Versatile Peanut Butter

The perfect dog treat ingredient

Peanut butter is one of the most versatile ingredients for making homemade dog treats. It’s readily available, it’s inexpensive and dogs absolutely love it. Add in the fact that it offers dogs numerous health benefits and you have almost the perfect dog treat ingredient. That’s why you’ll find peanut butter used in so many homemade dog treats.

There is however just one important caveat with peanut butter. It must never, ever, contain xylitol!

Beware of xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener and food additive. It’s a colourless chemical compound said to be healthier for our teeth than sugar. In normal doses, it has no known toxicity issues for human beings.

But… zylitol is highly toxic to dogs. Worse, it’s potentially fatal in even minute doses to small dogs. So please, please, always ensure that any peanut butter you buy to make dog treats is xylitol free.

In fact my resident canine nutritionist recommends you check the ingredients of any ready-made products for this devastatingly canine-toxic additive. If in doubt, don’t feed it to your dog!

Properties of peanut butter

Peanut butter has much to offer man’s best friend. It’s an excellent source of protein, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains numerous vitamins including vitamin B3, B5, B6 and E. And it’s a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.

What’s not to like about this natural nutty elixir? Especially when it’s something man’s best friend enjoys so much.

High-value treat

Strongly scented and rich, creamy and oily peanut butter makes an excellent high-value dog treat just on its own. Especially if stuffed into the end of a Kong as a night-time treat. Or for the likes of a nervous or anxious dog being left alone for any period of time.

As for how to make homemade dog treats with peanut butter, at The Dog Chef I have a number of favourite peanut butter dog treat recipes. Some of these I’ll be posting soon.

I use it as a supplemental ingredient in some of my Bake & Treat dog treat mixes. And it’s a staple in the diet of my own dogs. It generally makes up an element of the previously-mentioned night-time treat for two very well looked after, not to say ever so slightly spoiled, canine companions.

Why? Because they’re worth it!