Can dogs eat almond butter? Everyone knows that peanut butter makes a tasty snack for dogs that they love, but what about almond butter? Is it safe to give your dog, or is it something that should be avoided?
Here’s everything you need to know about giving your dog almond butter. You should always do your research when giving your dog anything new!
Can Dogs Eat Almond Butter?
As long as it has no toxic additives, yes, most dogs can eat almond butter.
Is It Safe?
Some additives can be toxic but in itself, almond butter is safe for dogs.
Is It Healthy?
It’s a little difficult for them to digest so no, almond butter isn’t necessarily healthy.
The Benefits
The main benefit of almond butter is that it makes your dog happy. It can be a high-value treat you can use to train your dog, or just give them something to look forward to. Very few dogs will turn their nose up at almond butter.
A good benefit that almond butter can have is that it can be used to hide pills. Put it in the fridge so it hardens up a little, and wrap your dog’s pill in a ball of it. That way, they’ll find it much harder to spit their pill back out.
Can Dogs Eat Almond Butter? The Risks
The main risk of almond butter is that it might contain additives that are toxic to dogs. You should go through all of the ingredients and make sure everything there is safe to give your pup. Flavored almond butter is generally not safe, and it should be given to them plain.
Just like peanut butter, a lot of almond butter has the sweetener xylitol in it. This is toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all costs.
Almond butter can be difficult for your dog to digest, so giving them too much can be risky and can cause stomach upset.
How Much Can They Eat?
When giving any dog treats, you should follow the 10% rule. That means treats should make up 10% of their daily calories at most, and their food should account for that.
However, almond butter should not make up 10% of their diet every day, as this will quickly lead to obesity at the very least.
You should always start off with a small amount, especially for small breeds and puppies under six months. Make sure they don’t have a reaction to a very small amount before giving them any more.
When To See A Vet
If almond butter has upset your dog’s stomach and given them diarrhea, put them on a bland diet of cooked chicken and rice for a few days to get their stomach to settle. The chicken and rice should be completely plain.
If the diarrhea continues, or they have any of the following symptoms in addition to it, it’s time to call your vet:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Extreme thirst
- Pain, or acting strangely
If you have any doubts at all, it’s better to ask yourvet.
Can Dogs Eat Almond Butter? Serving Ideas
Almond butter can be smeared on top of food for a tasty snack or you can let them lick it from your finger! They’ll love it on its own.
However, if you want to get creative, you can freeze it inside of a KONG or on a lickmat. This is great for a hot day, or a time when you just need to keep them occupied. Lickmats and KONGs can keep a dog focused for a surprisingly long time, and almond butter is a tasty way to make this happen!
You can also combine it with fruit, such as smashed banana on a lickmat. This provides more of a treat without having to give them too much almond butter.
Other Snacks
If you want to find other snacks to give your dog — simply because you don’t want to give them almond butter, they’ve had a bad reaction, or you just want to mix it up — these are some great alternatives:
- Peanut butter is the obvious one, as long as you make sure it’s free of toxic ingredients
- Plain cooked turkey or chicken
- Broccoli and other vegetables
- Strawberries and other fruits
- Popcorn, for something different, but make sure it’s free of toxic ingredients!
As with anything, do your research and make sure whatever you’re giving to your dog is good for them. Not everything is, and even some fruits and vegetables can be bad. Grapes, for example, are toxic to dogs, and cherries can be bad for them too.
So, can dogs eat almond butter? Yes, but you should be careful. Sweeteners and flavors can do a lot of damage, and you shouldn’t give them too much, as it can be hard to digest. In moderation, it should be fine as a tasty treat for most dogs.
