It's almost Halloween and with Halloween comes trick or treaters, costumes, scary movies and so much more. No matter what your pup's personality is there are a number of ways to celebrate this holiday with the entire family!
Dress 'em up!
Who doesn't love seeing a dog in a costume? No one, that's who! Celebrate but strutting your stuff with a costume! Make sure you find one that fits your pup, doesn't restrict their movement and doesn't have any small parts that could be chewed or eaten. Make sure your pet is comfortable wearing a costume. Consider a Halloween bandana or themed collar if your pet insists on not wear a full costume!
Take them to a dog-friendly Fall Fest or pumpkin patch!
With the weather cooling off, more and more outdoor and dog-friendly festivals will be coming to town. Consider taking your pups to a dog-friendly pumpkin patch or a corn maze. There are many ways to include your four-legged family members this time of year.
Get some spooky toys or even make some yourself!
Get your pups and family in the Halloween spirit with spooky pet toys! lots of boutiques offer holiday-themed toys, treats, and costumes this time of year. You can also check out the CARE Corner at our Russell Ridge location for holiday toys! 100% of the proceeds from purchases at our CARE Corner are donated to the CARE Fund. You can also find some cute DIY Halloween toys using old socks and tennis balls.
Carve a pumpkin for your pet!
When the family sits down to carve their pumpkins, make one for your furry friend! You can find a lot of stencils online or try to freehand a portrait of your pup.
Bring your pup Trick or Treating with the family!
Lots of pets would love to tag along with the family Trick or Treating. Make sure your pet is well behaved and not easily spooked. Halloween is known for crazy costumes, loud noises and of course screaming, all of which could easily frighten a more skittish pet.
Tips for keeping skittish dogs safe:
- We all know not every dog is thrilled with the idea of loud noises and new faces, and for those, there are a lot of ways to make them feel safe this Halloween.
- If you plan on staying home to pass out candy, make sure your pet isn't nervous when the doorbell rings or is a regular Houdini. With the door opening and closing so much in one night, they may see an opening and take it, literally. Consider shutting your pet in a bedroom with toys, their bedding, and maybe even a crate so they can feel safe during the festivities.
- If loud noises scare your pup, consider crating them and playing the TV louder than normal to drown out the loud noises. Music is also a good idea to help drown out the noise and keep your pet calm. Spotify even has a dog album and channel that will autoplay!
- If you plan on having a large party or will be out of the house most of the night and you know your pet is prone to anxiety, consider boarding them. That way they'll be well taken care of and safe, leaving you free to enjoy the night without worry.
Halloween hazards to look out for:
Candy:
Halloween is all about candy, right? Candy can be a huge hazard for pets from chocolate to even the plastic wrappings. Make sure you keep an eye on your pets, especially around young kids who may find it fun to feed things to fido.
Loud Noises:
Loud noises also come with the territory. Halloween is all about spooks and being scared. That may not be so much fun for the family pet especially rescues with an iffy background. If you know your pet is afraid of loud noises take extra precautions to keep them safe. Also, consider keeping their collars with their IDs on tonight. Worse case they manage to escape, having their ID easily assessable makes it that much easier for them to be returned home.
Decorations:
Decorations are a fun way to get into the spirit of Halloween. However, with some pets, curiosity killed the cat. Keep Jack O' Lanterns out of reach and consider using LED lights or flameless candles instead. Pets may accidentally knock them over and can cause a fire. They may also like to nibble on decorations. While pumpkins and corn and other Halloween-esque, plant-based decorates are relatively harmless, faux spider webs and other outdoor decorations can cause stomach upset or even blockages.
Costumes:
Costumes can even be a hazard to keep an eye out for. IF your pet is becoming physically uncomfortable in their costume take it off. Also, keep an eye out for chewing. Some dogs may try and eat their way out of a costume which can cause stomach upset and even blockage if enough is ingested.
We at GVA all hope you have a spooky Halloween and if you have any other questions, please contact us today!