DIY Fermented Fish Stock Recipe for Dogs

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Fermented fish stock is one of the healthiest foods I add to my dogs' diet. I order it by the case from Answers Pet Food. But not everyone has access to food and other products made by Answers.

After several years of looking, I finally think I figured out how to make fermented fish stock at home. Check out this DIY recipe - would you make it?

Fermented fish stock is one of the healthiest foods that I have in my dogs' freezer. We have a houseful of dogs of various ages and each dog enjoys several tablespoons of fermented fish stock several days a week.

I order the fish stock made by Answers Pet Food (by the case) through a local raw food co-op or through a local pet store. I've made fermented vegetables many times for my dogs, but I've never tried fermenting fish because I don't know if we'll ever get that smell out of the house. But if I could somehow make it outside, I'd be all over it.

Benefits of Fermented Fish Stock

Joint health – fermented fish stock is high in glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin) and promotes anti-inflammatory response in the body
Thyroid health – fermented fish stock is a great source of iodine
Digestive health – fermented fish stock adds beneficial bacteria to the gut while protecting the gut and easing symptoms of gut disorders
Helps with liver detox – fermented fish stock helps the body remove unwanted toxins and may improve liver health
Skin and coat health – fermented fish stock is a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids which boosts skin and coat health
Brain and cognitive health – those Omega 3 fatty acids also support brain health, making this a great supplement for growing puppies and senior dogs
Immune system boost – because fermented fish stock boosts gut health, it also boosts immune system health (healthy gut, healthy dog)
Great for dogs with kidney disease – fermented fish stock offsets the low protein diet and helps to reduce stress on kidneys
Supports heart health – fermented fish stock is rich in CoQ10

The fermented fish stock formulated by Answers Pet Food is also recommended for dogs with diabetes and seizures.

Fermented Fish Recipe

A fellow raw feeder (thanks, Jack) sent me his recipe for fermented fish stock for me to share on my blog (I have never made this recipe). I've heard from a few people who tried to make fermented fish stock at home and they reported that the smell was horrendous. So proceed with caution.

Ingredients

5-7 very fresh sardines
1-2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of peppercorns
5-7 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
Fresh dill or some dill seeds
1 cup of whey
Large knife
Large mixing bowl
Tea towel
Wide-mouth 1 liter mason jar

Directions

Descale the fish, cut the heads off, and clean the belly out.
Place them into the glass jar. Add all the other ingredients.
Top up with water so the fish is completely covered,
Close the lid tightly, cover it with a tea towel and let it ferment for 3-5 days at room temperature. When the fish is ready take the meat off the bones, cut it into bite-size pieces and serve with fresh dill and a wicked green salad.

So, with that last line about the “wicked green salad”, this is obviously a recipe for humans, but we can adjust it for our dogs. None of the ingredients are toxic to dogs, however, if I were making this recipe, I'd cut the peppercorn (it's just pepper before grinding) in half for personal preference.

Now, that we have fermented fish, we need to create a stock to have fermented fish stock.

Making the Fish Stock

There are several “fish stock” recipes on YouTube and they aren't recipes that I'd follow to make fish stock for my dogs. However, you can find tips on how to turn your fermented fish into a stock.

In the above video, the person is making what looks to be a yummy fish stock. What I would do to make fermented fish stock is:

Add water to a stockpot along with any other dog-safe ingredients
Simmer for 90 minutes then allow to cool.
Take the fermented fish created from the recipe above and add it to the stockpot.
Mix the ingredients, then remove the fish heads and other parts (I would discard them, but you do what feels right and report back), and strain the broth through a fine sieve.
You now have fermented fish stock to feed and freeze.

I happen to have a friend who is familiar with the “real” recipe and he gave me some feedback on the above instructions so I'm confident that this will work. It won't be the same, but it's a good alternative.

Is DIY Better than Answers Pet Food?

Personally, I don't think so. And anyone who has fed food, supplements, or treats produced by Answers would agree. There is something about Answers – their sourcing, limited ingredients, attention to detail – that makes everything that they come up with better than anything I can make in my kitchen. So why the recipe?

