Halloween is a favorite holiday for many pet owners. While it's fun to include your pet in the festivities, it's important to keep these Halloween safety tips for dogs in mind. It may not seem like it, but holidays can be a very dangerous time for pets.
From people dressed up in costumes to strangers ringing your doorbell incessantly, Halloween is a terrifying night for pets for a number of reasons. Some dogs may enjoy the excitement, but most dogs will be on edge until the Halloween fun settles down.
It's best to keep your dog indoors with access to a quiet, safe place that is all their own.
Whether it's a kennel in a quiet room or a dog bed behind a closed door, your dog needs a space where he can go to escape the excitement of the evening.
Halloween Safety Tips for Dogs
1. Ensure Proper Identification
There's going to be plenty of action and commotion happening on Halloween night. In case your dog slips out of the house or gets away from his leash when you're out for a Halloween walk, make sure that your pooch has proper identification with your name, address and contact number.
Better yet, you can get your dog microchipped or update the details of his current chip a few days before Halloween. Many dogs go missing on holidays. If your dog has proper identification, you'll be reunited whether he ends up with a good Samaritan or at a local shelter.
2. Dress Rehearsal
If you're planning to have your dog join the Halloween celebration, it's better to do a practice run a few nights before the big event. This will allow you to see how his dog Halloween costume fits and whether or not it will be a good option for the holiday.
A good pet costume should not obstruct your pet's sight or ability to breathe and move comfortably. You may find that it is better to ditch the whole costume idea altogether, since dogs aren't exactly fond of dressing up.
3. Keep Your Pets Indoors
If possible, you should keep your pets indoors on Halloween. With so many people out and about (many of them dressed in costumes), Halloween can be a very scary night for dogs. You don't want your pup getting freaked out and running away.
You also want to make sure that your dog doesn't have access to any open doors in your home. When guests arrive or you open your door for trick-or-treaters, your dog could sneak out and run loose. The best thing to do is kennel your dog or keep him safely in another room until the festivities are over for the night.
4. Keep Treats Out of Reach
One of the best known traditions of Halloween is the tasty treats. Unfortunately, this is one part of the holiday that you should NOT share with your dog. Keep all candy and human food treats, away from your pets. Keep leftover Halloween candy out of reach, and ensure that your guests know not to feed your dog any snacks.
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5. Secure Decorations and Wires
If you're decorating your house for Halloween, it's best to strategically place the items where your dog can't reach them. Alternatively, you can buy and use dog-safe decorations.
Be mindful of wires as well. Keep them secure and out of reach of your pup. Chewing wires could result in electrocution. The safest option is to keep your pet kenneled or in another room when you can't supervise him around holiday decorations.
6. Look for Signs of Stress
Watch out for any signs of stress that your dog might exhibit. Even the most even tempered dog could become stressed or anxious when surrounded by strangers in costumes. Halloween brings with it many strange sounds, smells and noises. If you notice your dog behaving abnormally, it's best to give him a quiet space to calm his nerves.
7. NO Glow Sticks
As much fun as glow sticks are, they're not safe for dogs. The liquid that makes them glow is toxic to pets, so never put glow bracelets or necklaces on your dog. They contain dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and they can easily be broken with a single bite. When consumed by a dog, it'll result in profuse drooling, retching and gagging.
8. NO open flames
Dogs don't understand the dangers of fire. They may accidentally knock over candles, jack-o-lanterns or other decorations. Instead of using traditional candles, try battery operated flames. They're commonly found in the Halloween section of most stores, and they're much safer than having an open flame.
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