A safe and Happy Halloween for your dog

Many problems may occur with dogs around Halloween, and now is the time to begin working on them ahead of time!

By Laura Pakis, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Blogger,

Halloween can be a fun time of year. With all sorts of fall festivals, costumes, trick-or-treating, and candy, most households will join in the festivities to some extent.

While this can be a fun time of year for humans, it is not always fun or safe for our pets. Many problems may occur with dogs this time of year, and now is the time to begin working on them… ahead of time!

One of the most common issues is dogs bolting out the door whenever it’s opened.

Chances are, on Halloween, trick-or-treaters will be ringing your bell, and you’ll be opening the door quite regularly. Practice now with your pet… teaching him that he is not to run out even if the door is open. You may have to use his leash at first, and it’s a good idea to practice at times of day when there are many distractions outside.

Also, an important thing to address is extensive socialization.

Remember, while we know that the adorable little Darth Vader or Princess Witch is just a cute kid in a costume, our dogs may not realize it. Work on socializing your dog with hats, masks, strange noises, and anything else you can think of so he won’t be overly suspicious comes Halloween time. You don’t want your dog to become overprotective or highly fearful, resulting in a dangerous situation.

Supervision is another good idea for Halloween.

Many people choose to sit out on their porches and wait for trick-or-treaters, and a properly socialized dog can join in the fun by staying with you on a leash. Also, be sure to keep your dog safe by not leaving him outside in your yard unsupervised for long periods. Cats, especially black ones, should be kept indoors to protect them from the rare (but occasionally real) cruelty that could occur.

Last but not least, remember that chocolate is toxic to dogs.

Please do not leave your bowl of goodies anywhere the dog might reach it, and be sure that children know where to keep their booty as well.

Anticipate potential hazards this Halloween and prepare for them. Particular areas of concern are things that dogs might eat, interactions between dogs and children, and the general level of excitement or fear, which might cause the chance to escape or encourage touchy behavior. Remember that dogs don’t understand that Halloween is a holiday, and they may find loud, excited, oddly clad children frightening and traumatic. Be sensitive to your dog’s stress level and safety,

By doing some training and taking precautions ahead of time, our dogs can be safe and enjoy Halloween along with the rest of us!

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