Halloween. A time for spooky decorations, costumes, candy, and jack-o-lanterns. 

 

While Halloween is a fun-filled, exciting holiday for humans, it can seem strange and unusual and perhaps even frightening to dogs. Their world becomes transformed into a spooky atmosphere of different sights and sounds. And, the humans they love so much look different as they dress up in costumes to celebrate the festivities. 

 

It may be tempting to try to get your pet involved in the holiday by taking him with you trick-or-treating or dressing him up in a costume of his own, but this may not be the best fun for your dog. All of these strange sights and smells could make your dog fearful or skittish during this holiday season. So as Halloween is right around the corner, we wanted to highlight a few things to be cautious of during this holiday.  

 

Costumes

 

Dressing your dog up like a taco, spider, dinosaur, or cowboy may be fun for us to snap a picture to post on social media. But for your dog, this could be uncomfortable and frightening. Here are a few things to be cautious of if you decide to dress your dog up for Halloween. 

 

•  Make sure the costume fits well and allows your dog to move freely without restriction. 
• Watch out for any parts of the costume that could be chewed on and potentially swallowed, which will quickly end your night of fun. 
• Don’t leave your dog unattended with the costume on. 
• If your dog seems uncomfortable or wary of the costume, take it off. 

 

Here are some signs your dog is uncomfortable or nervous about his Halloween garb. 

 

• Ears folded down or back 
• Tail tucked 
• Whining 
• Pacing 
• Trying to push the costume off.

 

If your dog isn’t into a costume, but you still want him to be festive, consider a simple holiday-themed bandana or a Halloween-themed collar instead of a costume. 

 

Trick-or-Treating

 

Taking your dog trick-or-treating with the family may seem like a good idea- and it might just be if your dog’s temperament is right. 

 

If your dog isn’t a fan of crowds of people, random people coming up trying to pet him, or seems skittish by all the sights and sounds of Halloween night, this could be a disaster. Even if your dog is usually good with crowds of people, the sights and sounds could make him behave differently and more on edge than usual. 

 

Be sure to read your dog’s body language, and don’t pressure him to walk through the neighborhood if he doesn’t seem like he’s into it. 

 

If you take him, make sure he is leashed and has a collar on with identifying tags just in case something spooks him. Providing a lighted collar or a reflective vest is also a great idea if your trick-or-treating occurs in the dark. 

 

Halloween Treats

 

One of the best parts of Halloween is all of the CANDY! Chocolate, upon chocolate, is handed out during this sweet holiday. Keep in mind that many candies are dangerous if dogs eat them. Chocolate and sugar-free candy containing xylitol can be toxic to dogs.  

 

Keep all holiday candy out of reach of your dog’s nose. And if your dog does go trick-or-treating with you, be aware of any discarded candy wrappers on the ground your dog may take an interest in. 

 

If you suspect your dog has ingested any chocolate or candy containing xylitol, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA poison control center at (888) 426-4435.

 

Decorations

 

Aside from costumes and candy, decorating your house and yard with spooky ghosts and scary pumpkins is part of the fun of the holiday. But, decorations may give your dog a fright when he sees them, especially if they make sounds or are motion activated. 

 

Keep decorations out of the reach of your dog so that curiosity or fear doesn’t cause him to “attack” them. Chewing on decorations could lead to swallowing plastic parts or cottony spider webs that get caught in his GI tract and end up in an expensive surgery. 

 

Be wary of any extension cords being used as well. Unsuspecting tails can easily get caught on extension cords and quickly pull what they are connected to the ground. 

 

Jack-O-Lanterns

 

Pumpkin can be great for a dog’s digestive system. However, carved pumpkins with lights or candles inside are not! 

 

I think we can all agree batteries are not something that should be ingested, and pumpkins with a lit candle can be a huge fire danger. 

 

Keep lit pumpkins off the ground and away from your dog. 

 

Finally, if you know your dog is skittish or isn’t people-friendly, it’s probably best to just keep him inside. 

 

If you go out trick-or-treating without your dog, leave your dog in a safe place in your house where he can’t get into trouble if he gets scared or nervous from outside noises. 

 

If you’re home handing out candy, keep your dog on a leash or in a room away from the constantly opening door. This will keep him from making a mad dash out the door when it opens. 

 

Alternatively, you can provide your dog with a calm, safe space for him to hang out during Halloween. Keeping him away from anxiety-producing situations will keep him calm, and you will be able to enjoy the night without worrying about your dog. 

 

To recap, Halloween is great fun, but all the noise and the hustle and bustle of the holiday can cause added stress for your dog. Remember to read your dog’s signals and give him what he needs to enjoy the night without distress.