How to have a safe and happy Halloween with your dog

Halloween can be great fun for us, but the strangers, costumes, noises and disruption in routine can be very stressful for our dogs. Because your dog will probably not see Halloween in the same fun-filled light as you do, it’s important to take some precautions before the spooky night begins. 

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown”  - H. P. Lovecraft

If the horror genre was a breed of dog it would unequivocally be the Rottweiler.  One of the most commonly and criminally misunderstood, historically misrepresented and synonymous with danger and fear despite their loving nature. People are not born to fear Rottweilers, we are wrongfully instructed to feel fear in their presence and that those who embrace them are somehow lesser than or unrelateable. 

Halloween is a favourite holiday in my house, which means the decor has been up for weeks, the dog beds are surrounded by pumpkins, and Remy and Ira have been wearing festive collars and bandanas since October 1st. Admittedly, it is easy to get wrapped up in the fun of this holiday, but as pet parents we do have to remember to limit the level of involvement of our pups to something suitable for their individual needs... which sadly may not include wearing a t-rex costume 24 hours a day so you can feel like you’re living in Jurassic Bark. 

When approaching any holiday, you can’t browse the internet without finding a slew of safety tips to abide by. Of course, there are some important basics: