Homemade Fish Dog Treats: Hake and Sweet Potato Bites

Baked hake and sweet potato bites for dogs: soft, low in fat and easy to freeze. How to make these homemade fish treats step by step and store them.

Time
1 h 15 min + 10 min resting
Makes
40 pieces
Type
Treat
Difficulty
Easy
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Homemade Fish Dog Treats: Hake and Sweet Potato Bites
The recipe at a glance
  • 41 % hake, boneless
  • 41 % sweet potato
  • 9 % egg
  • 7 % oat flour

Follows THE RULE. All 5 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.

These homemade fish dog treats are little baked croquettes of hake and sweet potato, with no breading and no frying. They come out golden on the outside, tender inside and with a mild fish smell that wins over even the pickiest dogs.

They are a great fit for older dogs or dogs with sensitive mouths, because they fall apart when bitten, and since hake is a very lean fish, also for dogs that need to watch their fat intake. If you already cook sweet potato for your dog's meals, set a little aside and you are halfway there.

Why it works

Hake provides easily digested protein with very little fat. Cooked sweet potato is the base: it adds bulk, fiber and the creamy texture that holds each bite together. The egg and a little oat flour help them keep their shape in the oven, and the parsley, which is optional, adds a fresh touch.

Step by step

  1. Cook the sweet potato

    Cut the sweet potato into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes and steam or boil for 15-20 minutes, until it falls apart with a fork. Drain well and mash.

  2. Cook the hake

    Steam the hake for 6-8 minutes, until it is opaque and flakes apart.

  3. Flake and check

    Flake the hake with your fingers on a plate and take your time feeling for any bones that slipped through.

  4. Mix

    Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F. In a bowl, mix the mashed sweet potato, hake, egg, flour and parsley until you have a dough you can shape.

  5. Shape the bites

    With wet hands, roll balls of 3/4-1 inch (2-3 cm), flatten them slightly and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart.

  6. Bake

    Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden. Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

How many a day?

As a treat, keeping under 10% of what they eat each day.

— pieces a day at most

Weight3 kg5 kg10 kg15 kg20 kg30 kg40 kg
Pieces/day12356810

Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.

Energy
16.8 kcal/piece
Protein
38 % dry matter
Fat
7 % dry matter

Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). A treat: keep treats under 10% of what they eat each day.

Storage

Fridge: 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: 2 months; freeze them spread out on a tray and then move them to a bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight or for 20 minutes at room temperature.

If you don't have…

You don't have hake
Fresh cod (never salt cod) in the same amount
You don't have sweet potato
Pumpkin or peeled potato, cooked and mashed, in the same amount; with pumpkin, add an extra tablespoon of flour
Your dog doesn't tolerate oats
Rice flour or chickpea flour in the same amount

Cooking tips

  • The 10% rule: even though they are light, they count. The day's treats shouldn't go over 10% of your dog's calories; the table shows how many bites match their weight.
  • For small dogs or puppies, roll marble-sized balls and cut the baking time to 15-18 minutes.
  • If the dough is so soft that you can't shape it, chill the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Safety

  • Check for bones twice: in hake they are thin and easy to miss.
  • Sweet potato must always be cooked: raw, it is hard to digest.
  • For big dogs that gulp their food, make larger bites that force them to chew.
  • Low-fat
  • Freezer-friendly

Frequently asked questions

What fish can dogs eat?

Most fresh fish, cooked and boneless: hake, fresh cod, salmon, sardines or mackerel. White fish like hake are very lean; oily fish provide more omega-3 and more fat. Avoid raw, salted and smoked fish, and canned fish packed in oil or with added salt. Bones are the main danger.

Can dogs eat sweet potatoes?

Yes, cooked sweet potato is a very good food for dogs: it provides fiber, beta-carotene and slow-release energy. Always give it cooked, baked or steamed, with no salt or butter, and never raw, because it is hard to digest. Since it is fairly starchy, adjust the amount if your dog is overweight or diabetic.

Is a sweet potato the same as a yam?

Not quite. The sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas; true yams are a different tuber, common in Africa and Asia. In US grocery stores, though, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often labeled "yams", so what you buy under that name is usually a sweet potato. For your dog the rule is the same: always serve it cooked.

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.

Download the list (PDF)