The holidays are on their way! This time of year can be exciting for pet families since your furry friends can participate in most festivities and celebrations.
Halloween is our first holiday coming up, and there will be no shortage of candy, decorations, and scary movies in each household.
We must take extra precautions with our dogs around this time. Many things that seem fun to us can be a huge safety hazard to your dog. We want to bring you some Halloween safety tips for your Los Angeles dog so that you can all enjoy the holiday together safely.
Halloween Safety Tip #1: Keep Candy Out Of Reach
Out of all the Halloween safety tips we have, this one is extremely important. While Halloween candy is delicious and lovely to indulge in once a year, it is beyond unsafe and unhealthy for your dog. A lot of candies contain an ingredient called xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs. When dogs ingest xylitol, it will rapidly absorb into the bloodstream, causing spikes in insulin, leading to low blood sugar, leading to liver failure.
It is common knowledge that chocolate is also very toxic to dogs. So many different Halloween candies contain additional ingredients like caramel sauces, peanuts, peanut butter, and artificial sweeteners. If your dog gets into any of that, it is an automatic medical emergency.
If you suspect that your dog has gotten into some of your Halloween candy, please call your vet immediately, or visit your closest animal hospital.
Halloween Safety Tip #2: Proceed With Caution With Costumes
The best part of Halloween is dressing up in fun costumes and getting to play another character for a night. Our dogs can easily enhance our costumes, or they can wear their own and stand out! Sometimes we will dress ourselves up regardless of how complicated or uncomfortable a costume may be.
Dogs are not born to wear clothes, so costumes might be uncomfortable for them. They need to be desensitized to the costume before they can be entirely comfortable wearing it. If you buy your dog a Halloween costume, introduce them to it slowly. Let them smell and explore it before you have them wear it for Halloween night.
Be sure to give them their favorite treats as you slowly dress them up so they can create a positive association with the experience. If you would like visual assistance with introducing Halloween costumes to your dog, check out this quick video!
Halloween Safety Tip #3: Keep Your Dog’s ID On When Out Trick or Treating
Bringing your dog out with you trick or treating can serve as an excellent opportunity to take them out for a walk and let them do some exploring. It is important to keep them leashed at all times. Given all the distractions that come with being out for Halloween, your dog’s curiosity level might peak. If they become separated from you, please make sure that they have their ID tags on so your dog can quickly reunite with you.
Another great way to keep your dogs safe is to get them microchipped. A microchip is a tiny device that gets implanted into your dogs’ bodies to scan if they ever become lost. If your dog has a microchip, it will be easier to return them to you if they do escape. If you want to implant a microchip in your dog, you can do that at your local vet. You register your information on the microchip so that the vet knows that the dog belongs to you. Please don’t forget to keep your information up-to-date within your pet’s microchip account if you move, or change your phone number so you can always be reached.
Halloween Safety Tip #4: Watch Out For Decorations
Decorating the house for Halloween is one of the things we look forward to when the holidays come up. Halloween decorations come in a lot of different varieties. Some things can make noise, be very flashy, and even talk! The one thing they all have in common is that they are new and unusual to your dog. Some dogs can tolerate being around new and different things, while others might be more cautious. If you have a new puppy, be careful of any decorations that may dangle, or include wires to make them function.
Be sure to tape up any cables that may be accessible to your dog, so they don’t get chewed up. Decorations can pose a safety hazard to your dog, so be aware of where you put your décor so everyone can enjoy the embellishments to the fullest!
We hope these Halloween safety tips have given you the knowledge you need to keep your dog safe during the spookiest night of the year! If you need help teaching an old dog new tricks, the professional dog trainers at Pawsitive K9 Solution are here for you and your Los Angeles dog!
Contact us for more information on how we can be there for you with all your dog training needs.
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