The Halloween season is upon us and that means fun! It also means a pretty chaotic few hours when 
children, dressed in cute costumes, are ringing your door bell and asking for candy. This may be a standard practice to you but remember—your dog may not be as accustomed to it. It only happens once a year (hopefully) and your dog may not be used to the noise and strange figures on your doorstep.
The American Humane Association recently printed a list of “Halloween Pet Tips” to help you manage the day for your dog. Here are some helpful guidelines:
- Let your pet celebrate Halloween too. Have treats handy for your pet and if he/she sits calmly by the door while you hand out candy, give your pet a treat too. Also—try dressing your dog up with a collar or bandana showing Halloween spirit. Sure some dogs may let you put them in a full costume, but a lot won’t. (My dog would look at me like, “You gotta be kidding…” and that would be the end of it.)
- Safety first. If a pet is overly excitable or even upset about the chaos, put them in a quiet room until the commotion dies down. You want to make sure they can’t escape in the excitement. If they do, be sure that you have an up-to-date ID tag on your pet and rabies tags in place.
- Pet-friendly Halloween decorations. Be wary of those open flame jack-o’-lanterns due to safety. You can get the battery-operated ones. They not only are safer for your pet, but also for children who may be running up your walk. Also—be sure to watch your pet if he/she is a chewer. You don’t want them to eat candy (particularly chocolate which is poison to dogs), or streamers or anything that could potentially be harmful. Many decorations are made with water-soluble dyes that discolor a pet’s mouth and can upset their stomach.
- Remember: NO CHOCOLATE and candy! Dogs love treats and when you're handing it out to everyone who knocks, they will naturally get excited and want some. Candy is a no-no for dogs. That’s why a good small treat will due. Also, be sure to store your candy bowl away from a dog’s reach. It’s only natural for them to get curious when you walk away and check out what exactly you are handing out to everyone who comes to the door.
These are tips from the American Humane Association. Some others they are reminding people of are to be sure to microchip animals for any occasion. It’s a great way to reunite a lost pet with an owner. Also, on Halloween it’s best to keep cats inside, just because there are people looking for strays to use for mean pranks.
Take the necessary precautions, but enjoy the holiday with your pets. Make them a part of the celebration if they are calm enough and have fun!
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