Is it time to make something pumpkin for your little pumpkin – now that a terrific Phoenix fall is happening?

I try to regularly sneak a heaping tablespoon of canned pumpkin into Artie the Beagle’s kibble just to help her little digestive system keep churning out the poop. I buy the canned version – not the pie-filling kind which can have a lot of sugar in it.

Why pumpkin is good for the dog

Cooked, canned, unsweetened pumpkin and its seeds can help dogs with everything from weight loss to improved digestion. It’s chockfull of vitamins and can be helpful when your dog is suffering from diarrhea as well as constipation. Ask your veterinarian first about any plans to make this a regular addition to your dog’s diet.

If you feel like whipping up a batch of treats for poochie but you don’t want to be rushed into the holiday baking scene – try these healthy, no-bake nutritional dog treats that we snagged from Peanut Butter and Peppers.com. (You can def. lick the spoon on this one):

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Balls

Ingredients

• ½ cup peanut butter, natural organic
• 1 cup pumpkin, organic (not pie filling)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 2½ cups oats (can use gluten free)

Instructions

1. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a bowl, add peanut butter, pumpkin, cinnamon and honey; mix until incorporated. Add the oats; mix well. If the consistency seems to wet, add a pinch more oats.
3. Grab a chunk of the batter and roll into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Do the same until no more batter remains. Perhaps use the size of a golf ball, maybe a little bigger.
4. Place the baking sheet in the fridge to let the balls harder a bit, then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three weeks or place in the freezer for up to three months.

Notes

Calories: 59, Fat: 2.6, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 1.1, Carbs: 7, Fiber: 1, Sugar: 2, Protein: 2

But if you really feel like baking… And want to use the dog as your guinea pig for firing up the oven for holiday snacks, there’s always the baked version of Peanut Butter and Pumpkin dog treats; frozen treats and roasted seeds.

Bone appetit, my friends!

This Fall, remember your dog loves pumpkin, too.

We’ve turned off the AC and opened the doors and windows, so that means its Fall in Phoenix. Hurray! The season only lasts for a few days here – so enjoy every minute of it.

Fall in Phoenix doesn’t involve any changing leaves. In fact, the only color we see a lot of is orange as in pumpkin as in pumpkin that everyone from coffee shops to grocery stores to soap makers are pitching this time of the year.

Your dog can get in on the pumpkin-mania, too.

Pumpkin and your dog’s health

Raw pumpkin is not great for dogs – so keep Fido away from the Jack-o-laterns!

But cooked, canned, unsweetened pumpkin and pumpkin seeds can help dogs with everything from weight loss to improved digestion. Ask your veterinarian first about any plans to make pumpkin a regular addition to your dog’s diet.

• Regular Digestion: If your dog’s stools are either too loose or too hard, try adding one or two tablespoons of plain pumpkin.
• Weight Loss: Mix some soaked dry kibble with a tablespoon of canned pumpkin. Pumpkin’s extra fiber boost lets your dog’s tummy think it is full faster.
• Skin and Coat: Pumpkin seeds can help keep your dog’s skin and fur from drying out – especially nice with the area’s lower humidity.

Pumpkin treats for your dog

Here are three nifty ways to use this fall favorite as a treat for the dog:

• Recipes: (No-bake peanut butter pumpkin rolls sounds pretty delish)
• Pumpkin seeds: Spread raw, cleaned seeds evenly onto a baking sheet, lightly coat with cooking oil, roast in a 375-degree oven for five to 10 minutes, and cool. One or two seeds makes a great dog treat.
• Frozen treats: The typical can of well, canned, pumpkin, is 15 ounces, which means you will have left over pumpkin at the end of the week. Instead of tossing the leftovers, freeze them in ice cube tray. Crush up the ice cube before serving or defrost it to serve over kibble.

Hope you and your pumpkin (s) have a great Fall!