7 Doggy Dos and Don’ts for Halloween

Is a dog Halloween costume a good idea? Should you take dogs trick or treating? Are there safety measures to keep pets happy and chill on October 31st? With Halloween growing in popularity, these are great pet questions. Even though we humans can find the festivities fun, not all dogs will.

From strangers pitching up at your door in scary costumes to the yells of “trick or treat?!” Halloween isn’t really our furry friends’ favourite time of the year.

As pet lovers, we know you want to ensure your pet is happy, safe and stress-free during the fun. That’s why PD is rounding up the answers to seven top questions on dogs and Halloween.

#1. Is Halloween stressful for dogs?

From the oodles of strangers milling in the streets to ghastly ghosts ringing your doorbell, there’s a lot to take in for a dog over Halloween. Some dogs might like to participate briefly, but for the majority of dogs – even the social butterflies – Halloween can be stressful.

• Dog hearing

Dogs hear sounds up to four time farther away than us. They can pinpoint the exact location of the sound so crowds of trick or treating kids (read: strangers) might be super loud and scary. Lonnng before they even get to your door; never mind when they’re crowding in up close for a handful of candy.

• Dog smell

Dogs have 40 times as many smell receptors as we do. A patch of grass that’s covered in smells is nothing compared to a crowd of candy cane swinging strangers in scary costumes, makeup, perfume, deodorant and more. All this can be daunting, if not overwhelming, to a dog’s nose. Here’s a fun fact: some dogs, like bloodhounds, have noses that are up to one 100 million times more sensitive than ours.

We humans might like dressing up, eating sugar and roving about with crowds of strangers because we love to entertain our senses. But because a dog's senses are always on hyper drive, they need us to protect them from sensory overload during festive times like Halloween. That's your #1 Halloween ‘Do’.

#2. Should I dress my dog up for Halloween?

The number one Google search in Australia on the topic of dogs and Halloween is ‘dog Halloween costume’. Not surprising since dogs dressed up as witches, wizards, pumpkins and ghosts tend to get more clicks and likes than a plain old fluffball. However, dressing up is not for every dog.

If you’re keen on dressing yours up in a dog Halloween costume, here are some safety tips:

• Choose something without choking hazards (reads dangling tassels, strings, buttons etc)
• Use a costume that fastens with Velcro because buttons, elastic and drawstrings can be choking hazards
• Keep a check on their temperature (they can’t tell you if they’re overheating)
• Don’t leave them unattended in their Halloween outfit
• Don’t force them to wear the outfit just because you like it – go with their behaviour
• Get them used to wearing the outfit over a few days, or even weeks beforehand

While dressing up pets can be cute and funny, keeping them safe is key. Read our Dress Up Your Pet Day article for more dog Halloween costume safety guidelines. If you’re a cat mum or dad, check out this Halloween Costumes for Cats article that includes safety tips.

#3. How do you keep dogs safe at Halloween?

Besides not forcing your pooch to wear a dog Halloween costume, what other dos and don’ts can help keep them safe? Here’s a list:

• Create a safe space. Dogs love dens, so whether that’s a room in your house, far from the street/noise/bustle, or their crate, give your dog their own private sanctuary over Halloween. Read about crate training a puppy if you haven’t done so already.
• Create ambient calmness. Over and above a safe space, create a calm ambient mood by playing soft music (to essentially drown out the chit chat of Trick or Treaters) and/or using a pet pheromone diffuser.
• Give a dog a toy. Give your pooch something to give that added sense of safety, like their favourite toy and/or a (freshly worn) shirt of yours to sniff for the safe familiarity.
• Stream dog shows. If your dog isn’t a music lover, perhaps they’re more of a YouTube watcher? In which case, play some TV for dogs to give them something to focus on.

Pssst, love driving? Then read our Halloween costume ideas for car enthusiasts too.

#4. Do dogs go trick or treating?

Normally, dogs love walking around their neighbourhood taking in the sights and smells. However, on Halloween, the best bet for your pup is keeping them at home during the festivities.

If there’s one thing dogs love, its treats. But by now we all know that chocolate isn’t good for dogs and neither is candy.

Check out your neighbourhood’s trick or treating schedule by looking at online community groups or perhaps even asking your library. Trick or treating often starts around 4pm, but it could begin earlier. On the day, instead of getting your dog to weave through the candy hunters in a dog Halloween costume, avoid the bustle by taking them out to walk earlier on.

If you do venture out with your pooch during the trick or treating, watch their body language for signs of fear. Our ‘Is My Dog Afraid?’ article can help you learn the signs. Always keep them on a leash so that if they do bolt you won’t lose them. At the first sign of discomfort, take them home.

#5. What can I do with my dog for Halloween?

We get it, you’re excited about celebrating your dog on Halloween, but you want it to be tail-ored to them. That’s great. Most Halloweeny fun can be.

Here are some examples:

• Dogs trick or treating. Dogs love treats so why not make some dog safe treats to give your dog. Pumpkin is a dog safe food that’s versatile enough to use in lots of dishes. Check out the recipes for these five easy DIY Halloween dog treats.
• Dog Halloween costume. Still want to see your doggy in a cute dog Halloween costume? Why not put it on them and take a photo then take it off again. You’ll be able to create and keep the memory and they won’t wonder why they need another outfit over and above their furry coat. Here are some cat and dog photography tips for taking purrrfect pet pics.
• Have a Halloween doggy play date. Halloween for peeps is afternoon or evening, so what’s stopping you and your friends from doing a Halloween for pets in the morning? Think of a pet picnic in the garden or a pets in the park get together. With tasty (and safe) dog treats of course.

#6. Are Halloween pumpkins good for dogs?

When you’re carving out your Jack-O-Lantern, keeping the pumpkin insides to make pet safe treats is a definite “Do!”. By combining pumpkin, rice and ground meat of your choice, you could make a healthy homemade dog treat that will knock your dog’s socks off!

For dogs, the best trick or treating is the healthy ones you make at home.

Watch this PD Pet Care vlog for more tips on how to make healthy pet treats:

#7. Get award winning dog insurance

Now that you know what to feed your dog and whether a dog Halloween costume is a good idea, here’s another “do”. Do consider giving your pet a valuable health safety net with a dog insurance policy. You’ll simultaneously be doing yourself a favour by protecting your finances.

With pet insurance, you put a little in each month and when your dog gets stuck between a rock and a hard place, it’s there to bail them out for eligible health issues. Pet insurance helps cover the costs of surgery, medication, stay-overs at the vet, diagnoses, treatments and more.

That way, if your dog accidentally swallows your chocolate trick or treats you can rush them to the vet with no second guesses about costs. PD Insurance will be there from the start – and with us you get your first month or more of pet insurance FREE. Click below to start your quote.