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Halloween is a fun time of year for humans of all ages, but for our dogs, certain elements of this holiday can be confusing, overwhelming and scary. These are some tips to make the spooky season as stress-free as possible for our canine companions.
Costumes Look Strange!
Seeing people wearing unusual costumes and masks can be strange and intimidating for dogs. Your dog may not recognise someone if they are wearing a scary mask. As these kinds of sights are uncommon throughout the rest of the year, seeing people dressed up at Halloween is more likely to be an unusual, frightening experience for many dogs. Your dog experiences the world differently, and what they perceive as a threat will feel very real, even if you may not understand it.
Seasonal scares are fun for people, but dogs have no understanding of the occasion and will find getting scared to be confusing and upsetting. To make sure your dog gets to have an enjoyable Halloween too, avoid surprising them by walking in wearing a scary costume. If you have visitors wearing masks and costumes, avoid allowing them to scare your dog by giving your dog a quiet, safe area to relax in with a chew or food puzzle.
Trick or Treaters
Many dogs struggle with visitors coming to the front door, so having groups of trick or treaters ringing the doorbell one after another can be difficult to cope with. If you live in an area where trick or treaters are likely to come to your door, one strategy to minimise stress for yourself and your dog could be putting out a sign and a bowl for children to help themselves to goodies to prevent them from needing to knock.
You may also choose to keep your dog away from the door so they are less triggered by any sounds of people outside. For instance, keeping them in a quiet room with the radio playing.
As well as these prevention and management strategies, another option is training your dog to do a specific behaviour for when trick or treaters come to the door. Use tasty treats to teach your dog to go to their bed after they hear a knock on the door or the sound of the doorbell. It is a good idea to practise this lots in advance so that your dog is more likely to succeed in a real-life scenario.
Toxic Foods & Hazards
Sugary sweets and chocolate are popular treats around this time of year, but many of the seasonal snacks that we enjoy are deadly to our canine family members. To keep your dog safe this Halloween, make sure to manage them carefully and ensure that forbidden foods are out of reach at all times.
Avoid leaving your dog unsupervised around any food items and treats that they aren’t allowed. A large number of ingredients are very dangerous if ingested by dogs, so be mindful of this risk over the spooky season. Some of the most toxic ingredients are chocolate (especially dark chocolate), grapes, raisins, onions, macadamia nuts, and caffeine. You can read more about foods that are poisonous to dogs on the Blue Cross advice page.
If your dog likes to chew, make sure they can’t get hold of any Halloween decorations or props that might be harmful to them. Offer them plenty of appropriate chew objects to enjoy instead.
Plan Your Walks
If you live in an area where lots of children may be out in costumes trick or treating, or there are likely to be big crowds gathering for Halloween parties and events, consider planning your walk with your dog carefully. It may be best to take your dog out at an unsociable time, such as early in the morning or much later in the evening.
Some houses may have seasonal decorations that your dog could find confusing and scary. Don’t force your dog to approach an object if they find it frightening, instead allow them to retreat and offer comfort and reassurance.
Reactive dogs would most likely do better with being taken somewhere quiet for their exercise, or given activities to do at home instead. Walks are not the only way to offer your dog mental and physical stimulation, and this article from Dogs Trust gives plenty of ideas for enrichment alternatives.
Scaring Your Dog Isn’t Funny
There are videos on social media that you might see circulate around this time of year of people scaring their dogs by appearing out of nowhere in big, scary masks and costumes, or forcing their dogs to interact with something that the dog finds scary.
Some people might think this is funny, but stressing your dog out for a joke is cruel and unnecessary. Your dog does not know that it is just a joke and could feel like they are under real threat. Many dogs may react to these ‘pranks’ by panicking, or in the worst case scenario, could even become aggressive due to fear.
Remember that scares are only fun for humans, and that your dog should be made to feel comfortable and safe during Halloween, as well as for the rest of the year. As your dog’s caregiver, it is your responsibility to make sure they are happy. Identify potentially scary triggers in advance, make sure to prepare, and utilise management to keep your dog away from hazards and ensure a stress-free experience.
Most Dogs Don’t Enjoy Dressing Up
Wearing costumes is often unpleasant for dogs. They feel strange, can be restrictive, and most dogs are not used to wearing clothes. While dogs playing dress-up for Halloween can make for a cute photo, it is not always enjoyable for your canine companion.
Instead of an uncomfortable costume, consider giving your dog a stylish spooky collar, harness or bandana to wear instead to celebrate the festivities. If you do have a costume picked out, and your dog is not sensitive to handling or wearing things on their body, make sure to introduce it slowly with lots of special treats, and keep an eye out for any stressed body language. If you notice your dog becoming stressed, take off any costumes or accessories – always put their comfort and welfare first.
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Holiday periods present unique challenges and problems for pet owners. With lots of planning and preparation, you can ensure everything goes smoothly so that you and your dog can enjoy yourselves and have a safe and relaxing time this Halloween.