8 Best Peanut Butter for Dogs in 2023: Reviews and Buying Guide

Peanut butter is a very popular and widely used treat for dogs. They can’t get enough of the creamy, high protein, strong flavor. Peanut Butter is also naturally rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamin E. 

At A Glance: Our Top Picks for Peanut Butter for Dogs:

• 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter – Our Top Pick
• Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter
• Poochie Butter
• Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter
• CB’s Nuts Organic Creamunchy Peanut Butter

Peanut butter can be used as a reward in training, as a treat or as a distraction. There are lots of ways you can deliver it: stuffed inside a toy, smeared on a lick-mat, disguising a pill or even just licked from the spoon. However you offer it, your dog is sure to love it.

However, there are good peanut butters and bad peanut butters, and the bad ones can be VERY bad for your dog. Make sure you read our Peanut Butter for Dogs Buying Guide further below for more information on what ingredients are essential, and which ones to steer clear of.

So, you’ve decided you’re going to give your dog some peanut butter – but how do you decide what brand and type is the best peanut butter for dogs in 2023?

That’s where we come in. 

Whether you are buying peanut butter exclusively for your dog, or you want to choose a family peanut butter that you can safely share with your pet, we’ll be exploring some of this year’s top choices for peanut butter that are safe for dogs to eat.

We’ll be explaining the pros and cons of each of our choices and down at the bottom, we give you the complete low-down on what you need to look out for when buying peanut butter to treat your pet.

Top 8 Best Peanut butters for dogs in 2023

#1. 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter – best smooth peanut butter

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Whole Foods Market has a range of peanut butters available. This one, the 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter, uses peanuts grown in the USA, and contains no salt or sugar. 

Be aware that similar products in the same range like “Peanut butter spread” do contain things like palm oil or sugar, but this particular product just has dry roasted organic peanuts. There’s also a crunchy version which does contain a little salt.

This peanut butter needs a bit of stirring before use because, as a natural butter, it can separate out in the jar. However, it is a delicious peanut butter with a thick consistency that clumps together well, making it ideal for spreading on dog toys.

What we love about this peanut butter is that it is a totally natural whole food product with nothing added. Just peanuts, and your dog will absolutely love the creamy texture.

#2. Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter – best for chunky texture

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If you and your dog prefer peanut butter with a good crunch and lovely chunks of peanut, then you can’t do better than the Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter.

From the engaging teddy-bear relaxing on the label, you know that this is going to be a homely and natural product. Indeed, the ingredients are simple – dry roasted peanuts and salt and nothing else. There are no extra sweeteners or oils. There is a smooth unsalted version too, but this is considerably more expensive.

Like the 365 Peanut Butter, this one is also a natural butter so some separation can occur in the jar, but don’t worry; this is completely normal and can be remedied by a quick stir.

This is another all-natural peanut butter made from naturally grown USA peanuts. You don’t have to worry about even the smallest dog choking on peanut butter chunks either, as they are crushed so small.

This peanut butter is great for stuffing inside toys or smearing on lick-mats, though the occasional chunk of peanut may go astray and end up on your floor.

#3. Poochie Butter – best for health

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With Poochie Butter, the manufacturers have attempted to create a treat with health benefits. The following ingredients have been added to improve the health of your dog:

• Dry roasted peanuts – with B-vitamins and fiber.
• Cinnamon – to help regulate blood sugar.
• Turmeric – known for natural anti-inflammatory properties
• Parsley – to benefit dog breath
• Ginger – another natural anti-inflammatory and
• Coconut Oil – to deliver healthy coat and skin.

This might sound a bit odd, but we often choose to make healthy choices and eat superfoods ourselves (think about the kale smoothie with hemp seeds and blueberries). With Poochie butter you are making a similar choice for your dog. If you’re interested in other health supplements for your dog, check out our review of the best.

So those are the health benefits – but how is the peanut butter? 

Well, the consistency is slightly runny compared to some of the others we’re reviewing but giving it a good stir and keeping it in the fridge does help with this. However, it could revert to a liquid consistency in a warm climate and seep out of any toy you have stuffed it with.  

The dogs do enjoy the taste and come back for more, but reviews suggest that this won’t be one you’ll be sharing!

#4. Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter – best for all-natural

Another great natural peanut butter product is Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter.

This peanut butter requires a LOT of stirring to get the consistency back how it should be and should be stored in the fridge. However, blending with a food mixer produces good results and it really is a fantastic, natural product with nothing extra added in at all—peanut perfection for your pet.

