Peanut Butter Dog Treat

A good peanut butter dog treat is sure to make many a dog's mouth water. Learn a little about the type of peanut butter that's best for pets, where to find great peanut butter treats and how to make your own at home.

To paraphrase Ben Franklin, "Everything in moderation...", and giving peanut butter to a dog certainly falls in this category. Peanut butter can be a tasty source of protein, but it is also fairly high in fat. This leads some pet owners to wonder if it's really alright to give this product to their dogs. Many use the product to coat various medications to make delivery easier. Others use a spoon or finger full as a treat to promote training. These uses are fine as long as you don't get carried away. Your dog's main protein intake should still come from a high quality, balanced kibble.

That said, there is a big difference to be found in the ingredient lists for "natural" and "conventional" peanut butter. Natural peanut butter is made from 100% ground peanuts. The conventional product found in grocery stores is usually made from 90% peanuts. The remaining 10% is often comprised from additives like sugar, corn syrup, salt and hydrogenated/trans fats. These are things your dog really doesn't need in his diet, so they're best avoided. This means that if you're going to give your dog a little treat, it's probably best to use a natural or organic brand.

For convenience, try the following peanut butter dog treat products.

• Peamutty Barks
• Peanut Butter Kisses
• Kennel Pack Bulk Dog Biscuits- select peanut butter flavor
• Peanut Butter Yogurt drops

Here are some treat ideas you can make fresh at home.

• Spread a teaspoon of natural PB on a low fat cracker. Top it with another cracker and you have a quick and convenient treat.
• Smear a spoonful of PB on the inside of a Kong dog toy and you'll have a treat that will occupy your dog for quite a while.
• Add a light smear to a slice of apple for an especially tasty treat. Just make sure there are no seeds in the slice because they're toxic to dogs.

Preheat oven to 350 F

Stir together:

1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/4 quick oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of salt

Cream with dry ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Blend in:

3/4 cup milk
1 beaten egg

You should wind up with a batter that is the consistency of cookie dough. If the dough seems a little too loose, add a little more flour until the dough clings to a spoon when held upside down.

Next, drop spoonfuls of dough evenly spaced on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Leave about two-and-a-half inches between drops to allow for spreading during baking. Bake until the cookies are golden, approximately 15-20 minutes, and then turn off the oven and let the cookies continue drying in the oven as it cools. The resulting cookies should be nice and crisp. You can keep them in an air-tight container for a week or immediately store a portion of the cooled cookies in a container and keep them in your freezer for up to one month. Be sure to keep some out to share with your dog right away.

Two Minute Dog Advice Columnist Wendy Nan Rees has shared two of her favorite PB treat recipes for dogs with LTK.

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• How to Make Fun Slice and Bake Doggie Cookies
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