January 23, 2018, by Ryan O’Quinn
It’s National Peanut Butter Day!
Well, technically, it’s tomorrow, January 24. And, you may be asking yourself why a pet waste management company would write a blog post about peanut butter. Simple. it’s all because of the dogs — and their insatiable love for this tasty, creamy treat!
If you ever want a quick laugh, search YouTube for videos of dogs eating peanut butter. But, this video is my favorite! You’ll find tons of pups going crazy for it even as it sticks to their lips, teeth and gums —licking incessantly. But why do dogs love this yummy, yet messy treat?
Well, there’s more than one correct answer. The main reason dogs love peanut butter:
The sugar, the salt, and… more sugar
The consensus among many veterinarians is dogs certainly love the sugar and salt in peanut butter. It makes them remember it once they’ve tried it, but the aroma is what makes them initially attracted. The aroma comes from proteins and fats that have been changed in the roasting process — and, to a dog, probably smells a bit like caramelized meat.
Dogs are omnivores and have a sensitivity for sweetness. In the wild, a sweet taste could mean something is loaded with carbohydrates — something a dog could eat for quick energy. Cats, on the other hand, can’t detect sweet things because they are mainly carnivores and have less of a need to find carbohydrates.
Both dogs and cats are more likely to savor food that is heavy in fat and sodium because these nutrient sources would be less commonly encountered in diets consumed in the wild.
Dogs, like people, are hardwired to seek out certain chemicals that signal a nutrient-rich food, with fat and protein being the primary sources.
Your dog wants what you’re eating
You mean you haven’t noticed your dog’s intense stares directly into your eyes as you’re eating something he or she thinks will be fantastically delish? Of course you have.
Another reason your dog could love peanut butter is our dogs frequently desire food that is being eaten by their pack leaders. And, in many cases, such food is not shared with them. But, for whatever reason, we’ve decided that sharing peanut butter is OK, and dogs are fully aware that this is one of the few food items that their pack leaders willingly share with them. So they savor every last gooey bit of it.
If you’ve shared peanut butter with your dog before, go to the cupboard, take out the jar and notice his/her reaction. Excitement level probably at an 11 because they know there’s a high probability of snagging a bit for themselves.
Caution: Read those labels
But, before you dip that spoon in the jar to share with your pup, it’s important to remember to always check labels, specifically for a sweetener called xylitol. Xylitol can cause hypoglycemia and hepatic necrosis in dogs.
Your best bet is to buy all natural or organic peanut butter. But, as long as the peanut butter you’re sharing with your pup doesn’t have xylitol, you’re golden!
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