Guide
Freeze-dried anchovies and sardines, side by side
Updated
Anchovies vs sardines for dogs comes down to size and bag. Our anchovies are about 2 to 3 inches long, in one 2 ounce bag. Sardines are roughly bite size, in 1.5, 3 and 6 ounce bags. The labels print 83.1 and 94.9 kcal per ounce. Both are freeze-dried raw: wash your hands after serving.
How are anchovies and sardines different in size?
Our anchovies are about 2 to 3 inches long. Our sardines are roughly bite size, and the sardine listing calls them small to medium fish. They are sold whole, head and tail on.
The Fish Trio page lines up its three fish in a slightly different way. On that page the sardines rank as the largest of the three, while the anchovies come out smaller, drier and the easiest to pocket.
In our photos, the sardines look like brown and tan chunks heaped together, a few with a silvery blue-gray skin side up. The anchovies look like thin, elongated, tan to light brown small fish in a loose heap. The anchovy listing adds that size, shape and color vary, so expect a mix in that bag.
How do the labels compare?
Each bag prints its own guaranteed analysis and energy figure. Here they are side by side, exactly as printed.
| Printed on the label | Anchovies | Sardines |
|---|---|---|
| Crude protein | 67% min | 52% min |
| Crude fat | 5% min | 13% min |
| Crude fiber | 6% max | 5% max |
| Moisture | 11% max | 14% max |
| Metabolizable energy | 2,930 kcal ME/kg | 3,347 kcal ME/kg |
| Per ounce | approximately 83.1 kcal | approximately 94.9 kcal |
The anchovy bag prints the smaller energy figure per ounce, 83.1 against 94.9 for the sardines. We do not rank the two and we do not call either one better. A numbers table tells you what is printed, and that is all this one does.
On our scorecard the two fish tie: crunch scores 4 of 5 and training value 3 of 5 for each. Those are our own ratings, not a measurement.
Read each row of the table as the label prints it: protein and fat are minimums, fiber and moisture are maximums.
Which bag sizes do they come in?
Sardine buyers get a choice of 1.5, 3 or 6 ounces. Anchovy buyers get one choice, the 2 ounce bag.
Every bag carries a best by date. Our guidance is to use an opened bag within 30 days, so if you are choosing between sizes, think about how fast your own dog will get through it. The freeze-dried sardines page has all three sizes, and the freeze-dried anchovies page has the single bag.
Do anchovies or sardines smell more?
Our own word for both fish is moderate: a moderate fish smell. The anchovy listing is more direct and calls its smell a strong natural fish smell. We are not ranking them, because the two descriptions come from different places. Ours is one phrase used for both fish, and the listing's is its own wording for the anchovies.
If the smell is your main question, the guide to whether freeze-dried anchovies smell goes into it.
How do you serve each one?
The sardines can go in whole as a snack, get broken into smaller pieces for rewards, or be crumbled over a meal as a topper. The anchovies break into pieces for rewards. Either one is a treat or a meal topper and not a complete diet.
The anchovy label puts the storage plainly. The bag says: "A cool, dry place is all they need."
Leave fresh water down and watch your dog while it eats. Both fish go into the freeze dryer raw, and the sardine heads listing has the right habit for any raw fish bag: "This is raw fish, so wash your hands after handling it."
Our fish treat calorie calculator opens at a 10 percent treat share of a dog's daily calories, and it names VCA's treat guidance as the source of that figure. A number from your own veterinarian replaces that default.
Questions
Are anchovies just small sardines?
No, they are different fish. The anchovy listing names the species in our bag as Stolephorus chinensis. The sardine bag holds sardines. We leave it at that and let the two bags speak for themselves.
Which one should a small dog start with?
We do not rank them. The Fish Trio page says the sardines break in half for a small dog. Whichever you open, break it into pieces your dog can manage and keep an eye on the first few sessions.
Can a dog have both in one day?
Yes. Both fish count against the same treat share, so add them together when you work out the day. Whatever the mix of anchovies and sardines, the total has to stay inside the one share the calculator gives you.
Which one is better for training?
They score the same on our scorecard for training value, a 3 of 5 each, so we would not call one better. Pick by the piece size you want, and break either fish smaller for a quick reward.
Can cats have anchovies or sardines?
Both may be suggested for cats in small pieces. Ask your veterinarian first, and let them set the amount. We put no amounts on a cat, since the calculator's 10 percent setting is a dog figure.
Do both come from imported fish?
Yes. Each bag is made in Malvern, Pennsylvania from imported fish, the anchovies and the sardines alike. Each bag holds a single fish with nothing added, and that is all we say about where they come from.