Easy Pumpkin Dog Cookie Recipe

Pumpkin, recommended by many vets for dogs, makes these homemade dog cookies healthy, too. More and more, veterinarians are suggesting using canned pumpkin for dogs for diarrhea or constipation. It works for both – just don't go overboard, or you'll create constipation when treating diarrhea or the other way around.

Pumpkin is even being prescribed for dogs who have delicate stomachs or intestinal problems.

You can't go wrong by using pumpkin for dogs.

I developed the following recipe so that I'd have a quick and easy dog cookie recipe for making last minute treats for Skipper and her friends.

If you don't have cookie cutters, just use a pizza cutter and cut the treats into squares to make dog biscuits.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Dog Cookie Recipe

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons dry milk
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Directions for Pumpkin Dog Cookies

If you don't have a bread machine, don't dismay! You can easily mix everything in your mixer, using a dough hook—or, alternatively, use the method used by women for hundreds of years. Just mix the dough by hand.

It's a little more work, but you will be able to make great homemade dog cookies using any of these methods.

I designed this recipe to make easy homemade dog treats so I'll give directions for using a bread machine.

• Place all the ingredients in your bread maker and set it for the dough cycle.

• When the dough is done, remove it and roll it into 1/4” thick sheets.

• Cut the dough into shapes. The cookie cutters that I used for this recipe, shown in the photo, were teddy bears. They are about an inch in diameter—a good size for Skipper. You can vary the size, depending on whether you have a large breed dog or a small breed dog.

• Place the dog cookies on a lightly greased pan, and let them rise for an hour.

• Bake the dog treats for 45 minutes to an hour, at 275 degrees F.

• Turn off the oven, and let the cookies continue to dry overnight in the oven. In the morning, they will be hard and crisp. And they will keep well, stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for about 30 days.

Use this pumpkin dog cookie recipe for everyday treats, for holiday treats (vary the cookie cutters for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas), and for gift-giving.

Depending on the shape that you use, the dog treats will look different each time. Only you will know that you used the same, easy dog treat recipe for each unique treat.

Both you and your dog will LOVE the rich aroma of these pumpkin treats baking in the oven—and I'm suspicious you'll be tempted to taste them yourself!

And have fun experimenting with other homemade dog treat recipes .

Enjoy the recipe!

Pumpkin Dog Cookie Recipe to Dog Cookies

Pumpkin Dog Cookie Recipe to Best Dog Treats