Homemade peanut butter dog treats are not only easy to make, but your pooch will absolutely love them. Whipping up some tasty homemade pet treats doesn’t take a lot of time, either. You could easily just give your pup a spoonful of unsweetened peanut butter, but what’s the fun in that?
Taking a few minutes out of your day to make something special is a beautiful way to form an even stronger bond with your beloved companion. Read on for some easy-peasy peanut butter dog treats recipes.
Is Peanut Butter Safe For Dogs?
When given in moderation, and when using the right kind of peanut butter, peanut butter can be a perfectly safe treat for your dog.
As with human food, however, there are certain types of peanut butter that are better for a dog than others. Your best bet is to try to find unsalted peanut butter – it’s better for you and your family as well, but particularly so when it comes to your pooch. Salted peanut butter may taste great, but it contains loads of sodium, which can be bad for dogs.1
Additionally, it’s important to only give your dog unsweetened peanut butter. Most peanut butters on the market have loads of added sugar, which is dangerous for your pet (and for you). Look for a peanut butter that contains only one ingredient: dry roasted peanuts.
Warning: Watch Out For Xylitol
There is one ingredient you should always steer clear of when making treats for your dog – xylitol. It’s a sugar substitute found in some peanut butters and a lot of other human foods. Xylitol is safe for people, but it’s potentially fatal to a dog. When you’re making homemade peanut butter treats for your pup, read the labels carefully and avoid anything with xylitol in it.2
How Much Peanut Butter Should Your Dog Eat?
Too much of a good thing is bad for a dog – just like it is for you. Eating an excessive amount of peanut butter may lead to problems for your pup, including obesity. Also, you need to be 100 percent certain that your dog isn’t allergic to peanuts. Talk to your vet first to get the “all clear” before giving peanut butter to your pet.
All dogs are different, but, in general, they should never get more than 10 percent of their daily calorie intake from any kind of treat – even homemade pet treats. If you have a 50-pound dog, you should only give them a little more than a tablespoon (1 1/6 Tbsp., to be exact) per day.3
If your dog weighs 20 pounds, they’ll need 40 calories per pound (800 calories) a day. Dogs that weigh 50 pounds or more need about 20 calories per pound (1,000 calories).4
So, that means you shouldn’t give a 20-pound dog more than 80 calories worth of treats a day, and you shouldn’t give a 50-pound dog more than 100 calories. You can check the label on the peanut butter you buy to get an idea of how many calories are in each serving. Your vet can give you additional insight on how much peanut butter (or any treats for that matter) are safe for your pet to enjoy.
Easy-Peasy Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recipe Ideas
You can make delicious homemade treats by using just a few simple ingredients. Here’s just one example, a recipe for fantastic canine cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of water
- 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour*
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 cup of peanut butter (unsweetened)
- 2 Tablespoons of honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Make your dough by mixing the egg, water, flour, and baking powder. Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir the mixture until the dough turns stiff.
- Sprinkle some flour on a cookie sheet. Roll the dough on the floured surface until it’s about a half inch thick. If you have a cookie cutter, use it to shape the dough. You can be as creative as you want, because the treats will only rise slightly.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden brown.
- Once the cookies cool, give a few to your pup, and then store the rest in an airtight container.
*If your vet tells you that your dog is allergic to wheat, you can use coconut or rice flour instead. These alternate flours are safe, but the consistency of the cookies may be a little different.5
Peanut Butter Dog Cookies With A Twist
This recipe for homemade dog treats is similar to the cookie recipe above. But there are a few added ingredients that your dog should adore.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- ¼ cup of mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup of creamy peanut butter (unsweetened)
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour (again, you could substitute coconut or rice flour if your pooch is allergic to wheat)
Instructions
- Set your oven to 350°F.
- Mix the applesauce (or mashed banana) in a big mixing bowl and then stir in the stock.
- Add peanut butter and whole wheat flour. Once all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together, your dough will be pretty thick.
- Roll the dough into a ball with your hands.
- Put the dough on a floured surface or on some parchment paper.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the ball. Your dough needs to be a ¼-inch or so thick.
- Cut with a cookie cutter, and put the dough on one of your ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the treats turn a golden brown color.
- Give some treats to your dog; Store the remaining treats in an airtight container.6
No-Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup of oats
- ½ cup of peanut butter (unsweetened)
- ⅓ cup of honey
- ⅓ cup of peanuts
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Store mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Scoop out mixture and roll into one-inch balls.
- Store treats in the fridge.7
Try These Recipes (But Talk To Your Vet First)
As you can see, these recipes are incredibly easy to make, and you can rest assured they’ll taste great to your dog. If you want to get real creative, you can use bone cookie cutters. Dog-themed cookie cutters also make great gifts to fellow dog lovers.
Always talk to your vet first – especially if you haven’t given peanut butter treats to your dog before. They might taste fantastic, but again, you want to be completely certain they’re safe, and that your dog doesn’t isn’t allergic to any of the ingredients.
Learn More:
Basic Puppy Tricks And Training: Easy Dog Tricks To Teach Your Furry Friend
Dog Chewing Wood? Learn Why They Do It And How To Stop Them
Tips For Selecting The Right Dog Food Bowl
Sources
1 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-peanut-butter/
2 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-peanut-butter/
3 https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/is-peanut-butter-good-for-dogs
4 https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/is-peanut-butter-good-for-dogs
5 https://www.thecookierookie.com/pb-dog-treats/
6 https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/homemade-peanut-butter-dog-treats-recipe/
7 https://hssaz.org/blog/letters-from-the-kennel-6-peanut-butter-dog-treat-recipes/
Homemade peanut butter dog treats are not only easy to make, but your pooch will absolutely love them. Whipping up some tasty homemade pet treats doesn’t take a lot of time, either. You could easily just give your pup a spoonful of unsweetened peanut butter, but what’s the fun in that?
