Anchovies are one of the better fish to give a dog — small, short-lived, rich in omega-3 and low in mercury. The catch is salt: most anchovies sold for people are heavily salted or packed in oil, and those are not the ones to share.
The short answer
Plain anchovies, cooked or tinned in spring water with no added salt, drained, in small amounts. That is a genuinely useful treat. Salt-cured fillets from a jar, or anything in oil, are not.
Anchovies are low in mercury — that is the point
Mercury accumulates up the food chain, so the fish to be careful with are the big, long-lived predators — tuna, swordfish, shark. Anchovies are the opposite: tiny, short-lived, and near the bottom of the chain, so they carry very little.
That is exactly why they are a better choice than tuna for a dog, and it is the single most useful fact about them. The earlier version of this article did not mention mercury at all.
Salt is the thing to check
Anchovies are usually preserved in salt, and the quantities are high. A large salt load causes excessive thirst and vomiting, and it matters far more for a small dog and for any dog with heart or kidney disease.
The earlier version of this page suggested choosing anchovies “packed in water or oil” instead of salt. Oil is not a good substitute — it is a large dose of added fat and one of the recognised triggers for pancreatitis. Spring water, no salt added, drained, is the version to look for. Rinsing salted fillets helps but does not remove all of it.
Fresh, tinned or dried
- Fresh, cooked plain — the best option. No oil, no salt, no garlic. Cooking also removes the parasite risk that comes with raw fish.
- Tinned in spring water, no salt added — good, drained.
- Dried anchovies sold as dog treats — fine, and popular, but check the sodium on the packet.
- Salt-cured fillets, anchovy paste, anything in oil — skip these.
How much, and how often
One or two small fish for a small dog, a few for a large one, a couple of times a week at most. Treats of any kind should stay within roughly 10% of daily calories. A dog on a complete food is not short of omega-3 — this is a treat, not a supplement, and if you want a therapeutic dose your vet should set it.
My dog ate a tin — what now?
- A few plain anchovies in water: nothing to do.
- A tin of salted or oil-packed fillets: ring your vet, make sure water is available, and mention the salt and the oil.
- Excessive thirst, vomiting, or a wobbly, disorientated dog: phone your vet now — that is the salt picture.
- Repeated vomiting, a hunched back or refusing food: phone your vet. That is the pancreatitis picture.
This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot account for your dog’s size, age or health. If your dog has eaten something you are unsure about, phone your vet rather than searching for reassurance.
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