Why Do Dogs Love Peanut Butter
If you need a quick laugh, search for videos of dogs eating peanut butter. You’ll find tons of pups going crazy for this sweet and salty snack, gleefully eating it even as it sticks to their tongues. But why do dogs like this nutty treat? Our nutrition expert, Dr. Donna Waltz, has the answers.
Ahhh, Sugar, Sugar…
According to Dr. Donna Waltz, it’s not the nutty smell that attracts dogs, but the sugar component instead. Dogs are omnivores and, as a result, have a sensitivity for sweetness. In the wild, a sweet taste could mean something is loaded with carbohydrates — something a dog could eat to gain energy. Other animals, like cats, can’t detect sweet things because they are mainly carnivores and have less of a need to find carbs. So as omnivores, dogs are more likely to identify and enjoy a sweet snack like peanut butter.
This sweet tooth could also explain why dogs like eating apples and other fruits. Or why they stare longingly at your ice cream cone.
But no matter how much your dog begs, try keeping their peanut butter intake to a minimum. Too much could cause GI upsets! To play it safe, you can serve your dog some Milk-Bone® peanut butter flavor treats. These tasty treats pack all the peanut butter flavor dogs love, and they come in crunchy, soft and long-lasting varieties for even more fun.