Taking a few minutes out of your day to make something special is a beautiful way to form an even stronger bond with your beloved companion. Read on for some easy-peasy peanut butter dog treats recipes.
Is Peanut Butter Safe For Dogs?
When given in moderation, and when using the right kind of peanut butter, peanut butter can be a perfectly safe treat for your dog.
As with human food, however, there are certain types of peanut butter that are better for a dog than others. Your best bet is to try to find unsalted peanut butter – it’s better for you and your family as well, but particularly so when it comes to your pooch. Salted peanut butter may taste great, but it contains loads of sodium, which can be bad for dogs.1
Additionally, it’s important to only give your dog unsweetened peanut butter. Most peanut butters on the market have loads of added sugar, which is dangerous for your pet (and for you). Look for a peanut butter that contains only one ingredient: dry roasted peanuts.
Warning: Watch Out For Xylitol
There is one ingredient you should always steer clear of when making treats for your dog – xylitol. It’s a sugar substitute found in some peanut butters and a lot of other human foods. Xylitol is safe for people, but it’s potentially fatal to a dog. When you’re making homemade peanut butter treats for your pup, read the labels carefully and avoid anything with xylitol in it.2
How Much Peanut Butter Should Your Dog Eat?
Too much of a good thing is bad for a dog – just like it is for you. Eating an excessive amount of peanut butter may lead to problems for your pup, including obesity. Also, you need to be 100 percent certain that your dog isn’t allergic to peanuts. Talk to your vet first to get the “all clear” before giving peanut butter to your pet.
All dogs are different, but, in general, they should never get more than 10 percent of their daily calorie intake from any kind of treat – even homemade pet treats. If you have a 50-pound dog, you should only give them a little more than a tablespoon (1 1/6 Tbsp., to be exact) per day.3
If your dog weighs 20 pounds, they’ll need 40 calories per pound (800 calories) a day. Dogs that weigh 50 pounds or more need about 20 calories per pound (1,000 calories).4
So, that means you shouldn’t give a 20-pound dog more than 80 calories worth of treats a day, and you shouldn’t give a 50-pound dog more than 100 calories. You can check the label on the peanut butter you buy to get an idea of how many calories are in each serving. Your vet can give you additional insight on how much peanut butter (or any treats for that matter) are safe for your pet to enjoy.
Easy-Peasy Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recipe Ideas
You can make delicious homemade treats by using just a few simple ingredients. Here’s just one example, a recipe for fantastic canine cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of water
- 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour*
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 cup of peanut butter (unsweetened)
- 2 Tablespoons of honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Make your dough by mixing the egg, water, flour, and baking powder. Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir the mixture until the dough turns stiff.
- Sprinkle some flour on a cookie sheet. Roll the dough on the floured surface until it’s about a half inch thick. If you have a cookie cutter, use it to shape the dough. You can be as creative as you want, because the treats will only rise slightly.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden brown.
- Once the cookies cool, give a few to your pup, and then store the rest in an airtight container.
*If your vet tells you that your dog is allergic to wheat, you can use coconut or rice flour instead. These alternate flours are safe, but the consistency of the cookies may be a little different.5
Peanut Butter Dog Cookies With A Twist
This recipe for homemade dog treats is similar to the cookie recipe above. But there are a few added ingredients that your dog should adore.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- ¼ cup of mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup of creamy peanut butter (unsweetened)
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour (again, you could substitute coconut or rice flour if your pooch is allergic to wheat)
Instructions
- Set your oven to 350°F.
- Mix the applesauce (or mashed banana) in a big mixing bowl and then stir in the stock.
- Add peanut butter and whole wheat flour. Once all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together, your dough will be pretty thick.
- Roll the dough into a ball with your hands.
- Put the dough on a floured surface or on some parchment paper.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the ball. Your dough needs to be a ¼-inch or so thick.
- Cut with a cookie cutter, and put the dough on one of your ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the treats turn a golden brown color.
- Give some treats to your dog; Store the remaining treats in an airtight container.6
No-Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup of oats
- ½ cup of peanut butter (unsweetened)
- ⅓ cup of honey
- ⅓ cup of peanuts
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Store mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Scoop out mixture and roll into one-inch balls.
- Store treats in the fridge.7
Try These Recipes (But Talk To Your Vet First)
As you can see, these recipes are incredibly easy to make, and you can rest assured they’ll taste great to your dog. If you want to get real creative, you can use bone cookie cutters. Dog-themed cookie cutters also make great gifts to fellow dog lovers.
Always talk to your vet first – especially if you haven’t given peanut butter treats to your dog before. They might taste fantastic, but again, you want to be completely certain they’re safe, and that your dog doesn’t isn’t allergic to any of the ingredients.
Learn More:
Basic Puppy Tricks And Training: Easy Dog Tricks To Teach Your Furry Friend
Dog Chewing Wood? Learn Why They Do It And How To Stop Them
Tips For Selecting The Right Dog Food Bowl
Sources
1 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-peanut-butter/
2 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-peanut-butter/
3 https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/is-peanut-butter-good-for-dogs
4 https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/is-peanut-butter-good-for-dogs
5 https://www.thecookierookie.com/pb-dog-treats/
6 https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/homemade-peanut-butter-dog-treats-recipe/
7 https://hssaz.org/blog/letters-from-the-kennel-6-peanut-butter-dog-treat-recipes/
