Fright night can be even more scary for your dog

Halloween represents an evening that, from your dog’s perspective, is far from the normal routine. From the many costumed munchkins roaming the neighborhood, to the doorbell ringing every two minutes, your dog may enjoy the frenzy of activity, or become quite concerned about it. Here are a few considerations to make certain the evening goes well for all:

If your dog has a solid, friendly temperament and routinely handles exposure to various strangers without reacting, you may wish to include her on your walk through the neighborhood. Use a 4-6 foot leash only; long or retractable leads can become entangled amongst the eager goblins and ghouls running from house to house. And please take along a baggie or two for the inevitable oopsie on the neighbor’s lawn. Although stepping in doo-doo would qualify as a Halloween “trick,” it wouldn’t be a nice one.

Watch for discarded candy or wrappers, and don’t allow your dog to swallow anything that you haven’t given her personally. If your dog lacks good manners or still needs exposure to learn how to behave around strangers, this is not the night to do it – no dog will benefit from constant scolding or leash-popping for inappropriate behavior.

If your dog is to remain at home with you, take her general behavior and temperament into account when deciding whether to allow her to remain loose in the house, out in the yard, or tucked away and possibly crated in a room far from the activities. If she explosively barks every time someone rings the doorbell, keep her contained at the other end of the house, so you don’t spend the evening scolding her and tearing your hair out. Or, alternatively, make this truly a night of treats: Withhold her ration of kibble all day, and use it on Halloween to prevent her from barking at the door.

Just prior to every ring or knock at your door, throw a handful of kibble down the hallway and excitedly tell your dog to “Go get those cookies!” Instead of scolding her for barking, she’ll be busy tracking down and munching on each piece of kibble, which results in the quiet you want without any unpleasantness. Another bonus: she can’t possibly bolt out the open door if she’s down the hallway on a cookie hunt!

A dog left out in the yard may spend her time barking at every “intruder” that walks by, so this may not be the ideal environment for her to spend the evening. If she is offered a special project of her own, like a big meaty femur bone or rawhide, she may remain focused on consuming it, and tune out the neighborhood activity. If this doesn’t prevent her constant barking, contain her properly, preferably indoors. Remember, barking can be a symptom of stress, so understand your dog’s reason behind the behavior, and take care to make her evening as stress-free as possible.

Many dogs are just as enthusiastic about the taste of chocolate as we are, but it should never be consumed by your pet. Chocolate contains theobromine which is toxic to dogs, and although variables such as your dog’s size, individual sensitivity and amount of consumption are all factors to consider, toxicity affects the nervous and cardiovascular system. Even offering your dog a small taste of chocolate may encourage her to go after larger quantities on her own, so it’s best kept off limits completely.

Finally, please resist the urge to put a costume on your dog, especially a headpiece. Although we all get a good chuckle at the sight, it is usually to the dog’s detriment. Subdued behavior, panting, resistance to move, or slinking around are just a few obvious signs that indicate your dog is stressed out by being in costume. Rather than make her endure, be your dog’s advocate and avoid a laugh at her expense.

With a little thought and preparation, your entire family including the dog is sure to have a safe and happy Halloween.