We went to the Wonderdog Rescue Spooky! Scary! Fun! Halloween Fundraiser at El Rio last night. Wonderdog rehabilitates many really sick dogs so it was exciting to see such a great turnout. They also have a special place in my heart because they adopted Olly to us.
Olly getting ready
On our way
Frida Kahlo won first place in the costume contest
Remind everyone in your family to keep it away from your dog – especially the kids
Keep your dog out of the room when the kids are going through the end of the night candy sorting ritual on the living room floor. Make sure that everything is cleaned up when they are done.
There are a few major hazards in the candy basket
Some candy can be toxic
Xytol is found in many sugar free products and is highly toxic to dogs
Chocolate, the darker the chocolate the worse the effect, but it’s better to just keep it away
Wrappers can cause a big problem, especially plastic and foil which cannot be digested and may be hard to pass through your dogs intestines.
Candy is not part of their usual diet.
When Bean or Olly eat something that isn’t part of their usual diet we get to clean up pup puke for the next few days.
#2 - Trick or Treaters at your door are strangers to your dog
Most pet experts recommend that you put your dog in a safe place in your house away from all of the trick or treating activity at your door.
How would you react if this person came to your door and you did not know it was Halloween?
Be aware that your dog may bark and scare the visitor or even worse bite them!
Many people are afraid of dogs especially kids. In addition it’s hard to gauge their experience with animals. Watch out for kids getting too rough, strangers slipping your dog food or someone who seemed okay with dogs suddenly getting skittish.
I break this rule with caution every year. Bean loves people and really, really loves kids. At the beginning of the night when it’s still light and the trick or treater traffic is slow I’ll let her greet people. We have a gate at our front door so before I open it I let the kids see Bean and I ask them if they are okay with dogs, if yes, she gets to wiggle on them for a few minutes. If any of the kids hesitate I close the door to the vestibule and Bean gets to watch the activity through the front window while I greet the kids.
#3 - Keep an eye on your front door
All of the commotion of trick or treaters can be distracting and if you have multiple people doing door duty no one is consistently paying attention to your pooch. It’s so easy for your dog to slip out the door. Pet experts recommend that you keep your dog in a safe place in the house away from the activity by the front door or to keep them on a leash inside the house.
In our everyday lives Bean and Olly will run down our front steps to say hi to people when they arrive at our home. With all of the commotion of Halloween we keep this habit in mind as we open our front door to ensure that they don’t wonder off down the block when we are distracted by the trick or treaters.
#4 - The whackos come out of the woodwork
Yes they are out there and Halloween brings many of them out in public. Horrible things happen to animals around this holiday. Disappearance of household black cat’s spike. There is also a higher instance of dogs being stolen or poisoned in their back yards.
It is recommended that pet owners keep their pets inside, not in backyards, on Halloween night.
Also keep in mind that some people take on their costume persona.
A friend of mine in college got arrested for being drunk and stupid on Halloween, he had to share a jail cell with a guy that was arrested because he was dressed as Freddie Kruger and was assaulting people!
Be aware of how people around you are acting and how they are interacting with your dog. You don’t want a kid dressed as Bruce Lee giving your dog a karate-chop to the head.
#5 - Keep Halloween parades low stress
It doesn’t get much cuter than an elementary school Halloween parade. Actually it does, and that would be a pet Halloween parade. There is a really fun pet parade held in San Francisco every year by Farley's Coffee house. It’s so much fun to participate in these events but keep a few things in mind.
When your dog is in costume it may be stressed or overly excited, crowds can contribute to the excitement.
When participating in pet parades dogs can be even more stressed being in a pack while on leash and in costume.
Remember that costumes can be stuffy and may overheat your pooch.
Be aware of how your dog is acting, keep them well watered, and keep them away from situations where there could be an altercation with another dog. And remember, keep them on a leash at all times.
#6 - You look different in costume
Remember your dog may not recognize you when you are in costume! A few things you can do to ease the shock of your transformation for your dog.
Put on your mask or make up on in front of them
Talk to them so they can hear your voice
Get down at their level so you don’t look so threatening
#7 - Leave your dog at home when you are out trick or treating
If possible leave your dog at home, especially if you are with kids. Your kid’s safety should be your highest priority plus the commotion of all the activity in the neighborhood can be stressful for your dog.
If you must bring your dog with you keep them on a tight leash and watch what they are picking up off of the ground.
Some homes offer dog treats. I recommend turning those treats down. Just like you don’t let your kids accept unwrapped candy, apply the same rule to your dog. A polite way to say “no” is explain that your dog has a consistent diet and treats that are not part of their regular routine can make his or her tummy upset. Thank them for their good intentions but you don’t want to be cleaning up pup puke later this evening.
#8 - Dressing up your dog - keep it safe and don’t embarrass them
If you dress up your dog make sure the costume is safe for them
Ensure it is not restricting or too hot
Don’t make any elastic too tight around their limbs or tails.
Make sure they can’t chew on their costume
If they are going to be around other dogs make sure the other dog can’t easily chew on the costume either. Costumes with fake fur look like a plush toy to a dog!
When dogs are in costume keep an eye on them at all times. You want to avoid something getting caught, eaten, damaged or peed on.
Avoid setting your dog up for ridicule! Remember that your dog has feelings too. If their costume is cute they will get positive attention and feel good about themselves. If your dog does not feel comfortable or is not getting positive reinforcement in their costume they won’t be happy or have fun.
I know this sound silly but it’s true. Olly is extremely sensitive, when he is self conscious or when someone laughs at him he will hide in the other room for a while and then retaliate in the form of a chewed up sock or peeing on the chair you are sitting in. He’s really good at payback!
Here are two pooches that are obviously not happy about their costumes
#9 - Decorations can be detrimental
Keep decorations out of reach and don’t put them on tables that can be knocked over. Candles burn noses and start fires. Pumpkins are food for some. Cobwebs are choking hazards and plastic spiders are difficult to pass through intestines. If they get stuck, surgery to remove them is very costly.
#10 - Don’t invite evil spirits into your home!
They are annoying house guests and don’t leave easily. Your pooch may end up barking at the walls in the middle of the night. If your dog is home alone during the day they may not welcome the other worldly companionship, so stay away from the Ouija boards and séances!
Writers note: I’m not sure if this is really true, I only had nine tips and needed a tenth to complete this posting.
