Halloween is coming! What should the typical dog owner do to protect their dog?

Question

With Halloween coming up this week, what should the typical owner be aware of so that their dog's health is not put in danger. Every year many dogs and cats die during the holidays do to simple mistakes.

So, tell me what YOU are most careful about during Halloween! What should others be mindful of?

As usual, I am asking that we don't give thumbs down and no reporting please. If you don't like someones answer, ignore it and keep on going to the next one. Thank You!

Mistakes like being given chocolate candy, or being tied outside and choking themselves. I have even heard of a dog eating plastic parts of its costume and then being found dead the next morning because it had a blockage.

The Vet's office was telling me horror stories about what they see during this time of year.

Answer 1

ASPCA comprised a list on keeping our pets safe during Halloween, here it is:

- No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

- Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don’t put your dog or cat in costume unless you know he or she loves it (yup, some pets are real hams!). For companion animals who prefer wearing their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

- If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not restrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a lookout for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

- Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are consumed.

Answer 2

I let the dogs out 2 hours before the kids should beging to come by. When they come in, I place them into the kitchen with me and gate off both exits. I cover the floor with their beds and I actually do give them some medication from the vet to keep them calm. The candy is placed on a TV stand in a bowl with a seal. When the kids come by, my dogs are calm and safe in the kitchen while i give out candy at the front door. This will be my 3rd year doing this and I have never had any issues.

Answer 3

I would never take a dog trick-or-treating again! Once we did, and he found all sorts of candy dropped on the ground! Fortunately he only got into gum. (That was a mess!)

I have seen people dress their dogs up and take them around with kids. The dog couldn't see very well and got spooked. It almost bit its owner!

I think that keeping the dogs separated from the front door during the time when kids will be coming to the door is also a good idea. Some dogs just can't handle the excitement!

Answer 4

Our dogs stay home on Halloween. I don't want to take the chance of something happening to my dogs or to people in costumes. The dogs can become frightened of people in costume and try to bite them or try to make a break from the leash and get hit. Candy bowls are a no no. Although the dogs can not reach the table, the bowl is still in the middle.

Answer 5

We keep the dogs downstairs and block the passage through half of the downstairs. They will be occupied with something else when the doorbell rings and all the children swarm at the door. We have a ton of trick or treaters every year.
Keep the chocolate away from them and we are cautious when it comes to keeping them away from danger.
Halloween isn't a real situation for us, as long as the dogs are occupied during the whole 1-2 hours of trick or treating then their happy and safe.

Answer 6

My dogs celebrated early at a party at a PetSmart where friends of ours work. Their costumes are minimal and they don't mind them at all, and seem to have great fun carousing with the other canines. The store gives out "goodie bags" and then we go through those to take out anything that our dogs do not do well with (like any rawhides of any sort).
On Halloween night, I keep the pups up in the condo with the shades drawn. I don't take them out when all the ghosts and goblins are out because I don't want someone feeding them candy or something bad or trying to scare them or getting scared by them. ; ) They've already had their Halloween party.
At Christmas, they go as reindeer- needing only the made-for-dogs reindeer antlers with little bells on the ends. They have great fun and look really cute.
Our dogs enjoy being "in on" the holidays and we are careful when they are, that they don't get into anything dangerous. An acquaintance lost her Maltese last Christmas at a party of hers when her dog go on a table and ate only eight wrapped Dove dark chocolate candies.

Answer 7

Keep the candy away from the dogs! I remember at one holiday time all the questions here about how the dogs were getting into the chocolate and what ever.
We gate the dogs away from the door where the kids come to.
We also take the dogs outside ourselves that night. No unescorted potty times. Out to pee and poo then right back into the house. I do this the whole night. In the morning I examine my yard for any disguarded candy, trash or whatever the kids may have left on it too.
I've done this every year and have had no problems when it trick or treat time.

Answer 8

I have read several things regarding pets and Halloween lately. I think some of the things people need to be watchful for are:

When kids come to your door, keep your dogs away from the door....like keep them gated in the kitchen or somewhere where they don't have the opportunity to dart out the front door. Or, keep them in a locked room...the doorbell ringing may make them anxious. - that brings me to an idea...I have seen some people sit outside and greet the kids....that can stop the doorbell ringing.
Keep candy up and away from dogs....if a dog eats the candy, he/she can get very sick.
I've also read about candy wrappers....tell your kids to throw them away appropriately....dogs will try to eat the wrappers because of the left over smell the candy leaves on the wrapper and eating a wrapper can be dangerous and can be a choking hazard.
If taking dogs out with you, be careful to stay away from burning candles in pumpkins...they can wag tails and accidentally get in contact with the candles in the pumpkins.
I also read recently that dogs feel stressed and uncomfortable dressed in costumes. I think some dogs may be okay with it, but read your dog...if he feels weird dressed up...think of how he feels...he may be uncomfortable or feeling stressed from it.
Have a fun time and try to let the dog know everything is okay.

Answer 9

I'm in an apartment building so I know that no one else has access to my dogs- there's no yard so no opportunity to leave them unattended.

What pet owners should do is keep their pets inside on mischief night and Halloween. People with cats should keep their cats inside, especially on these nights. Those who will have candy around the house (or with children) should take great care to ensure none is left around for a pet to get into.

Pets should be kept in another room with a door closed, a gate or crated during trick or treating hours, to prevent an unexpected escape or unfavorable encounter with trick or treaters.

Answer 10

My dog is never outside unless I am anyway but if your dog is normally outside its a good idea to bring them in by dark.

I do have a black cat and she is not allowed outside for several days before halloween.

I dont have much traffic going in and out now but when I did I kept my then dog on a drag line in the house just in case, she was never a door bolter but you can never be too safe when you have the door opening so many times to give out candy.

Outside door to the living room was gated off with a baby gate inside the door again just as an extra precaution.

When I had kids at home, candy was never left in uncovered containers, only jars with screw lids and out of dog reach. Was not a problem with then dog but again cant be too safe.

Yard is always check for any objects that have been thrown in it especially after halloween but I do this every morning anyway.

If you walk your dog keep an eye out for things on the ground for several days after halloween, candy, wrappers, bits of costume etc.

Keep tags on any pets, mine are also microchipped but keeping tags on any pet that may escape especially out of fear and run is very important.

Take a photo of any pet, if it does come up missing a recent photo is very helpful, also note any scars or other identifing marks. If your dog has patterns like a dalmation get photos from both sides, know the dogs aprox height at shoulders and weight.

I dont give out candy anymore from anywhere but the porch because a few years ago someone tried to use halloween to push their way into my house. My then rottie met him and sent him back out. You can bet he reconsidered the approach in years to come.

May add more later as I think about this

ADDED
Candy isnt good for dogs we all pretty much know that, but dont forget some artifical sweetners are TOXIC to dogs. There is a lot of sugar free candy on the market, be especially careful with it.