Celebrating Halloween with Your Pet



Dog at a Halloween event photo booth

Tricks and Treats for a Safe Halloween

 

Halloween is almost here and while it’s a fun and festive time for us, humans, we want to be mindful of our pets and make sure they’re enjoying it too! Our pet sitters and dog walkers at Texas Ruff House are sharing their best tips for a happy and safe Halloween celebration with your dog or cat.

 

Dog dressed up in a Halloween costume

Beware of Noisy Knocks and Strangers

Halloween can be spooky for pets not used to seeing humans dress up in costumes, and just the busy night full of new people, smells, and sounds could make them nervous. This is especially the case with pets that have stranger danger or are wary of new people in general. Because you can expect to have a lot of strangers knocking on your door come Halloween, you want to establish a space where your pet will feel safe during trick-or-treating. This can be in a room further away from the front door with a work-to-eat toy or treat dispenser to keep your pet busy! As a precaution, you want to make sure your dog or cat is properly identified (microchip, collar, and ID tag) in case they escape through the open door while you're distracted with trick-or-treaters.

 

Dress for Success

Dog dressed up in a lobster Halloween costume
If you’re dressing up your dog or cat for Halloween, there are a few things that you can do to make your pet feel comfortable. When choosing a costume, make sure it fits properly, doesn't have any pieces that can easily be chewed off, and doesn't interfere with your pet's sight, hearing, breathing, opening its mouth, or moving. Consider low-stress, festive attire like a bow tie, bandana, or even a themed collar. Before Halloween, take time to get your pet accustomed to their costume. If your pet is not used to wearing clothing, do a few training sessions with treats to create a positive association. On the day of, don’t leave your pet unsupervised while wearing it. If your pet shows signs of discomfort, remove the costume, don’t force them to wear it. And if they're going trick-or-treating with you in the dark, help them be seen with these light-up collars

 

Dog dressed up in a Halloween costume
Guard the Candy

There are a lot of things around Halloween that you should be mindful your dog or cat doesn’t get into for their own safety. Many popular Halloween treats are not only unhealthy for your pet but can be toxic, particularly chocolate or xylitol, a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum. Candy wrappers can also cause problems, so be sure to throw them away immediately. If your pet is a trash can explorer, toss them in your outside waste receptacle. Decorations such as lit candles and jack-o-lanterns should be kept out of reach, as pets can easily knock them over or burn themselves. Do not let your pets chew on glow sticks and glow jewelry, as the liquid may be harmful. Electric cords are a big offender around holidays, as pets can easily chew on them and get an electric shock or get tangled up. 

 

Dog dressed up in a hotdog Halloween costume
We hope that these safety tips help you and your pet enjoy the holiday. At Texas Ruff House, we offer our support to our clients in Pflugerville, TX and the surrounding areas of Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, and North Austin and we are available to answer any of your questions about pet safety! Happy Halloween to you and your cherished pet!


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