How to Cook Fish Skin for Dogs (Easy Steps & Complete Guide)

To cook fish skin for dogs preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Descale the fish skin, rinse and place on a baking tray shiny side up and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool before serving.

In this article we will teach you how to cook fish skin for dogs, covering everything from the advantages of giving your dog fish skin, the dangers as well as how often you should let them have fish skin.

How do I cook fish skin for my dog?

Cooking fish skin to give your dog as a treat is quick and easy but it is very important that you follow all of the steps carefully to ensure that the fish skin is safe to eat.

The first thing that you will need to do is to preheat your oven to a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that your oven reaches this temperature before you place the fish skin in it.

Next, take your piece of fish and remove the top layer to separate the skin from the meat. Ensure that you are using a fish that is non-toxic to dogs. For example, do not use swordfish or king mackerel. 

Then you will either need to take a descaler or a very sharp knife and remove all of the scales from the fish skin. Ensure that no part of the scales remains on the skin.

Then, flip the fish skin over and make sure that there are no small bones, or bone fragments, embedded in the skin. If ingested by your dog this can cause internal bleeding and cause serious health problems. 

Once you are left with only the fish skin rinse it under cold running water to ensure that it is clean before baking. Dab the fish skin dry with a paper towel or towel.

Then line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the pieces of fish skin on the tray shiny side up. Place the baking tray in the oven and leave to cook for 10 minutes or until it is crispy.

Once cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool before you serve it to your dog.

Is fish skin healthy for my dog?

Yes, fish skin is a healthy treat to give to your dog. The fish skin is rich in important nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals, allowing you to help balance out your dog’s diet.

Fish skin is also a great way to ensure your dog’s mouth remains healthy as they will need to chew the skin, using their jaw and teeth.

However, if the fish skin is raw, or only partially cooked, then it is not healthy and is actually very dangerous for your dog.

Can fish skin be bad for my dog?

Yes, fish skin can be dangerous for your dog’s health if it is raw or uncooked. This is because just like the main body of the fish itself, the skin can contain parasites that need to be killed off in the cooking process.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach then you may also notice that cooked fish skin causes them problems if they consume too much fish skin.

How else can I cook fish skin for my dog?

There are many other ways to cook fish skin for your dog including broiling and frying.

To broil the fish skin first preheat your broiler. Prepare the skin the same way you would for baking by removing the scales and bones from the skin and rinsing it. 

Place the skin in the broiler and cook for around 8 minutes or until crispy. Leave to cool down.

To fry the fish skin for your dog you will need to heat up a good-quality non-stick pan to a medium heat and add as little oil as needed. Descale, debone and rinse the fish skin.

Fry evenly on both sides for around 3 minutes before removing any excess oil and allowing it to cool down.

What are alternatives to fish skin for dogs?

If your dog is not a fan of fish skin but you still want to give them something similar then you can consider giving them dried sprats, dried chicken feet or dental chews.

Dried sprats will provide your dog with a great source of omega 3 and other nutrients that you will also find in fish skin.

Dried chicken feet contain chondroitin which helps to keep your dog’s feet healthy, but note that they do not contain omega 3 like fish skin. The need to chew the chicken feet will help your dog’s oral health.

If the main reason for feeding your dog fish skin is oral hygiene then dental chews are a great alternative. However, keep in mind that they are very high in calories and should be given sparingly.

Can dogs eat smoked fish skin?

Feeding your dog smoked fish skin isn’t recommended as this method of cooking can add other chemicals into your dog’s diet that are possibly unhealthy.

Plain fish skin is a better option to give your dog.

How much fish skin should I give to my dog?

Like any food, you will need to limit the amount of fish skin you are giving your dog.

This will restrict the amount of one particular nutrient they are getting, here particularly in the case of omega acids. Too much omega acid can cause stomach issues.

Can dogs digest fish skin?

Dogs can digest fish skin but you should limit the amount that they are given to help their digestive system process the food.

Salmon skin in particular is very high in fat and should only be given in small quantities.

Can puppies eat fish skin?

Yes, fish skin is also safe for puppies to eat as long as it is properly cooked.

Fish skin is a good way to give your dog important nutrients and help their oral hygiene.

Can dogs eat dehydrated fish?

Dogs can eat dehydrated fish and they are a great source of vitamins and minerals as the dehydration process locks in all nutrients which can be lost via other cooking methods.

Can I give my dog baked whole fish?

You should not feed your dog too much fish as this will cause stomach problems. If the fish is free of bones, scales and is plain then you can feed some to your dog.

If the fish has been cooked for human consumption then it probably contains seasonings and fats which are not good for your dog.