We don’t realise how stressful Halloween can be for pets, especially dogs. Although some of our more social furry friends enjoy the hustle and bustle of the festivities, some might find the visitors in costumes and the increase in noise levels a bit stressful.
A dog’s natural instinct is to protect their home and alert you when strangers arrive, and most cats prefer quiet spaces and the doorbell constant ringing with trick-or-treaters might cause some level of anxiety.
We have a few tricks up our sleeves to help calm them:
• If you have a pet that is really anxious, put them in a quiet room before the trick-or-treating starts. You can even put some of their favourite tunes on so that they don’t hear all the noises outside.
• Spend some time outdoors so that you prevent people from ringing the doorbell. Nothing like getting a ray of sunshine while handing out treats.
• Costumes and masks change the look and smell of people so even familiar faces become unfamiliar, so if you are hosting a party, you might want to still consider keeping your furry friend in a quiet room during the festivities.
• If you are going out trick-or-treating and have a dog that is not sociable, you should consider leaving them at home where they are safe.
• Keep the candy stash locked away so that your pet can’t reach it.
• Kids might not know how harmful sugar is for their fur babies so make sure they understand the difference between their treats and a dog or cat treat.
• When decorating, make sure that what you are using is pet friendly, some cats might get nervous around fake spiders and you don’t want your pup chewing on a candle stick.
• Make sure they are wearing their ID tags, and if they have a microchip, that it has your latest contact details in case they decide to go trick-or-treating without you.
Some deco tips from the Petinsurance.com.au team:
• Make your own decorations from cardboard that won’t pose any harm to your pet.
• Try steering away from electrical or animated decorations that could frighten them.
• Use decorative-themed pillows or throws.
• If you are hanging decorations make sure they are secure and won’t drop down in the middle of the festivities.
• Ensure that any decorations you are using on a table are in the centre of the table and off the edges.
Dressing up your pet is not for everyone, but if you are going to turn them into a pumpkin make sure that they are comfortable, don’t have any chewable parts that they could choke on and that the costume allows for them to move freely.
If you feel like treating your furry friend, you might consider getting a Halloween-themed soft toy or seeing what pet-friendly Halloween activities there are in your area.