Vital Essentials Minnows are a favorite, single-ingredient, fish dog treat in my pack that are fairly small which makes them great for dog training at home and on the go.
The good news is that unlike whole raw fish, they have no fishy smell.
The same is true for fish oil by the way, but I digress.
Who Is Vital Essentials?
You may remember that I’ve mentioned Vital Essentials here on the blog before.
That was when I wrote about their Mini Nibs in combination with KONG food puzzles.
I actually didn’t learn about the brand until I attended Global Pet Expo in March 2016.
Their booth was one of the last ones I stopped at. Funny enough, I appreciated it the most!
Isn’t it funny how life works like that sometimes?
How did I not know about them before??
No idea!
BUT, I’m more than aware of them now and can’t recommend their freeze-dried dog treats enough.
Including the Vital Essentials Minnows!
As a raw feeder, I’m always looking for high quality, drool worthy single-ingredient dog treats.
Vital Essential Minnows: Benefits
In a nutshell, the Minnows are:
- Low fat
- Smell-free
- Freeze-dried
- High-protein
- Single-ingredient
- Small in size = perfect training treat
- Sourced from Minnesota & Wisconsin rivers & streams
Single Ingredient Source of Protein
Let me start by sharing the #1 benefit of these treats: They’re a single-ingredient source of protein.
That means that they only contain whole raw minnows that have been freeze-dried.
Literally nothing else, guys.
There’s no grains, gluten, or artificial vitamins/minerals, preservatives, and colorings on the ingredient list.
Literally NO JUNK WHATSOEVER!
I feel 100% good about treating my pups with these goodies.
What’s so great about single-ingredient treats?
Besides the fact that they don’t contain any of the crap mentioned above, they literally only consist of ONE SINGLE ingredient.
In this case, fish. That’s it.
Single-ingredient treats are wonderful for dogs who suffer from a known food intolerance.
For example, a specific protein or grain.
So if you know that your pooch does poorly on chicken or lamb, let him try a different protein and see how he does on it!
For example, fish like Minnows.
Tip: If you have dog treats from your local supermarket in your pantry (or wherever), you may want to check their ingredient list.
I bet you it has at least 10, likely more, ingredients listed on the label, several of which are probably grains.
Grains and corn are cheap, empty fillers that the mainstream dog food industry likes to include in their dog treats (& food, by the way).
That’s although they have zero nutritional value and are known to cause itchy, red, inflamed looking skin because they’re rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.
Even better, take it up a notch and switch kibble that’s rich in empty fillers and artificial preservatives for a freeze-dried meal from Vital Essentials.
Your pup’s overall appearance, to include her energy levels & playfulness, will drastically change from meh to wow!
Offering freeze-dried or dehydrated raw dog food is the easiest way to transition your pup to a more species-appropriate food.
That’s how I got started back in 2015!
Freeze-Drying Means No Need For Refrigeration
Benefit #2: No refrigeration is needed, and that’s although they don’t contain any preservatives.
How is that possible?
The Minnows are freeze-dried for 48 hours. That process locks in all the vital nutrients without destroying them.
Since they don’t need to be refrigerated, they’re very convenient to bring along on trips or hikes without having to worry about bringing along coolers.
I’ve brought them along on several hikes, and didn’t even have to carry them – they fit nicely in Missy’s Ruffwear dog backpack.
Sourced, Made, & Packaged In The USA
Benefit #3: The Minnows are sourced, made, and packaged right here in the USA, in Green Bay, WI.
Vital Essentials have their very own USDA certified and inspected pet food facility with a comprehensive HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) Food Safety Program developed in collaboration with Kansas State University.
Their employees are HACCP and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) trained and certified employees receiving a “Superior Rating” from biannual FDA (Food & Drug Administration) audits.
No Fishy Smell
Benefit #4: No fishy smell whatsoever.
I personally don’t mind stronger smells (I feed my pups raw green tripe, so I’m used to that).
But I know that fish isn’t for everyone because of the smell.
The Minnows come from Minnesota and Wisconsin rivers and streams and are frozen before the freeze-drying process.
This locks in their freshness, meaning no decomposition occurs.
That’s usually where a fishy smell comes from.
Vital Essentials Minnows: Where To Buy
The Minnows come in a 1 oz bag and are available online on Amazon. You can also buy them in select physical pet retail stores.
Just an FYI for dog/cat households: The Minnows also make a great cat treat, so if your house is run by both felines & K9s, it makes sense to purchase a 1 oz bag for both.
Vital Essentials Minnows: Enthusiastically Recommended!
Does your pup have a freeze-dried favorite treat or food?
As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below this blog post!
![K9sOverCoffee | Why I Treat My Dogs With Freeze-Dried Vital Essentials Minnows [And You Should, Too]](https://k9sovercoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/K9sOverCoffee-Why-I-Treat-My-Dogs-With-Freeze-Dried-Vital-Essentials-Minnows-And-You-Should-Too-1-683x1024-optimized.jpg)
Related Reading
- How to entertain your dog with Vital Essentials Mini Nibs & a Kong!
- Whole raw fish vs fish oil for dogs: what’s the difference?
- Difference between mackerel and herring
- How to feed whole raw fish for dogs
- Can dogs eat raw fish?
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.
The pups look like they like the minnow treats!! I love the single ingredient and it is also nice to have variety. I find Miss Cocoa gets bored with the same treats. Does Missy wear a muzzle?? I have thought about one for Cocoa but need to know more!!
Oh yes, I’m a sucker for variety and single-ingredient treats ;-) Missy’s not wearing a muzzle – she is wearing a head collar. They are called Gentle Leaders and also known as Haltis. The Haltis are the ones I use because they have padded nose bands. I believe they’re the British version, and the Gentle Leader is the American one.
I have not heard of those, but definitely want to try them. My dogs love fish-based treats! (They are a bit creepy looking, not that my dogs care.)
Haha, yes, they are, but I think that may be a common fish treat feature ;-) We also got some smelt and they look just as creepy..
Those looks like a great treat at an affordable price.
Yes, you definitely get your money’s worth with these treats!
GROSS! I bet my dogs (and cats) would LOVE these!
Haha, I sure bet they would ;-) The grosser, the better!!