Halloween can be the spookiest night of the year, but keeping your dog safe doesn’t have to be tricky.
Take these simple, common sense precautions to keep your dog happy and healthy all the way to November.
Stash the Treats - "No Tricks - Just Treats"
The candy bowl is for trick-or-treaters, not your canine companion. Several popular Halloween treats are toxic to dogs. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs, and sugar-free candies containing the sugar substitute xylitol can cause serious problems in dogs. If you suspect your dog has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.
Watch the Decorations and Keep Wires Out of Reach - "Let's get this PAW-started"
While a carved jack-o-lantern certainly is festive, dogs can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered relatively nontoxic, but can produce stomach discomfort in dogs who nibble on them.
Be Careful with Costumes - "Ruff life being this cute"
For some dogs, wearing a costume may cause undue stress. Don’t put your dog in a costume unless you know he or she loves it. If you do dress up your dog for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight or ability to breathe, or bark. Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your dog, leading to injury.
Be sure to have your dog try on the costume before the big night. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting your dog wear his or her “birthday suit” or a festive bandana instead.
Keep Dogs Calm and Easily Identifiable - "Too cute to spook"
Halloween brings an abundance of activity with visitors arriving at the door, and too many strangers can often be scary and stressful for dogs. All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. While opening the door for guests, be sure that your dog doesn’t dart outside. And always make sure your dog is wearing proper identification—if for any reason he or she does escape, a collar with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost dog. Our BAYDOG Tampa Bay Embroidered Collars can be a perfect addition to your dogs costume. They come in an assortment of color options. You can also personalize them with your dog's name and your contact information- knowing that it is on the collar and not worrying about if the ID tag ever falls off!
Happy Halloween!!! No Tricks...Just Treats!
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