Easy Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs || Treat Your Pooch Right

Make your pooch a pumpkin spice latte for dogs this Thanksgiving. He’ll absolutely love being included in partaking of dessert after dinner. And you will know have the peace of mind of hand picking the ingredients used in that treat.

Please note that even though this doggie treat is called a latte it doesn’t contain any caffeine. Caffeine is a no-no for canines, but that’s okay, I’ll bet he won’t even know it’s missing.

He’s going to lap this treat up quickly. And when he’s done you’re going to notice that the sparkle in his eye, when he looks at you, is just a bit brighter than usual.

It is also very important to note that, you need to take care when choosing human grade ingredients to make treats for your pets.

At the bottom of this post you’ll find a section titled Tips And Tricks For Making A Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs. This section contains important information about each of the ingredients used to make this doggie beverage.

Please read it over carefully, as there are versions of some of the ingredients available on the market that are not safe for dogs. And there are guidelines that need to be followed for the other ingredients in this recipe as well.

Is This Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs Really A Latte?

Lattes are made with coffee, and dogs can’t have caffeine. So … no this is not really a latte.

I tried to browse around the great big interweb to find out who started the pumpkin spice latte for dogs craze. Yes, if you weren’t aware, it is a craze.

I wasn’t able to come up with any reliable info about where this beverage originated. It looks like it was a Starbuck’s thing.

If that’s accurate, it explains why the term latte is in the name. After all, Starbuck’s is a coffee shop. Still, the name is a bit deceptive.

I think that’s okay though, I mean as long as you don’t tell your pooch it should all work out. I don’t think they’ll even realize the caffeine is missing.

Ingredients Needed To Make A Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs

It takes just 5 ingredients to make this pumpkin spice latte for dogs recipe. And the truth is that 3 of them are added more for your satisfaction than for your pooches.

Those ingredients are completely optional and your canine companion won’t mind a bit if you skip them altogether.

Here’s a list of the ingredients …

PUMPKIN – If you have frozen pureed pumpkin put up from your summer garden, that is definitely the best choice for this recipe. If not, you can pick up a can of pure pumpkin puree in the grocery store.

COCONUT MILK – Unsweetened coconut milk is the best option for this ingredient. You can pick it up at your local grocery store.

CINNAMON & GINGER – Cinnamon and ginger are used in very minimal amounts for this recipe. They are intended to add just a bit of ‘spice’, not to fully flavor the beverage. Using them is completely optional, and you can eliminate them if you prefer.

WHIP CREAM – A small amount of whipped cream garnishes the top of this pooch friendly beverage nicely. You can use a store bought version, or you can make a healthier version out of plain heavy cream.

Are The Ingredients In This Recipe Good For Dogs?

This canine treat contains pumpkin which is quite healthy for your dog. It contains vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, iron, and beta carotene. And it is low in calories.

Pumpkin is full of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Which play a key role in maintaining healthy skin and fur, and provide support for the urinary tract system.

This tasty fruit is high in fiber, which is beneficial for your pooches digestive system.

The other ingredients used in this special treat do not provide any nutritional value for your dog, and should be given to canines in very small amounts.

This is after all a treat, and treats should make up just a small percentage of your pooches daily diet.

How To Make A Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs

This pumpkin spice latte for dogs couldn’t be easier to make, it takes less than 5 minutes to put together. All you need to get it done is a can opener, a bowl, and a whisk.

You’ll place the pumpkin, coconut milk, cinnamon, and ginger in the bowl and whisk them all together well.

Then you’ll pour it into a dog friendly dish and top it with a dollop of whipped cream if you like. After that it’s ready to serve to your furry friend while you dig into a big slice of pumpkin pie.

Tips And Tricks For Making A Pumpkin Spice Latte For Dogs

This section of this post contains the most important information in the entire post by far. It is where you learn how to be certain that the ingredients you are using in your pooches holiday beverage are safe for them to consume.

And every one of us wants our canine pals to be healthy, happy, and safe!

Following is a list of cautions for you to heed when choosing the ingredients for this recipe …

General considerations …

• Every dog is unique. It is important to consult your veterinarian before introducing new foods into their diet.
• Although the name of this doggie treat contains the word latte, it does not have coffee (or any caffeine based ingredient) in it. Caffeine is harmful to dogs.

Choosing pumpkin …

• If you are buying the pumpkin puree for this recipe at the grocery store, be sure that you do not pick up pumpkin pie mix by mistake. These cans looks very similar, and they are located right next to each other on the shelf. The only ingredient that should be listed on the label of the can you want is pumpkin.

Choosing milk …

• Coconut milk contains more ingredients than just pure coconut milk. I am not certain that they are all the same. I researched the ingredients that were in the can I bought to make sure that they would not adversely affect a dog. You should do the same.
• You can substitute goat’s milk or cow’s milk for the coconut milk if you prefer.
• Goat’s milk, cow’s milk, and coconut milk can cause gastrointestinal stress in dogs. It should be given to them in small amounts.

Adding spices …

• Both cinnamon and nutmeg are used in this recipe in very minimal amounts. Use just the tiniest pinch to give the beverage a light flavor, not even 1/8 teaspoon. Dogs do not do well with spices.
• Do not add nutmeg or cloves to this beverage as they can cause serious adverse reactions in canines.
• Never use pumpkin pie spice in this recipe. It contains spices that your pooch cannot have.

Choosing whipped cream …

• If you purchase whipped cream at the grocery store to garnish the top of this doggie beverage, check the ingredients for xylitol. This ingredient is found in sugar free products, as it is a sugar substitute and is toxic to dogs. The whipped cream that I purchased for the beverage I made for this post was not sugar free. I checked the ingredients anyway and I recommend you do as well.
• If you would like to make your own whipped cream to top your pooches beverage you can. Simply beat plain heavy cream until it becomes the consistency of whipped cream. Watch it carefully as you blend it, because if you let it beat too long after it turns to whipped cream it will become butter.

Make A Version Of This Beverage For Humans

This pumpkin spice latte for dogs can easily be made into a beverage that humans can enjoy too. If you want to enjoy this treat along with your pooch go ahead and mix up a larger batch. Separate some for yourself, doctor it up to make it more palatable for your human tastebuds, and enjoy.

I added a bit of honey to mine to make it a little sweeter. You can use maple syrup, date syrup, sucanat, or any sweetener of your own choosing.

I increased the spices in my beverage to taste. After all, my tastebuds love spices and my human body is okay with them too.

You can add some coffee to yours too if you like, I didn’t bother. I just enjoyed the full pumpkin flavor.

I did heat mine up a bit, it seemed more appropriate given the season. You can decide if you want yours hot or cold.

Go ahead and heat up your pooches too, if you think they’ll prefer it that way. Just be careful that it is not too hot, as they won’t think to blow on it to cool it down!

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