Most owners think of fish treats as an occasional reward. We'd love for sardines to be something simpler: routine — for dogs and cats alike.
A consistent small serving each day, alongside your pet's regular food — not instead of it — gives them steady support rather than the occasional spike-and-drop of a once-a-week treat.
How Much, Roughly
These are starting points, not rules — every pet is different, and treats should stay under about 10% of daily calories:
- Small dogs: 1–2 whole sardines a day, or a sardine broken into pieces for training.
- Medium dogs: 1–2 whole sardines a day, with a couple of extra pieces for training or rewards.
- Large dogs: 2–3 whole sardines a day, spread across meals and training.
- Cats: Roughly a quarter to half a sardine a day, broken up and mixed into a meal — cats are far smaller than even small dogs, and a little goes a long way.
If your pet is new to sardines, start smaller and build up over a week so their stomach has time to adjust.
A Few Ways to Make It Easy
Mix them into a meal. Break a sardine over kibble or wet food at dinner. Simplest option, and most pets love the flavour boost.
Use them for training. Sardines are a high-value reward for dogs — most will work harder for one than for an ordinary treat. Keep a few pieces on hand during training sessions.
Build it into the day. A sardine at breakfast, a couple of pieces during an afternoon training session, one more at dinner. No fuss, no separate routine to remember.
Pick whichever fits your day. The goal isn't a strict schedule — it's making sardines a normal, expected part of how you feed your pet.
A Few Honest Answers
Will the smell linger? It's strongest right when you open the pack, and fades quickly once your pet's eaten it. Air-drying keeps it far milder than fresh fish.
Can I mix sardines with other proteins? Yes — rotation is good for your pet and keeps things interesting.
Will my pet get sick of them? Dogs are far less prone to flavour boredom than cats — if your cat starts turning their nose up at a familiar food, that's normal feline behaviour, not a sign something's wrong. A bit of variety helps either way.
What if my pet has a sensitive stomach? Start with a small piece and build up gradually over a week. If anything seems off, check in with your vet.
Travelling? Sardines are shelf-stable and need no refrigeration — just keep them somewhere cool and dry.
Once sardines feel ordinary rather than special, that's when the real benefit kicks in: steady, daily support, not an occasional treat.