Posted on November 01, 2009 by Nancy Houser

If you were one of the many Halloween decorators who did not cut into the pumpkins that were sitting outside on the front porch, one of the many ways to use them us is to make Pumpkin dog treats or wafers that are very healthy and natural. They are excellent to keep the pounds off older or obese dogs, full of Vitamin A, fiber, iron and potassium.

Photographer: Flickr's DoxieOne

Another way to use pumpkin to keep excess weight off your dog is to reduce the dog food by 1/3 the amount and use that same 1/3 amount with fresh ground pumpkin or canned pure pumpkin.

Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Treats for Dogs

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin or ground pumpkin
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: Once you preheat your oven to 350 degrees, mix the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add enough water to make the dough dry and stiff but workable. Roll the dough onto a floured surface 1/2-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Bake 40 minutes or until hard. Some people increase the pumpkin to one cup while making smaller cookies, baking them only 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Dog Treats

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat or white flour
• 3 Tablespoons applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup ground pumpkin
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until a cookie dough consistency. Drop the dough by teaspoon onto a greased cookie dough sheet about one inch apart. Bake until firm, which is approximately 14 minutes. If you want a firmer cookie, turn the oven off after 14 minutes and let stand for one to two hours.

Pumpkin Dog Wafers

• 1 of the 15-ounce cans of mashed pure pumpkin
• 3/4 cup of cream of wheat or rice cereal (you can mix them dry together if desired)
• 1/2 cup dry powdered milk

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 300 degrees, then mix the ingredients together. Drop by 1/2 Tablespoon on lightly greased cookie sheet, bake for 15-20 minutes.

Some dog owners use a pastry bag and use dime-sized wafers for smaller-sized dogs, training rewards, or treats. Excellent for treats for dogs who are over-weight or obese.

Photographer: Flickr's Tara Anderson

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• Healthy “Human Foods” for Dogs
• Safety for Pets on Halloween
• Happy Halloween, Everyone!
• Tips about low-cost healthy dog food
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