Why do Golden Retrievers and most dogs love peanut butter so much?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding D. Peanut butter is high in fat and I have seen it cause pancreatitis in dogs. Furthermore, golden retrievers are very food motivated dogs. I worry that your son could accidentally be nipped or bit while the dog is trying to lick the peanut butter off of him. For these reasons, I do not recommend this activity. I hope this information helps!

Dogs in general evolved to be scavengers, and Golden Retrievers are an exceptionally food-motivated breed. While this makes them very trainable, as they respond very favorably to food rewards, owners of Golden Retrievers should be diligent about keeping food and garbage secure, to limit the possibilities that their dog will eat excessively, or will eat something dangerous to him. To learn more about Golden Retrievers, I suggest you visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/golden-retriever

Hello. I am so glad you checked to make sure the peanut butter did not contain any xylitol. Xylitol can cause a dog's blood sugar to drop dangerously low, so it is important to avoid this. Too much PB for Chewy has the same risk as too much PB for us. It will make you fat. So, try to place no more than a teaspoon in the ball, & not a heaping teaspoon & do this only once a day. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Dogs do enjoy the same peanut butter we eat, but they do make peanut butter treats for dogs, too. If you do give Simba people peanut butter, make sure it does not contain the sugar alcohol xylitol as this is dangerous for dogs. You will only find this in sugar free versions of peanut butter. Otherwise, just give Simba very small amounts because too much peanut butter will make her fat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There is no one "best" food. The optimal diet is one that your dog eats, can easily be bought and does not cause stomach upset. That said, certain brands are better than others. Stay away from store or discount brands. These typically contain low quality ingredients and more fillers. Better or premium brands include ProPlan, Canidae, Orijen, Royal Canin and Acana.

Yes, puppies and dogs can have [peanut butter](https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/peanut-butter). Make sure it does not contain the artificial sweetener [xylitol](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-products-that-contain-xylitol) which is toxic to dogs. Also, to prevent obesity, treats should make up no more than 10% of the total daily calories. I recommend freezing the peanut butter in the [treat-dispensing toy](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/kong-wobbler-food-dispensing-dog-toy) overnight in the freezer, and that will occupy him for a long time. There are a number of ways to keep your puppy occupied with a treat-filled toy while you are away. Visit the PetCoach site to learn more about how to [stuff a toy with dog-safe foods](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-stuff-a-treat-toy).

A little bit of peanut butter here and there to encourage your pet to either take special medication or behave at the vet is ok to do. However I wouldn't make it a go-to treat because it is very fattening and can also lead to pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) over time if it is given in excess. Feeding regular dog treats is a better option. I hope this helps and take care of that fur baby.