Everyone loves to have fun for Halloween and sometimes we want to include our best canine friends in our festivities, but we must be cautious because our pets can become “spooked” by all the strange noises, scary costumes and the frequent visitors coming to the door. Please, plan ahead especially if your pet loves to bark at every visitor or try to bolt out the door by confining them to a back bedroom or a kennel for Halloween night. Make sure your pet has proper identification such as an identification tag or microchip, and there are also new GPS Trackers for those frequent escape artists.

Halloween is well know for a higher number of lost dogs, injuries from car accidents, and accidental poisonings than any other holiday. The number of dog bites to children and people is also elevated at Halloween, even with people the dog may know because the costumes alter the appearance of the person and the dog may no longer recognize them as human. You, as the pet owner, are responsible for controlling your dog and protecting him from escape or biting the little ghouls and goblins that come knocking at your door.

Costumes can be scary for pets, too. Be careful that your dog won’t be scared or try to attack the stranger in the costume. My dog Jake, did not like the Monster that swallowed my son and tried his very best to pull the costume off of him. We had to take our son, with the costume in a bag, to his friends house to change and go trick or treating. We also tried to put a costume on Jake, but he did not tolerate that well either. Some dogs love it and some dogs loathe it.

If you want to put a costume on your dog for Halloween, make sure your dog is comfortable at all times. Do not use any costumes that use rubber bands or can restrict circulation or breathing. Look out for any toxic paints or dyes. You may want to dress him up a few days earlier to get him used to the idea rather than wait for Halloween Eve when all the excitement is at its highest. Do not leave your pet unattended with the costume on. He may try to chew it off and can choke on it or have it cause an obstruction in his stomach. If your pet is uncomfortable in any way, get a quick picture, then let him “Trick or Treat” in his “birthday suit”.
Once your child returns with their goody bag, be sure to place the treats far out of reach of your pet. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and pets are known to eat the goodies; wrappers, sucker sticks and all. Also, watch your treat bowl. An unguarded bowl with goodies is tempting to your pet. Nothing ruins a Halloween festivity than a trip to the animal emergency hospital with a sick pet.
Halloween can be fun for you and your pet with a little planning and safeguarding your pet against escape, injury or poisoning and preventing accidental dog bites.

Visit MyFavoriteHalloweenStore.com for great costumes for pets and people, as well as decorations, recipes, pumkin carving kits, , treats and more.