I don’t know about you, but Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. There’s just something fun about dressing up, handing out candy, and taking the little ones trick-or-treating. Halloween can also be fun for our furry family members. However, there are risks involved so let’s talk about how to have fun with our furry friends while being safe at the same time.
I love dressing my frenchies up in Halloween costumes and taking them trick-or-treating. However, costumes are not for all dogs. For some, it causes severe stress. If you are unsure whether dressing your fur baby up will cause them stress, here are a few things to look for:
Physical Signs of Stress in Dogs
- Panting
- Pacing
- Shaking
- Yawning
- Drooling
- Licking
- Whale eyes
- Stiffened body
- Cowering
- Growling
If your dog is showing one or more of these signs of stress, it is best to avoid dressing them up at that point. If your dog has never worn a costume, it is a good idea to slowly get them used to wearing a costume. If your costume has several pieces, put on one piece first. If they are calm and not showing signs of stress, give them a treat. Wait a few minutes, then put on the next piece of the costume. If they are still okay, give them another treat and continue with this method until the costume is complete. It is a good idea to do this a few days before Halloween to get them comfortable with wearing the costume. Springing a costume on them the day of Halloween could cause anxiety and not give you the opportunity to assess whether they are showing signs of stress. If your dog is showing signs of stress wearing a costume, do not fret, there are other ways you can have fun with your furry family member on Halloween. Take them trick-or-treating anyway! Who says dogs need costumes to go trick-or-treating? After all, they’re cute enough without a costume, aren’t they? If you do choose to take them trick-or-treating (with or without a costume), be sure your dog is microchipped and have your vet check the microchip prior to October 31st to ensure it is still reading correctly. It is also a good idea to double check your contact information on the microchip registration is accurate and up to date. Be sure your pet has some type of identifying information in addition to the microchip. I strongly recommend microchips. However, they require the person who found the lost dog to bring them somewhere to be scanned. Tags or a collar with your phone number enable someone to find the dog and call you immediately to retrieve your dog. Finally, always watch your dog very closely and know where the candy is at all times. The last thing we want is for Halloween to turn into a horror story for your pup.
A couple more fun things to do with your dog on Halloween are taking them to a pumpkin patch and holding a doggy themed Halloween party.
If you still haven’t purchased your dogs Halloween costume, there is still time! PetCo and Chewy both have some super cute costumes. See the links below.
Shop Halloween Costumes at Chewy!
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Have Fun, Be safe and Happy Halloween everyone!