Looking to add some festive Halloween spirit to your pup’s snack time? There are plenty of dog-friendly foods, like pumpkin and sweet potato, that come in the perfect Halloween shade of orange. We’ve rounded up some treats you can make at home that will help get your pup involved in the festivities.
Consult your veterinarian before introducing new foods to your dog’s diet, especially if your pup has health concerns or dietary restrictions, and serve homemade treats in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Sweet Potato Jack-O’-Lantern Chews
These sweet potato chews are a simple, healthy way to give your dog a festive Halloween treat. Sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene, which gives them their orange color and dietary fiber, making them a tasty, healthy seasonal treat for your pup.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly.
- Slice the sweet potatoes thinly (about ¼-inch thick) lengthwise or crosswise.
- Use a small knife or a mini cookie cutter to carve simple jack-o’-lantern faces (triangles for eyes and a smiling slit) into the center of the slices.
- Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, flipping halfway through, until the slices are dried out and chewy (or crispy if baked longer).
Pumpkin Biscuits
Pumpkin is a Halloween staple and a tasty, healthy treat for your pup. These homemade biscuits combine pumpkin with peanut butter, flaxseed, and whole wheat or oat flour for a simple snack your dog can enjoy. Pumpkin is also a great source of fiber, which can support healthy digestion and gut health.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (plain, no added spices or sugar)
- ½ cup whole wheat flour or oat flour
- ¼ cup peanut butter (must be xylitol-free)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until a thick dough forms.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut out shapes using Halloween-themed cookie cutters.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crisp, then let them cool completely.
Candy Corn Layered Frozen Treats
These colorful frozen treats look like candy corn, but they’re made with dog-friendly, healthy ingredients like squash, Greek yogurt, and peanut butter.
Ingredients:
- White Layer: ½ cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
- Orange Layer: 1 cup cooked, pureed butternut squash (cooled), pureed cooked carrots, or plain canned pumpkin puree + 2 tbsp water
- Tan/Yellow Layer: ¼ cup natural peanut butter (must be xylitol-free) blended with 2 tbsp warm water
Instructions:
- Take a silicone mold and fill the bottom 1/3 of each cavity with plain Greek yogurt to create the white layer.
- Freeze for 30 minutes until set.
- Spoon the pureed butternut squash, carrot, or pumpkin mixture on top of the frozen yogurt, filling the next 1/3 of each cavity to create the orange layer.
- Freeze for another 30 minutes until set.
- Top off the final 1/3 of each cavity with the peanut butter mixture to create the tan/yellow layer.
- Freeze the entire mold for at least 3 hours, or until completely solid, before removing the treats. Flip each treat as needed so the white layer is at the top, the orange layer is in the middle, and the tan/yellow layer forms the wider base, just like traditional candy corn.
Halloween is the perfect excuse to spoil your pup so they can enjoy this treat-filled occasion. Looking for even more ways to spoil your dog? Bring them to Dogtopia for a day of safe, supervised care where they can stay active and socialize with friends. Find a Dogtopia near you and treat your pup to a day filled with play and fun.
This blog was reviewed/edited by Dogtopia’s Senior Director of Health & Safety Lorraine Rhoads, an experienced animal biologist and environmental scientist.
Photos courtesy of: Dogtopia of Greensburg
