Nutter Butters are a classic and delicious treat – soft, creamy peanut butter sandwiched between two sweet little wafers made to look like adorable peanuts – what’s not to love?
Since many humans enjoy Nutter Butters, you may wonder, can dogs eat Nutter Butters as well? After all, they even kind of look like dog biscuits!
Let’s take a look at the ingredients in Nutter Butters and see if they’re safe for your pup.
Can dogs eat Nutter Butters safely?
Although Nutter Butters aren’t technically toxic (unless they’re covered in chocolate1), you still shouldn’t feed them to your dog on a regular basis.
Why?
Simply put, for the same reason that humans should only have them in moderation: they’re full of sugars, artificial flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, and other unhealthy ingredients2.
While humans are able to digest these ingredients in small amounts, dogs can’t. Their digestive system is simply not built to handle this kind of processed food.
Too many Nutter Butters will likely cause your dog some stomach upset and can lead to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and weight gain.
If your dog is gluten intolerant, this is even more reason to avoid Nutter Butters as they also contain wheat flour.
This is one snack it’s best not to share with your canine friend.
Recommended reading: Can Dogs Eat Scooby Snacks?
Do Nutter Butters have real peanut butter?
Yes! But…
Natural peanut butter, the kind without tons of additives, sugars, and preservatives, is fine in small quantities for non-allergic dogs.
Unfortunately, the peanut butter filling in Nutter Butters doesn’t fall into this category of dog-safe peanut butters.
Also, many brands of peanut butter have xylitol as an ingredient.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in tons of human foods, especially low-sugar or diet foods claiming to be healthy. While this may be true for humans, the same can’t be said for dogs, as xylitol is extremely toxic for them3.
Although the peanut butter in Nutter Butters doesn’t list xylitol as an ingredient, there are other unnatural ingredients that make it less than ideal for your dog.
If you want to give your dog a peanut butter treat, stick to a natural brand.
What happens if my dog eats Nutter Butters?
If your pup broke into a package of Nutter Butters or someone fed them without knowing the risks, the most important thing is to not panic.
Remember — although they aren’t healthy and could make dogs sick, your dog won’t be poisoned by plain Nutter Butters.
Observe them for the next 24 hours to see if they vomit or have diarrhea.
Also, make sure they have access to fresh water at all times to flush all the sugar and toxins out of their system and prevent dehydration.
If they continue to throw up or display signs of lethargy and refuse to eat after a day, take them to the vet.
And obviously, move the rest (if there are any) of the Nutter Butters out of their reach.
If your dog has ingested chocolate-covered Nutter Butter, you’ll need to contact your veterinarian immediately.
Depending on your dog’s weight and the amount of chocolate they ingested, they may require treatment.
What can I offer my dog instead of Nutter Butters?
Luckily, there are tons of delicious peanut-flavored dog treats on the market, as well as recipes for ones you can easily make at home!
Riley’s Organic Dog Treats
Riley’s Biscuits make an affordable, healthy alternative to Nutter Butters for dogs.
These peanut butter and molasses-flavored treats are totally certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, and even 100% human-grade (meaning they’re safe for you to eat, too)!
They contain only six ingredients, all of which are easy to recognize and pronounce, which is a pretty good test for how unhealthy or artificial a food product is.
The small treat size means they will work for any size dog, and they come in a bag that should last for a while if used as an occasional treat.
The peanut butter and molasses flavor is the best substitute for Nutter Butters, but Riley’s Organic Dog Treats come in other flavors as well.
If you want to go the extra mile and make your own peanut butter dog treats, here’s a simple recipe:
Peanut butter dog cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup very ripe mashed banana or unsweetened natural applesauce
- ¼ cup chicken, vegetable, or beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix together the flour, peanut butter, and banana/applesauce in a large bowl. Stir in the stock until all ingredients are combined and you have a stiff, thick dough. Roll the dough into a ball.
- Sprinkle a flat surface such as a cutting board or countertop with a little bit of flour. Set the ball of dough on top of the flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough flat. The sheet of dough should be about ¼ inch thick.
- Use a cookie cutter (or whatever you have on hand if you don’t have cookie cutters – jar lids, bottle caps, etc.) to cut the dough into shapes. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet.
- When the oven is finished preheating, bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. If you cut the biscuits into very small shapes, you may want to decrease the cooking time.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and store the biscuits in an airtight container.
- Extra points if you smear a little creamy natural peanut butter on top of the biscuit before serving to your dog to make it even more like a real Nutter Butter!
In summary
Although Nutter Butters aren’t technically toxic, you still shouldn’t feed them to your dog. The artificial, processed ingredients and high sugar content may lead to stomach upset and even weight gain.
If your dog consumes any, monitor them for signs of vomiting or illness.
When it comes to peanut butter cookies or any sort of treat, look out for the ingredient xylitol, which is toxic for dogs.
If you prefer to stay on the safe side, homemade treats and Riley’s Organic Dog Treats are great, healthy alternatives to feeding your pup Nutter Butters.
So, go pick up a bag of Riley’s for your dog or make your own peanut butter dog treats, and save those Nutter Butters for yourself!
Sources
- Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
- Nabisco Nutter Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter
- Paws Off Xylitol; It’s Dangerous for Dogs
