October is the month of many occasions. We get to see the first signs of autumn, the summer heat starts to disappear, and best of all...Halloween! Adults and children all over the country love to celebrate the fun-loving tradition of Halloween, but guess what? Your pets celebrate Halloween, too! Why not treat your pet with a delicious, healthy Halloween-inspired treat that will get them into the spirit of the tastiest day of the year?

• Safety (You know what is in your dog's treat, so there is no need to worry about any ingredients that may harm it.)
  
• Health (Homemade dog treats do not contain artificial additives, which means that there are no potentially harmful chemicals for your pooch to eat. Also, homemade treats are usually lower in fat, which means your dog will have a healthy heart.)
• Taste (Whole, organic ingredients taste pure, not artificial like some of the potentially processed snacks that you may buy from the market.)
• Money (Making dog treats at home gives you more for you money, especially since you may already have some of the ingredients at home, already.)

PEANUT BUTTER AND PUMPKIN DOG TREATS

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

• ½ cup pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned (not pumpkin pie filling)

• ½ cup peanut butter (preferably organic)

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ cup water, and more as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (temperatures may vary depending on altitude)

2. Mix all of the ingredients, except the water, together. Add water sparingly, depending on the oil content of your peanut butter (you may, or may not, need all of the ½ cup of water) – the dough should turn out sticky but not dry. If it feels dry, add a little more water. If it is too sticky, you will need to add more flour.

3. Roll the dough out into ½ -inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

4. Use a cookie cutter (preferably Halloween-themed) to cut the treats into the desired shapes, and placed them on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

5. Poke holes throughout the shaped cookie dough using a fork.

6. Bake in the oven on the middle rack for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Allow the treats to cool completely before serving them to your pet.

8. Enjoy!

Information provided by:

"Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe." Dogtipper.com. LT Media Group LLC , 04 Oct 2010. Web. 8 Oct 2010. <http://www.dogtipper.com/recipes/2010/10/peanut-butter-and-pumpkin-dog-treat-recipe.html>.

"Some Health Benefits of Homemade Dog Treats!." Fetch My Friends. Fetch My Friends, 30 Jul 2010. Web. 11 Oct 2010. <http://fetchmyfriends.com/puppy-toys-treats/some-health-benefits-of-homemade-dog-treats>.