Over time, I’ve noticed a common issue — many owners struggle to get their dogs to eat oily fish. Often, they try it once or twice using a mince, the dog refuses, and they give up completely for convenience.
However, there are plenty of methods to try before giving up (which I’ll cover later in another blog).
First, let’s understand why oily fish is worth the effort and the powerful benefits it can bring to your dog’s health.
While oily fish is usually one of the last ingredients to be introduced in a raw diet — ideally after at least five safe proteins are established — the information here applies to all types of feeding, not just raw.
Why Feed Oily Fish?
Oily fish is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s low in saturated fat yet rich in antioxidants, making it a powerhouse ingredient for your dog’s diet.
Most owners know omega-3 supports healthy skin and a shiny coat — benefits you can see. But it goes far beyond that. Omega-3 is also a natural anti-inflammatory, which means it:
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Helps wounds heal faster
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Eases stiff joints and improves mobility
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Reduces inflammation throughout the body
Even if your dog doesn’t currently have joint issues, adding oily fish early can be a proactive step to help prevent them in the future.
Benefits for Puppies and Growing Dogs
If you have a puppy, omega-3 plays a vital role in brain development. This means it’s never too early to start adding fish into their diet in small amounts.
Heart Health and Disease Prevention
The healthy fats in omega-3 also support cardiovascular health. They:
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Improve heart function
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Help maintain healthy blood pressure
In addition, oily fish contains natural vitamin D, which has been shown to help fight certain cancers. Sadly, canine cancer rates are rising, and some studies suggest this may be linked to the poor nutrient quality in highly processed kibble diets.
Which fish should you opt to feed?
- Sprats
- Mackerel
- Sardines/ Herring
- Salmon – Head, bodies, fillet chunks
- Trout
- Smelt
- White Bait
These fish are all lower down in the food chain; therefore the mercury levels are lower, as too much exposure to mercury can have the opposite effect and cause damage to the kidneys and internal systems.
It is always best to opt for a size appropriate fish for your dog. Although fish can be cut down to size if needed.
Smaller dogs will be best with Smelt, White Bait, or Sprats.
Medium dogs – Sardines, Mackerel, Salmon.
Large dogs – Salmon (heads and bodies are great), Trout, Herring.
All fish should be frozen for at least one week prior to feeding, to kill off all parasites. When purchasing from a raw food stockist or supplier (us), then the food will have already been frozen for this time, normally at much lower temperatures than a domestic freezer.
Fish to avoid are fish which are higher in mercury, such as tuna and seabass. There are some treats made from these items, but we steer clear of them for this reason.
Recommended Weekly Amount
While oily fish has many benefits (as we covered earlier), too much can cause imbalances. A good rule of thumb is no more than your dog’s daily food allowance of oily fish per week.
For example:
If your dog eats 2 × 350g meals per day (700g total daily), then up to 700g of oily fish per week is fine. This is the maximum, not a target — feeding less is still perfectly beneficial.
For most dogs, two or three sprats given two to three times per week is more than enough to gain the health benefits.
Ways to Feed Oily Fish
1. Whole Raw Fish
Many dogs love crunching through a whole fish, enjoying the texture and taste. At first, you might need to cut it into smaller pieces and mix it into their meal so they understand it’s food (not a toy). Otherwise, you might end up with your dog running around proudly, raw fish in mouth — and the smell lingering long after!
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Larger fish like salmon heads or bodies can be a full meal or need portioning down.
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Fish heads are especially nutrient-rich (thanks to the eyes and brain) but do contain a lot of bone, so it’s best to monitor and feed extra boneless meals either side to balance it out.
2. Minced Fish
There are three main types of minced fish you can use:
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Pure minced fish – 100% oily fish that can be added to meals on top of the allowance. Portioning into silicone ice trays makes it easier to defrost small amounts, especially for smaller dogs.
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Example: Henley Raw Oily Fish Mince.
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Complete 80/10/10 meals with fish included – These already have the right balance of meat, bone, and offal, so they’re easy to feed without extra prep.
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Fish blends with other proteins – A mix that introduces oily fish in smaller amounts, perfect for dogs new to it or for variety.
Some of these that we stock are
TDB’s Surf and Turf, Lamb Fish and Turkey, Salmon and Turkey, Venison, Salmon and Lamb.
Birmingham Raw’s Salmon Mince, or Chicken and Salmon.
Henley Raw – Henley Raw Oily fish
Dibo – Salmon and Tripe, Chicken Salmon and Offal, Turkey, Pork and Salmon 1KG (Offal Free)
Durham Animal Feeds – Tripe and Oily Fish, Chicken and Oily Fish, DAF Oily Fish, Sardine Mince
Dougies – Turkey and oily fish, chicken and salmon
Naturaw – Fish and chick, forage range
Dehydrated – Dried sprats are the most common type of dried fish. Dried fish is also a good source of omegas, however during the drying process the nutrients become a lot more concentrated, with the reduced moisture. Therefore if you choose to feed dried fish then they should be fed at a lower amount – I will explain the amounts further down.
Fish oil – One of the easiest things to add to food, where you can mix into the kibble or into the raw food to disguise, however as with everything – fresh is best and within the safe feeding levels. This would be my recommended source as a last resort after the above types and below introduction methods have been ruled out. We do have the Pure Salmon Oil, or a duo with sheepfat
How Much Oily Fish Should Your Dog Eat?
Oily fish is an amazing addition to your dog’s diet — but like all good things, it’s best in moderation.
In general, oily fish should be fed a couple of times per week. This amount is usually in addition to your dog’s daily allowance of food. However:
- If you’re feeding a meal that already contains oily fish, it’s easier to include it within their daily allowance.
- If your dog is overweight or you’re watching calories, count the oily fish as part of the daily food allowance to avoid overfeeding.
