Dog Safety Tips: Play it Safe This Halloween
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the time of year to dress ourselves, and our pets, up as ghosts and goblins. Here at Sit Means Sit South Denver, this is one of our favorite times of year. However, we always like to warn that Halloween isn’t for everyone. While you and your little ones may love to get in the Halloween sprit, it’s isn’t always so exciting for your pets. All of the fun and excitement can unfortunately induce stress in our furry friends. So before you and the family jump into celebrating Halloween, we encourage you to first take these dog safety tips to heart.
Candy & Chocolate Can Be Toxic to Dogs
This piece of information is critical! We urge you to remind everyone in your family, and visiting friends, that candy and chocolate can be toxic to pets. Make sure everyone understands this and store all Halloween treats out of the reach of your pets. The last thing you want is to end up with a sick pup on your hands. Check out our recipes for delicious and healthy Halloween treats for your dog.
Pet Costumes Aren’t Always Safe
Most of us are suckers for dogs in costume. What’s not to love about a pug dressed as a hotdog or a pomeranian as a princess? If you’re going to put your pet in a costume, be sure to give them plenty of room to breathe. But also keep an eye on them the entire time they are in costume. Dog costumes can get tangled or caught and immobilize your pup or even block airways. In addition, a frustrated pup may take to chewing or even ingesting pieces of a costume. Play it safe this Halloween, if you choose to dress your pet up, do not leave them unattended!
Trick-or-Treaters Can Be Stressful for Dogs
While most of us love the parade of fairy princesses and superheroes at our doorsteps, dogs don’t always share our sentiment. If your pup tends to get agitated at the sound of the doorbell, perhaps it’s best to keep them crated during trick-or-treating. If the excitement tends to stress your dog out, consider taking to the front porch. While your furry friend is safely in his or her crate, you can greet your visitors without the need to ring the doorbell or knock. If trick-or-treating has been a source of anxiety for you and your pup in the past, you may find that this approach leaves everyone feeling at ease.
Have Fun!
The most important rule of Halloween is to have fun! By taking these simple precautions, you can rest assured that your pup is safe and sound. But no one knows your fur baby better than you. If he or she can sit on your lap, in costume, and take it all in; by all means have fun with it! If all of the excitement is a bit much, get your pup situated in an environment in which they feel safe and get back to the celebration!
Sit Means Sit: Your Denver Dog Trainer
If your pup’s behavior has left you feeling a bit spooked as of late, we encourage you to contact us today. As leading Denver dog trainers, all of us at Sit Means Sit are here to help! If you are already part of the Sit Means Sit family, and your fur baby is just in need of a refresher, join us for a group lesson! In any case, we hope to see you and your pup soon!
If you would like more dog training and safety tips, follow our blog and connect with us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Have pics of your pup getting in the Halloween spirit? Please share them with us using #SMSHalloweenFun!