Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (second to Christmas of course!). Although I have to admit that I prefer Halloween to be a celebration of Fall and not necessarily all the gross and gruesome scary elements! I love carving pumpkins, making my house smell like cinnamon and spice, bonfires, "hoodie weather", all the beautiful colors on the trees, and of course long cool hikes with dogs that have been cooped up inside during the hot winter months! Unfortunately, many of the things that make Halloween so much fun to celebrate can be hazardous to our four legged companions. But there is a bright side to Halloween happenings, there are PLENTY of training opportunities for your dog if you use them to your advantage!
A Guide to Halloween for Dog Owners:
A Guide to Halloween for Dog Owners:
CANDY
CANDY- According to www.petpoisonhelpline.com, poisoning by eating household foods was the NUMBER ONE reason dog owners and veterinarians called them for consultation in 2011. Specifically chocolate, xylitol, and grapes/raisins (all three can be easily found in MANY Halloween candies).
Certain types of chocolate are very toxic to dogs. The chemical causing toxicity in chocolate is theobromine (a relative of caffeine). The darker, more bitter, and more concentrated the chocolate is, the more dangerous it is. Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener that is dangerous to dogs. When ingested, even in small amounts, it can result in a life-threatening drop in blood sugar or even liver failure. Raisins and grapes are often overlooked as one of the most toxic foods to dogs, and can result in kidney failure. Make sure you brush up on your dog's "Leave it" and "Drop it" Commands before Halloween in case you find them with candy. Also, be sure to talk to your children about the dangers of candy for dogs (just because WE know it is dangerous, doesn't mean our kids do!). And of course, do all that you can to keep these poisons out of reach in the first place!
Certain types of chocolate are very toxic to dogs. The chemical causing toxicity in chocolate is theobromine (a relative of caffeine). The darker, more bitter, and more concentrated the chocolate is, the more dangerous it is. Many sugarless gums and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener that is dangerous to dogs. When ingested, even in small amounts, it can result in a life-threatening drop in blood sugar or even liver failure. Raisins and grapes are often overlooked as one of the most toxic foods to dogs, and can result in kidney failure. Make sure you brush up on your dog's "Leave it" and "Drop it" Commands before Halloween in case you find them with candy. Also, be sure to talk to your children about the dangers of candy for dogs (just because WE know it is dangerous, doesn't mean our kids do!). And of course, do all that you can to keep these poisons out of reach in the first place!
COSTUMES (THEIRS)
Tons of dog owners dress their dogs up for Halloween every year, myself included! My corgi has been everything from a lobster to a Lego, but she wasn't born loving dress up. Okay, maybe she still doesn't like dress up, but she does humor me! No matter what your dog is going to dress up as, make sure you purchase (or make!) the costume a few weeks ahead of time to give your dog time to get used to it. Spend some time making wearing the costume fun (hint: treats are always fun!). Start with just part of the costume and slowly add more pieces to it. For instance, maybe just get them used to wearing a hat, then the body piece, then shoes or an eye patch! Only add pieces once your dog is completely comfortable with the first piece. Don't rush the process, if the only thing they get used to is wearing a hat by the time Halloween comes around, then start the process earlier next year!
COSTUMES (YOURS)
Many owners get all dressed up in their Zombie best, then are completely surprised (and maybe even entertained) by the fact that their dog seems to actually think they ARE a Zombie! I have seen dogs not recognize their owners by simply adding a hat to their wardrobe, let alone full out zombie attire. Be sensitive to the fact that your dog might not recognize you in your costume and be prepared to deal with it. You may even want to put your own costume on a week ahead of time and get them used to it. Let's face it, no one wants their dog to act as if you are in a scene from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" the entire evening of your party or handing out candy to trick or treaters. This preparation may sound like a hassle but it is designed to save you work during entertaining and maybe even save you from being bitten by your own dog!
PARTIES
I love hosting our Halloween party every year and so do millions of other families every year. But what role does our dog play in the party? If you have a Halloween "Pro" like my Corgi Tru, dress them up and let them join in on the fun! However, if you have a Halloween "Newbie" like my German Shepherd Ziva, you may want to make other arrangements. Let's face it, when we are entertaining the last thing we want to be thinking about is training our dog (although it would be a GREAT opportunity!). If you don't feel you will be committed to making Fido behave during your party, you are better off not letting them join in on the fun. Not only will his bad behavior be frustrating to you but you will be teaching your pup that he does not have to behave when there are guests because there are no consequences. For puppies that are still in training, consider sending them to a Dog Day Care for the evening to have their own party like Dog Day Afternoon. If you don't want to explore that route, consider crating them or confining them to another room until the party settles down and then bring them out once everyone has eaten so you can be more focused on your dog's behavior and less on entertaining.
TRICK OR TREATING
Whether you are taking your own children around town to gather candy, or you are handing out your own sweets to the little goblins, pirates, spidermen that show up on your stoop, don't overlook your dog's participation in the festivities. If you are taking your kids Trick or Treating, consider dressing up your pup and taking them along! It is a great opportunity to work on their leash walking skills and people greetings. What other time of year are you allowed to show up at all your neighbor's houses and work on your dog's polite greetings? :) If you are staying home, consider working on your dog's door manners. Practice having your dog sit every time the doorbell rings and wait patiently to be greeted by all the little children (make sure you read my note above about humans wearing costumes and decide whether your dog is ready to greet goblins, pirates, and spidermen). What other time of year do you have a seemingly endless stream of door greetings to practice?
As you can see, Halloween is a constant supply of training opportunities. You can either use this time of year to get frustrated with your far from perfect pup, or you can use these situations to teach your dog what you expect of them so get out there and practice!
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