At Home or Trick or Treating, Make Sure Your Dog is Safe
Halloween can be a perilous time for dogs. Decorations, extension cords, candles and all that candy can be dangerous to any pet, Halloween night especially can be very stressful on your pets, especially dogs. Most dogs are protective of their home and their people, so rings at the door mean potential danger from strangers, to a dog. Repeated doorbell rings can create a state of agitation that can do everything from make your dog physically sick to make them unusually aggressive or prone to bite.
Keeping your dog (and your neighborhood kids) safe on Halloween is a fairly easy thing to do with a little bit of planning.
Keeping your dog (and your neighborhood kids) safe on Halloween is a fairly easy thing to do with a little bit of planning.
Keeping Your Dog Safe at Home on Halloween
If your dog is one that gets overly excited and runs around barking when someone rings the doorbell, or walks up to your house, the safest thing you can do is to put him in a rear facing bedroom, or the basement and turn on the television, or a radio. Hopefully that will keep him or her from barking and jumping around over and over, which can lead to vomiting, mental fatigue and nervousness (yours and the dog's), and urinating in the house.
- If you plan to leave your dog loose, make sure their collar is on with ID tags. With the door opening and closing so much and spooky strangers around, your dog may run out the door and get lost.
- Make sure to keep all extensions cords and halloween decorations out of the reach of your dog. Chewing can be fatal in either case from electrocution or strings winding up in his or her intestines.
- Keep candy out of reach of all pets, especially dogs. Don't think they will not eat it because it is wrapped. Paper or plastic will not stop an animal from eating candy and it can be poisonous to them, especially chocolate.
- Be extremely careful with open flames. Dog tails or curious cats can knock over lighted candles or jack-o-lanterns and start a fire.
- If you dress your dog up for Halloween, make very sure that the costume does not cut or bind, or rub sensitive areas. Dogs will many times wear a costume, as long as it's comfortable. If a dog simply will not wear a costume, don't try to force him. Neither of you will like the results.
- Remember, the people coming to the door will look strange and scary to your dog, don't allow a situation to occur where your dog may bite someone or attack them because of strange clothes and over excitement.
- Don't leave candy wrappers on the floor or tables where dogs can reach them. They may eat them because of the smell. and they can cause bowel obstructions.
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All Natural Herbal Remedy
for Anxious or Aggressive Dogs Bach's Rescue Remedy is a herbal supplement that comes in drops. Just put these drops on a treat, or in their food or water and the effect is almost instant. Your dog will be calmer and less agressive. Safe to use every day or just once in a while, like on Halloween when there are lots of strangers ringing the doorbell, or you want to take him Trick or Treating! It really works, I have used it! |
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If Your Dog Accidentally Eats Chocolate....
Chocolate is poisonous to pets because it contains theobromine, which causes increased heart rate, constriction of arteries, and over stimulation of the central nervous system. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous because it contains the most theobromine.
If your dog has eaten chocolate, you should try to make him or her vomit by giving them hydrogen peroxide: one teaspoon for every 5 pounds of dog weight. Give it to them orally, by squirting it in their mouth with a syringe or eye dropper. If they do not throw up or if they display any of the symptoms listed below, get to an emergency veterinarian immediately. If they do throw up and you see chocolate in the vomit, it is still a good idea to take them to the vet.
Chocolate is poisonous to pets because it contains theobromine, which causes increased heart rate, constriction of arteries, and over stimulation of the central nervous system. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous because it contains the most theobromine.
If your dog has eaten chocolate, you should try to make him or her vomit by giving them hydrogen peroxide: one teaspoon for every 5 pounds of dog weight. Give it to them orally, by squirting it in their mouth with a syringe or eye dropper. If they do not throw up or if they display any of the symptoms listed below, get to an emergency veterinarian immediately. If they do throw up and you see chocolate in the vomit, it is still a good idea to take them to the vet.
Symptoms of Chocolate Poisoning:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive urination
- Pupil dialation
- Rapid heartbeat
- Muscle tremors and seizures
- Coma
- Heart failure
Keeping Your Dog Safe If You Take Them with You Trick or Treating
First of all, I have to say that it is not recommended that you take your dog trick or treating. Dogs are naturally more nervous when in strange territory, so if you add that to strangely dressed and yelling kids, you have a bad situation waiting to happen. Don't even think of taking your dog out on Halloween unless they are, by nature, a VERY calm and friendly animal. Keep him or her on a short leash, just in case they decide to lunge at a person they find threatening. The best way to insure that your dog will not bite anyone is to place a soft muzzle on them. Contrary to what most people think, soft muzzles are very comfortable and do allow some jaw movement and free and easy breathing.
Please remember, dog attacks and bites are very serious. They can damage you financially, and also result in your dog being destroyed by the authorities. Please don't put yourself or your pet in that situation when it can be easily avoided.
Have a great weekend,
Jade :)
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