Are you a fan of peanut butter spreads and wonder if your dog can have it, too? Let’s explore everything you need to know: “can dogs eat peanut butter?”
In short- congratulations, dogs can eat peanut butter safely. In this article, we have answered all your questions about the benefits and different types of peanut butter for your dog.
Let’s scoop the facts out!
Benefits of Peanut Butter For Dogs
Let’s not limit peanut butter just for its taste! Because it has so much more to offer to your dog’s health. It is one of the human foods that can add nutritional value to your dog’s diet, such as:
1. Vitamins and minerals
Peanut butter is not just yummy but brings many more benefits to you and your dog, such as:
- Vitamin E for healthy metabolism
- Vitamin B helps with inflammation
- Vitamin A gives instant energy to dogs
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Copper
- Folate
2. Better alternative
Instead of feeding your dog regular butter, you can use peanut butter. Of course, you cannot use tons of it at once, but it is definitely a better alternative. Apart from coconut and sesame oil, peanut butter can add nutritional value to your dog’s diet if used in moderation. However, if your dog has obesity issues, peanut butter has enough fat to cause pancreatitis if overfed (article).
3. Energy booster
The vitamin A in peanuts makes it a high-energy treat. You can let your dog lick some of it as a training treat or reward them for good behaviors. Peanuts can give your dog a temporary dose of boost and encourage them to show a positive attitude.
4. Hiding pills
Feeding your dog “not-so-delicious” medicines can be a hell of a task. You can hide them in peanut butter to make it easier and tastier for them to gulp the meds. The best way to do it is to take a bite-sized piece of banana, hide pills inside, coat it in peanut butter, and boom! There you have your yummiest-tasting medicine!
5. Tasty treats!
Last but not least, peanut butter is simply delicious. If there is a debate on Nutella or peanut butter- we’ll choose peanut butter! Not only does this human food give your dog health benefits, but it is also a tasty treat that will never run out of trend. Also, if your dog is picky, peanut butter is all you need to get the party going!
Can Dogs Eat All Types of Peanut Butter?
Peanut butter is a solution to every problem. So your dog is sad? Peanut butter! Are they grumpy? No worries, give them peanut butter! Are they not eating meals? Add peanut butter! But wait- so many peanut butter varieties are in the market; are they all safe for dogs? Let’s dig more into that!
1. Crunchy peanut butter
Dogs can eat peanut butter, even if it’s the crunchy peanut butter! They both serve the same nutritional benefits to your dog, except for the fact that they differ in texture. You and your dog cans are whichever way you prefer your peanut butter- creamy or crunchy. We recommend serving creamy peanut butter to small dogs as sometimes dogs can slightly choke on the nuts.
2. Peanut butter cookies
You can give your dog peanut butter cookies in moderation. However, we do not recommend you give your dog commercially bought peanut butter cookies. It is because the store-bought peanut butter cookies may include xylitol, a toxin to dogs, and can be deadly if consumed in high amounts (article).
But wait! You can always go creative with peanut butter and bake those yummy, gooey peanut butter cookies at home for you and your furry friends!
3. Skippy peanut butter
The skippy peanut butter is pretty popular when it comes to dogs. As we mentioned above, the only scary part about store-bought peanut butter is the xylitol and harmful preservatives. You can give your dog Skippy peanut butter safely, as it has all the safe ingredients for dogs. However, at the end of the day, it’s butter and should be fed in moderation only.
4. Homemade peanut butter
How about the safest option to choose for you and your dog? Well, it is to DIY IT. We mean- of course, you cannot DIY fruits or peanuts, but you can make peanut butter at home! This recipe can come together within 15 minutes, but the only catch is to use unsalted peanuts. All you can do is roast some peanuts, blend them, and add coconut oil to make it creamy and rich (recipe).
Conclusion
Our final verdict on “can dogs eat peanut butter?” is a BIG YES. Until and unless the Peanut butter you are feeding your dog includes xylitol or salts, it is an excellent treat! Not only is peanut butter tasty, but it also has several health benefits for dogs.
However, you should not go crazy with it and add this creamy butter over all their food. It is essential that you give your dog a balanced diet. Now that you have your answers, you and your dog can enjoy peanut butter guilt-free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can give your dog peanut butter cookies in moderation. The only catch is to ensure it does not contain xylitol or other harmful preservatives. We recommend that you bake peanut butter cookies at home for your dog.
Dogs can eat crunchy peanut butter as well as creamy ones. They both have the same nutritional value and risks attached to them. It is just a matter of preference.
Any peanut butter that does not contain too much sugar, xylitol, or harmful ingredients is safe for dogs. If you are getting a store-bought peanut butter, you should ensure to check the ingredients label.
Dogs cannot eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, aka P&J sandwiches. Where peanut butter is safe for dogs, jelly is packed with sugar and toxic ingredients. It would be best to stick to feeding ONLY peanut butter to your dog.
Dogs can eat up to one tablespoon of peanut butter daily. More than that, it may or may not cause health problems in your dog. It also depends upon the size and age of the dog. This means a large-sized dog can have more peanut butter than a small to medium-sized dog.
