Sardine Heads for Dogs and Cats: What They Are and How to Feed Them

Sardine heads for dogs are the front end of the fish, bones and eyes included, freeze-dried into a crunchy treat. Cats can have them too, in smaller pieces. Most people have never held one, so this page covers what you are looking at, how much to give by size, and when the whole fish makes more sense than the head.

What a sardine head is

A sardine is a small oily fish, a few inches long, normally sold whole. The head is the part most kitchens throw out. It is thin bone and the eyes, with very little else. Our bag holds one ingredient: whole sardine heads, with nothing added.

They look back at you. That is the honest description. If a fish eye is going to bother you more than it bothers your dog, you will find that out the first time you reach in.

Why anyone buys the front of the fish

Two reasons come up at our table. The first is crunch. We score these 4 of 5 for crunch on our own scorecard. The second is aroma. The crunch and the aroma together make them a high-value pick for training, and we give them 3 of 5 for training value.

The third reason is simpler. A head is a recognizable piece of a fish, not a shape made from something else. Some owners want that, and some dogs seem to as well.

What they are like freeze-dried

Freeze-drying takes the water out of the fish under vacuum, so the pieces end up light and dry. Ours are made in small batches in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Because they are whole heads, size and shape vary from piece to piece. Nothing is trimmed to match the next piece.

The bones and the eyes stay in. Plan on feeding them as a crunchy piece, and hold the bag away from a dog that grabs.

Feeding sardine heads for dogs by size

These are a treat or a topper, not a meal. The label on ours says to feed them that way, to provide fresh water at all times, and to supervise while feeding. A common rule of thumb keeps all treats to about 10 percent of what a dog eats in a day. The label on our heads lists about 94.9 kcal per ounce, so a few go a long way. As a starting point:

• Small dogs under 20 pounds: one head, broken into pieces.
• Medium dogs, 20 to 50 pounds: one or two heads.
• Large dogs over 50 pounds: two or three heads.

Those are a few times a week numbers, not daily ones. We list our heads for adult dogs of all sizes. For a small mouth, break the head apart first and hand over one piece at a time.

To use them for training, break a head into the smallest pieces you can and pay often. To use one as a topper, crumble it over the dog's regular food.

Sardine heads for cats

Cats get a smaller portion of the same thing. Break the head into small pieces or crumble it over their food, and give a little at a time. Cats are often pickier about texture than dogs, so do not be surprised if the first piece gets sniffed and left. Our fish treats ship for both dogs and cats, which is handy in a house with one of each.

The first time

Start with one small piece, plain, on a day when nothing else new is going on. Stay in the room while it is eaten and pick up any hard fragment that gets left behind. Then wait a day. If everything looks normal, give a little more next time. If your dog or cat is on a special diet, or has had trouble with fish before, ask your veterinarian before you start.

Heads or whole sardines

We make both. The whole fish is Freeze-Dried Whole Sardines, in 1.5, 3 and 6 ounce bags. The bones in those are small and come out brittle after freeze-drying. A whole fish gives you a bigger piece to break up for training. The head gives you the crunch and the stare in a single piece. Our sardine guide covers the whole fish in more detail.

If you want heads freeze-dried, ours are Freeze-Dried Sardine Heads. They come in one 2 ounce bag, and the only ingredient is whole sardine heads. They sit with our other freeze-dried treats for dogs.

Other kinds of sardine heads

We can only speak for the freeze-dried kind. Heads from a fish counter, canned sardines packed in oil, salt or tomato sauce, and anything smoked or seasoned are different foods. Plain is the rule for a dog or a cat. If you cook fish at home to share, nothing goes in the pan with it.

Storing them

Reseal the bag after opening and store it in a cool, dry place. Moisture is the one thing that turns a crunchy piece soft, so keep the bag away from the sink and the steam from the dishwasher.

Sardine head questions

Can dogs eat sardine heads?

Plain ones, in treat amounts, yes. Ours are whole sardine heads with bones and eyes, freeze-dried with nothing added, and the label says to supervise while feeding.

Can cats eat sardine heads?

Yes, in smaller pieces. Break a head up or crumble it over their food, and start with one small piece the first time.

Are the eyes really in there?

Yes. These are whole heads, bones and eyes included, which is why some of them look back at you.

How many can I give a dog?

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

Can puppies have them?

We list ours for adult dogs. For a puppy, or for any dog on a special diet, ask your veterinarian first.

Are they a meal?

No. The label says to feed them as a treat or topper, not as a complete diet, with fresh water available at all times.

How should I store them?

Reseal the bag after opening and keep it cool and dry, since moisture is what softens a crunchy piece.