i'm 17 and me and my dog are going trick or treating, can anyone help me with some dog safety tips? :-)?

Question

and i know that they will want to pet my dog (chico). now i know that my dog would NEVER hurt a kid, but i still want to teach them a few dog safety tips. what are some suggestions? i know 1) you should never pet a dog unless it is with it's owner and 2) you should ask the owners permission first and 3) get down to the dogs level and hold your hand out in a fist and let him sniff it (but does it matter what way you hold your fist out: wrist up or down?). any more ideas?
my dog is a chihuahua, so he his small and gets intimidated by big towering people, but he genuinally loves kids. :-)

i've taken him before, and he's never gotten scared. and i usually take him between 2 and 6 pm. and whenever i do take him out at night, he wears a reflector on his leash. but those glow sticks are a good idea!

he will be wearing a dog-sized costume, he will be warm, i can tell when he gets tired, all the little kids in my neightborhood are between the ages of 3 and 8, and they wear cute costumes. i trick or treat in the daytime, and i think that trick or treating is probably less stressful for my dog because every time the doorbell rings he completely freaks out.

he wears ID all the time, my neighbors know what he looks like/who he belongs to, so they could return him if somehow he ever escaped. i keep him on a leash anytime i am outside or when there are strange people in the house. and if he gets too tired walking, he is content to have me hold him or pull him in a wagon.

he is 3 years old.

Answer 1

I hear you're suppossed to put your wrist down approaching a dog. if they've been abused in the past an open hand could frighten them. Also if the dog stops wagging its tail, or looks intimidated, don't even go there, cuz chances are he's uneasy and will bite!

Answer 2

Bring treats that the dog can eat. Kids drop they're candy from they're trick or treating bags sometimes. And although it seems sparce when we actually get home and check what we got, there is a lot of chocolate there. Just make sure that your dog is more interested in getting the treat that you have for him then the garbage on the ground.
Be sure that (though it sometimes doesn't matter) when a person is greeting the dog they aren't making direct eye contact. It could be taken as a challenge. You may not have to advise this to kids with a Chihuahua but it's good to know for bigger more assertive dogs.
Wrist down, and keep your hand in a fist. Knuckles pointing to the ground and move slowly. Keep in mind that these kids are going to be dressed to the nines. Reepers, and witches and ghosts and the like. It's sometimes scary for people lol. When your pup meets a new person praise him. "Good dog, it's ok! Good job. Well done! Good boy!" And even slip a treat in there to reinforce the point that this is fun not scary.
Though it is tempting don't pick him up. If he's scared take him to the side of the sidewalk/grassy area and kneel down to his level. Stay beside him, not infront or behind (Infront tells him he should be afraid and you're trying to protect him, and behind means you need protecting.) Keep reasuring him and treating him. By the end of the night you'll have a dog that's waiting for halloween to roll around again!

Answer 3

I would recommend the reflective clothing (ie leash and collar) and keep him on a short leash. Watch out for small children and always warn them not to rush at your dog as all dogs are unpredictable. When approaching a dog, holding ur hand below the level of the dogs head and holding it out FLAT (palm upwards) will be more effective than holding a wrist out (more difficult to bite, you see) and if your dog backs away from anyone just tell them to leave him alone you dont want to take the risk of him biting anyone. Although he hasnt bitten anyone before, it doesnt mean he wouldnt bite anyone EVER in the future. Would also maybe suggest carrying him, as hes so tiny. You dont want him being stepped on, you know what kids are like they dont think about these things. Personally I would either get a bag (big enough that he can fit in) and still keep his leash on and keep a hold of it, that way if he tries to jump out you still have him. But you will know yourself whether the bag is a good idea because only you know yourself if he would stay in it. Failing this, my opinion would be to leave your wee pooch in the house. It can be quite an ordeal if you've never done it before. Good Luck anyway

xCx

Answer 4

Hi there, either the glow sticks, or they have those new flashing id tags now at petsmart that are only a few dollars. They are really bright too. Also, buy some reflective tape from home depot that you can tape to his costume so cars can see him from the back side. Is he a part of your costume and that is why you are taking him? Usually if you go out and leave your porch light off people will assume that you aren't home and won't ring the bell and will leave your house alone. But anyway have fun and be careful! =)

Answer 5

Glow sticks sounds like a great Idea, Now if it is a cool nite The Chihuahua hates the cold and may shiver. It will tolerate and even appreciate a warm sweater on cooler days.

