or click here to take our quiz and get your pup started on their life-changing raw journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are sardines good for dogs?

Yes, sardines are great for dogs as long as they haven’t been canned in fatty oil, salty brine, or tomato sauce filled with ingredients dogs shouldn’t eat.

Can dogs eat canned sardines?

Yes, dogs can eat canned sardines packed with water. Dogs should avoid eating canned sardines packed in oil, brine, or tomato sauce, however, as those added ingredients may make your dog ill.

Can dogs eat tin sardines?

Yes, dogs can eat tin sardines as long as they are packed in water. Don’t feed dogs sardines that are packed in oil, brine, or tomato sauce since those added ingredients can make dogs sick.

Can my dog eat sardines?

Probably! As long as your dog isn’t allergic to sardines, dealing with pancreatitis, or has another reason they should avoid eating fatty foods, sardines should be a great snack for them. Just avoid sardines canned in oil, brine, or anything besides water.