Spooktacular Halloween safety Tips for dogs
Halloween can be fun for us humans, but for our furry friends, the holiday can be overwhelming. Pretend for a moment you’re a dog. Imagine your home getting invaded by bright and sometimes noisy new decorations. Your favorite humans wear confusing outfits with their faces covered in scary masks. Shiny treats are eaten by everyone but you and if you do get ahold of one, you’re scolded and get no treat at all. Even the cat has to wear a tutu. And now your pet guardian wants you to not bark when scary kids come to the door all night long. For some dogs Halloween is more or less a bummer.
Here’s some helpful tips to make Halloween more calm for your pets.
As noted in our last post Dog Costumes: What You Need to Know Before You Dress Up Fido on Halloween, understanding our dog’s body language can help us understand if they’re comfortable or not. Positively.com has a comprehensive list of behaviors and signals that can help you understand your dog on Halloween and beyond. Refer to this list when considering dressing up your dog and when your dog may experience the situations as described below.
Home Comfort and Safety
Keep your pet away from the door. A safe, comfy, and familiar place in your home can be their sanctuary amidst the chaos.
Use a radio or TV in a separate room to cover up some of the noise from the front door. Air purifiers or white noise machines can be a less stimulating option.
If they can't be in a separate room, consider using a baby gate to keep your dog away from the front door.
Make sure to close your door securely between groups of goblins, ghosts, and witches.
Practice makes perfect! Before Halloween, try ringing the doorbell and rewarding your dog with a treat and praise when they stay calm.
Take your dog for a nice long walk or run before the Halloween hullabaloo begins.
Avoid leaving your pet home alone on Halloween.
If you have checked with your vet and your dog is used to taking dog safe calming treats, consider giving your dog a dose if they seem anxious.
If you're dressing up, let your pet see that it is you in the costume.
Make sure your pet is wearing their ID collar and is microchipped or wearing a GPS tracker.
Remember, Halloween should be fun for everyone in the family, including our four-legged friends. Let's try to make it a less stressful experience for them.
Food and Poisoning
Candy wrappers are often made from cellophane which can cause intestinal irritation. All candy wrappers can cause a bowel obstruction. Hard candy can be a choking risk. Candy ingredients to watch for include: chocolate, raisins, xylitol, and gum.
If your dog seems comfortable being near the front door or is even happy to meet trick-or-treaters, keep your dog on leash so they don’t potentially eat candy that falls to the ground or bite a puff off a costume. It’s also worth noting Halloween is the 2nd most common holiday for pets to get lost on, so keep the leash on.
Make sure holiday decorations are out of reach of your dog. Window clings, streamers, candles, and mini pumpkins ingested could lead to a spooky night at the emergency veterinarian hospital.
Keep these pet poison resources by your phone: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888)426-4435. Pet Poison Helpline: (855)764-7661. Have your veterinarian’s office number and your nearest 24-hour pet hospital near your phone as well.
Put together a pet poison safety kit well before Halloween begins.
Glow sticks are toxic to dogs if ingested.
Have a fun, safe, and relaxing Halloween!