Halloween is a fun time for children so there is no reason why your Dog cannot be included in the Halloween activities. Your Dog is a member of your family and thoroughly enjoys being with you and being involved with the family. If your kids are getting dressed up and running around having fun, then I’m pretty sure your furry best friend will want to join in. However, there are a few things to be wary of, so my tips on how to celebrate Halloween with dogs, should help you stay safe and have some fun.
Your Dogs Personality
If you have a shy and fearful Dog then being in a large group may frighten him. Also, all the fancy dress costumes may make him feel threatened, so if he backs away and tries to skulk to a corner then he does not want to join in. Remember not every Dog will want to be with a large group of people. On the flip side you could have a huge Dog that is the friendliest in the world, but you must realise if you are trick or treating with him, just his size could scare young children.
Include Your Dog and Dress Him Up
If you have an outgoing and friendly Dog that loves all the attention and being around people then why not dress him up? Let’s be honest, when you see a Dog in a fancy dress outfit it does make you laugh and if they don’t mind it then why not add them to our fun. When choosing an outfit make sure it fits well and there is plenty of room for him to move. Avoid anything that has too many niggly items stitched on that he may chew off. Make sure you keep an eye on him during the festivities in case he gets fed up wearing the costume. If so, just do the sensible thing and remove it.
Keep Decorations and Trick or Treat Sweets out of Reach
Dogs are naturally curious so any decorations at their level they will want to check out. Unfortunately chewing on a plastic spider or eating chocolate intended for children can be very bad for them. Chocolate is extremely bad for Dogs and vets are inundated with poorly Dogs every year at Halloween. Some sugar free sweets have a sugar substitute which is extremely toxic to Dogs. The best thing to do is keep all treats out of reach of them and keep an eye on what they are sniffing at other peoples homes if you are trick or treating.
Don’t leave your Dog unattended in your house if you have candles lit. It is far too easy for a Dog in a fancy dress to bump into a candle holder and knock it over.
Trick or Treating with your Dog
Outgoing and friendly Dogs should be encouraged to go Trick or Treating with you and your family. There is nothing funnier than a dog dressed as a pumpkin wobbling down the road. Ensure your Dog is well-behaved and not easily spooked. There will be lots of strange noises and kids in costumes that he is not familiar with. If you are planning on giving treats from your doorstep make sure you keep an eye on him so he does not slip out and try to join in with the kids outside in the street.
There may be people coming to your door that also have pets dressed up. You will have plenty of treats for the kids but how about treats for the Dogs? There are plenty of them on the market so buy some extra treats for your neighbours furry friends. Also, be aware that if you are visiting other houses ensure that if they give your Dog a treat it is the right sort.
Check out the Dog treat Recipe Below:
Ingredients
Makes 25 treats
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.
Conclusion
Halloween is supposed to be all about having fun. If your pet can join in then so much the better. I still have very fond memories of Nessa, our miniature schnauzer, being dressed up in allsorts of crazy outfits. She did look grumpy, but used to love running around and showing off her outfit. Those photos are priceless to us so why don’t you go out and have some fun with your furry best friend.
Below are some treats, outfits and toys I have checked out on amazon that will go towards making your halloween special.
Any Halloween tips or funny stories please send my way.
Happy Halloween
David