Yes, Halloween is meant to be scary, but you don’t want to make it absolutely horrific. An unexpected trip to the veterinarian, or unwelcome glares at a Halloween party, could make it just that. You need to take extra care at Halloween to make sure you and your dog remain stress free and happy. The AVMA produced a video featuring Dr. Ron DeHaven looking at the dangers of Halloween for pets.
With this in mind, we’re going to give you a few tips to make sure your Halloween celebrations are frighteningly fun.
1. Make sure treats don’t turn into tricks
At Halloween you’re probably going to have a ton of candy around for when the trick or treaters start to arrive. It’s important you remember that this is one Halloween tradition your pet shouldn’t join in with. Candy can be toxic for dogs; according to Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline;
“…Chocolate is one of the most problematic candies as dogs and cats cannot metabolize it as well as people. Thus, it places them at risk for poisoning.”
2. Don’t be a nightmare guest
If you’re going to spend Halloween at someone else’s home make sure you don’t turn into an unwanted guest. Make sure pets are welcome before you take your pooch along, and check out the rules on furniture. If your puppy takes up residence on that new leather couch you may find the reaction is more Freddy Krueger than best friend. Not only that, but if your dog isn’t welcome it could be a daunting and scary environment for them.
3. Give your mutt an escape route
Remember, your dog may not know it’s only fun. Loud noises and scary costumes could be quite disturbing for them. Always make sure they have somewhere to escape to if they aren’t bewitched by the party. If you don’t there’s a chance they could become scared and panicked which might make them aggressive if someone spooks them. Always keep an eye on your mutt for this reason.
4. Don’t let an accident cause horror
In all the excitement there’s a chance that an accidental poop may occur. If you’ve got something with you to clean up, hopefully the incident won’t give you nightmares.
We’ve given you plenty of advice on how to make the scariest night of the year one of fun rather than true horror. If you follow our tips then you should be able to keep the nightmares at bay. If you want to share the spooktacular occasion then check out your local shelter and adopt a pooch. Make their Halloween one to remember.
For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!