Pumpkin Dog Treats – One Of The Ultimate Dog Superfoods
Most dogs love the taste of pumpkin dog treats! Just like many humans enjoy sitting down with a with a warm mug of their favorite pumpkin spice latte, your dog can now enjoy their own pumpkin treat.
Pumpkin is one of the healthiest super foods for dogs that has many benefits for dogs and humans.
Benefits Of Pumpkin
- High in fiber
- Low in fat and cholesterol
- Loaded with potassium, iron, beta carotene, and vitamin A
- Great for dogs who suffer from upset stomach, diarrhea, or urinary issues
- Work as an effective deworming agent against tapeworms and other intestinal parasites
If you’d like to add some of this popular fruit into your dog’s diet, there are many ways to do so, for instance, you could mix pumpkin puree in with their regular food, or you can provide it as a tasty nutritional pumpkin dog treat.
Pumpkin dog treats can either be made from a homemade pumpkin puree (from an actual pumpkin) or grab some canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) from your local store. Incidentally, if you buy the organic pumpkin in a can, it’s loaded with the same nutrients as fresh pumpkin so you don’t need to worry about losing nutritional value. The one thing you don’t want to do is give your dog a pumpkin that has any type of spices or sweeteners added – It should only have pumpkin listed in the ingredients. Pumpkin pie fillings typically have spices and/or sugars added so should be avoided.
Pumpkin For Dogs With An Upset Stomach
Pumpkin can help keep your dog’s digestive system on track as it is an excellent source of fiber. As our dogs get older, constipation can become more frequent. Increasing your dog’s fiber levels can help to create more stool bulk, which aids stimulation of your dog’s colon wall and promotes contraction of the muscles responsible for moving stools from your dog’s digestive system.
Pumpkin For Dogs Suffering With Diarrhea
Just as pumpkin can help with constipation, it can also help with diarrhea. I know that sounds odd, but it’s the fiber in the pumpkin that makes it a wonderful solution for both constipation and diarrhea alike!
Fiber can help slow your dog’s digestion down and can help manage diarrhea. Diarrhea is a very common dog affliction, and it varies in frequency, duration, and intensity from dog to dog.
There are many reasons why our dogs get loose stools, but most cases may be attributed to one of these 10 triggers:
- Dietary Indiscretion
- Change in diet
- Food Intolerance
- Allergies
- Parasites
- Antibiotics
- Poisonous Substances/Plants
- Swallowing a Foreign Body
- Bacterial Infections
- Stress or Emotional Upset
- Antibiotics
Add one or two tablespoons ( in proportion to their size) of pumpkin to your dogs meal, this will help keep them regular. It will also benefit your dog if he has indigestion or an upset stomach.
I prefer to give my dog homemade pumpkin puree, but there have been times when I have run out unexpectedly. I regularly go on road trips with my dog and I find that these pumpkin patch up! pouches are perfect to keep at home or in the car.
Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up!, Pumpkin Puree Pet Food Supplement for Dogs & Cats, 1.05oz Pouch (Pack of 12)
Homemade Pumpkin Puree Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Small Pumpkins
METHOD:
- Cut the top off one of the pumpkins (the stem end)
- Then cut the pumpkin in half.
- With a spoon or an ice cream scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center of the pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin in half, then in half again. You should now have eight pieces of pumpkin. Repeat the process with the other remaining pumpkin.
- Place all the pumpkin pieces face up on a baking tray and roast in a 350-degree oven for 50 minutes.
- Once cooked, take them out of the oven and while they are still hot, remove the pumpkins skin with a knife.
- Cut the pumpkin into cubes and place it into a food processor or blender (a few chunks at a time) and pulse the pumpkin until it is totally smooth. If you find the pumpkin is too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water.
Tip: If you don’t have a food processor or blender, you can simply mash it up with a potato masher – It is a slight workout and takes a little longer, but it can be done.
You can either use this immediately in a home-made pumpkin recipe or store it in the freezer for later use.
When freezing your pumpkin puree, spoon 1 cup of pumpkin into a plastic storage bag – This way you know how much is in each bag when it comes to making your next batch of pumpkin dog treats.
Can Dogs Eat Pumpkin Seeds?
Yes, raw and cooked pumpkin seeds are safe for dogs. Don’t feed your dog the salted seeds from the grocery store; instead find some raw, organic seeds.
Pumpkin seeds have oils that help in combating urinary incontinence in dogs. Pumpkin seeds are high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely good for your dog’s joints, skin, and coat and has a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect on dogs.
If you think you may have trouble getting your dog to eat seeds, here are three ways you can try:
- Crush and grind the pumpkin seeds and add them to your dog’s meal – once a day.
- You can give them as a whole seed, but ensure you give them one seed at a time and only feed a few in one sitting. My dog will consume absolutely anything, so will happily sit next to me when I am eating them, and we end up sharing our snacks. Pumpkin seeds are beneficial to dogs and humans.
- You can crush or leave them whole and include them in your homemade pumpkin dog treats.
