Can Dogs Eat Nutter Butters? Is It Safe?

Who doesn’t like a good Nutter Butter? If you don’t know what a Nutter Butter is, you are absolutely missing out! These classic peanut butter cookie sandwiches filled with peanut butter flavored icing, some cloaked in chocolate… are enough to melt over. 

And as any good dog parent knows, we like to sometimes share our treats with our dogs. However, like a lot of foods we humans consume, you may want to reconsider giving your dog this sweet treat before you offer it to them. 

When it comes to dogs and foods like nutter butter, here are some guidelines to follow:

  1. Do NOT give your dog Nutter Butters or any other baked good designed for human consumption. 
  2. If it is not good for you because of preservatives and high sugar content…it isn’t good for them!
  3. Watch out for foods that contain the chemical Xylitol as it is harmful and potentially fatal to dogs. 
  4. Consider baking your dog a homemade good with all-natural ingredients.
  5. Don’t like to bake? Do some shopping to find a dog-friendly version of a Nutter Butter.
nutter butters

Related Reading: Can Dogs Eat Tortillas?

Why Are Nutter Butters Bad for My Dog?

That phrase that everything is fine in moderation doesn’t only apply to people, but also your dogs…except with different types of foods. Nutter Butters contain large amounts of sugars, fats, and artificial preservatives that can be toxic to a dog. 

The main thing to remember is that humans are able to process small amounts of these types of ingredients, and even then if a person is not used to eating something like this they too will become sick.

Dog’s bodies do not have the same capabilities as humans to process the many different food-based chemicals that are put into human food on a regular basis. If you give something like nutter butter to your dog, and their bodies cannot handle it and are not used to it, these foods can make your dog very sick.

In fact, there is one particular ingredient that is found in many artificially sweetened treats that is extremely harmful to dogs. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the chemical Xylitol is found in many artificially sweetened products such as sugar-free desserts, skinny ice cream, baked goods, as well as some peanut and nutter butter cookies. 

This chemical, when ingested, can cause a dog to have sudden weakness, drops in blood pressure, collapse, have seizures, or even cause death.

Just about anything you read concerning the chemical Xylitol in relation to dogs is going to be negative. There is no set amount of the chemical consumed that can cause such adverse reactions. 

The amount consumed may cause more severe issues in a smaller dog vs. a larger one. Overall, it is better to be safe than sorry and simply not give your dog a Nutter Butter. 

But Peanut Butter is Good for Dogs…Right?

It’s true that many dog treats have peanut butter in them or even have peanut butter as the main component. Or how many of you have had to give your dog medication and snuck it into a spoon full of peanut butter? Before you begin having a panic attack about having given your dog some peanut butter, don’t. A little bit of normal peanut butter won’t hurt your dog, however, consider the type of peanut butter you give them in the future.

Just like with humans, the more natural the better. Typical peanut butter sold at your local grocery store are full of additional sugars, preservatives, and other additives that can be toxic to dogs. On the other hand, natural and organic peanut butter is perfectly fine for dogs to consume.

These sweet treats that we love so much are most certainly not organic and they are not made with all-natural ingredients. Like most packaged cookies down that oh-so-sweet isle in the grocery store is filled with all of the things that are not only bad for you, they are also bad for your dog. 

What Will Happen if My Dog Eats Nutter Butters?

While it is not the most pleasant thought, consider what happens to you when you eat something that your stomach simply cannot tolerate. Maybe you are gluten-free and your accident just consumed something with gluten? 

Possibly, you don’t typically eat processed food and you got that wild craving for an order of chicken nuggets and fries. Think about what your stomach would do? Again, not pleasant.

A Nutter Butter, among other treats, may cause your dog extreme stomach discomfort and pain. Your dog eating these types of things can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or even more serious issues. Unfortunately, when your dog starts having these kinds of issues, you get the unpleasantness of having to clean up the mess.

I Want to Give My Dog a Peanut Butter Treat…What Should I Give Them?

Because peanut butter in its organic form has tons of vitamins and protein that can be good for dogs, and because dogs typically like the taste of it so much, it makes sense that you would want to give your dog a treat. 

Below is a great and simple recipe to make your dog feel extra special!

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour
  • ¾ cup of organic and all-natural peanut butter
  • 3 eggs 
  • ½ cup of water
  • ¼ Pumpkin Puree

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your over at 350 F. 
  2. Combine all of your dry ingredients
  3. Add the pumpkin puree and water and mix until fully integrated and in the shape of a large ball.
  4. Sprinkle some of your whole wheat flour to your counter and roll out your dough until it is evenly ¼ inch thick. 
  5. Then, simply cut out your dough with your favorite shape cookie cutters and bake for approximately 15 minutes. 
  6. Once done, transfer your treats to a cooling rack.

When all the treats are cooled, you can feed your favorite furry friend some tasty treats that are healthy for them!

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled if you are wanting to make a lot. You can easily freeze the dough or fully baked treats to keep them fresh or to have the ready-made dough for freshly baked treats.

I’m Not Much for Baking…So What Can I Give My Dog?

There are a ton of really great peanut butter dog treat recipes out there that take very little baking skill to complete. Plus, dogs don’t exactly have a refined pallet when it comes to their treats, so they are your easiest food critic. 

However, many of your local dog stores and grocery stores have some options for tasty treats for your dog!

Some of the best peanut butter dog treats available are the Buddy Biscuits dog treats made with natural peanut butter. These treats do have any strange or harmful fillers like corn, sugar, or soy, and are actually healthy for your dog. 

Even better is that these treats are available through several different online retailers that can deliver them right to your door. So no baking and not hunting down in the store.

Final Thoughts

Everyone loves giving their dogs treats, especially when their pup does something that they deserve a treat for. Unfortunately, what might be a treat for humans may be absolutely detrimental to a dog. 

Lastly, don’t forget to love your dog (obviously) and make sure that whatever you give them makes them happy and healthy.

stuart and his dog

Family Dog Expert Author

Hi there! I’m Stuart, a devoted dog lover and family dog expert with over a decade of experience working with our furry companions. My passion for dogs drives me to share my knowledge and expertise, helping families build strong, loving bonds with their four-legged friends. When I’m not writing for SirDoggie, you’ll find me hiking, playing with my beautiful dog, or studying music.