That’s right, it’s that time of the year again when your dog wonders why things are suddenly being strapped to his back and head followed by lots of hysterical laughter from his humans. Plenty of dogs are good sports and even like getting dressed up in costumes and strutting around, but others can get a little overwhelmed by it all. These ten Halloween dog tips will keep your dog happy and safe so he can enjoy the scarefest as much as you do.
1. Safe Spot
If your dog gets stressed by ringing doorbells, squealing kids and costumed figures, find a quiet room in your house where he can relax away from it all for a couple of hours. Turning on a radio or TV can help drown out the ghoulish commotion.2. Ding Dong!
Doorbells send most dogs into a frenzy and having a doorbell ring every few minutes may get rather unnerving for easily stressed or territorial dogs. Sitting outside and handing out candy or disconnecting the doorbell is a good way to keep you dog more relaxed on Beggar’s Night.3. Devilish Displays
There are always a few candy collecting little devils that get mischievous this time of the year, so it’s best not to make your dog part of your Halloween display to prevent him from getting poked or teased.4. Door Duty
Manning the door with your pup beside you can get pretty crazy when the hordes come calling. Even if your dog behaves well around kids and costumes, some kids are afraid of dogs. Make sure your dog is secure and he’s wearing his ID tag. A baby gate at the front door is an easy way to manage the chaos and keep your dog a safe distance away from the action.5. Little Monsters
Some dogs get freaked out when they see masks and strange costumes and could become protective or aggressive. Us humans understand that behind every zombie mask is a nice kid but your dog only sees scary ghosts and goblins arriving at the front door.6. Twisted Treats
Make sure your dog doesn’t raid the candy bowl when you’re taking a mini-break between visitors. Kids are pretty good about picking up any dropped loot, but check the porch and yard afterwards to make sure no candy (especially chocolate, raisins, candy containing xylitol) or wrappers are left behind.7. Wicked Costumes
Although most dogs are happiest wearing just their birthday suits, if you decide to dress up your pooch, choose a costume that’s comfortable and doesn’t cover his face or confine his movement. If your dog doesn’t care for costumes, keep it simple with a colorful bandana or dog-safe paint. Make sure their costume doesn’t have small parts that could be chewed and swallowed.8. Lights, Candles, Action
Tidy up your Halloween display and decorations to keep it safe for both your pup and the kids. Use flameless candles instead of lighted candles and safely secure wiring and light strings.9. Lurking About
Heading out to mingle among the trick or treaters with your costumed dog can be fun, but keep in mind that some kids may be afraid of dogs. Keep a safe distance and make sure your dog doesn’t become overloaded by all the activity. Add a clip-on LED dog light to his collar to make sure he’s visible after dark.10. Enjoy Yourself
As you’re keeping an eye on your dog to make he’s safe and comfortable, take time to embrace your inner child. Appreciate the kids in their creative costumes, reminisce about how exciting this night was when you were child, and go ahead and grab one or two of those candy bars from the bowl before they’re all gone. Happy Halloween!
Do you have any good Halloween dog tips or simple dog costumes ideas? Share them with us!
I don’t have any additional tips but I was thinking of doing a simple cape for my dog this year. We won’t be going out on Halloween with it because she’s too anxious but it’ll be nice for photos 🙂
I look forward to seeing pictures of Laika in her cool cape!
Great tips – thanks for sharing.
Thanks Slimdoggy, Happy Halloween!
Excellent tips. Our dogs get very excited by the doorbell. This year we will not be home on Halloween so they will miss out on the barking fun…lol.
Thanks and enjoy your peaceful Halloween this year 🙂
We’ve never had to worry about the doorbell. We get so many trick-or-treaters, we have to sit out on the porch. There’s no time to go inside when you have 10 kids on the porch, 10 kids coming up the stairs, and 10 kids waiting on the sidewalk for their turn. We usually see 600 kids or more each Halloween.
Luckily, Honey is very sociable. So we hang out on the porch together. Some kids enjoy petting her so much they forget to take their candy. 🙂
Wow, 600 kids! It’s great that Honey enjoys hanging outside on the porch and getting lots of Halloween love from the kids. 🙂