With any large holiday that involves festivities including Halloween, life can be a lot easier for you and your pet if you prepare beforehand. Here is a short list with some tips and tricks to help you have a spooktacular night:
Have decorations or cords out of reach.
Place candy out of reach of your furry opportunist. Or possibly use gate or other forms of management to help keep them away from the temptation.
If you are concerned that your dog ate something that they shouldn't have, you can always go to ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center website: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or contact your pet's vet.
If your dog is not fond of people coming up to the house, here are some suggestions:
If you live in a neighborhood that goes "all out", you can create a space away from the front door or windows for your dog to enjoy their evening. You might play relaxing music as well to help lessen the sounds outside.
Place your candy dish away from your front door. If you don’t wish to be present all night, we would suggest leaving a sign that asks people to not knock on the door.
Turn off your outside lights and close the curtains to help discourage people from coming up.
If your dog loves meeting new ghouls and goblins, ensure that your dog is wearing their collar with up-to-date information on tags.
If they love meeting people a little too much and you are concerned about "door dashing", you can:
Use gates or a leash to help manage access to the front door.
Place your candy dish outside so you do not have to open the door for trick or treaters.
Dog Costumes
If you plan on having your dog wear a costume, make sure to do a trial run before. Look at their body language. Do they seem stressed? If so, then maybe just a bandana will do. Also, look how the costume fits. You want your dog to be able to freely move around.
Keep the temperature in mind. Dogs can become too hot in costumes.
Strategic Planning
Prep any Kongs or enrichment items beforehand so they are ready to go if and when you need them.
It may be advantageous to get in your nightly walk before the festivities begin or well after they've wound down.
Happy Howl-o-ween!
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