How to Make Spooktacular Halloween Pumpkin Dog Treats!

Wondering what to do with all that leftover pumpkin? Carving one for the kids and don't want to waste the flesh? Try this super-simple dog treat recipe to impress your pup! Don't have any pumpkin? You can use the same quantity of mashed sweet potato instead!

Benefits of Pumpkin for Dogs

Pumpkin is considered a superfood due to it's high nutrient density, and that applies to dogs too. With high levels of fibre, a spoonful of cooked pumpkin on their dinner will help them feel fuller longer (so aiding in weight loss) and is fantastic for bowel and gut health. The fibre helps with diarrhoea and constipation, and pumpkin has prebiotic qualities that keep the digestive system healthy. Pumpkin should only be fed cooked to dogs, not raw, as raw pumpkin can cause stomach upsets.

It's also a great source of vitamins A, C and E which means it supports the immune system too. Since cooked pumpkin freezes well, it's easy to keep around for a while even after pumpkins vanish from shops. Once your supply runs out, there are pumpkin powder supplements available from many pet suppliers if you want to continue with the benefits. You can also clean, shell and roast the seeds for similar benefits, with a long shelf life, or buy it ready made. Salted or flavoured pumpkin seeds should not be fed to dogs.

How to Feed Pumpkin to Your Dog

As with all new foods, introduce slowly and monitor for signs of stomach upset. You can add cooked pumpkin, mashed or pureed, to meals. Start with 1 tsp per 10kg of dog weight and increase slightly if there are no adverse reactions.

If feeding pumpkin seeds, you can either give a small amount whole without the shell as an occasional treat, or grind into a powder and add to meals for a great digestion boost. Feed in moderation.

Alternatively - try this fantastic dog treat recipe!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Homemade Dog Treats

Ingredients

1 cup flour (oat or wholewheat)

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (*see below)

1/4 cup peanut butter (made with 100% peanut only)

You can substitute the flour for a rice or tapioca based gluten free option if you prefer.

Method

Mix together the peanut butter and pumpkin well. Stir in the flour a bit at a time until you have a slightly sticky dough. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour. If it is too dry add a splash of water or the juice from the pumpkin.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4" thick. It can help to lay a sheet of baking parchment on top to roll it if it is sticking during rolling. This dough will not rise, so whatever size you make the dog treat biscuits now, that's the size they will be when cooked. Cut into small squares or use a cookie cutter to cut shapes and place on a baking sheet. You can line it with the parchment you used for rolling out.

Dog Bone Cookie Cutter Set

Bake at 180°C for 8-12 minutes, depending on whether you want them soft or crispy. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container. You can also freeze these. This recipe makes 40-50 dog treats with a small cutter.

*Making Pumpkin Puree

To make pumpkin puree there are a couple of methods depending on what you are working with:

• If you have a whole pumpkin, the easiest method is to cut it in half through the stalk and lay each half cut-side down on a baking tray (one with a lip is best as there will be quite a bit of juice). Roast this until the top is soft when you press down. Depending on the size of your pumpkin this could be anything from 30 mins to over an hour. Allow to cool a little, flip it over and spoon off the cooked flesh.

• A small whole pumpkin can be cooked in a pressure cooker. Wash the outside, place the pumpkin on a low rack with 2 cups of water under it and cook on high for 10 minutes then quick release the steam. Scrape off the skin with a potato peeler or sharp knife.

• If you have cut up or scraped the flesh out of the pumpkin you can roast it in a shallow dish or tin for 20 minutes, or boil until tender then drain well.

Drain your cooked pumpkin well. It can help to squeeze the juice out. Then puree in a blender or mash until smooth. You can add the juice to your dog's dinner!