Dog safety during Halloween season is a real concern, and this weekend I’m sure there will be lots of Halloween parties and events. Many dogs are frightened, and there are many dangers lurking around your home that you need to protect your dog from as well. Don’t let anyone get hurt! Follow these simple tips to help keep your furry friend safe.
7 Tips For Dog Safety During Halloween Season
1. Keep Pets Inside
Whether you have a fenced yard, a well behaved dog, or just want to go for a walk, keep your dog indoors during trick or treat time. There are so many things that can spook a dog. This time of year, there are also cruel ghosts and goblins who will tease dogs, or worse yet, open gates to let them out. Make sure and get your dog out well in advance of dusk, and keep her inside for the night.
2. Is Your Dog Wearing Proper ID
If your dog never wears a collar, Halloween is the one day where maybe she should. Hopefully she is microchipped, but the collar with tags provides an added layer of protection in the event something happens. If the door happens to be open, she gets spooked, and darts out the door, you want her to be found and returned home. You never know what might be going on with the kids going up and down the streets. Sometimes dogs who are never frightened may be frightened by all the commotion outdoors on Halloween.
3. Should Fido Wear A Costume
Halloween alone causes a lot of stress for dogs. If your dog isn’t used to wearing clothes or costumes, don’t force them into a Halloween costume. If you must dress them up, do it before the big day and take photos at that time. Putting a costume on a dog who is having Halloween anxiety issues is cruel.
4. Beware of candles
Many people still put candles in their pumpkins, some have fires in their yards if it is cold out. Keep your dog away from the flames. A waggy tail can easily catch fire by wagging over a burning candle.
5. Kids In Costumes Can Be Frightening
Your own kids in their costumes may be no big deal for your dog, but when strange kids start appearing at your door, often in large groups demanding candy, it can cause fear in dogs. It is best to keep your dog away from the door. Put them in a room with the TV on or music playing, or in their kennel with stuffed a Kong, or something to keep them busy. Even the non stop ringing of the doorbell can be irritating to not only the dog, but to humans! I know my mom can’t stand it, so we usually disappear on Halloween.
6. Candy Needs To Be Out Of A Dog’s Reach
Halloween candy is a huge danger to dogs. Much of the candy contains ingredients that are harmful to dogs. Make sure to keep the candy out of your dog’s reach. Teach the kids not to feed the dog any candy. When walking your dog later Halloween night or the next day, watch out on the street for candy and wrappers kids may have left behind. You don’t want to have to rush your dog to the vet for ingesting candy.
7. Your Dog May Need Anxiety Meds
If your dog is super anxious on Halloween, it may be a good time to try some anxiety medication. CBD oil or treats are a good option, or consult with your veterinarian for other recommendations. Plan ahead so your dog is ready before the hoards of costumed kids hit the streets.
If you follow these 7 tips for dog safety during the Halloween season, you will all be able to enjoy the festivities without worry. Remember these tips during pre-Halloween parties as well. In most cases, the best option is to put your furry friend in her kennel, or a room in your house where she is away from all the ruckus. She will feel better, and your worries will be put to rest.
Don’t forget to enter the Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop! It runs through October 30th! Madison has the trick so you can enter to win up to $1500 in prizes! It sound like a spooktacular deal to me, and no one gets creeped out because it is all online!
Great tips! I really used to like Halloween but now it’s pretty scary! Your photos aren’t scary though, they are terrific!
We are too fun to have scary around here. Our scary things are cute scary.
Good safety tips. We just avoid the whole thing.
We would, but it is hard to move a whole house for just a couple hours! I think we will all be locked up together and watch tv with Mom upstairs until it is over.
All good tips.
I want to make sure all the pups are safe.
Great tips, Emma! Love your photos!
Living on a busy main road has meant no trick-or-treaters for the last 20 years or so. But, I still don’t allow the girls to be alone in the yard at night even though the gates are all locked shut with small padlocks. Hubby and I take them out together at bedtime.
You never know on Halloween what creepy folks might be out and about. Better safe than sorry. Mom will go out with us in the yard to pee quick before bed, but that is it.
the mama follows your tips… we will be locked in the bedroom with her… while our dad has to hand out the treats… he is super happy to get this job LOL
Mom used to enjoy it but has gotten tired of it, so she will hide out with us.
Things stay pretty quiet around here for Halloween, and we like it that way!
Mom would prefer that. I was fun for a couple years, but now we are sick of it.
Great advice! We stay indoors and turn our lights off. None of us humans or dogs like stress. But Mom misses the trick or treating
My mom is sick of the kids wanting candy, so she will hide out with us.
these are extremely pawesome tips! We don’t get trick or treaters here (which sometimes I hate, but in reference to Dakota losing his mind every time someone would knock at the door, it’s a GOOD thing!) I am also not a believer in any costume other than a hat or bandana or something like that. Neither of my boys like it. We stay home so no worries there!
We all are happy to wear anything, but Mom is sick of the kids, doorbell, and candy, so she will hide out with us for the evening.
Great tips! We always have a gate in front of the door during trick or treat time!
xoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
It would need to be pretty tall to make sure my sisters didn’t go over it if they felt like it. We will all hide out for those few hours.
The pic of you at the door with the “trick or treaters” made me laugh! Great post Emma!
Thank you. That is how it would look if I was allowed to go to the door.
Great tips! I think that you look fabulous in your cute costume!
Thank you. I’m not sure about being a pumpkin, but I had to try it out.
It’s amazing how many people don’t think about what Halloween can look and feel like to a dog. Your tips are excellent.
We used to get about 600 trick or treaters back in Ithaca. I can’t even imagine how difficult it would have been to manage with a fearful pup. I think we would have had to take a hotel room.
Many people really don’t know much about dogs, yet they have dogs. We can get about 100 here, but Mom is sick of it, so we hide out and watch some TV until it is over with. During the week it isn’t so bad as on a weekend.
Great tips, thanks for sharing.
You are the cutest little pumpkin! We are staying inside and sending mom & dad out to sit in the driveway and hand out candy. Bahahaha!
Good plan. My mom is sick of going to the door, so we will all hibernate together and watch TV upstairs. It will be cold here, so no one would want to sit in their driveway in MN! Remind the parents to leave you with something tasty to enjoy while they pass out the candy.