Can Dogs Eat Gefilte Fish?

Although it may look a little bit strange, some of us think gefilte fish is delicious. For those who don’t know, Gefilte fish is a traditional Jewish dish that is often served on special occasions.

When you’re celebrating a holiday with friends and family it can be tempting to include your dogs in the celebration as well. After all, doesn’t Fido deserve a bite of your family’s traditional holiday fare?

Unfortunately, not all the food we eat can be fed to dogs. So before giving your dog gefilte fish, eggnog, or anything else you indulge in while celebrating a holiday, make sure it is safe!

So, what about gefilte fish? Can dogs eat gefilte fish? The quick and easy answer is: No, dogs should not eat gefilte fish. This is mainly because of the filler ingredients that are used. However, homemade giflte fish without these ingredients would be okay to give your dog as a treat once in a while.

Is Gefilte Fish Toxic To Dogs?

Homemade gefilte fish doesn’t have to be toxic to dogs. You can choose a type of fish and fillers that are all safe for dogs. Traditionally, gefilte fish was made with ground fish and whatever veggies happen to be on hand. 

These days though, gefilte fish recipes almost always call for ingredients such as onion and garlic which are toxic to dogs. To make your gefilte fish safe for your lovable dog to eat you need to find a recipe that doesn’t call for anything that is toxic to dogs?

Store-bought gefilte fish is likely to have something unsafe for your dog in it. Even if there is no onion or garlic, many additives and preservatives used in processed foods purchased at the grocery store aren’t safe for dogs to eat. You’ll need to check each ingredient before giving your dogs a bite.

How Do I Stop My Dog From Eating Gefilte Fish?

For some dogs no matter what the food is, if it smells good to them, they’ll want to try and get their mouth on it. Unfortunately, this can sometimes mean getting into things they’re not supposed to, like getting into the trashcan or raiding the countertop for whatever you’re cooking.

So how do you stop your dog from getting into food? The first thing you need to do is make sure that any food that is within their reach is put away. This means putting things like fruit on high shelves and making sure the trashcan is out of their reach.

If you have a not-so-good boy around food, then training your dog to ‘Leave It’ or ‘Drop It’ is a good idea. By teaching your dog these commands, you can stop your dog from eating gefilte fish or whatever else you catch them eating. 

Video Tutorials To Train Dogs ‘Leave It’ and ‘Drop It”

Here are some good examples of how to train your dogs to know these two commands:

If you need more detailed instructions, Udemy has some good online dog training courses.

What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Gefilte Fish?

If your dog does sneak some gefilte fish, the amount he steals and his size will likely dictate how bad off he will be. While most dogs will recover from a small amount of gefilte fish (and the toxic onion and garlic in it), ingesting too much can be deadly.

If your dog only had a small amount you may wish to just monitor them to make sure they don’t get sick. However, if you have any concerns that the amount of gefilte fish your dog has eaten, it’s always a good idea to contact your veterinarian.

Summary: Can Dogs Have Gefilte Fish?

Can dogs have gefilte fish? In a word: No! Dogs should not have gefilte fish. This is because of the filler ingredients such as onion and garlic that are used.

If you want to make homemade gefilte fish without these ingredients or any other ingredients that are harmful to a dog’s health, then your dog can have some. 

Store-bought gefilte fish is likely to also have additives that your dog shouldn’t be eating. 

Train your dog to ‘drop it’ or ‘leave it’ if they have a bad habit of raiding your kitchen countertops.