Halloween is a fun holiday for parents and kids alike. But for our pets, all those strangers — especially excited, noisy little ones dressed in weird costumes — can cause stress, fear and even aggression.
Dogs are naturally territorial animals. Most will bark when even familiar visitors knock or ring the doorbell. Trick-or-treaters present many unfamiliar visitors over a short period of time.
With each new visitor your dog will experience his usual territorial arousal, sense of alarm or even fear, and the instinct to bark to warn his family of intruders. Physiologically, dogs experience increased heart rate, adrenaline, and a cascade of stress hormones flushing through their bodies. After several visitors in a row, dogs may start feeling stressed, overstimulated and tired.
Children are at greater risk of dog bites due to their natural behavior. They move erratically, behave unpredictably, and make loud noises. They’re often very interested in animals and may try to pet and pursue them even when the animals are showing signs of fear or aggression.
In addition, children’s small size puts them at greater risk because they’re at the same level of dogs and interested in similar things, like toys and food. Dogs and children do not know how to behave around each other instinctively. Steps must be taken to teach both dogs and children how to interact with each other safely. And that’s a process to start long before Halloween!
Read on for my 5 key tips on keeping your pets away from harm, preventing common misbehavior that Halloween can provoke in pets, and protecting children from fearful or aggressive dogs.
TIP #1
Give your dog or cat an extra bout of vigorous play, brisk walking or jogging with you midday, before the festivities begin. A tired pet is a calmer, happier and better behaved pet.
TIP #2
If you know your dog or cat is not well socialized with strangers or has any issues (avoids or hides, gets over excited and jumpy, barks or growls), then Halloween is not the time to try train him, “get him used to it” or “socialize him.” Halloween also gives scared or adventure-seeking pets lots of opportunities to dart out an open door. Play it safe. Prevent escapes and behavior incidents by keeping your pets away in another part of the house for those few hours. Create a cozy, safe area out of sight. Turn on music or a TV to help mask the sounds of the door and festivities. Give a food-stuffed Toppl or Kong toy, a hefty chew bone, or lick mat to help keep your pet occupied and calmer.
TIP #3
If your dog isn’t already crate or confinement trained, and she fusses, scratches the door or carpet, whines, cries or barks when separated from you, start training this indispensable “alone-time” skill months ahead of Halloween. Consider boarding your pet away from home if Halloween is here and your dog can’t yet be comfortably confined, separated or crated.
TIP #4
Don’t take your dog trick-or-treating with you, even if you feel confident that he’ll be able to handle it. There are too many unknowns on a night like Halloween. Darkness alone makes most animals more cautious or on edge. Even if your dog is friendly and well behaved, some others you encounter — dogs and kids — will not be. Costumes that obscure hands and faces are particularly unsettling to dogs, who closely observe these areas of our bodies to predict our behavior and decide whether we’re safe. The spooky décor, giant inflatable monsters, strobe lights and electronic voices can startle and scare even the most placid dogs.
TIP #5
By all means, enjoy Halloween with your dog in easier settings! Visit a pumpkin patch together. Make homemade pumpkin dog treats. Set up a bob-for-treats game in your bathtub or kiddie pool. Play my favorite Find It scent game by hiding treats all around your house for your dog or cat to find. Snuggle up together with popcorn and a good movie on TV.