If there is one ingredient every dog owner should have in their cupboard, it should be canned pumpkin. Keep in mind that when I say canned pumpkin, I do not mean pumpkin pie filler. That item contains ingredients that are toxic to your dog. I mean the 100% canned pumpkin. Or, if you want to get fancy, you can roast your own pumpkins and freeze them for later use. Adding a bit of pumpkin to your dog's diet is great for their health. A bit of canned pumpkin helps with both diarrhea and constipation. And, it's loaded with nutrients. Specifically, fiber and beta-carotene which the body converts to vitamin A. You do want to make sure you do not feed your dog too much pumpkin. Too much Vitamin A can be toxic to your furry family member. The right dosage is about a couple teaspoons per day for a smaller dog and a couple of Tablespoons per day for a big dog.
Pumpkin seeds are also a great addition to your dog's diet. They are filled with protein, amino acids, fiber, iron, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, folic acid and niacin. PLUS, they act as a natural deworming agent! Pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called cucurbitin which paralyzes and eliminates worms. According to Dog Naturally Magazine,you should give your dog raw, organic pumpkin seeds that are not salted. Some dogs will eat them whole, but if your dog will not, you can grind them up and add them to their daily food. As a dewormer, you should feed your dog about 1/4 tsp per 10 lbs of body weight once or twice a day until parasites are gone.
Now that I have you all amped up to add pumpkin to your dog's diet, it is time to have a bit of fun with the pumpkin! You can do a lot of fun, creative things to keep the monotony at bay. Like baking biscuits. These biscuits are really easy to make. They have four ingredients (five if you count water). All you need is:
2 c. of pureed pumpkin
1 tbs. of canola oil
5 c. of flour
1/3 c. dry milk powder
approx. 1/3 c. water
Step 1: Throw all your ingredients into a bowl.
Step 2: Start by mixing with your spoon. Eventually, this will become difficult and you will need to work it together with your hands. You should end up with a ball that looks something like this:
If your dough is not forming together, you may want to add a bit more water. Only add SMALL amounts at a time. Remember you can always add more, but you can't take it out! Too much water and you'll have a sticky mess. Don't worry if you have a few crumbs in the bottom of your bowl:
Step 3: Flour your surface and start rolling out your dough.
Step 4: Take your favorite cookie cutter, cut out shapes and place them on a greased cookie sheet.
Step 5: Bake at 350 for approx. 10-15 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown. Once golden, you can either take them out of the oven or turn off the oven and leave them in until the oven cools. Leaving them in the oven will result in a crunchier treat.
But, that's not all! For more pumpkin treat ideas, check out these recipes:
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