It’s October, which means Halloween is upon us – time to get spooky, with pumpkins, ghouls, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night! But while we get to enjoy a night of trick or treating to bag a hoard of our favorite candies, our furry four-legged beasts get left out…
Unfortunately, while we get to enjoy these delicious goodies, a lot of our candy can be harmful to our dogs; from toxic chocolate to high levels of sugar that can cause issues to our dog’s health – especially pups with conditions such as diabetes or obesity.
If your plan is to take your pup door to door with you while you hunt for the best gruesome and delicious confectionery, you may find that you’re met with puppy dog eyes staring up at you every time you enjoy one of your Halloween treats… we’ll, we have something that will help your very own wolf enjoy their own canine-friendly Howl-o-ween goodies!
Take a look at some of the delicious spooktacular recipes to make sure your pooch gets a few treats this Halloween, too…
1. Spooky Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Peanut butter is always a good ingredient to put into your homemade puppy treats. Not only will the natural oils support their overall health, but the protein will give your pup the extra boost! These biscuit bites will leave your little furry monster drooling for more of the nutty-pumpkin goodness.
NOTE: This treat is not suitable for dogs on grain-free diets.
Ingredients;
- 1 cup of pumpkin purée
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup of xylitol-free peanut butter
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 2 ½ cups of whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F and leave to get nice and hot. Grab a bowl and mix the pumpkin purée, peanut butter, olive oil, and eggs together. Slowly add the baking soda and flour to the bowl and stir. Once the dough starts to become stiff, knead it out, and roll with a rolling pin out flat. Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut the dough into your Halloween shapes – a pumpkin would be pawfect.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge and give to your fluffy friend for a spooky little treat.
2. Ginger & Apple Bites (Grain-Free)
This recipe is a perfect alternative for a pup on a grain-free diet. With so many doggy biscuits made from grain, it can be hard to find a suitable one for your furry friend, that’s why it might be best to make some from home – and you can add a few extra supplements to the recipe…
Ingredients;
- ½ cup of diced apple
- 1 cup of brown rice flour
- ½ cup of Greek yogurt
- ½ tablespoon of fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
While the oven is heating at 350°F, add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together until blended into an even mixture. Pour the contents of the bowl onto a flat surface and knead. Take a rolling pin and flatten the mixture out, until about a ¼ inch thick. Cut into your chosen shape and place on a baking tray in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the biscuits turn golden brown.
3. Banana & Coconut Bones
These yummy Halloween bites are amazing! The banana, coconut, and the sprinkle of ginger in these bones have all inflammatory balancing properties to treat your dog with gut/food sensitivities.
While the coconut and ginger will provide your pooch with important bacterial and inflammatory balancing properties, helping to improve digestion, the banana will be a great source of potassium and other vitamins to support their overall health. Who knew a snack could be so healthy?
Ingredients;
- 1 banana
- ¼ teaspoon of ginger (ground)
- ½ cup of melted coconut oil
Take the banana and mash up with a fork into a large mixing bowl. Add the melted coconut oil to the banana and stir the two together until blended into a doughy mixture. Sprinkle the ginger into the bowl and knead everything together.
Add the content into a silicone bone mold, making sure you fill it to the top. Pop into the freezer until set and test the bites on your pooch. The flavors, texture, and cooling temperature should make this treat a favorite with your furry friend! Store these bites in an airtight container in the freezer.
4. Almond & Oatmeal Bats
Making a few nibbles for your pooch at home can be extremely easy! These yummy goodies for your furry friend are just as simple as making a batch of cookies for a bake sale…
Ingredients;
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup of almond butter
- ½ cup of oatmeal
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 cup of rice flour
Switch on your oven to 350°F to start these yummy snacks for your favorite four-legged friend. Grab a bowl and put all the ingredients (except the water) in, mixing everything together until it all turns into a dough-like consistency. Roll the content out onto the side and flatten with a rolling pin – aim for ¼ inch thickness. Using a bat shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough and place the individual shapes onto a baking tray.
Place the baking tray into the oven and cook for 12 minutes – or until the oatmeal snacks turn golden brown. Take the treats and keep in an airtight container, storing them in a cupboard – out of reach of your curious pooch.
5. Sweet Potato Zombie Fingers
If you have a pup that is prone to giving you the puppy dog eyes, hoping you’ll share your Halloween treats, then this might be the perfect homemade snack. Plus, this recipe can be enjoyed by both you and your pup! Not only can you both sit and enjoy the ghoulish treat together, but the health benefits it can offer your pooch are amazing, supporting their joints by adding turmeric and cinnamon.
Ingredients;
- 1 Sweet Potato
- 1 tablespoon of melted Coconut Oil
- ½ teaspoon of Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon of Cinnamon
Turn your oven up to 425°F and leave to warm up. While it is heating, wash and peel a sweet potato and cut up into long finger-like shapes. Lay them out onto a baking tray and coat them with coconut oil, turmeric, and cinnamon. Place in the oven and bake the fries for 15 minutes, take out and flip, then pop back into the oven for another 10 – 15 minutes. Once cooked, leave to cool a little before treating your pup to these tasty goodies.