#5. CB’s Nuts Organic Creamunchy Peanut Butter – Best for taste

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Another peanut product using USA grown peanuts is CB’s Nuts Organic Creamunchy Peanut Butter. A slightly different manufacturing process involves barrel-roasting each batch of nuts and then grinding to this perfect blend of creamy and crunchy peanut butter. In fact, this peanut butter has an almost fluffy consistency, a lot less oily than a lot of other natural peanut butters.

If you like to make completely pure and natural peanut butter straight from the grinder, but you don’t have time for that preparation, this will be the very next best thing.

#6. Kong Stuff’N Easy Treat – Peanut Butter – best for convenience

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If you are looking for a peanut butter specially designed for dogs and with the added convenience that it comes with a dispenser for squirting it into your favorite dog toy, then look no further than the Kong Stuff’N Easy Treat – Peanut Butter. This treat actually comes in a range of flavors including Bacon and Cheese, Liver and Pepperoni as well as Peanut Butter.

This peanut butter treat is trans-fat free, but in order for it to squirt properly and to avoid separation, it does contain a few of the hydrogenated vegetable oils we want to avoid, as well as sugar and salt, so should be given in moderation.

A great way to use this is to fill a Kong toy with kibble, then squirt a bit of this treat in as well, to “stick” the kibble and make it more of a challenge for your pet to extract. Freezing the stuffed toy before giving it to your dog adds to the challenge and makes it last longer. Don’t forget to give the Kong toy a good wash after each use.

#7. Peanut Butter Filled Cow Hooves – best all-round chew treat

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These Peanut Butter Filled Cow Hooves may not sound that appetizing for us, but for your four-legged friend this is a dream-treat.

Hooves from free-range, grass-fed cattle are carefully trimmed and thoroughly cleaned before roasting, reducing odor, before being filled with peanut butter.

This chewy is healthy and safe, and the hoof chews help to remove and clean away harmful plaque and tartar to help improve dental hygiene. Find out more about other dental dog chews here.

They come in a variety of pack sizes. The peanut butter used does contain quite a bit in the way of preservatives and stabilizers in order to allow it to pack into the hooves and have a long shelf-life, but for an occasional special treat for your dog, this may be a compromise you are happy to make.

#8. Peanut Butter and Co – Smooth Operator – best creamy texture

Finally, Smooth Operator, from Peanut Butter and Co is another peanut butter designed for humans but good for our canine companions. It’s a great natural brand producing a high-quality peanut butter.

It contains a little sugar and palm oil to enhance the taste and reduce the separation and improve the texture, making it more palatable to us, though not as healthy and wholesome.

Peanut Butter for Dogs Buyer’s Guide 2023

It’s fair to say that your dog is not the most discerning when it comes to choosing the best peanut butter for themselves. We all know that they would pretty much eat anything! 

However, not all peanut butters are created equal and there are some key considerations to take into account to ensure that your dog is getting a healthy treat – and getting it wrong could be extremely detrimental to their health. In fact, dogs have been poisoned from eating a peanut butter containing an additive that contains something they should not eat.

Below, we’ll outline the key things to be aware of and how to choose a good peanut butter for your four-legged friend.

Xylitol

It may seem unbelievable, but there’s an ingredient in some peanut butters which, while not toxic to humans, can be deadly to dogs.

Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in many foods including some peanut butters (and chewing gum, so don’t get your dog started on that habit either). To humans, Xylitol doesn’t cause any known harm, but even a small amount can be deadly to your dog, causing liver disease, hypoglycemia and coagulopathy.

Sadly, eating foods containing Xylitol, including peanut butter, causes thousands of dog deaths every year. Unfortunately, your dog won’t know the difference and will happily gulp down peanut butter containing this deadly poison, so it’s up to you to read the label.

Fortunately, there aren’t that many peanut butters containing xylitol, but definitely check before you feed it. Peanut butters that we know contain Xylitol include Krush Nutrition – “Nutty by Nature”, Go Nuts, Co. Peanut Butter, Nuts N More, P28 High Protein Peanut Spread.

Fats

There’s no denying that peanut butter is high in fat. Even the very healthiest peanut butters are pretty fatty. 

This means that you shouldn’t feed your dog too much peanut butter or they may become overweight and of course, an overweight dog is an unhealthy and eventually an unhappy dog.

Just as humans should treat crackers and chips as occasional chips rather than everyday essentials, we should exercise the same restraint when treating our dog. Peanut butter should be a treat and not a regular part of our pet’s diet.

