*Before getting started, make sure your pumpkin puree and applesauce are both unsweetened and do not have any additives that can be harmful to your dog. If your dog is not sensitive to cinnamon feel free to add a bit in for extra flavour.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the pumpkin puree with the applesauce.
3. Add in the oat flour and flaxseed.
4. Stir until everything is combined. Use a wooden spoon to start and then switch to using your hands to fully combine the dough. Be careful to not handle the dough too much once the flour is combined because the dough may get stickier the more you work it. You should be able to make the pretzel shapes without the dough sticking to your palms much at all.
5. With the dough mixed I find it easiest to shape the pretzels using a silicone mat but wax paper, parchment paper, or a lightly floured surface will work. *Watch the video below for a visual tutorial on how to shape the pretzels!
6. Scoop tablespoon sized pieces of dough and roll the dough into a 7.5 inch long tube (about the length of a pencil).
7. Now pull the two ends up to make a “U” shape. Then cross the ends over one another about one and a half inches down from the top. Now cross the protruding ends one more time. Holding the tips of each end, fold them down so they rest on the base of the pretzel and gently press the ends into the base to secure them.
8. If you want to make them look closer to pumpkins you can stick one shelled pumpkin seed into the top of each pretzel before baking.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes on a lined baking sheet until the pretzels are hard to the touch. For softer treats, remove the treats from the oven after the baking time and allow them to cool on the counter. They will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside but once they have been stored the whole treat will soften. For crunchy treats that stay crunchy even when stored, the trick is to turn the oven off after the baking time and keep the treats in the oven as they cool. This will extract more moisture from the treats and increase the crunch factor!
10. Store treats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months. I would not leave these on the counter for more than 2 days. The crunchy treats keep a bit better than softer treats but they both freeze well so to avoid any going bad you may want to freeze them and take a few out a time.