Pumpkin Seeds – The Natural Remedy For Parasites
If you suspect your dog has worms, you might want to look in your cupboards before reaching for the toxic dewormers. Raw, organic pumpkin seeds are a natural remedy for preventing and treating worms in dogs. They are free from antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, and preservatives. Herbalists have discovered that pumpkin seeds work as an effective deworming agent against tapeworms and other intestinal parasites in dog and humans.
Pumpkin seeds contain many important nutrients for your dog’s overall health. You can give them one at a time, grind the seeds up and sprinkle them into your dog’s regular food or include them in your homemade pumpkin dog treats.
Click Here for other great and effective natural remedies you can give to your dog for worms.
Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats
Like many people, dogs love the rich, creamy flavor of pumpkin. Anyone who has tried to feed their dog something healthy that doesn’t taste as good, will surely appreciate this benefit thoroughly. Most dogs, like mine, will willingly lap up even plain pumpkin. For an extra tasty treat, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or honey to your dog’s pumpkin dog treats.
Many human foods are toxic to dogs. Pure Dog Treats ensures that the ingredients in our recipes are not only non-toxic, chemical and preservative-free but are also enjoyed by a dog’s taste buds the most. Please scroll down for our pumpkin dog treats recipes that I hope your dog will love – mine certainly does!
Honey Pumpkin Pupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 medium egg
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
DOG FRIENDLY ICING:
- 3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray cupcake tins with olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the peanut butter until well combined.
- Then add the peanut butter and continue to mix until well blended.
- Fill the cupcake baking cups 3/4 full. If you’re using a mini cupcake tin, bake for 20 minutes. For regular-sized cupcake baking cup, bake for 30 minutes. (I would recommend mini cupcake baking cups as these are smaller and more of a dog treat size)
- Wait until the pupcakes are completely cool. Then mix together the icing ingredients and spoon the mixture onto the pupcakes.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 Cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 Cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1/3 Cup organic unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon sugar free honey (optional)
METHOD:
- Combine all the ingredients together in a blender, then pour the mixture into ice cube trays.
- Freeze overnight and serve frozen.
Baked Stuffed Pumpkin
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Small pumpkin
- 1 Sweet potato
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup cooked green beans
- 1/2 lb ground turkey
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
- Cut off the top of the pumpkin. Using a spoon remove all the seeds from the center of the pumpkin.
- Remove skin from the sweet potato and cut it into small cubes. Chop the cooked green beans.
- In a medium bowl, mix the green beans, sweet potato, brown rice, ground turkey, and parmesan cheese. Stuff the mixture into the pumpkin cavity.
- Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet on the middle rack and bake for 1 hour. (Drain any accumulating liquid from the top of the pumpkin during cooking)
- Let the pumpkin cool completely before serving. To serve, cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop the mixture (including the pumpkin flesh) from the inside of the pumpkin.
Digestible, Commercial Pumpkin Treats
These dog treats that I highly recommend below contain ingredients that are less likely to give your dog an upset stomach. Pumpkin helps provides your furry companion with a range of great health benefits. I have carefully selected my personal recommendations for the best affordable treats below:
All Natural Benefit Biscuits – Pumpkin (Digestive Support)
If you’re looking for a dog treat that is vegan and doesn’t contain harmful ingredients, then these vegan pumpkin dog treats are perfect. They come in a resealable bag, which helps the treats stay fresh for longer – making them great for training. Benefit Biscuits are made with only six ingredients: rye flour, oat flour, pumpkin puree, canola oil, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. They come in three flavors: mint treats (fresh breath support), peanut butter (protein support) and pumpkin (digestive support).
Check out the reviews to see what other dog owners are saying about these amazing tasty pumpkin treats.
Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up!
I always have these in the cupboard at my house. I think they are incredible and I recommend them to all my friends and family who have dogs. I’ve found that they are great to add to your dog’s dinner if they have an upset stomach. Many dog owners add a teaspoon to their dogs dinner every day to keep them regular. They can also be used as a treat – add a few teaspoons to a bowl and watch your dog lick it up like crazy!
Myself and my dog, Lady regularly go to nose work trials, which means a lot of traveling in the car. My dog is great in the car, but I have noticed long journeys can give her an upset stomach. I always keep a few pouches in the car, they come in very handy.
Plato Dog Treats – Turkey with Pumpkin
Plato uses high quality ingredients to ensure their dog treats are 90% pure meat and provides your dog with a treat that you can trust is grain and gluten free. These pumpkin dog treats are especially good if your furry friend suffers from a sensitive stomach, food sensitivity, skin issues, or allergies.
The Conclusion Of Pumpkin Dog Treats
There are many health benefits of giving your dog pumpkin puree or pumpkin seeds. This cheap superfood ingredient is one of my most favorite ingredients to use in dog treats, because of how much benefits it can provide dogs with and how easy it is to get this ingredient. Most dogs will love pumpkin dog treats.
The benefits it provides are:
- Pumpkin puree can help keep your dog’s digestive system on track
- Pumpkin seeds work as an effective deworming agent against tapeworms and other intestinal parasites in dog and humans.
- The fiber in pumpkin can help slow your dog’s digestion down and can help manage diarrhea.
- It doesn’t just have to be in their treats, many dog owners include a tablespoon of pumpkin into their dog’s main food every day to help them regular.
