Halloween may be a fun time with all the decorations, costumes, and trick or treating. But your dog may not see it that way. Halloween time can potentially spook your dog and lead to other unfortunate instances. To avoid all that and keep your dog safe during Halloween, here are some safety tips to follow.
1. Be Safe with Your Halloween Decorations
Yes, it’s fun to decorate your house with all the spooky stuff during Halloween. But it’s always important to keep safety your priority when putting up decorations.
Since Halloween festivities occur during the night for that spooky effect, homeowners will tend to put up frightful displays that light up. And as cool as these may be, they can also be potentially dangerous to your pets.
If your Halloween decorations involve electricity, make sure there are no exposed wires that your dog can potentially chew. Candles are also another popular Halloween decoration that can really give off that eerie feeling and spooky effect. However, candles are dangerous to have around since they are a fire hazard. Your dog can easily knock a candle over, starting a fire at your home. So, it would be better to just use battery-powered candles for safety.
2. Keep the Halloween Treats Away From Your Dog
Every dog owner knows that chocolate is extremely dangerous for dogs. And Halloween is a holiday that involves a lot of chocolate and other treats.
When giving out treats to kids, you have to ensure your dog doesn’t get access to them. So, unsupervised bowls of candy are definitely not ideal. But if you don’t have time to give out treats yourself, your best bet is to get a puppy-proof container that kids will still be able to access on their own.
And if you have kids yourself, make sure they’re careful when eating their treats. Make sure they understand that chocolate is bad for dogs, so they don’t end up feeding the dog. You should also make sure the chocolate wrappers are well disposed of to avoid getting ingested by your pets.
3. Get Them Used to Socializing
Halloween can be such a confusing time for dogs. Aside from all the weird-looking humans, there’s also the issue of people constantly ringing the doorbell. The influx of visitors is something your dog isn’t used to, so it can be a potential stressor for them.
It’s best to prepare your pup beforehand so they won’t get so shocked by the sudden influx of people. Allow them to socialize with different people so they won’t get too aggressive at strangers. And when they do get stressed by the Halloween festivities, make sure you give them appropriate attention to hopefully soothe them.
Final Thoughts
While many people look forward to Halloween, pets may not be as enthusiastic about it. The spooky season can be a confusing and potentially dangerous time for your dogs. So, it’s important to make the proper preparations to make the Halloween festivities safer for your dog. Prioritize safety when it comes to decorations. Make sure the chocolate treats are inaccessible to your dogs. And train them to socialize so they won’t be under a lot of stress from the influx of trick or treaters.
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