Be sure to socialize your Chihuahua as a pup to avoid excessive aggressiveness with other dogs as well as reserve with strangers. They tend to be fairly dog-aggressive. Chihuahuas generally recognize their own breed, but sometimes disapprove of other breeds. However, a "very" well-socialized Chihuahua can be friendly with strangers and other dogs.

Answer 6

While he may not typically bite, an intimidating situation may cause him to react differently. Be aware that if he does bite someone, you and/or your parents are responsible for the medical bills. Common sense dictates that small children will want to pet a cute little dog, but I think it is a situation better avoided. Leave him home while you trick-or-treat.

Answer 7

Leave the dog at home. Unless your're going to carry him all night, a tiny dog surrounded by kids running and screaming and wearing strange clothes will freak him out. Besides, it's night, he's tiny and might get stepped on.

Answer 8

In addition to what you have named, get him used to people in costume with people he knows. For some reason, hats and costumes really freak dogs out--and people acting weird in the halloween spirit won't help either. You might want to consider a muzzle or carrying your dog.

Answer 9

I would leave him at home outside, maybe tied up or leave him with a family member or a friend. THat way if he stays with family or a friend, He wont tear anything up while you are gone and the pet sitter can watch him and feed him and keep him company while u r gone.

Answer 10

I'll be keeping my 2 girls (Bichon Frise) in for sure .. the 2 boys is a bit harder as they like to be out and about being cats ... I will try tho cause I would hate something nasty to happen to them ...

I found this article ...

Keep animals confined on Halloween. Seclude them safely in a room away from the door and distractions.
Walk pets before dark to avoid any altercations with costumed characters.
House animals indoors just before and during Halloween. This protects pets from pranksters who tease, injure, steal, or kill animals.
Make sure pets are wearing current identification. Many pets get spooked and escape. Unfortunately they end up in shelters without identification.
Keep pets away from costumed ghouls and goblins. Halloween bites are not uncommon. Even friendly animals may bite due to stress, fear, or protective aggression.
Store and dispense candy so that it is not accessible to pets. Many treats are toxic and even lethal to pets.
Avoid the liability that comes from dressing up your pet and sending the critter out trick-or-treating with kids.
Don't dress up pets unless they love it. If you do dress them up make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. Avoid restriction of movement, vision, hearing or the ability to breathe or vocalize. Costumes should not contain small dangling accessories that could be consumed or cause choking.
Restrict your pet's access to decorations. Jack o'lanterns with candles are obvious fire hazards, but cats can also get tangled in streamers. Pets can also become ill from eating holiday decor

Also

If your dog has the personality and temperament to accompany the kids trick-or-treating, there are a variety of costumes available in pet-friendly sizes. Just make sure the costume doesn't interfere with his ability to breathe, see, hear, move, or bark. Always make sure the fit isn't constricting, and keep an eye out for signs your dog may be getting stressed out.


Like any other night you take your dog for a stroll, make sure he's wearing his collar & nametag/ID. And with so many other people on the street, it's important to keep him on a lead or leash.


Just as you'd make sure your kids aren't eating unsafe candy, never let your dog get a hold of any bite-size sweets. Candy and wrappers are potential choking hazards, and chocolate is particularly dangerous for dogs - a toxin. Instead, pick up a container of Baked Halloween Cookies for Dogs to share or any other of your pooch's favorite biscuits and treats.


No other time of year will so many strange kids in even stranger costumes be knocking on your door. This can be especially nerve-wracking for the territorial dog. With the door opening and closing all night, be careful of them darting out. You may even want to put up a temporary gate in the entranceway, or keep your pup in a separate room.


For especially nervous animals, the haunting screams of kids and endless chiming doorbells can get to be too much for comfort. There are a variety of calming products designed for storm- and travel-shy pets, which are also useful on Halloween.