Pumpkin is a powerhouse food not only for adults but also for dogs. This “treat” is so easy to make, and perfect for summer (although our dog eats them all year long). You can make them fancy, plain or just however they end up. The health benefits are plentiful… and the taste – is LOVED! 🎃

Pumpkin is being added to more treats and more dog food over the years because of its superstar properties. Years ago (many), our dog came down with pancreatitis. It was awful. The emergency hospital didn’t know if he would make it… we tried to visit, he didn’t know us. He was so out of it (yet still a Houdini by pulling out his IV’s). 🙏Thankfully, he started to get better. Diet changed to RX ultra low-fat food. No treats with fat (i.e. no packaged treats and basically nothing you can buy at the store). What he could eat was a great list of veggies. So we made it our mission to make veggie eating FUN. We “make” carrots and cucumbers a few times a week (chop up and put in containers). Now, when he wants a treat we grab one out of the fridge. He has his favorite meal at night, which consists of a few pieces of pasta (I keep cooked pasta in a container in the fridge), a tiny spoon of 0% Greek yogurt, a few carrot slices, sometimes a small pumpkin treat, whatever veggies that are dog friendly like zucchini, red pepper, celery, tiny bits of broccoli – I always check to be sure).

I used to make him homemade oatmeal peanut butter cookies, but peanut butter has fat, therefore he can’t have it, so we “make” all these veggies. I found a clever way to do the pumpkin. I open a can of Whole Foods Pumpkin Puree (only ingredient is PUMPKIN – do not use pumpkin pie filling!), then I spoon it into the corner of a zip storage bag. Snip the end of the bag, and use it kind of like you would do frosting. I use a cookie sheet and a sheet of wax paper. I do multiple sizes, because I know about how much pumpkin is good for him and his ailments (as well as his dear love of the stuff!), I squirt different size little blobs. They can be pretty close together. Pop into the freezer – and leave for several hours until completely frozen. At that point, pull them out of the freezer and put them into a freezer bag and quickly back into the freezer. They’ll stay separated as long as they stay cold.

Read HERE for a bit about the benefits of pumpkin for dogs, from PetMD!

⚠️Remember, consult your veterinarian to see if cooked pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!) is good for your dog – and ask how much they can have in a day. (This post is not medical advice and I am not a veterinarian).

👩‍💻 Until next time…