Baked Sardine Dog Treats, Ideal for Training
Sardine dog treats made with canned sardines in water with no salt added, egg and oat flour. Baked, then cut into squares that break up for training.
- Time
- 50 min + 1 h resting
- Makes
- 60 pieces
- Type
- Treat
- Difficulty
- Easy
- 56 % canned sardines in water, no salt added
- 26 % oat flour
- 18 % egg
Follows THE RULE. All 3 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
These sardine dog treats are made with two cans of sardines in water with no salt added, one egg and oat flour. You spread the paste on a baking sheet, bake it, cut it into squares and let them dry in the switched-off oven. You get 60 firm squares that don't crumble in your pocket and that break with your fingers into four bits, just the right size for rewarding during a training session.
They smell strongly of fish, and that's exactly why they work: for most dogs they're worth more than a biscuit, so they're the ones for the hard stuff, like coming back when called at the park with other dogs nearby, or learning to walk without pulling. Open a window while they bake. Once dry and in a closed jar, the smell stays inside.
Why it works
Canned sardines provide protein, fat rich in omega-3 and lots of flavor; since they come already cooked with softened bones, they mash in a minute. The egg binds the paste and, as it sets in the oven, gives it firmness, and the oat flour soaks up the moisture from the fish so the squares cut cleanly. The final drying in the switched-off oven removes water: that's why they don't fall apart when you break them and why they keep longer than a soft treat.
Step by step
Prepare the oven
Preheat the oven to 170 °C / 340 °F (conventional, top and bottom heat) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mash the sardines
Drain the cans thoroughly, leaving no liquid, and mash the sardines with a fork, bones and all: they are pressure-cooked in the can and come out soft. Run your fingers through the paste and, if you feel any hard bone, remove it.
Mix the paste
Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the oat flour a little at a time until you have a thick paste that you can spread with a spatula without it running.
Spread and score
Spread the paste on the parchment in a rectangle about 18 × 30 cm (7 × 12 inches) and 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick, smoothing it with a wet spatula. Score a 3 cm (1 1/4-inch) grid with a knife: 6 squares across and 10 down.
Bake
Bake for 25 minutes, until the slab is firm and the edges start to brown.
Cut and flip
Take out the sheet, cut along the lines, separate the squares and flip them over. Lower the oven to 120 °C / 250 °F and bake for 10 more minutes.
Dry them in the switched-off oven
Turn off the oven and leave the squares inside for an hour with the door ajar. They should be firm and dry on the outside, with the center only slightly flexible.
How many a day?
As a treat, keeping under 10% of what they eat each day.
— pieces a day at most
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pieces/day | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 11.8 kcal/piece
- Protein
- 42 % dry matter
- Fat
- 18 % dry matter
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). A treat: keep treats under 10% of what they eat each day.
Storage
Well dried, in an airtight jar in the fridge: 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer bag; take out each morning the ones you'll use and they're ready in 15 minutes. If you carry treats in a pouch on walks, empty and wash it every day: fish starts to smell bad quickly. If you see mold or they smell sour, throw them away.
If you don't have…
- You can't find sardines in water with no salt added
- 170 g (6 oz) fresh sardine, cleaned and boneless, steamed for 6 minutes and mashed
- You'd prefer another oily fish
- Fresh boneless mackerel, steamed, in the same amount
- Your dog doesn't tolerate oats
- Rice flour in the same amount
Cooking tips
- The 10% rule: each square has about 12 kcal, and each quarter bit about 3 kcal. A 10 kg (22 lb) dog can have about 5 squares a day, which is about 20 training bits. The table in the recipe gives you the number for their weight; on heavy training days, trim their meals a little.
- For training, the reward has to be small (like a big lentil for a small dog, like a chickpea for a large one) and eaten in a second: that way they don't lose focus. Break the squares up before you head out, not during the session.
- Save them for what your dog finds hardest. If you use them for everything, they stop being special; for a sit at home, a piece of their regular food is enough.
- Sardines in water with no salt added are usually with the canned fish or in the low-sodium section. Read the label: just sardines and water.
Safety
- Only sardines canned in water with no salt added. Sardines in oil carry salt and lots of added fat, and those in tomato sauce, marinade or hot sauce contain vinegar, spices and sometimes garlic or onion.
- Run your fingers through the paste before baking: canned sardine bones are soft, but if one has stayed hard, take it out. If you use fresh sardines, they must always be boneless.
- Sardines are an oily fish and contain fat. In treat amounts that's not a problem for a healthy dog, but if your dog has had pancreatitis or is on a low-fat diet, check with your vet first.
- For puppies, use very small bits and stick to the table: while they're growing, treats shouldn't crowd out their food.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat canned sardines?
Yes, if they are packed in water with no salt added and well drained. They provide protein and omega-3, and because they are small fish they accumulate little mercury. Not the ones in oil, tomato sauce, marinade or hot sauce: they carry salt, added fat, vinegar or spices. As a treat or mixed into their food, once or twice a week is a reasonable amount.
Are the bones in canned sardines safe for dogs?
Usually, yes. In the can, sardines are sterilized at high temperature and pressure, and the bones turn so soft they fall apart when mashed with a fork. They are not like cooked chicken or lamb bones, which splinter. Even so, run your fingers through the paste and remove any bone that feels hard.
What are the best treats for training a dog?
Small, very tasty and easy to swallow. A bit the size of a lentil or a chickpea, depending on the dog, that is eaten in a second and smells strong, like these sardine squares or dehydrated chicken. That way you can reward many times without overdoing the calories. Count all the bits within 10% of their daily calories.
How long do homemade fish dog treats last?
About five days in the fridge in an airtight jar if they are well dried, and up to three months frozen. They are more delicate than a grain biscuit because they contain fish and some fat: don't store them at room temperature. If they change smell, go soft or develop mold, throw them all away.
What's in it, in detail
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.