Not everyone has access to products from Answers Pet Food. I've received many emails from people asking me if there is a recipe and when a friend shared his recipe, I realized that while this may not be the same as what I buy from Answers Pet Food, it may be similar. And, I wanted to share these recipes for folks who enjoy cooking, DIY, or don't have access to Answers Pet Food products.

I don't plan on switching from Answers Pet Food to the recipe shared here, however, I am curious about the recipe and others I found on YouTube. I love eating fish and I love eating fermented foods – could I be on to something that I could make for myself from time to time?

Update on Commercial Fermented Fish Stock

Two of the founders of Answer Pet Food and a few employees departed the company in early 2020 to work with farmers that started a new pet food company – Kure Pet Food. This morphed into a lawsuit during which an injunction was placed on Kure Pet Food and related parties, stopping them from selling pet food.

At this time, in March 2022, fermented fish stock (Answers Pet Food) and fermented fish bone broth (Kure Pet Food) are no longer available in pet stores or online. Kure Pet Food is sitting on a million dollars worth of pet food that they can't sell or give away.

If you're looking for fermented fish stock and it's not available at local pet stores in your area, go online and do a Google search and select “Shopping.” This will bring up stores that carry the fermented fish stock (or bone broth). There isn't a guarantee that the stores still have it available, but this will give you a starting point. Ask the stores if they ship and, if it's not too far, plan a quick road trip with your dogs.

Alternatives to Fermented Fish Stock

So, unless the Answers vs. Kure lawsuit gets resolved so that Kure Pet Food is able to start producing food and other products, my dogs won't be getting fish stock (fish bone broth) after 2022. I currently have enough to last the year (maybe more).

This reality inspired me to start looking for an alternative and I think I found it in a supplement – fermented cod liver oil.

Benefits of Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Fermented cod liver oil has some of the same benefits of fermented fish stock; the only thing I couldn't confirm is whether or not cod liver oil is good for dogs with kidney disease.

Eye/vision health due to Vitamin A
Bone health due to Vitamin D
Powerful antioxidant (due to Vitamins A and D)
Reduces chronic inflammation
Supports joint health and reduces arthritis pain
Supports heart health
Improves symptoms of anxiety and depression
Thyroid health
Digestive health
Skin and coat health
Brain and cognitive health
Immune system boost

Cod Liver Oil Dosage for Dogs

According to the Whole Dog Journal, the following dosage information works for dogs: A teaspoon of cod liver oil contains 45 calories. The recommended cod liver oil dose for dogs who do not receive other sources of vitamins D and A is…

¼ teaspoon for dogs weighing 10-15 pounds
½ teaspoon for 25-pound dogs
1 teaspoon for dogs weighing 50 pounds
1½ teaspoons for 75-pound dogs
2 teaspoons for dogs weighing 100 pounds

These doses have been used for decades with dogs who fast one day per week (no cod liver oil on fast days) as well as dogs who are fed every day.

Warning About Adding Cod Liver Oil to a Dog's Diet

Cod liver oil isn't recommended for dogs eating a commercial diet because the manufacturer would have added the recommended amounts of Vitamin A and D. Since these are fat-soluble vitamins, adding more can lead to vitamin toxicity in the dog.

Although I feed DIY raw, I'm not out of the woods because I use a base mix. So, if I do start adding cod liver oil to my dogs' diet, I would reduce the amount of base mix I use and have my dogs tested six months after I start adding the fish stock to make sure the diet is okay.

Fermented fish bone broth is also rich in Vitamins B12, A, and D. I give my dogs 1/2 cup several days a week. I've been doing this for years without issue. I'm warier about the cod liver oil capsules because they may be more concentrated than the broth.

Final Thoughts on Cod Liver Oil

I ordered a bottle of Green Pastures fermented cod liver capsules and started taking them daily and I already feel better. After contracting COVID in December, my anemia kicked in and I was low in energy, always cold, and my anxiety was triggered. Fermented cod liver oil seemed to even things out for me.

I have plenty of fermented fish bone broth in the freezers, so I'm not giving the capsules to my dogs at this time, but I think this will be the direction I go when I run out of the fish stock. You can find Green Pastures products on Amazon.com. I ordered the BLUE ICE Fermented Cod Liver Oil -Non-Gelatin 120 Capsules. And you can learn more about their products on the Green Pastures website.