Reduce frights and bites during Halloween

Halloween is an exciting and enjoyable time of year for families with young children. We pay a lot of attention to decorating and planning out costumes and having plenty of treats available. We often forget about making Halloween a safe and enjoyable experience for dogs. Planning ahead and thinking about how dogs might react to the sights and sounds of Halloween can help reduce stressful Halloween frights.

Avoid fiascos at the front door. The most exciting space on Halloween is the front door as you welcome little costumed ghouls. For many dogs, just the sound of the doorbell sends them into a state of overarousal. Think about how your dog will react to the repeated ring of the doorbell, unknown visitors, and scary costumes that hide people’s bodies and faces.

Prepare a quiet, dog safe retreat. For most dogs, the less stressful option is spending Halloween in a part of the house that is away from the hustle and bustle of the front door. Plan ahead and fix your dog a stuffed Kong toy to keep them busy and to give them mental activity. Soothing music is also a great way to help dogs relax and masks the sounds of front door Halloween excitement.

Costumes are for humans, not dogs. While dogs will often tolerate being dressed up, many costumes (even those designed specifically for dogs) limit a dog’s ability to communicate through their body language. The best costume for any dog is proper identification.

Trick or treating SAFE-ty around strange dogs.  Many dogs have not had any exposure to costumes and do not understand that there are humans inside. They see creatures making lots of scary noises, moving strangely and coming onto their property uninvited. If a strange dog approaches your child while trick or treating, teach them to play the SAFE game. The SAFE game is especially important if dogs are confused or frightened by costumes.