Is Pumpkin Good for Dogs?
Pumpkin is a delicious addition to a human diet, but it also has a number of health benefits for your dog.
Pumpkin contains vitamins like A, C, and E, as well as minerals like iron and potassium. Feeding plain canned pumpkins gives a great boost to your dog’s nutrition.
Due to its high soluble fiber content, pumpkin is very good for your dog’s digestion. If you feed your dog some pumpkin, it will add bulk to their stool. This helps reduce issues with diarrhea.
Prebiotics are essential compounds found in specific foods. Among them are pumpkin and butternut squash. Prebiotics support the presence of important bacteria in the digestive tract. Feeding dogs prebiotic foods is a great way to strengthen their digestive health.
While pumpkin may be a great choice to add to your dog’s diet, it’s important to remember that you can have too much of a good thing.
3 Easy Pumpkin Recipes for Dogs
Note: Make sure you use only baked, boiled, or canned pureed pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie mix, which has added sugars and spices. As with any treat, give your dog these snacks in moderation.
Frozen Pumpkin Dog Treats
Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup pumpkin puree
Directions:
1. Mix pumpkin and yogurt together in a bowl
2. Divide the mixture evenly into an ice tray or molds
3. Freeze for 24 hours
4. Pop the treats out of the mold and put into a freezer bag for storage. You can also leave them in the ice tray if you have space in your freezer!
Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup peanut butter (make sure it is Xylitol-free)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin and peanut butter
3. Stir in the flour and combine the mixture into a dough
4. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface
5. Cut the dough into shapes with your favorite cookie cutter
6. Place the treats half an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
7. Bake for 12 minutes
Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats
Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat flour + extra for dusting counter
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 banana, mashed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix eggs, banana, and pumpkin together. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.
3. Lightly dust the counter and a rolling pin with flour, then roll out dough to approximately 1/8″ and cut out treats.
4. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Cool completely before giving it to your pup!
