How to Help Your Dog Through Halloween Safely: Our Top Twelve Tips for a Stress-Free Spooky Time!
Halloween is a fun and festive time filled with costumes, decorations, and treats. But while we enjoy the spooky excitement, it can be a little overwhelming—and even dangerous—for our furry friends. From strange sights and sounds to tempting but toxic treats, here’s how you can help your dog navigate Halloween safely and stress-free.
1. Keep Sweets Out of Reach
One of the biggest hazards for dogs during Halloween is sweets. Many popular treats, especially chocolate and sugar-free sweets with xylitol, are toxic to dogs. To avoid an emergency trip to the vet, make sure all sweets is kept well out of reach, and remind kids (and guests) not to share their sweets with the family pet.
If your dog does get into the candy, look out for signs of poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, or lethargy, and contact your vet immediately.
2. Create a Safe Space for Your Dog
With the constant doorbell ringing and costumed strangers at the door, it’s easy for dogs to become anxious or overexcited. Create a quiet, safe space in your home where your dog can retreat during trick-or-treat hours. Equip the space with their favourite toys, a comfy bed, and some calming music to reduce stress.
If your dog is especially nervous around strangers or loud noises, you might also consider using calming aids, such as anxiety wraps, natural calming remedies or vet prescribed medications.
3. Be Cautious with Costumes
While some dogs may tolerate being dressing up, many find costumes uncomfortable or stressful. Instead of a full costume, why not opt for a festive bandana or collar instead. Your dog will prefer that.
If you do choose to dress your dog in a costume, make sure it fits properly and doesn’t restrict movement, vision, breathing, or hearing. Avoid costumes with small parts that can be chewed off and swallowed.
4. Decorate with Caution
Halloween decorations can be fascinating for dogs but also hazardous. Keep candles, pumpkins, and electrical cords out of your dog’s reach to prevent burns, fires, or electrocution. Be mindful of decorations with small pieces that your dog might chew on, like plastic bones, fake cobwebs, or glow sticks.
5. Trick-or-Treating with Your Dog
If your dog loves being out and about, you may be tempted to bring them along for trick-or-treating. However, the chaos of costumes, loud noises, and crowds can be overwhelming. Trick or treating often takes place when it’s dark, this can cause dogs to be more anxious. This paired with scary costumes and sweet fuelled kids are a recipe for disaster!
6. Watch Out for Door Dashers
With the front door constantly opening for trick-or-treaters, there’s a risk that your dog might slip out unnoticed. To avoid any escape attempts, keep your dog in their safe space during high-traffic hours, use a pet gate to block off access to the door. I suggest if possible having two barriers between the dog and the front door to prevent potential accidents.
7. Monitor for Stress Signals
Even the calmest dog can get stressed out with the unusual sights, sounds, and smells of Halloween. Watch for signs of anxiety, such as panting, lip licking, yawning, pacing, whining, or hiding. If you notice any of these behaviours, give your dog some extra comfort, remove them from the stressful situation, and provide positive distractions like toys or treats.
8. Monitor Trick-or-Treaters with CCTV
One effective way to minimize the disruption caused by constant doorbell ringing is by using a video doorbell or CCTV system. With this setup, you can monitor trick-or-treaters from your phone or a screen, allowing you to greet them and hand out candy without the loud and repetitive doorbell sounds that can stress out your dog. This way, you can keep the environment quieter and less overwhelming for your pet.
9. Leave Sweets Outside with a Note
To stop any doorbell ringing or knocking, you can leave a bowl of sweets outside with a friendly note asking trick-or-treaters to take some treats without knocking. Something like, “Please help yourself to some treats! No need to knock—our dog will turn into a werewolf!” can politely encourage visitors to enjoy their Halloween experience without disturbing your dog. This way, your pet can enjoy a quieter evening, free from the stress of constant interruptions.
10. Exercise Your Dog Early
Before the trick-or-treating begins, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. A long walk, a play session, or some extra time outdoors can help expend their energy, making them calmer and less likely to get anxious when the evening's festivities start. A tired dog means they are more likely to be able to settle down, which can help them cope better with the madness of Halloween.
11. Provide Chews and Food-Dispensing Toys
During the busiest trick-or-treat hours, keep your dog occupied with long-lasting chews or food-dispensing toys. These can provide a mental distraction and help reduce stress, as your dog focuses on the rewarding task of working for their treats. Items like stuffed Kongs or puzzle feeders can keep them entertained and calm, even with the commotion happening outside.
12. Be Aware of Trigger Stacking
Halloween can expose your dog to several stressors all at once, such as loud noises, visitors, and unfamiliar sights and smells. This can lead to something called “trigger stacking,” where each stressful event builds up, making your dog more anxious over time. Even after Halloween is over, your dog may still feel the effects of this stress for up to 72 hours. To help them recover, take your dog on quiet walks and increase enrichment activities like puzzle toys, sniffing games, and chew treats in the days following Halloween. This will help them unwind and prevent stress from building up further.
Conclusion
Halloween can be a lot of fun, but it’s important to keep your dog’s safety and comfort in mind. By creating a calm environment, managing potential hazards, and paying attention to your dog’s needs, you can ensure they enjoy the holiday just as much as the rest of the family—without the scary surprises!
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