Peanuts? More like pea"nots"!

Peanut butter.

You can't throw a rock 5 feet without hitting a dog treat that has peanut butter in it. Even if we remove the sugars, the oils, and the excess junk and only utilize single-ingredient organic peanut butter, it still isn't as good a choice for our dogs as we might think. Why?

Peanuts are not nuts; they're legumes. Legumes contain a protein called lectins, which has been linked to gut inflammation. This, in turn, can trigger leaky gut, which causes symptoms like allergies, skin conditions, behavioral problems, joint pain, and more.

Peanuts are also high in unbalanced fats and contain high levels of harmful trans fats. One scoop of peanut butter a day for your dog in a Kong might not seem like a big deal, but over time, that adds up.

Is peanut butter in your dog's treats the sole reason why they're having allergies, joint pain, or behavioral issues? Most likely not. Can it exacerbate a problem, and easily be swapped out for something else? Absolutely.

Phoenix loves a good frozen Kong, but I eliminated peanut butter from his diet years ago. Instead, his licking treats include pureed baby food like pumpkin (fiber and gut health), banana (a great prebiotic), applesauce (natural antihistamine), and blueberries (natural antioxidant).

I'm all about small, easy changes that will make a big difference. Can you join me in making this swap and bettering your pup?

Special thanks to Dogs Naturally for backing this blog up with nothing but facts. :)