Best Canned Pumpkin for Dogs: Our Top 6 Picks in 2023

Pumpkin isn’t just an Autumn treat anymore—especially when it comes to your dog. Canned pumpkin is a popular treat and dog food topper, and many dogs can’t get enough of it! It’s also a healthy superfood that has many benefits for your dog’s health. If you’re looking for a great canned pumpkin product that your dog will love, these reviews will help you explore some of the options.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

The 6 Best Canned Pumpkin Choices for Dogs

There are many pumpkin products out there for dogs, but Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin stands out. It’s 100% high-quality, organic pumpkin puree, with no added ingredients, which is why we recommend it as the best overall canned pumpkin for dogs. The pumpkins are sourced from local farms and are certified USDA organic, something we can definitely get behind. This quality leads to high levels of vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants that will increase digestion and support your pet’s overall health.

This pumpkin product comes in 15-ounce cans, meaning that one can will last you a little while. These large cans do mean that you need to measure out and store your pumpkin, so it is a little more work than some other options on the list. 

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As an alternative to traditional canned foods, Weruva’s Pumpkin Patch-Up! Supplement Pouches are a great option and give you more for your money than most other pumpkin products. This product comes in packs of individually sized pouches, making it easy for you to add a little bit of pumpkin to your pet’s food every day. The pure pumpkin puree will give your pet a digestive boost and add some flavor and moisture to boring foods.

One drawback of the individual packaging is a larger amount of plastic waste. Those packets add up, so if you’re trying to be environmentally-conscious, you might want to look at another option. This puree also has a slightly higher water content, so you need more puree to get your pup the same amount of pumpkin!

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If you’re interested in pumpkin because of the digestive benefits, you might want to consider Nutri-Vet Fresh Pumpkin + Superblend Flavored Puree. This premium option is formulated by vets to support healthy digestion, increase stool quality, and soothe upset tummies. Along with pumpkin puree, this contains a variety of fruits and vegetables meant to increase digestive health, making it a great option for taking care of your pup’s tummy troubles. This food is safe for most dogs, but it’s designed with sensitive-stomached dogs in mind, so it might not be ideal for your dog if you’re shopping for canned pumpkin for other reasons. The longer ingredient list might also be a problem if your dog is on a limited-ingredient diet or has allergies to common vegetable additives.

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Yes, we know this is a list for dogs, not cats. But the truth is, cats and dogs both love pumpkin puree products, and the small serving size of Tiki Cat Tummy Topper Pumpkin Puree makes it perfect for puppies and smaller dogs. This pumpkin puree has a delicious chunky texture and comes in single-serving pouches that make feeding easy. The puree is mostly pumpkin with a small amount of wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is a healthy food for dogs that is packed with amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Although eating too much of it can be unhealthy, the amount in one pouch is small enough that dogs and puppies will only get the benefits. If your dog is sensitive to wheatgrass, a different, pure-pumpkin option would be better. Like other products with individual serving packets, this product also does create a higher amount of plastic waste than traditional canned foods. 

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Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up! Ginger and Turmeric blend gives all the benefits of pumpkin and then some! This food product adds small amounts of ginger and turmeric to the pumpkin puree. Ginger helps strengthen your dog’s immune system, fights nausea, and helps regulate blood pressure. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, helps with digestion, and boosts the immune system. Both are great additions to your diet in small amounts, like these single-serving packets. They complement the benefits of the pumpkin and are barely noticeable to your dog. However, not all dogs love ginger and turmeric, so this isn’t the best option for everyone.

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If pureed pumpkin isn’t your thing, what about pumpkin broth? Café Nara Pumpkin Broth is a great addition to your dog’s diet, with many of the benefits of pumpkin in a different format. The high water content of the broth makes it a great choice for pouring onto dry food to add moisture. It can also be a tempting wet treat for dogs who struggle to drink enough water. This broth is made with a natural, limited ingredient list that is full of healthy supplements to your dog’s diet. The biggest drawback of this style of food is that the main ingredient is water, not pumpkin. Your dog will get more moisture but less of the beneficial nutrients found in pumpkin, making it a much less nutrient-dense food.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Canned Pumpkin For Dogs

Reasons to Feed Your Dog Pumpkin

Flavor

This is an easy one—many dogs love pumpkin! Pumpkin can be a delicious and healthy treat or a way to add variety to your dog’s food. It might even mask your dog’s less-than-favorite foods so that he won’t turn his nose up at them.

Digestive Benefits

One of the biggest reasons to feed your dog pumpkin is to help with digestion. Pumpkins have a high fiber content that helps add bulk to your dog’s stool and reduce constipation or diarrhea. It is also full of prebiotics. These are compounds found in food that support healthy gut bacteria that are an important part of proper digestion.

Vitamins and Minerals

Pumpkins contain lots of healthy vitamins, like vitamin A and vitamin E. They also have minerals like iron and potassium, and antioxidants. These nutrients will help your dog feel healthy and happy.

Moisture

Dehydration is a danger to many dogs, and if your dog doesn’t get much water from his food, he often won’t drink enough to make up for it. Adding moisture-rich foods like pumpkin puree to your dog’s diet is a great way to give your dog a little extra water.

Pet Brand vs Grocery Store Pumpkin

You might be wondering if there is a difference between the pumpkin found in any grocery store and canned pumpkin products sold specifically for pets. Ultimately, both can be good choices for your dog. Plain canned pumpkin puree is good for your dog, whether it’s marketed for dogs or humans, but many pumpkin purees are full of additives that aren’t so healthy. Always check the ingredient list and avoid any grocery store pumpkin products that have extra ingredients.

Pet Brand products are a different story. Although there are some great pure pumpkin pet products out there, many dog food brands also create pumpkin purees with added ingredients. These ingredients might have combinations that don’t look appetizing to us but are delicious and healthy for your dog.

Ways to Add Pumpkin Puree to the Diet

When introducing pumpkin into your pet’s diet, it’s important not to go overboard. A good amount of pumpkin is approximately 1.5 tablespoons for every cup of pet food your dog eats, while other sources recommend about 1­–4 tablespoons a day.

One of the most common uses for pumpkin puree is as a topper poured on top of dry food, but that’s not the only way you can use it! Pumpkin is also great served on its own as a treat or snack. You can mix pumpkin into wet food. Frozen pumpkin cubes can be a fun and delicious treat for your dog too! Your dog will enjoy licking at the ice on a hot day, and freezing it makes the treat last longer. Many dogs love playing with frozen pumpkin—just make sure they are outside or somewhere else where you can let them make a mess.

Last Thoughts

As you can see, there are many great pumpkin products on the market. We find the organic 100% pumpkin found in Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin to be the best overall product for dogs, but Weruva Pumpkin Patch-Up! is a great balance between quality and cost. For dogs with especially sensitive stomachs, Nutri-Vet Fresh Pumpkin is a great premium option. Whatever you choose, we hope these reviews have convinced you to give pumpkin a try!

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Featured Image Credit: Michelle D. Milliman, Shutterstock