Halloween is rapidly approaching! Time for pumpkins, spooky costumes and lots and lots of sweets! While we all love an excuse to celebrate, it is important to remember that Halloween can be scary and distressing for your dog. Here at Smarty Paws we have put together a guide to keep your beloved dogs safe and secure over the Halloween period:
1) Keep Them Inside
Whilst Halloween is lots of fun, unfortunately sometimes tricks can escalate and go horribly wrong! To keep your dog safe, we recommend staying indoors during Halloween and keeping them on a lead when going out for a walk. Walk them during daylight where possible, and keep your eyes peeled for any Halloween treats or costumes that might find their way into your dog’s mouth! Seeing people dressed up can be fun and fascinating for us humans, yet it can make our dogs feel afraid and territorial. Using a lead can help your dog feel more secure and also prevents them from running away should they get spooked! It will also keep others safe if your dog becomes distressed, so don’t forget to use your lead!
2) Keep All Chocolate and Sweets Out of Reach
Chocolate, sweets and goodies are delicious, and we all love enjoying a few extra around Halloween! However, it is important to remember how much these can upset your dog’s stomach! Keep all chocolate and sweets well out of reach and remind everyone visiting your home how important it is not to feed them to your dog.
3) Don’t Play Dress Up
At Smarty Paws, we know how cute our dogs can be with a little spooky costume! Some dogs love to strut their stuff in costume, however some can find this an uncomfortable experience and will suffer if in costume. It is important to know what your dog is happy with – and not dressing them in anything they will not feel good in! We recommend a fun bandana as a great alternative to keep both you and your dog happy on Halloween. If your dog loves to dress up, please ensure that the costume you choose is safe and secure! We advise that you check the fit – make sure it is not too tight! Also check that it will not catch or snag on any items around your home. Most importantly, be on hand to supervise your dog at all times. We don’t want your dog to get trapped or distressed at any point!
4) Avoid Trick or Treaters
Trick or Treating can be a fun family activity, however seeing strangers entering your home dressed in scary costumes can make your dog feel very anxious and cause them to growl or bark at your visitors. We advise that you keep your dog in a separate room where they feel at ease and do not have to interact with trick or treaters – this will keep your dog feeling safe and prevent them from running out the front door.
5) Get ID Ready
Just in case all does not go to plan, be prepared and ensure that your dog has up to date ID on their collar so that in case of emergency, anyone who finds them knows they belong to you. Ensure your dog is micro-chipped – better to be safe than sorry!
6) Feed Your Dog Early
Making sure your dog has been fed well before the Halloween festivities begin can deter them from scavenging for Halloween treats. Once fed, make sure your dog is in a safe, cosy and confined area of your home – hopefully they won’t even notice what is going on around them!
7) Keep Decorations and Electrics Secure
Finally, be aware of any halloween decorations and electronics that you put up in your home. Make sure these are safe, secure and out of reach. Chewed electric cables can result in a nasty shock and chewed decorations can harm your dog’s mouth, and may cause internal damage. Stick wires down with safe electrical tape and keep all decorations off the floor.
Keeping your dog safe over the Halloween period is mostly common sense! We hope these tips have been helpful for you and your gorgeous dogs. Most importantly, have a wonderful Halloween! Have fun and be safe.
Happy Halloween from all of us here at Smarty Paws!
