Short answer: Yes, feeding your dog salmon heads raw is perfectly fine as long as you freeze them for 3 weeks prior to feeding to avoid salmon poisoning disease.
More on that later.
My Boxer mixes Missy & Buzz loved their raw salmon heads!
It took them about 20 minutes to eat them in their entirety, and I added that video to the feeding section in this blog post.
What’s in Raw Salmon Heads?
- Iron
- Zinc
- Protein
- Calcium
- Vitamin A
- Omega-3 fatty acids
They’re a great addition to a raw doggie diet for a natural boost of joint and skin health.
If you feed your pups raw fish and certain cuts of meat that are naturally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like brains and eyes, there’s no need to add bottled fish oil to their meals. Otherwise, fish oil is really helpful to balance out the Omega-6 fatty acids in land animals.
From my kitchen to yours – real raw meals that work
Want to make raw feeding easier (and feel more confident doing it)?
Get my 10 balanced raw dog food recipes delivered straight to your inbox –
2 copy-and-paste recipes per day for 5 days – and learn the exact ingredient combos and portion tricks I use to build healthy raw meals.
Start today — recipes #1 & 2 arrive in 60 seconds.
Free 5-day email series for raw feeders. No spam – unsubscribe anytime.
Where to Buy Whole Raw Salmon Heads for Dogs
Asian Grocery Stores
I found the raw salmon heads at the fish counter of a local, Korean-owned, asian grocery store on my search for odd cuts of meat.
Originally I thought I might find something like raw chicken feet and/or organs.
I actually had no clue it had a separate fish section until I got there.
However, they didn’t carry any chicken feet or organs.
It wasn’t too much of a bummer because I can get organic chicken feet from a local farm.
But they’re a bit on the expensive side which is why I was hoping to find them for less at this Asian store.
Either way, I had been meaning to check it out for a while and am glad I drove the 12 miles one way.
They had exactly two raw salmon heads left!
Of course I snatched them up before anyone else could.
Each head was frozen solid, about $5.00 and weighed 1 lb 11 oz!
Regular Grocery Stores
If you can’t find an asian grocery store with a fish section, try your luck at a better stocked traditional supermarket.
I’m thinking of The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, or Wegmans.
They might just have a salmon (or other fish) head on display that you could get your hands on.
I saw a fellow raw feeder mention that approach on Instagram and thought it was a clever idea .
Just make sure to freeze it for 3 weeks before feeding it to your pup – more on that below!
Raw Pet Food Retailers
You can also order raw salmon heads from specific raw dog food retailers.
Raw Feeding Miami carried fish heads for a while (variety mix of salmon, grouper and snapper heads), but unfortunately, they no longer do.
I’ll keep checking to see if they’ll start carrying them again.
These days, they only have salmon chunks from wild-caught Atlantic salmon.
GreatAlaskaSeafood.com
You can buy salmon heads from this online retailer in Alaska. They ship nationwide (and also to Canada) via FedEx.
Raw Salmon Heads Can be Fed Whole
No need to debone or otherwise prepare salmon heads!
Just like any other raw meaty bones, you can feed raw salmon heads whole.
That includes gills and bones.
Remember, raw bones are soft and pliable.
They only turn brittle and can splinter when they’re cooked.
That’s why us humans pick them out of our cooked fish.
Next time you get ready to cook up a fish for yourself, pick out a raw fishbone and compare it to one that’s been cooked.
You’ll notice the difference!
My guess is that the raw salmon heads the pups ate were about 80% meat and 20% bone.
If your dog is too small for a salmon head or his teeth are in a bad condition, you could simply grind it with meat grinders such as these. Or try offering herring or mackerel heads.
If you do a YouTube search for “dogs eating salmon heads” you’ll get a ton of hits.
Feed the Whole Salmon Heads Outside if Possible
I decided to feed the raw salmon heads on the grass in our backyard because I really didn’t feel like stinking up the house.
Don’t get me wrong, I like fish myself and eat it just about every other week.
But I typically put it right into the pan or the oven and don’t gnaw on the raw thing for an extended period of time.
So backyard it was – if you don’t have that option, try lighting a few candles and open windows while your pup enjoys the fishy delicacy.
Or feed it in the garage if you have one.
What About Salmon Poisoning Disease In Dogs?
As I did a little research on the matter, I found out that raw salmon (and other fish) from the Pacific Northwest can carry an organism called Neorickettsia helminthoeca which causes salmon poisoning.
Dogs who eat raw salmon infected with the organism can get sick and come down with high fever, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and ultimately die if the condition is left untreated.
In order to avoid this scenario, don’t feed your dog fresh raw salmon (or other raw fish from the Pacific Northwest).
Make sure to deep-freeze it beforehand for 3 weeks which will inactivate the organism.
An Alternative: Wild-Caught, Ground Salmon Heads
What if you’re not entirely convinced that whole salmon heads are the way to go for your pup(s)?
I mean, they are a bit on the messy side and there will be some smell.
One mess-free workaround is to get your hands on ground salmon heads. Ideally, wild-caught salmon heads.
Like the wild-caught, ground Alaskan salmon heads that Raw Paws Pet Food carries.
Besides ground salmon heads, they also feature ground salmon trim and ground salmon frames.
That way, you can still feed your dog(s) the plethora of nutrients salmon is naturally rich in.
Raw Salmon Heads for Dogs: Bottom Line
For dogs, it’s safe to eat raw salmon heads, and I’m excited that I expanded my raw feeding adventure by yet another new cut of raw meat.
Both Missy & Buzz did fine with their respective salmon head.
Since they were rather large and heavy, they pretty much covered a whole day’s food allowance. Curious what a full day looks like for your own dog?
That’s a Day’s Worth – Want Your Dog’s Exact Amount?
One large salmon head can cover a whole day’s food allowance for some dogs, but it depends on their weight and activity level. Enter your dog’s info to get an instant, personalized ratio breakdown for muscle meat (including fish), bone, organs, and plant matter.
Try the Free CalculatorThe pups only got a little green tripe for a later evening snack.
Do you feed your pups raw salmon (heads) or other fish?
Let me know in the comment section below this blog post!
For more raw feeding resources, visit my full homemade raw dog food guide.
Related Content
- Fish oil for dogs
- Phytoplankton for dogs
- How to feed raw fish for dogs
- Can my dog eat (canned) tuna?
- How to feed whole raw fish for dogs
- Difference between mackerel and herring
- How raw goat heads differ from rabbit & poultry heads
- I found a supplier of raw green lipped mussels for dogs
- Whole raw fish vs fish oil for dogs: what’s the difference?
Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.
She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.
As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.
Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.
In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.
Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.