We humans love peanut butter. And why shouldn’t we? Peanut butter transforms plain celery and raisins into a tasty snack called ants on a log. Because we love our peanut butter so much, we only want to share the experience with our pups. So, is it actually safe to give your dog peanut butter? As it turns out, yes…almost all the time.
Peanut butter has lots of protein. Dog owners know that protein is important for a dog's diet. Peanut butter has lots of carbs, which gives your dog energy to play. (link to our blog post about dogs' diet) Peanut butter can also help joint mobility, keep your pup’s coat nice and shiny, and can even help if they have anxiety taking medication (Gomez, n.d.).
Not only is peanut butter healthy for your dog, but it can also be a fun way to entertain both of you. Heading out for a couple of hours? Buy your pup a toy that is designed to have peanut butter placed inside of it to keep your dog occupied and happy. Are you looking for a funny video to send your friends? Put some peanut butter on a spoon and record your dog as they lick the peanut butter off – free laughs for everyone!
As with all good things, there are a few precautions that you must take with your pup. First, make sure to select a peanut butter that is all-natural or organic. It's best if it only contains peanuts. If your peanut butter has sugar, salt, or other things in it, pick natural or organic. To keep your dog healthy, we use pure sugar in the product, not xylitol. Xylitol can harm your dog (Nicholas, 2015). It’s also a good idea to make sure that you are giving your dog creamy peanut butter, not crunchy. There is no need to run the risk of your dog choking on a small piece of peanut.
Some of you may be wondering about allergies. People can have peanut allergies, so there must be some dogs that have peanut allergies too, right? It is true that, like humans, dogs can become allergic to nearly anything (Pena, 2014). However, peanut allergies in dogs are not common, usually not serious, and easy to notice. They cause skin inflammation and itching. So, if you are wondering if your new puppy can have peanut butter, try to use a very small amount to start. If your dog acts strange after eating peanut butter, it could mean they're allergic.
Chances are, your dog LOVES peanut butter. To make sure your dog can enjoy peanut butter, take a few precautions. If you're concerned about your dog eating peanut butter, talk to your vet for advice tailored to your dog. At Riker's, we feed our dogs our peanut butter banana treats. We only sell what we trust for our pups. So, raise up those spoons in your right hand and the jar of peanut butter in your left. Dig in, eat up, and give your pup some peanut butter as a snack.
References
Gomez, Vivian. (n.d.) Is Peanut Butter Good For Dogs? Retrieved from http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/peanut-butter-good-dogs-2555.html
Nicholas, Jason. (2015, May 28th). Is Peanut Butter Safe For Dogs? Please Beware – Some Could Be Deadly! Retrieved from http://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/is-peanut-butter-safe-for-dogs
Pena, Melvin. (2014, September 12th). Can Dogs Eat Peanuts Safely? Retrieved from http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/can-dogs-eat-peanuts-peanut-butter-dog-allergies-health-tips
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