1.) Getting into the Halloween Candy
- Chocolate and Xylitol (artificial sweetener) are two huge ingredients in candy that are toxic to our pets, as well as small boxes of raisins that are very poisonous to pets if ingested!
- Keep that Halloween candy up high and concealed tight from those curious noses
2.) Running Away/ Escaping
- The door will be opening and closing often come the evening of Halloween; if you have a cat or dog that dashes for the door it may be best to close them off in a separate area of the house
- Keep your pets inside; especially cats – people and things will look different outside Halloween night, and the decorations/costumes may frighten them
- Make sure your pet is Microchipped and have identification on their collars in case of an accidental escape
3.) Becoming Anxious and/or Aggressive towards others
- Try to take your pet for their evening walk earlier or while it is still daylight; your dog may become fear aggressive or anxious if they see something strange like a ghost or ghoul walking towards them on the street in the dark!
- Try to avoid walking by houses with a lot of decorations as sometimes there are decorations that jump out at you as you walk by and may frighten your dog
- If you know beforehand your dog goes nuts when the doorbell rings, try to place them in a separate room/ safe place/ kennel with the TV or some calming music on; to try to lessen the anxiety.
4.) Chewing on/knocking over Halloween Decorations or Costumes
- Sometimes we become so excited for getting ready for Halloween that we don’t watch what our pets are getting into – try to keep decorations for outside where they cannot be reached, and parts of costumes accounted for to avoid an accidental ingestion!
5.) Becoming Stressed over the Cute Costume we Bought for Them
- It can be a great time for us when we place the costume on our pet…but how do they feel? It is something new, and with all new things we should be teaching our pet that the costume is something positive.
- Placing the costume on well in advance of the big night and giving lots of praise and treats each time can help them associate the cute costume with something fun! AND it will help you get that amazing picture for Facebook (and please share it on our Facebook!)
We hope this helps you AND your pet have a safe and fun Halloween!