Hey Woofa’s,

Can you believe it’s almost Halloween time?

In Australia you’ll get some people who are right into Halloween and those who can’t be bothered!!!!

ANYWAY, I do get involved with Halloween.  I love it.

AND I do get excited when we get Trick or Treaters, even though when you say ‘TRICK’ they have no idea what to do!!

What I am aware of though is how this affects our dogs.

With all the knocking on the door, for some dogs this is a trigger to start barking!!

If you have a Halloween Party and you have a dog, how does this affect your dog etc.

Some people may not think about how Halloween affects their dog but I do.

So I’ve put together a check list on how to keep your dog safe this Halloween.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY CHECK LIST FOR YOUR DOG!

1. Outfits

If you want to dress your dog up for Halloween make sure your dog tolerates an outfit.  If they’ve never had an outfit on before they might hate it and want to rip it off, or go into submission mode i.e keep it on to keep you happy but they hate it.

Just because YOU think your dog looks good in a Halloween costume doesn’t mean your dog is going to love it.

Try a Halloween bandana or something that is non-invasive.

If your dog is into the outfits, make sure the Halloween one isn’t too restrictive and is comfortable for them.

Don’t have the outfit on all day, just for the duration of  a few hours with supervision.

2. The Door

With Halloween comes Trick or Treaters who will knock at your door for lollies.  AND they will be dressed up.

So if people constantly coming to your door is going to trigger your dog, either put them in another room or a safe zone with something else to keep them occupied.

You don’t want your Trick or Treaters feeling threatened by your dog, or your dog feeling threatened by people coming into their comfort zone.

Try to eliminate this trigger for your dog.

If you’re NOT into Halloween, the general rule is if you have no decorations they shouldn’t come to your house.

Trick or Treaters should only go to houses with decorations out the front, signalling that that house is into Halloween.

3. Halloween Treats

NOPE and NOPE your dog should not be eating ANY Halloween Treats from your kids or anyone else’s bags.

IF however you buy DOG TREATS for your dog, then of course they can have them.

But NO Halloween treats should be given to your dog.

Seek Veterinarian assistance if your dog has eaten anything they shouldn’t and note down any signs they are exhibiting.

4. Trick Or Treating

I do not think it’s a good idea to take your dog with you while Trick or Treating.

Purely because you don’t know if the house you’re going to has a dog waiting inside the door.

I know Billy would be triggered if there were dogs coming to our front door all the time.

If you do have to take your dog, make sure someone can stand on the street with your dog while the others go to the actual door.

Ideally though try not to take your dog with you.

5. Halloween Gathering

If you’re having a Halloween party (gathering) at your house or going to someone else’s house, it’s important to be aware of your dog’s needs.

If your dog isn’t use to being surrounded by people and you’ve got guests coming over, make sure your dog has a safe place to go, away from people.

Make sure your guests know NOT to give your dog any Halloween treats or food.

When there are kids around, make sure they know your dog’s limitations – no ear or tail pulling, no giving the dog Halloween treats.

If the dog is trying to get away from the kids let the dog go to their safe place.  Try to have someone supervising the kids and dog/s at all times.

If you are going and leaving your dog make sure they have everything they need at home to be safe and comfortable.

6. Home Alone for Halloween

If by chance your house is decorated and the whole family is out Trick or Treating, your dog is safe.

What I mean is, if everyone is out and you’re going to have Trick or Treaters but aren’t going to be home, your dog will have to constantly hear knocking at the door and this may trigger them.

If your dog is triggered by the door, make sure someone can be home with them during the trick or treating hours.

Or they have somewhere to escape to away from the door.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

We want everyone to have a good time for Halloween.

Not just us humans but our dogs as well.

Keep them safe and attended to during Halloween and all should be good.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR DOG ON HALLOWEEN?