While moving on last weekend we tried some new pumpkin recipes with baba. I found him a perfect size butternut pumpkin on Friday, we also call this squash as a musk pumpkin in Finland. Pumpkin is very healthy for dogs so every fall when we can finally have some fresh pumpkin at markets, I’ll get some. Not in this country we have natural canned pumpkin at all, so I usually bring it from Estonia with me. Though, not now as pandemic has kept me carefully in Finland.
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WHY TO FEED DOGS WITH PUMPKIN
Pumpkin contains lots of fiber which is super good for stomach and many different vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Alpha Carotine, Calcium, Iron and Lutein. Together they maintain your dog’s immune system and vision, prevent cell damage, support bone and teeth, the health of the eyes, skin and coat.

When you feed the pumpkin for dogs, do not feed:
● The skin nor stem of pumpkin
● Pulp (the gooey center of pumpkin)
● Seeds
● Raw pumpkin
● Pumpkin Lantern that has been cut and left out
● Canned pumpkin with any additives. The can has to say 100% natural pumpkin and nothing added to be safe for dogs

When having any questions, always contact your veterinarian for correct information suitable for your own dog.
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BABA’S BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN RECIPE FOR DOGS
Picasso is only 5 lbs kid and this recipe has been created to fit on his meal sizes. I used the other half of butternut to create a pumpkin recipe for human parents, see it here >>. If you have a bigger dog or several dogs, just double the ingredients to cook bigger pot for your furkids at once.
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Ingredients:
● 400 grams of butternut (around 1/2 butternut)
● 1 tblsp of chrushed flax seeds (seeds always need to be crushed or powdered for dogs!)
● 1 tblsp of chrushed (gluten-free) oat brans
● Reindeer steak or some other meat your dog loves
● Some olive oil

How to make it:
1. Split the butternut pumpkin.
2. Scoop out the seeds and gooey fibres by big spoon
3. Clean and rinse the pumpkin halves well

4. Peel the sides with knife.
5. Slice the halves and cut them into cubes.

6. Pour the cubes into kettle and boil them in water to be well-done.
7. Pour the excess water off from kettle, leave there around 1/2 cup of water on a bottom.
7. Mash the soft cubes well by using a wand mixer.

8. The mixture should be a little watery. Add crushed oat brans and crushed flax seeds onto mashed pumpkin.
9. Mix well. Put the kettle back on a stove and cover with lid, let the mixture rest on warm stove slowly cooling down and brans stewing slowly.
10. Pour the mixture into bowl.

11. Slice the reindeer steak and cut the slices into little cubes.
12. Pour right amount of meat onto mashed pumpkin on a plate. Burts a little bit of olive oil on top.

Serve the meal with love and care. This recipe became right away one of Picasso’s favorite meals. This recipe lasts in fridge well for around 4 days.