Halloween
Below you will find some useful advice on how to keep your dog safe and prevent them from becoming distressed throughout the Halloween weekend.
Don't dress up your dog!
Your children may enjoy dressing in Halloween costumes, but your dog may not! Please don’t dress your dog in a costume unless you know they are comfortable with this.
Halloween Costumes!
When wearing a Halloween costume, particularly those that include masks, your dog may not recognise you, and may respond to you very differently. We would recommend that you never wear, or allow anyone else to wear, a mask in the presence of your dog as this may frighten them. (This does not apply to a Covid mask).
If you or your children are going to wear costumes, make sure that your dog has a chance to investigate them before you wear them and that you behave in your normal way whilst wearing them.
Don't feed your dog sweets and chocolate!
Sweets and chocolate can be poisonous to dogs – ensure that all these items are out of reach of your dog.
What to do when trick or treaters come knocking.
Trick or treat is great fun for children but not necessarily for dogs. They may become anxious about the number of people knocking at your door, wearing masks and making Halloween noises.
Make sure your dog has no access to the front door or the hallway during the times when trick-or-treaters are likely to visit. By doing this, you will be protecting your dog from a stressful situation and ensuring the safety of both your pet, and the ‘trick or treaters.”
In case your dog does panic and escape whilst you have the door open, ensure that he/she is wearing a collar and ID tag, and that the details are up-to-date with your microchip company.
Encountering people in costumes when out and about.
Don’t be afraid to control children, or any other visitors, with their behaviour around you dog.
If out trick or treating and you meet a dog whilst dressed in a costume, behave sensibly. Keep your distance from the dog and say, “Hello” to the owner.
Don’t attempt to stroke the dog, and never try to deliberately scare the dog. Your actions may leave the owner and the dog in serious trouble if you get bitten as a result of your actions!
Leave your dog at home!
Don’t take your dog trick or treating. Leave your dog at home with the television /radio on and the curtains closed, or pop them in their crate with a tasty dog treat. There may be fireworks so be mindful of this.
Be careful when using candles in the house. Make sure they are high enough to avoid the risk of them being knocked over by an excited dog, or use electric or battery-operated candles instead.