How To De-spook Halloween 🎃

This holiday has huge potential for accidental, well... dog abuse. I have been guilty of a few of these myself, so please learn from my mistakes.

1) Halloween can be terrifying

Puppies need to be socialized to what they are going to experience in our human world through slow and systematic exposure. No matter your dog's age, one day a year of seeing people dressed up and moving strangely isn't going to cut it. They may be scared and run away, bark or cower when the decorations and costumes come out in your home or neighborhood. Stressing dogs out isn't cute or funny so please don't laugh or get out your camera if they are in distress. I shouldn't have to say this, but thousands of videos on the internet indicate it's worth stating. It's your job as a good dog owner to help them cope with our strange and incomprehensible human world, which means stepping in immediately if they are unsure or distressed.

Here's what to do if your dog is uneasy...

If your dog is worried about your neighborhood decorations or a costumed person, don't let them stand tensely and stare or run past it to get away.

• Take a deep breath and pull your shoulders back

• Make a quick plan and take charge by giving them a task to focus on

• Shorten your leash (or put it on if it wasn't already)

• Put them to work by doing some "weird walking"

• Engage their thinking brain and run some training commands within sight of the spooky situation, but not too close (this won't be possible if they are too scared)

• Walk back and forth in a heel until they get used to what they are seeing out the corner of their eye

• Try standing still and see if they are more comfortable or still wigged out

• If you have to bail, walk big circles and spiral away instead of letting your dog drag you down the block like their life depends on it  If you bounce along behind them they may accidentally assume that you agree with their assessment or that they are saving you from danger, which is the opposite of helping them manage their fear

Bottom line: If your dog is overwhelmed, you gotta go home. Give them a breather and come back later with the sole intention of desensitizing or avoid that particular trigger if you can't make progress.

2) Your dog is not a doll

If you want to put your dog in a costume, make sure you are more tuned in to their body language than you are committed to getting your cute photo. Dogs show subtle signs of distress when they are uncomfortable that we can easily miss or misinterpret. This may include licking, looking down and away, panting, freezing, raising a paw, showing the whites of their eyes, laying their ears back or to the side, or trying to climb on us. More obvious distress signals would be running away and rolling to get out of their costume, but most dogs will freeze. If you MUST dress up your dog, make sure you take your time and desensitize them to whatever you are about to put on then take it right off once you are done. Please don't make your dog wear anything for longer than "necessary," even if they seem not to mind.

Be sure that your dog's costume is comfortable for them:

• Not too hot

• Doesn't restrict their movement or hang low so they have to walk carefully not to trip

• Doesn't cover or restrict their eyes, nose or mouth

• Allows for the leash to be properly in place (don't clip a leash to a costume, even if it has a loop)

• Has the opening placed for them to easily eliminate

• No loose or flopping parts another dog can grab and hold on to (or, even better, no loose dogs in costumes interacting with each other) 

Heading to the Pup Parade?

First you have make sure your dog is comfortable walking in their costume around house and the neighborhood. If they aren't, then it's a no-go. If you get to the event and they are anxious or afraid, try the tips from the section above on the periphery of the event. If they can't settle then cuteness is cancelled and you gotta disrobe and go home.

3) No good scare

Be VERY mindful if you want to take your dog trick or treating and prepare ahead of time to be able to take your dog home if they aren't diggin' it. This means having two adults present with the kiddos so one can bail with the pup if needed. If you are flying solo, make sure that you are very unattached to your plans if you choose to bring your dog. Keeping a dog out with you when they are scared will degrade their trust in you, their feeling of safety in the world, and can lay the groundwork for reactivity. You can tell by my tone that this is no joke!

Dog lover/trainer recommendation: give your dog a super long walk during the day then leave them safely crated in a quiet room at home while you go out. If you are hosting costumed humans, consider sending your dog out for a sleep-over or make sure you keep them with you on leash for the first hour to help them acclimate instead of letting them run free.

4) All tricks, no treats 

We humans celebrate special occasions with special food, but our dogs' stomachs are not the same as ours. We want to share our joy and festivities AND food with them, which can lead to upset tummies, loose poos and even a trip to the emergency vet. We all know chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but so are sugar, raisins, coconut, nuts, or anything "sugar-free."

Well, that's just about everything! Your dog will be grateful if you avoid feeding them anything different this holiday season (yup, right through New Years!). If you really want to give them a treat, make it a long walk or hike or a trick training session.

Over Halloween week and the week after be mindful of stray candy wrappers and decorations on your walks. If you see something blowing around, get your dog's attention, shorten the leash, ask them to sit or wait as you take a step or two over and bend down to pick up any trash you see before your dog (or any dog) can get to them for some good neighbor karma.

Bonus: This is a good training moment and mirrors the "wait" protocol you should be implementing at every door before you open it.