Ideally, your dog should have no more than ½ tbsp of peanut butter daily, with the largest dogs limited to 1tbsp. 

Avoid peanut butter completely if your dog is elderly or overweight already, as high-fat foods can exacerbate the risks of pancreatitis. Some breeds are also at high risk of this disease, such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Collies, Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers. If in doubt, ask your vet before including peanut butter in your dog’s diet.

Other Ingredients

Other ingredients we should be aware of include:

• Sugar – which may come in the guise of sucrose, corn syrup, molasses or caramel among others. Sugar is not particularly harmful to dogs but is not necessary in peanut butter and can lead to an increased risk of diabetes or obesity.
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils – there are a wide range of oils used to make the peanut butter more spreadable. They aren’t really necessary and add extra fat that isn’t really needed in such an already high-fat treat.

Even brands of peanut butter claiming to be “natural” or “organic” may contain palm oil, sugar and molasses, so you do need to look at the ingredients list on the back of the jar. 

Steer clear of any jars with a combination of Peanut Butter and Jelly or Peanut Butter and Chocolate Spread. Jelly is high in sugar, increasing risk of obesity and diabetes. Plus, some jelly contains ingredients toxic to dogs such as xylitol or grapes. The same goes for chocolate, which is toxic to dogs.

Really, the two ingredients that you need in your peanut butter are peanuts and salt, and not much else.

Creamy or Crunchy

This is really a matter of preference and will depend on how you like to treat your dog. Smooth peanut butters are easier to spread on a lick mat or Kong toy, whereas crunchy butters will disguise an unwanted pill better. 

Some owners hesitate to give crunchy peanut butter as they consider the small pieces of peanut a choking hazard, but most peanut butters, even the crunchy ones, are ground into small enough pieces that even the smallest dogs are unlikely to choke.

Allergies

Some people are concerned that dogs may have the same severe allergies to peanuts that are increasingly found in humans. Thankfully, this appears to be very unlikely with no known cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions to nuts or seeds. 

However, to be on the safe side, only give a very small amount the first couple of times and watch out for any signs of ill health in the next hour or so.

How to give the peanut butter

There are a lot of ways you can give your dog their peanut butter treat ration. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Stuff some into a favorite chew or Kong toy – the concentration and time required to lick it out will keep your dog busy while you are out, reducing possible separation anxiety.
• Smear some peanut butter on a lick mat or plate for distraction while you cook the dinner or perform an unpopular grooming routine.
• You can even smear some peanut butter on the walls of the shower or bath to distract your dog while you shampoo them.
• Hide a pill in a generous coating of peanut butter so they swallow without noticing.
• Just let them lick it off the spoon to watch their rapt delight.

Final Thought on Choosing the Best Peanut Butter for Your Dog

In reality, choosing the best peanut butter for your dog is a matter of personal preference and taste, and considering what is important to you.

If you’re looking for a natural, whole-food product with peanuts and not much more, then depending on the texture you’re after, you’ll be looking at the 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter, the Teddie Super Chunky Peanut Butter, the Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter or the CB’s Nuts Organic Creamunchy Peanut Butter. You just have to decide which texture and price suits you best and which you like the taste of the most.

If you’re looking for a treat with healthy anti-inflammatory properties and additives for your dog’s fur and breath, then the Poochie Butter might be more up your street.

If you’re looking for a convenient way to deliver your peanut butter, then you’ll be happy with the Kong Stuff’N Easy Treat – Peanut Butter with it’s easy nozzle specially designed for use with Kong toys and other treat delivery toys.

For a peanut butter treat and chew combined, the Peanut Butter Filled Cow Hooves will keep your dog occupied for a good long time and support good dental hygiene as a bonus!

On the other hand, if your family want a nice, easy peanut butter with a smooth consistency that doesn’t separate out and require stirring or refrigeration and is sweet enough for human taste buds, then our final choice, Smooth Operator, from Peanut Butter and Co might be a good one to try.

Despite all these different choices for different criteria, we had to pick a couple of favorites, and our two favorite choices have got to be great natural and healthy options with a delicious taste and lovely texture once stirred. The 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter and the CB’s Nuts Organic Creamunchy Peanut Butter are the standouts. 

We’re confident that, as much as us humans enjoy the taste, texture and natural ingredients of these two contenders, your pet dog will absolutely adore them and (even when you thought they were fast asleep) will come running into the kitchen when they hear you opening a jar.