Dog Bakery | Natural Peanut Butter Treats For Your Dog!

Are Peanut Butter Treats Safe For My Dog?

YES!

You might be concerned that giving your dog peanut butter is dangerous. This can be a valid concern since various groups of nuts are known to be unhealthy for dogs to consume. Macadamia and walnuts are known to be unhealthy to dogs and must always be avoided.

The problem with giving nuts to dogs is that several of these can become toxic over time. This is due to the excessive phosphorous levels and other ingredients that become even more toxic over time. These levels of toxicity may cause both kidney and bladder problems. In the most serious situations these levels can actually become fatal. It should also be noted that several types of chocolate also contain nuts.

There is great information for those of us that choose to include peanut butter as an aid in giving medicine, rewarding our dogs with peanut butter dog biscuits or just sharing a taste on the tip of our finger. Peanuts are not really nuts! In fact, peanuts are categorically a species in the legume family (Fabaceae) to be specific. In other words, peanuts are actually a type of bean!

So now you know peanut butter treats are safe for your dog! But how do you choose the right treats? Here are some tips!

1. Look at the Ingredients: This is probably the most important thing you can do. Don't think you can ignore the ingredients just because it's "only a treat". Treats play a significant part in most dogs' diets. You want to look for all natural or organic dog treats. They should be made with natural or organic ingredients. Look for treats made with whole grains such as oats or brown rice and single source proteins like chicken or beef. The first few ingredients are the most important and make up the bulk of the treat. Make sure it's not sugar or fat which are not good for your dog.

2. Calorie Count: Make sure you look at the calories of the treat. An overweight dog is an unhealthy dog and you will end up paying more in vet bills later on if you indulge your dog with fatty treats. Luckily, most healthy dog treats take calorie count into consideration and therefore most are low in fat and calories.

3. Texture: This might not seem very important, and indeed ingredients and calorie count are more significant when it comes to choosing a healthy or organic dog treat. But texture is worth mentioning. A more firm or hard treat is much better for your dog's dental health than a soft treat. When dogs chew on a hard treat they are also reducing the plaque build up around their teeth. This being said though, the older or senior dog may have a more difficult time with hard treats. If that is the case with your dog, a softer healthy dog treat is the way to go.

No matter what treats you end up giving your dog, the most important thing to consider is the ingredients. It's worth repeating here. Make sure the treats are made with natural or organic ingredients and have no by-products. If you want to steer clear of treats that contain meat, there are some wonderful peanut butter dog treats as well as fish or vegetable dog treats to choose from. A good tip is to look for bite sized treats that are low in calories and made with natural ingredients. Your dog's health will benefit in the long run if he eats healthy, wholesome dog treats.