Holidays are stressful for all of us– pets and pet parents alike. While you’re getting the last details perfect on your costume (or trying to figure out what you’ll be the day before), take some time to prepare the plan for your pets for the holiday as you finalize the plan for yourself and the rest of your family.
Going Out or Staying In
Going Out
There are so many options for activities leading up to Halloween: trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating, parties, parades, you name it! While one or all of these might seem fun for you, they may or may not be for your pup.
If you really want to go out and about with your pup on Halloween, first ask yourself two questions:
If the answer is “probably not”, leave him at home. We often feel bad about leaving our best friends at home all alone when we go out and have fun but, for many dogs, leaving them to snooze is kinder than putting them in a potentially stressful situation. If the answer is “maybe” or “yes!” move on to the second question.
This is especially important if your dog has never been to an event like this before but, even if he has and you think he’s enjoyed it, ask yourself this anyway. It may seem like Halloween would be a great time to socialize your dog to all sorts of weird and unexpected things, but it can easily be too much too fast. Going in with an exit strategy means you’re prepared to listen to your dog and honor his feelings if he seems uncomfortable. If you’re planning on taking your dog trick-or-treating and walking a couple miles away from home, it may be better to take your dog to the first couple of houses and drop him back home before heading out too far, even if you think he’s enjoying it.
Staying In
Staying home with the lights off or handing out candy can be a great way to hang out with your pets on Halloween. You won’t need to worry about having an exit strategy, but there are other considerations to make sure everyone is safe.
Halloween may seem like the best day ever to a kid-loving pup, but many parents won’t appreciate a strange dog bolting out the doorway to say “Hi.” Gates and exercise pens can be a great way to keep kids safe and parents happy, even if you’re sure the biggest risk your pup offers is death by a thousand kisses. They can be a downright necessity for those with escape artist cats, as well!
Dressing Up or Settling Down
Dressing Up
Dressing up is the quintessential Halloween activity, but that doesn’t mean you should have your pets join you. We’re able to choose what we want to wear and take it on and off as we like - our pets don’t have this ability.
If you’re thinking about dressing your pet up, start by recognizing that this is 100% for you, not for them. Consider how much effort you’re willing to put in to make sure your pet feels comfortable in their costume, from putting it on, to wearing it, to taking it off. Dogs and cats alike can be trained to be active participants in getting clothes put on them, but this takes a good bit of time and work. Dogs who are uncomfortable are more likely to bite, so choosing and training for a costume your dog is comfortable with is a safety issue as much as it is a welfare issue.
There are plenty of costumes that are minimally invasive to our pets and would take little to no training to make sure our pets are happy wearing them. An addition to your pet’s collar or harness is an easy way to do this, letting you dress your pet up as a bat, a businessman, or a Beanie Baby.
Settling Down
With all the wild costumes, unpredictable animatronics, and door-knocking, Halloween can be one of the most stress-inducing holidays for even the most chill dogs. Tiring your dog out both physically and mentally prior to festivities can go a long way in helping them stay calm.
You can also help aid a calm disposition by giving your pet CBD, with your vet’s approval, of course. Treats like Super Snouts Hemp Company’s Chill+Out Broad Spectrum Calming Hemp chews are a quick and easy way to do this, and the peanut butter spread version of Chill+Out has the same CBD benefits as the chew with the added benefit of being used for mental enrichment in food toys.
Halloween Should Be A Treat
However you celebrate Halloween, with or without your pets, take some extra time this year to consider your pets’ needs and preferences. Our ideas of fun are often much different from theirs and we all deserve more treats than tricks.