5 Tricks for Trick-or-Treating With Your Dog

Dog Safety

Oct 22

Ghouls, goblins and monsters OH MY! It’s spooky season and time to plan the ultimate candy route for the best treats in the neighborhood. Thinking about bringing your favorite furry sidekick along this year? If your dog is typically very calm and friendly around strangers, is comfortable walking on a leash and doesn’t get easily scared or anxious, then it’s the paw-fect time to bring them with you! But before you head out for trick-or-treating, check out these 5 tricks to make sure you and your dog have the most enjoyable time possible.

1. Map Out The Scene

It’s all about balance when it comes to planning your trick-or-treat route with your pet. You want to be out long enough to get the Halloween experience, but not so long that your trusty canine sidekick starts to hit their limit. Try keeping your house in the center of your route and doing a ‘figure 8’ so if your furry friend starts to stall halfway through, you can drop them off to relax at home while you finish your candy route.

2. Pack The Essentials

Even if your pup is channeling a superhero, they still have basic needs that you need to be ready for. Make sure you have some water and a bowl, waste bags ready and some treats for them so they don’t feel left out from everyone else eating the candy! You can also consider some reflective leashes, harnesses or collars white you’re out and about at night too. A flashlight is also a great idea to have to help light the way for you and your pup.

3. Costume Time!

If your pup happens to be one that enjoys and can tolerate a costume, make sure that the fit is just right and not too tight! They need to be able to have range of motion, move comfortably, breathe and be able to take a pee break without having to disassemble everything. You can also think about putting some reflective tape on the costume to make them more seen during the night. **Think about doing a couple dry runs with your dog in their costume around the neighborhood before the big night so you can see how they walk with the costume on to make any changes.**

4. Train Beforehand

Since your dog will be around different sights, sounds, people and dogs, you should make sure they are well socialized and trained before heading out into the chaos. Practice basic obedience commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘stay’ and ‘leave it.’ Make sure they are comfortable around strangers, especially ones that are wearing costumes. Take some loops around the neighborhood to brush up on their walking too - you’ll want to make sure your dog is under control and can walk nicely around everyone instead of pulling to make the night more enjoyable for both of you.

5. Know When It’s Time to Go Home

When you’re in such an active and chaotic environment, your happy-go-lucky pup may become anxious or uncomfortable quickly. So how do you know it’s time to call it a night? There are some typical signs of stress or overstimulation that include:

Shaking/shivering
Tucked tail
Licking lips, yawning and averting their gaze
Trying to hide
Drooling excessively
Vocalizing (barking, whining, growling)
Lunging/intense pulling on leash
Trying to escape or pulling to get away from crowds
Refusing to walk

It’s important to watch your dog’s body language so you don’t push them past their limits. If it’s time to turn around and go back, that’s okay! Go home, make a bowl of dog-friendly, air-popped and unbuttered popcorn, grab a cozy blanket and watch some Halloween movies with your canine friend to round out Halloween night inside.

Halloween is one of the most fun nights of the year and involving your furry friend can make the night that much more spooktacular! Being proactive and having a plan and preparations in place before the big night comes is the key to keeping the night fun and enjoyable for all two-legged and four-legged friends. You know your dog best, so always be aware of how your dog is reacting to surroundings and know when they’ve been pushed to their limits.

Know what else is spooktacular? Daily dog walks from Going Mutts Pet Services! A great way to keep your pup active and ready to take on trick-or-treating is walking during the day with one of our pup-tastic dog walkers. Contact us today to see how we can help with all of your pet care needs or visit our website to see our spooky good services that are offered!

Sources:

https://figopetinsurance.com/blog/halloween-pet-etiquette-trick-or-treating-your-dog

https://www.dailypaws.com/living-with-pets/holidays/holiday-safety/dog-trick-or-treat-safety-tips