On March 1st, we honor one of the world’s most perfect foods: Peanut Butter! I’m sure your dog will agree this day is worthy of celebration. Whether you celebrate once or even the whole year, we have some peanut butter do’s and don’ts as well as tasty recipes to try out for your pups.
Be A Label Reader
Before you break out the jar, know that some peanut butter isn’t created equal. Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in some brands of peanut butter, and it is safe for humans. However, this ingredient is very bad for dogs. As a dog mom or dog dad, please read the label and make sure your jar does not have this ingredient. The best peanut butter for your dog will have very limited ingredients: peanuts, salt and maybe sugar.
Dog Recommended Peanut Butter Brands
Check out these safe peanut butters:
- Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter
- Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter (no salt)
- Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter
- Poochie Dog Peanut Butter
While many of the following brands do NOT contain Xylitol, they do contain added trans-fats, sweeteners, corn syrup, etc. Check out these brands to avoid:
- Skippy peanut butter
- Peter Pan brand PB
- Jif peanut butter
- Nuts ‘n More
- Krush Nutrition
- Go Nuts Co
- Amazon brand/Happy Belly PB
Homemade Is The Best
If you are a dog lover, then you will want to spoil your dog! So try making your own homemade peanut butter with only ONE ingredient: peanuts. Simply add peanuts to your food processor and let the magic happen.
Peanut Butter Alternatives
Say it isn’t so? Your dog does not love peanut butter? Well, a few good substitutes as special treats are almond butter, sunflower seed butter or even cashew butter in case your dog isn’t a fan of pb or even has an allergy to peanuts. And if you like to use peanut butter as a treat stuffer, try these healthy choices as well:
- Low fat plain Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin puree (not the pie mix)
- Canned baby food
Baking In The Kitchen
What better way to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day than a homemade batch of peanut butter dog treats? Your big mutt will surely thank you! Here are some of our favorites:
