Can Beagles Eat Peanut Butter?
Most dog owners love to keep their pets as their best friends. You will find most of them spending a lot to ensure these pets are healthy and comfortable. They usually feed them on their favorite foods.
Many dogs, including Beagles, love licking peanut butter. It remains a favorite lick for most Canines. Before you spend your money on purchasing any peanut brand for your pet, you have to be sure that it’s safe for your Beagle.
It’s fine to give your Beagle with peanut butter. The only chemical compound you have to avoid in the peanut butter you buy is Xylitol. It is highly poisonous to all dog breeds. That is why dog owners must ensure that they only purchase peanut butter from manufacturers who don’t include this content in their peanut butter. You have to keenly go through the ingredients in the butter you buy and know the side effects of each.
There is a lot that all of us need to understand about peanut butter. This is mainly for new dog owners. Read on to understand more about the right peanut butter for your pet. And how to feed it to your Beagles.
Understanding Different Peanut Butter Brands for Your Beagles
Some peanut butter companies manufacture it with Xylitol as an ingredient. Although someone may argue that it’s a normal sweetener, the consequences of consuming it are known. Any peanut brand that contains this chemical compound is unsafe for your Beagle to consume.
There are known peanut butter brands that Xylitol free and are healthy to feed your dog. Unfortunately, others still make peanut butter that contain Xylitol compound and other harmful elements and compounds.
Safe Peanut Butter Brands.
You will never miss someone who cares about you or what you own. Some peanut brands such as Jif Natural, Justin’s, Great Value, Once Again, Smucker’s, Peanut Butter Co., and Brad’s Natural’s are safe for your Beagle to consume. These brands manufacture peanut butter without Xylitol sweetener.
Unsafe Peanut Butter Brands.
These brands contain harmful levels of the Xylitol compound. You should never give them to your pet unless you don’t value it. They include brands such as Krush Nutrition, P28, No Cow, Go Nuts Go, and much more.
How Much Peanut Butter Should Beagles Consume?
Despite having some healthy peanut butter brands, too much of it leads to regrettable pain and medical expenses. Sometimes you may be forced to buy another dog to replace your dead friend. Excess consumption of peanut butter may lead to pancreatitis and obesity in dogs. Obese dogs may get other related health complications unless taken through proper exercise.
Considering your Beagle’s daily calorie intake, only less than 10% should be from peanut butter. You can compute the exact amount of peanut butter to give to your dog. All you need to know is your pup’s weight and the caloric count of the peanut butter you buy.
Generally, puppies should consume less than 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter daily, while adult Beagles should eat a maximum of one tablespoon of peanut butter every day.
Remember, you should never give peanut butter to dogs that are suffering from chronic pancreatitis. Any amounts of peanut butter given to such dogs worsen this condition and should be avoided.
We need to know what is Xylitol Compound
The word may seem to be a new invention to the world! Funny enough, you might have unknowingly consumed it at some point. Nowadays, many manufacturers of food products use it as a sweetener.
This chemical compound is simply a sugar-replacement sweetener. It is highly poisonous to be consumed by your dog. Very minimal quantities of this substance cause severe hypoglycemia in dogs. Don’t be shocked if your 30lb. Beagle dies after consuming 2 grams of Xylitol.
Dogs that consume it develop severe insulin issues and consequently die. Worst of all, it’s neither healthy for you to consume. Avoid at all costs.
The Right Peanut Butter for Your Beagle
Different peanut butter companies make it in various forms. You can give any to your dog, but this will depend on several factors.
Should I Buy Organic or Non-Organic Peanut Butter?
Pets that are occasional consumers of peanut butter should be fed on pure non-organic peanut butter. If a dog does not feed on peanut continuously, it will live healthy without side effects of this treat. Puppies that also rarely feed on the butter can be given non-organic peanut butter.
If you feed peanut to your Beagles daily, you should buy them organic peanut butter. Organic peanut butter has low sodium levels and hence, safer for your Beagles.
Should Peanut Butter be Creamy or Crunchy?
Different from some people’s argument that crunchy peanut butter is dangerous for dogs, it isn’t. They will not chock dogs as people claim because the quantities you should give to a dog are still small. Chocking can only happen if you give a lump of crunchy peanut butter to puppies. Your dog is safe to consume this type of peanut butter. Your Beagle can eat any type of peanut butter. Even super crunchy brands of peanut butter are safe for your dog to consume.
Creamy peanut butter keeps dogs busy as they take quite some time licking on it. You can use it as you trim their nails or during an ordinary bath. During a bath, you can apply it on a clean plate for your pet to lick.
How to Give Your Dog Peanut Butter
No one is limited regarding how to feed their dog. You should use the method that you feel suits your pet. Below are the various ways you can use to feed peanut butter to your love Beagle.
Using Peanut Butter to Administer Medicine to Your Dog
Some dogs are cumbersome to take medication. If you own such a dog, you can use peanut butter to trick it. You need about a teaspoonful of the butter to cover a tablet, and your dog swallows the ‘sweet ball.’ Your Beagle will probably not realize the presence of the tablet in the peanut butter.
Using a Spoon
Dogs love to lick any delicious food on any surface. You can scoop some creamy peanut butter with a spoon and allow your dog to lick it. Because your Beagle will enjoy licking it, you only need about a minute, and your dog wins that race. This method is hygienic to you as well as your dog. Your hands remain clean even after feeding your pup.
Use of a Kong
The use of a Kong is the most common way to give peanut butter to your Beagle. Dogs spend hours trying to remove the delicacy from Kong. It is ideal to use a Kong if you want to keep your Beagle active. It’s also suitable for dogs with separation anxiety.
What Else Do You Look For in Healthy Peanut Butter?
Although we are saying that Xylitol is the most dangerous compound to feed to dogs, you also need to check on other factors. Healthy peanut butter should also be free from Aflatoxin, harmful fats, or any other deadly sugars.
Aflatoxin is carcinogenic. The levels vary from one brand to another, and hence we need to be keen when buying them.
Some harmful fats, trans-fatty acids that form as a result of the hydrogenation process are among the most health-hazardous food substances we have today. Not only to dogs but also humans. They cause chronic inflammation in dogs. You should never purchase hydrogenated oils for your pet or even for human consumption.
It is sad to inform you that sugars are known to cause premature aging and food allergies to your pet. Thus, you need to avoid them as much as possible to give your Beagle a lengthy and healthy stay around you.
Final Words
As the dog owner, you now know that your Beagle can eat peanut butter and become a closer friend! However, I have also reminded you that “too much of anything is poisonous.” You now know the consequences of different peanut butter brands.
Even though your Beagle could be your only friend, mind about his health too, I think health comes before friendship. Nothing is impressive than when both of you are healthy. That way, you will have energy and time to play, exercise, and do much more.
