Not everything a human eats is good for dogs.
Chocolate, for example, is something you should never feed your dog because it contains a chemical that is highly toxic for them. Bacon and fatty meat are bad for them as well. So are salty foods, garlic and onions, and a lot of other stuff.
One commonly asked question, however, is if peanuts are safe for dogs to eat. Dogs do love peanut butter, and since it is made from peanuts, a lot of owners assume that it is safe for dogs to eat. There is, however, a more complicated science behind this.
Anna Burke of the American Kennel Club writes, “When it comes to your dog’s health, not all peanuts and peanut butter are created equal. Peanuts are loaded with protein, vitamin B-6, vitamin E, niacin, and healthy fats. This means that peanuts and peanut butter offer your dogs a protein-rich snack that they can’t get enough of. There are, however, some risks associated with both peanuts and peanut butter.”
Unlike humans, the best peanuts for dogs are not the delicious, salted kind, but the dry-roasted (or raw), unsalted peanuts. In fact, these are the only peanuts that are actually safe for dogs to eat.
Although it doesn’t mean that your dog will drop dead if he eats a single salted peanut from the floor, salted peanuts do contain more sodium than your dog’s body needs. This can be harmful to his health if ingested in large quantities. Thus, it is best to avoid feeding your dog salted peanuts.
As for peanut butter, it is important to know the amount of oil and sodium the product contains. Some owners prefer to make their own peanut butter. This way, they can control the amount of oil and sodium that goes into the recipe and eliminates the growing risk of xylitol poisoning.
Peanuts also contain high levels of fat, which dogs have a harder time digesting compared to us. this can cause digestive upset and even pancreatitis if your dog eats high-fat foods on a regular basis or in large quantities.
Read the full article here for more information on this topic.