Food & Drink Editor Chloë Hyde writes about dogs, peanut butter, and paintings, and how the animal rescue SARA combined all three to raise money for their charity
Dogs and peanut butter: a match made in canine paradise. There are many viral videos involving this heavenly pair; one of my favourites involves owners covering cling film in peanut butter, wrapping it around their foreheads and using it as a distraction whilst trying to clip their pup’s nails. In addition to this adorable distraction method using the sweet treat, there are also many other ways peanut butter has been used for dogs to show their artistic side, such as peanut butter paintings.
Dog owners wanted to get in on the trend and see what masterpieces their pooches could produce
There was a huge increase in popularity for said paintings in early February during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many videos going viral on platforms such as TikTok – dog owners wanted to get in on the trend and see what masterpieces their pooches could produce. This was something a lot of people could easily replicate with their own pets, tailoring to their favourite spreadable treat if need be. It is an entertaining task for all parties included. It has to be said, however, that peanut butter is the most lick-inducing treat I have ever seen a dog’s eyes widen at – it is no wonder why this is the special snack of choice for many pups.
Animal rescue centre in Redcar, SARA (Saving And Rehoming Animals), decided to try this out for themselves to see what their rescue dogs could construct. The actual paintings are made as follows: non-toxic paint in a variety of colours are placed randomly on a canvas, a plastic sheet is placed on top of the canvas and subsequently spread with dog-safe peanut butter, encouraging the dogs to lick the sheet and in turn create a unique pattern as the paint moves underneath. The lack of direct contact between the dogs and the paint makes for a very safe activity, which could have positive effects on the dog. Licking is a healthy stress-reliever in moderate quantities, so something like this would be perfect to calm an anxious pup in the short term.
SARA put the paintings up for sale and named it the Animal Artist Auction, in the hope to raise money for the charity. Due to the lockdown struggles during the pandemic, SARA were unable to hold regular in-person events; these events are very important in ensuring donations are consistent enough to keep the charity running smoothly. While the doggy paintings were a rather unconventional method of fund-raising, the staff at SARA commented that they ‘never really expected them to look as good as they did’. Not only do these paintings help the charity itself, but it also gives the rescued animals an opportunity for enrichment, whilst enjoying a well-deserved tasty treat. These dogs could be the lick-assos of our generation.
Have you tried this with your pet? We would love to see their creations.
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