Shamrock Pumpkin Dog Treats

Shamrock Pumpkin Dog Treats are the perfect holiday treat for your dog on St. Patrick’s Day!

Too often we prepare snacks and treats for holidays–but we forget to include our dogs. If you take just a little time to make these holiday dog cookies, your dog will love being part of the celebration.

These homemade pumpkin dog treats are full of healthy nutrition, and, if your dog is a bit overweight, he can still enjoy them.

Make the dog cookies big for dogs like Weimaraners, golden retrievers and boxers.

And make the homemade dog treats about 1“ for dogs like miniature schnauzers, Bichon Frises and smaller poodles.

Shamrock Pumpkin Dog Treats
are made with canned pumpkin.

Benefits of Pumpkin for Dogs

Using canned pumpkin for dogs, is not just for flavoring. Pumpkin is actually quite good for dogs.

Veterinarians are now recommending canned pumpkin for dog diarrhea and also for dog constipation.

It seems that the high water content and the roughage of pumpkin can help either condition.

Overweight Dogs

More and more often a pumpkin diet for dogs is being recommended for obese or overweight dogs.

You can substitute up to 1/3 of your dog’s food with canned pumpkin (Make sure it’s not canned pumpkin pie mix, which contains sugar and other ingredients.).

Pumpkin is very low in calories—but dense in nutrients.

Urinary Tract Health

For dogs like the Bichon Frise, who are prone to bladder stones and urinary problems, a few pumpkin seeds or a tablespoon of canned pumpkin, on top of their food daily, will help to keep the urinary tract lubricated and healthy!

Dog Parasites

Pumpkin seeds are a great preventative for dog parasites. However, if you suspect that your dog has a parasite problem, don’t try to treat this at home, without the help of a vet.

So let’s get to the recipe!

It’s time to try these easy to make shamrock homemade dog treats, using canned pumpkin and wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients for Shamrock Pumpkin Dog Treats

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons dry milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry baking yeast
• 2 tablespoons flax seed oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup water, + 1 tablespoons water
• 1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (uncooked)
• 2 teaspoons green food coloring or ¼ cup spinach powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped pumpkin seeds or pepitas
• 1 tablespoon anise seeds

Directions

1. Place everything in your bread machine and set it for the dough cycle. Or, alternatively, use your heavy duty mixer with a dough hook. to get a nice elastic ball of dough.
2. When the dough is ready, roll it into sheets that are 1/4“ thick and cut out the pumpkin dog cookies, using a shamrock cookie cutter.
3. Bake at 275 degrees F for about an hour, making sure that the pumpkin dog biscuits don’t get too browned.
4. Turn off the oven, and let the dog cookies sit in the oven overnight–so that they will get nice and dry. They will be hard to the touch can crunchy when your dog eats them.

Store these dog treats for several months, in your favorite Fire Hydrant Ceramic Cookie Jar , at room temperature.

Enjoy making these pumpkin dog treats for St Patrick’s Day–but don’t just make them for this holiday! Use the recipe to make different shapes and serve these yummy treats to your dog–year-round!