Anchovies for Dogs and Cats: Plain Fish, Not the Canned Kind

Anchovies for dogs are fine when they are plain: a whole small fish with nothing on it, in treat amounts. The ones to skip are the anchovies most people actually own, the canned or jarred kind packed in oil and salt. Cats can have plain anchovies too, in smaller pieces, and this page covers which forms work, how many by size, and what to expect when they are freeze-dried.

What an anchovy is

An anchovy is a small, slender, silver fish, usually shorter and thinner than a sardine. It is an oily fish with a bold taste, which is why a single anchovy can flavor a whole sauce. Most of what people call anchovy comes from a tin or a jar, and that matters a lot for a dog, as the next section explains.

Plain only: what to skip

The fillets in a tin or jar are cured, which in practice means heavy salt, and they usually sit in oil. Anchovy paste in a tube is the same idea, concentrated. Anchovies on a pizza come with cheese, sauce and often onion or garlic. Caesar dressing and Worcestershire sauce are made with them but are not anchovies in any form a dog should get.

So the rule is short. Plain fish, no salt, no oil, no sauce, no seasoning. If the anchovy came out of a tin, the answer is no, and rinsing it under the tap does not change that. Plain means plain from the start.

Whole fish or pieces

A whole anchovy is a small fish, so for most dogs it goes down in one or two bites. For a small dog, break it in half. Cats usually do better with the fish broken up, or crumbled over their food, since a whole one is a lot of fish for a small animal.

Cooked plain anchovies, with nothing in the water or the pan, work the same way. Fresh ones from a fish counter are a different thing to handle, and we do not feed them raw from the counter. That is the main reason people look at freeze-dried instead.

Anchovies for dogs by size

Anchovies are a treat, not a meal. A common rule of thumb keeps all treats to about 10 percent of what a dog eats in a day. Counting small whole fish, a fair starting point looks like this:

• Small dogs under 20 pounds: one or two fish, broken up.
• Medium dogs, 20 to 50 pounds: two or three fish.
• Large dogs over 50 pounds: three to five fish.

Those are a few times a week numbers, not daily ones. Our label lists about 83.1 kcal per ounce, which is a useful number if you count what your dog eats. Freeze-dried pieces weigh much less than fresh ones of the same size, so go by the count of fish and not the weight.

Anchovies for cats

Cats get the same plain fish in smaller portions. Offer a whole one if your cat likes to carry its food off, or crumble it over their regular meal. Start with a piece about the size of a fingernail, and let the cat decide. Many cats ignore a new food for a day and then come back to it.

The first time

Start with one piece, plain, on a day when nothing else new is going on. Stay in the room while your dog or cat eats it, since these are whole fish. Then wait a day. If everything looks normal, give a little more the next time. If your animal is on a special diet, or has had trouble with fish before, ask your veterinarian before you start.

Anchovies and sardines

People ask which is the better fish to give, and the plain answer is that they are close cousins. Anchovies are smaller and thinner, sardines are a little larger and rounder, and both are small oily fish. We wrote a full side by side in anchovies vs sardines for pets, so we will not repeat it here.

What our freeze-dried anchovies are like

If you want anchovies without a tin and without the cooking, freeze-dried is the other route. Ours is Freeze-Dried Anchovies, and the only ingredient is anchovies. We freeze-dry them in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and they come in one 2 ounce bag.

The pieces are small to medium whole fish. You can feed them whole or break them into smaller pieces, and they carry the natural smell of whole fish. That smell is why dogs work for them as a training reward. On our own scorecard they get 4 of 5 for crunch and 3 of 5 for training value. We list them for adult dogs of all sizes, and we ship them for both dogs and cats, so one bag can cover both animals in the house.

The label says to feed them as a treat or meal topper, not to replace a complete diet, to provide fresh water at all times, and to supervise pets while feeding. They are listed with our other freeze-dried treats for dogs, and the cat side of the shelf is locally made cat treats.

Storing anchovies

Plain cooked anchovies keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a day or two. Freeze-dried ones are simpler. Reseal the bag after opening and store it in a cool, dry place. Keep it away from the sink and the dishwasher steam, since moisture is what turns a crunchy piece soft.

Anchovy questions

Can dogs eat anchovies?

Plain ones, in treat amounts, yes. Anchovies from a tin or jar are packed in oil and salt, so those are a no.

Can cats eat anchovies?

Plain ones, yes, in smaller pieces. Break the fish up or crumble it over food, and start with a small piece the first time.

Are canned anchovies okay for a dog?

We say no. The salt and the oil are the problem, and a rinse does not take them out. Plain, whole fish is the version to share.

How many anchovies can a dog have?

One or two for a small dog, two or three for a medium dog, and three to five for a large dog, a few times a week. Keep all treats together near 10 percent of the day's food.

Do dogs like freeze-dried anchovies?

Many do, because of the smell. Ours carry a natural smell typical of whole fish, and that is why dogs work for them as a training reward.

Can puppies have anchovies?

We list our freeze-dried anchovies for adult dogs. For a puppy, or a dog on a special diet, ask your veterinarian first.

Are anchovies a meal?

No. Ours are a treat or meal topper, not a complete diet, and the label says to provide fresh water at all times.