Forget the Kids, Halloween is Going to the Dogs!
Do you like to dress your dog or cat up for Halloween? Come on, we’re all friends here, you can admit it! Okay, okay, I’ll start.
Hi, my name is Bonnie and I love to dress my dog up for Halloween!
Halloween is fun and pets are silly by nature, which makes it just so easy to include the heartbeat at your feet in all the festivities!
How To Keep The Spooky Night Fun & Safe
Here are pet-friendly options for Halloween goodies. More on that, below.
Before we start having too much fun, the responsible adult in me wants to share a few safety tips with you. Because, let’s be honest, it’s all fun and games until someone ends up in a cone!
Costume parts, crafts, decorations, candy – can all be potential hazards to your pet. And let’s not forget the doorbell ringing, kids in costumes, spooky music, candles burning – the list of frighting and stressful situations abounds.
We have spent the entire year teaching Harvey that the doorbell (and the person ringing the doorbell) isn’t evil and we don’t require his self appointed attack dog skills to rid us of the ‘problem!’ From a training standpoint, Halloween is a tricky event because it has the potential to set us back months. But I also see it as a great opportunity to get Harvey prepared for the influx of visitors and new friendly faces that will be stopping by for holiday gatherings over the next two months.
Here’s a few safety tips to keep in mind:
- Most people know that chocolate is toxic for pets, but did you know that candies and gum containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be toxic as well? Check out ASPCA’s Top 10 Safety Tips for Pet Parents. So keep the candy safely out of snout snatching range.
- Please keep your pets indoors on Halloween night, especially black cats! Animals can be at risk for cruel treatment by Halloween pranksters. (Interestingly, many adoption agencies and humane societies will not allow adoption of black cats around Halloween for this reason). Halloween can be scary for cats and dogs! Here are more great Safety Tips for Pets from Veterinary Medicine.
- Give your pet breaks from all of the stimulation and activities. For example, if you’re having a Halloween party, or even just greeting neighborhood kids at your door, allow your dog to have 30 minutes with you and the festivities, and then an hour or so of time spent away from all the action (in a quiet room with a favorite toy).
- Try to keep your pet’s Halloween fun limited to the daylight hours. Most pet dogs adapt to our normal diurnal schedules and have less energy during the evenings anyway. Cats are another story entirely, and most will prefer a quiet dark corner from which to watch the Halloween festivities.
Halloween Snackies
Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!
Everyone wants a few yummy treats for Halloween, and your dogs are no exception. There are so many to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites:
- Homemade: Bark ‘o lanterns from The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook. Love this cookbook! And Harvey loves being the official taste tester!
- Store bought: K9 Granola Factory Soft Bakes– All Natural, made in the USA Pumpkin Pie! I had a few of these in my pocket the other day at the dog park and I was the most popular person there!
- Gourmet: Check out these treats from 3 Dogs and a Chick! I have to be honest, we haven’t tried these yet, but they look so darn fantastic I predict we’ll be trying them very soon!
Bringing Out Your Dog’s Inner Lobster (or Ghost)
BOO! Woof woof!
Try as you might, not all of our pets will indulge our silliness and tolerate Halloween costumes. Some dogs just like to be naked! But if you work within your pet’s comfort zones, you may be able to find something that your pet will not only tolerate, but also enjoy!
Harvey and I went through 3 different outfits before we settled on the ghost. I put a spiked collar on him (thinking this was innocent enough and wouldn’t constrict his movement at all) and he turned into statue dog! Seriously – he wouldn’t move until I took it off!! Haha!
Don’t ask me why he liked the ghost costume – perhaps he enjoyed my fits of laughter at how adorable he looked. Or, perhaps it was the stinky salmon sticks I used to bribe him into letting me take his picture. Either way, this one seemed to be “Harvey’s choice” of costume this year. 🙂
Until next time, have joy in your heart, a smile on your face, and a dog by your side!
Bonnie
What Are Your Pets Going To Be This Halloween?
Does your dog make an excellent Yoda? Do you have special Halloween tips or strategies, or a favorite Halloween treat? Please share in the comments below!
